"PAY MORE THAN USUAL ATTENTION"

They Needed to Pay Closer Attention

Why might a Christian have been tempted to return to Judaism? Well the system of worship under the Law involved tangible things. People could see the priests and smell the burning sacrifices. In certain respects, however, Christianity was quite different. Christians was quit. Christians had a High Priest, Jesus Christ, but he had not been seen on earth for three decades. (Hebrews 4:14) They had a temple, but its holy place was heaven itself. (Hebrews 9:24) Unlike physical circumcision under the Law, Christian circumcision was "that of the heart by spirit." (Romans 2:29) To the Hebrews Christians, therefore, Christianity may have begun to seem rather abstract in nature.

The Hebrew Christians about to realize something very significant about the system of worship instituted by Christ. It was based more on faith than on sight, yet, it was superior to the Law handed down through the prophet Moses. "If the blood of goats and of bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who have been defiled sanctifies to the extent of cleanness of the flesh," Paul wrote, "how much more will the blood of the Christ, who through an everlasting spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works that we may render sacred service to the living God?" (Hebrews 9:13, 14) Yet, the forgiveness available through faith in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ is greatly superior in many ways to that provided by the sacrifices offered under the Law. -Hebrews 7:26-28.

There was another reason why the Hebrew Christians needed to pay strict attention to the things heard about Jesus. He had foretold that Jerusalem would be destroyed. Said Jesus: "The days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification with pointed stakes and will encircle you and distress you from every side, and they will dash you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you, because you did not discern the time of your being inspected." -Luke 19:43, 44.

When would this happen? Jesus did not reveal the day and hour. Rather, he gave this instruction: "When you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. Then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains, and let those in the midst of her withdraw, and let those in the country places not enter into her." (Luke 21:20, 21) During the 30 years after Jesus spoke those words, some Christians in Jerusalem lost their sense of urgency and became distracted. They took their eyes off the road, as it were. If they did not adjust their thinking, disaster was certain. Whether they thought so or not, Jerusalem's destruction was imminent! Hopefully, Paul's admonition provided a wake-up call to spiritually slumbering Christians in Jerusalem.

Next time: Paying "More Than the Usual Attention" Today

Watchtower, 2002