The Study of Jesus
J. W. Burn. Hebrews 3:1 Why, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; I. THE SUBJECT FOR STUDY. 1. Consider the person of Jesus. Christianity is Christ; and if Christ be not God. Man our religion is the dream of sanguine enthusiasts or the fraud of ingenious impostors. 2. Consider the offices of Jesus. (1) In His Divine-human capacity Jesus is the Apostle of our confession. (2) As Apostle Jesus has a mission. He is High Priest. II. THE STUDENTS. 1. Confessors. Practical confession is the living up to all we believe, and the carrying out of all that that belief involves. 2. Holy brethren. Christ was born and died that He might communicate His Holy Spirit, by whose regenerating, adopting, and sanctifying work we arc made holy, the sons of God, and His brethren. 3. Partakers of a heavenly calling. (1) Walk worthy of it. (2) Make it sure. III. THE METHOD OF STUDY AND THE SPIRIT IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PURSUED. 1. As for the method, the word "consider" is descriptive of the posture of the earnest student who abstracts his attention from every other object, and pores over the thing in hand with unflagging industry until he has mastered it. (1) To our study of Jesus we must give undivided attention. We know so little of Christ, in spite of all our prayer and meditation, because we think of so much else while we are trying to think of Him. (2) Our study must be deep. Just as nature is grand or commonplace according as our reading is profound or superficial, so is it with the great subject of Christian study. (3) Our study must be patient and persistent. That knowledge is not worth much, and is often worth less than nothing, which is acquired in a few weeks' scamper over a mighty continent. 2. The spirit. (1) Reverential. (2) Humble boldness. (J. W. Burn.) Parallel Verses KJV: Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; WEB: Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus;