Hebrews: Christ is better

Where Hebrews sits

In the story

Act VI, Church · Rome, AD 60s and later

In the Bible

New Testament · Letters · book 58 of 66

Before it in the story

1 Peter

After it in the story

2 Peter

A sermon to a congregation under pressure, deeply familiar with Israel's Scriptures: it reads the whole Old Testament, its priesthood, tabernacle, sacrifices, covenants and wilderness story, as shadows fulfilled in Christ, and calls the church to keep going to the city that is to come.

Hebrews summary

Hebrews is a sermon sent as a letter, a “word of exhortation” (13:22) to believers who had once suffered gladly for Christ but now, under pressure and shame, were tempted to drift back to the old ways. It opens with no greeting, only God speaking: long ago through the prophets, in these last days by His Son, the heir and Maker of all, who made purification for sins and sat down at God's right hand (1:1–4). The preacher then shows from Scripture that the Son is greater than every mediator of the old order, and after each step he presses the point home. He is greater than the angels, through whom the law came, for He is Son and God and King; yet He became lower than them for a while, tasted death and became a merciful and faithful high priest (1:5–2:18). He is greater than Moses, as a son is greater than a servant, and the wilderness generation that fell through unbelief warns us to enter God's rest Today (3:1–4:13). He is greater than Aaron, a priest called by God, made perfect through suffering, a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek by God's oath, who saves completely because He always lives to intercede (4:14–7:28). His ministry is better too: He serves in the true sanctuary in heaven, mediates the new covenant Jeremiah promised, and entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, so that by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified (8:1–10:18). Therefore let us draw near, hold fast and not shrink back, for there is no other sacrifice; let us live by faith like the witnesses of old, run with our eyes on Jesus, accept the Father's discipline, and heed Him who speaks from heaven, for we have come not to Sinai but to Mount Zion (10:19–12:29). The sermon closes with counsels for life together, the call to go to Jesus outside the camp, a benediction and greetings (13). Five warnings run through it (2:1–4; 3:7–4:13; 5:11–6:12; 10:26–39; 12:14–29), each part of the argument and each answered with assurance: God keeps His people holding fast through the very warnings He gives.

Hebrews in context

Written by

Not named in the letter. He was a skilled writer of Greek, steeped in the Greek Old Testament, a second-generation believer who heard the gospel from the Lord's own hearers (2:3), a friend of Timothy (13:23) and known to his readers (13:18–19). Paul, Barnabas, Apollos and Luke are among the candidates (see contested).

Written to

Believers familiar with the Greek Old Testament, probably including Jewish Christians; Rome is a plausible but uncertain destination (13:24). They received the gospel through the Lord's hearers (2:3), endured public shame and property loss, and supported prisoners (10:32–34).

Setting

A congregation wearied by suffering and in danger of abandoning Christ (3:12; 10:32–39; 12:3). Some neglect their gatherings (10:25). Returning to the old worship is a plausible reconstruction of the danger; neither synagogue exclusion nor an operating Jerusalem temple is explicitly established.

When

Probably in the 60s, but uncertain. Timothy is known to the writer and readers (13:23), and Clement of Rome knew the letter by about AD 96. The earlier sufferings (10:32–34) may fit Rome under Claudius or Nero. Present-tense descriptions of sacrifices and silence about AD 70 do not prove that the temple was still standing.

Why

To keep wavering believers from drifting away from Christ by showing from the Old Testament that He is God's final word and the fulfillment of everything the old covenant foreshadowed: greater than angels, Moses and Aaron, the High Priest of a better covenant whose one sacrifice is sufficient forever; and so to call them to draw near to God through Him, hold fast their confession, endure suffering by faith and go to Him outside the camp, warning them that there is no other way and assuring them that God keeps His own (6:9; 10:39; 13:22).

Themes of Hebrews

• God has spoken in His Son
• The Son better than all
• God and man in one Person
• A great high priest
• A better covenant
• Once for all
• Draw near
• Hold fast: the warnings
• Faith and the promise
• Pilgrims bound for the city
• Suffering and discipline

Key verses in Hebrews

• Hebrews 1:1–2

  On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.

• Hebrews 1:3

  The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

• Hebrews 2:17

  For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people.

• Hebrews 4:12

  For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

• Hebrews 4:15–16

  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

• Hebrews 7:25

  Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.

• Hebrews 8:6

  Now, however, Jesus has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises.

• Hebrews 9:12

  He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.

• Hebrews 9:27–28

  Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.

• Hebrews 10:14

  because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.

• Hebrews 10:19–22

  Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

• Hebrews 11:1

  Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.

• Hebrews 11:6

  And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

• Hebrews 12:1–2

  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

• Hebrews 12:22–24

  Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

• Hebrews 13:8

  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

• Hebrews 13:20–21

  Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews chapter by chapter

Part 1 · God's last word: the Son above the angels 1:1–2:18

1. 1
   Hebrews 1: He has spoken to us by His Son

   God's last word is His Son: heir, Maker and Purifier of sins, enthroned far above the angels.

2. 2
   Hebrews 2: Made like His brothers

   Hold to so great a salvation: the Son became man, tasted death, and is our merciful high priest.

Part 2 · Greater than Moses: enter God's rest Today 3:1–4:13

1. 3
   Hebrews 3: Today, if you hear His voice

   Jesus the Son outranks Moses the servant; so do not harden your hearts as Israel did in the wilderness.

2. 4
   Hebrews 4: A Sabbath rest for the people of God

   God's rest still remains: enter it by faith Today, and hold fast to our great High Priest.

Part 3 · Greater than Aaron: a priest forever like Melchizedek 4:14–7:28

1. 5
   Hebrews 5: Designated by God as high priest

   Called by God and perfected through suffering, Christ is a priest forever; but the readers have grown dull.

2. 6
   Hebrews 6: An anchor for the soul

   Press on to maturity: falling away is fatal, but God's sworn promise anchors our hope in Christ.

3. 7
   Hebrews 7: A priest forever in the order of Melchizedek

   Greater than Levi, Christ is priest forever by God's oath and saves completely all who come through Him.

Part 4 · A better covenant, sanctuary and sacrifice 8:1–10:18

1. 8
   Hebrews 8: A better covenant on better promises

   Our High Priest serves in heaven's true sanctuary and mediates the new covenant, which makes the first obsolete.

2. 9
   Hebrews 9: Once for all by His own blood

   Yearly animal blood never opened the way; Christ entered heaven itself once for all by His own blood.

Part 5 · Draw near, hold fast, run by faith 10:19–12:29

1. 10
   Hebrews 10: Once for all, so let us draw near

   Christ's one offering perfects forever: so draw near, hold fast, and do not shrink back.

2. 11
   Hebrews 11: By faith

   Faith trusts God's unseen promise: from Abel on, believers lived and died looking to a better country.

3. 12
   Hebrews 12: You have come to Mount Zion

   Run looking to Jesus, accept the Father's discipline, and heed Him who speaks: you have come to Zion.

Part 6 · Outside the camp: counsels, benediction and greetings 13:1–25

1. 13
   Hebrews 13: Outside the camp

   Love, be pure and content; Jesus never changes: go to Him outside the camp and offer praise.

See the outline of Hebrews