The Book of

Hebrews

Shows that Jesus is greater than all and the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Hebrews

​WHEN JESUS IS BETTER THAN EVERYTHING

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You're a Jewish believer. You grew up with the temple, the priesthood, the sacrifices, the law of Moses. These things are woven into your identity. They're what it means to be faithful to God.

Then you heard about Jesus. You believed. You became part of this new movement. And at first, it was exciting. The Holy Spirit. Miracles. Community. Joy.

But now it's getting hard. Really hard. Persecution is intensifying. Your family has disowned you. Your community has rejected you. You're losing jobs, property, even facing imprisonment. Some believers have already been killed.

And you're wondering: is Jesus really worth it? Wouldn't it be easier to go back to Judaism? At least then you'd have the temple, the priests, the visible sacrifices. At least then you'd be accepted by your community.

The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish believers facing exactly this temptation. The author, whose identity is unknown, writes to show them that Jesus is better than everything they're tempted to return to. Better than angels. Better than Moses. Better than the priesthood. Better than the old covenant. Better than the sacrifices.

Don't go back, the author says. Press on. Fix your eyes on Jesus. He's the superior priest with a superior covenant offering a superior sacrifice. What you have in Him is infinitely better than what you left behind.

Hebrews is about the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. It's theologically dense, pastorally urgent, and includes some of the most severe warnings in the New Testament. But it's also gloriously encouraging, pointing you again and again to Jesus, who is better than everything.

If you've been tempted to give up on following Jesus, if you're wondering if it's worth the cost, if you need reminding of why Jesus is better than everything else, read Hebrews. The author will show you that Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God, the final high priest, and the once for all sacrifice for sins.

A note before we begin:

Hebrews is thirteen chapters of rich, complex theology about Christ's supremacy. This summary covers the major themes, but the author's intricate arguments about the priesthood, covenant, and sacrifices deserve careful study. After this overview, open your Bible and read all thirteen chapters of Hebrews yourself. Let the supremacy of Christ fill your vision.

Jesus Is Superior to Angels

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So He became as much superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is superior to theirs.

God spoke through the prophets. But now He's spoken through His Son. The Son is the radiance of God's glory, the exact representation of His being. He sustains all things. He provided purification for sins. He sat down at God's right hand. He's superior to angels.

For to which of the angels did God ever say, you are My Son; today I have become Your Father? The Son is worshipped by angels. God says of the Son, Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever. The angels are ministering spirits. The Son is God.

Don't drift away from this message. We must pay more careful attention to what we've heard, so that we don't drift away. The message spoken through angels was binding. How much more the salvation announced by the Lord?

Jesus was made fully human for a little while, lower than the angels, so that by God's grace He might taste death for everyone. It was fitting that God should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what He suffered.

Warning Against Unbelief

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: today, if you hear His voice, don't harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried Me, though for forty years they saw what I did.

The Israelites hardened their hearts in the wilderness. They saw God's works but didn't enter His rest because of unbelief. The author warns: don't harden your hearts. Today, if you hear His voice, respond.

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Jesus Is Greater Than Moses

Moses was faithful as a servant in God's house. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house. Moses was part of the house. Jesus built the house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honour than Moses.

A Sabbath Rest

There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Just as God rested from His works, so we enter rest by believing. Make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

God's word is living, active, sharp. It penetrates. It judges thoughts and attitudes. Nothing is hidden from God.

Jesus the Great High Priest

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we don't have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet He didn't sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Jesus is our great high priest. He's ascended into heaven. He sympathises with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way but didn't sin. We can approach God's throne with confidence.

Every high priest is selected from amongst the people and appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He's able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.

Christ didn't take the honour of becoming high priest upon Himself. God appointed Him. You are a priest for ever, in the order of Melchizedek.

During His days on earth, Jesus offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.

Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek. During His earthly life, He prayed with cries and tears. He learned obedience through suffering. He became the source of eternal salvation.

Warning Against Falling Away

We have much to say about this, but it's hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

They should be mature by now. But they're still infants, needing milk instead of solid food.

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Move beyond elementary teachings. Press on to maturity.

It's impossible for those who've once been enlightened, who've tasted the heavenly gift, who've shared in the Holy Spirit, who've tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who've fallen away, to be brought back to repentance.

This is one of the most debated passages in Scripture. It speaks of people who've experienced spiritual realities but then fallen away. The author says it's impossible to bring them back to repentance because they're crucifying the Son of God all over again.

Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we're convinced of better things in your case, the things that have to do with salvation. God isn't unjust; He won't forget your work and the love you've shown Him as you've helped His people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realised. We don't want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

The author is confident about them. God won't forget their work and love. Show diligence to the end. Don't become lazy. Imitate those who inherit promises through faith and patience.

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The Certainty of God's Promise

When God made His promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for Him to swear by, He swore by Himself. God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear, so He confirmed it with an oath. We who've fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

God's promise is certain. Confirmed by oath. We have hope as an anchor for the soul.

Melchizedek the Priest

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham and blessed him. He's without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest for ever.

Melchizedek appeared to Abraham. He's mysterious, without genealogy, resembling the Son of God. He remains a priest for ever.

If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood, why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also.

The Levitical priesthood couldn't bring perfection. So another priest came, in the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to His ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it's declared: you are a priest for ever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus is a priest based on indestructible life. He's a priest for ever.

The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

The old regulation was weak and useless. The law made nothing perfect. A better hope has been introduced.

Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives for ever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He's able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.

The Levitical priests died and had to be replaced. But Jesus lives for ever. He has a permanent priesthood. He's able to save completely. He always lives to intercede.

Such a high priest truly meets our need, one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, He doesn't need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself.

Jesus meets our need. Holy, blameless, pure. He doesn't need daily sacrifices. He sacrificed Himself once for all.

The High Priest of a New Covenant

Now the main point of what we're saying is this: we do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

Jesus is our high priest. He sat down at God's right hand. He serves in the true tabernacle.

But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which He is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

Jesus' ministry is superior. The new covenant is superior. Established on better promises.

For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. God found fault with the people. He says: The days are coming when I'll make a new covenant with the people of Israel. I'll put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I'll be their God, and they'll be My people. For I'll forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.

The first covenant had faults. God promised a new covenant. Laws written on hearts. Sins forgiven and remembered no more.

By calling this covenant new, He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

The first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. There was a tabernacle with the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. Only the high priest entered the Most Holy Place, once a year, with blood for sins.

The Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place hadn't yet been disclosed. This was an illustration for the present time. The gifts and sacrifices couldn't clear the conscience of the worshipper. They were external regulations until the time of the new order.

The Blood of Christ

But when Christ came as high priest, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that isn't made with human hands. He didn't enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.

Christ entered the greater tabernacle. Not with blood of animals. With His own blood. Once for all. Obtaining eternal redemption.

The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sanctify those who are ceremonially unclean. How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

If animal blood brought ceremonial cleansing, how much more does Christ's blood cleanse our consciences?

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Christ died to set us free from sins under the first covenant. We receive eternal inheritance.

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there's no forgiveness.

Without shedding of blood, no forgiveness.

Christ's Sacrifice Once for All

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming, not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

The law is a shadow. The sacrifices can never make perfect those who worship.

But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool. For by one sacrifice He has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy.

Christ offered one sacrifice for all time. Then sat down. By one sacrifice He has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy.

Where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

A Call to Persevere in Faith

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

We have confidence to enter God's presence. Through Jesus' blood. Draw near with sincere heart. Hold unswervingly to hope. Spur one another on. Don't give up meeting together. Encourage one another.

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we've received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

This is a severe warning. If we deliberately keep sinning after receiving truth, no sacrifice remains. Only judgment.

So don't throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you've done the will of God, you'll receive what He has promised. For, in just a little whilst, He who is coming will come and won't delay. And, but My righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.

Don't throw away confidence. Persevere. The righteous live by faith.

But we don't belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Faith in Action

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we don't see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

Faith is confidence in what we hope for. Assurance about what we don't see.

By faith Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, and countless others lived, suffered, conquered, and died in faith. They were commended for their faith, though none received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

The author lists the heroes of faith. They lived by faith. Died in faith. Didn't receive what was promised. God planned something better for us.

Therefore, since we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you won't grow weary and lose heart.

We're surrounded by witnesses. Throw off what hinders. Run with perseverance. Fix your eyes on Jesus. He endured the cross for the joy set before Him. Consider Him. Don't grow weary.

God Disciplines His Children

In your struggle against sin, you've not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. Our fathers disciplined us for a little whilst as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who've been trained by it.

Endure hardship as discipline. God treats you as children. Discipline produces righteousness and peace.

Warning and Encouragement

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.

Pursue peace and holiness. Don't fall short of grace. Don't let bitterness take root.

You've not come to a mountain that can be touched, to darkness, gloom and storm. But you've come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You've come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, 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.

You've come to the heavenly Jerusalem. To Jesus, mediator of a new covenant. His blood speaks better than Abel's.

See to it that you don't refuse Him who speaks. Make sure that you don't refuse the one who's speaking. For if they didn't escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we turn away from the one who warns us from heaven?

Don't refuse Him who speaks from heaven.

Therefore, since we're receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

We're receiving an unshakeable kingdom. Be thankful. Worship with reverence and awe.

Concluding Exhortations

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are ill treated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Love one another. Show hospitality. Remember prisoners and those ill treated.

Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.

Honour marriage. Keep it pure. Don't love money. Be content. God will never leave you.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. Strengthen your heart by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.

Jesus never changes. Don't be carried away by strange teachings.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that openly profess His name. And don't forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Offer continual praise. Do good. Share. These sacrifices please God.

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

Submit to your leaders. They watch over you and must give account.

Pray for us. We're sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honourably in every way.

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 everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

What This Means for You

Hebrews shows that Jesus is better than everything. Better than angels, Moses, the priesthood, the old covenant, the sacrifices. He's the final revelation of God, the ultimate high priest, the once for all sacrifice for sins.

Here's what Hebrews teaches you:

Jesus is the radiance of God's glory, the exact representation of His being. He sustains all things. He provided purification for sins.

Don't drift away. Pay careful attention. Don't harden your hearts.

Jesus is our great high priest. He sympathises with our weaknesses. Approach God's throne with confidence.

Jesus offered Himself once for all. His blood cleanses our consciences. He's able to save completely.

The new covenant is superior. God's laws written on hearts. Sins forgiven and remembered no more.

Fix your eyes on Jesus. Run with perseverance. Don't grow weary.

Endure hardship as discipline. It produces righteousness and peace.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever.

Your Next Steps

Hebrews challenges you not to give up, not to go back, but to press on in faith.

Are you fixing your eyes on Jesus? Or on your circumstances? He endured the cross. Consider Him.

Are you drifting? Growing weary? Tempted to give up? Don't. Hold unswervingly to hope.

Are you approaching God's throne with confidence? You have access through Jesus' blood.

Are you meeting with other believers? Or giving up assembling together? Don't forsake gathering. Encourage one another.

Are you living by faith? Or shrinking back? The righteous live by faith.

Read It Yourself

This summary covers Hebrews' major themes, but the intricate arguments about priesthood and covenant deserve careful study. Hebrews is thirteen chapters of rich theology.

Don't just read about Hebrews. Read Hebrews. Open your Bible and read all thirteen chapters. Let the supremacy of Christ fill your vision. Let the warnings sober you. Let the encouragements strengthen you.

Jesus Is Better

That's the message of Hebrews. Jesus is better than everything.

Don't go back. Press on. Fix your eyes on Jesus.

He's worth it.

Scripture paraphrased and quoted from various translations for clarity.

© The Unknown Believer