A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

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A B i b l i ca l Vi s i on, Par t I I : Mas ter i ng the New Tes tament Wi tnes s to Chr i s t

c. Stage three: faithful and trustworthy pastors to be appointed by the apostles’ official representatives . Paul insists that the apostolic tradition in the Church is to be entrusted to those loyal to the apostles’ teaching whose home lives and personal characters is consistent with Christ’s standard (1) 1 Tim. 3.2 – Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach. (2) Titus 1.9 – He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. d. Stage four: the ability to pass on the apostolic teaching to others . “ This is the true apostolic succession – the transmission of the apostles’ teaching from generation to generation through the New Testament ” (Stott), cf. 2 Tim. 4.1-2 – I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his Kingdom: [2] preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

F. The Epistle to the Hebrews: Christ our Faithful High Priest

1. Authorship: although the letter is anonymous, many have ascribed it to the Apostle Paul, but debate continues about this authorship.

2. While the date of its writing is debated also, there is much scholarly agreement that it was written sometime before A.D. 70.