Christian Community is Crucial (Heb. 10:22)

In contrast to the repeated Mosaic animal sacrifices, Heb. 10:1-18 shows that Jesus came into the world according to God's will to eternally sanctify a people through offering himself once for all. Therefore, only because of what Jesus has done on the cross on our behalf, "we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus" (Heb. 10:19; 4:16).

With this bold confidence grounded in the work of our great High Priest Jesus (and not in any merits we possess), Heb. 10:22-25 says, "²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ 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."

Practically, we draw near to God, not solo, but in Christian community. We "exhort one another every day" (Heb. 3:13), and "spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Heb. 10:24), and we do not give up "meeting together" (Heb. 10:25). This is our best safeguard to keep us from deliberately sinning, shrinking back, and to continue in the faith (Heb. 10:26-39).

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The New is Superior to the Old Covenant (Heb. 8)

Hebrews 8-10 declares the superiority of Jesus priestly ministry:

• through a better covenant (Heb. 8:1-13)

• in a better sanctuary (Heb. 9:1-12)


• by a better sacrifice (Heb. 9:13-10:18)

Jesus is the High Priest of a better covenant, for he is the eternal ultimate high priest ministering from heaven in a better heavenly tabernacle/sanctuary (Heb. 8:1-6).Jesus' new covenant is better, because it is able to do what the old covenant--the law--couldn't (Heb. 8:7-13). Even though the law was "holy, righteous and good" (Rom. 7:12), it could not itself empower obedience (Rom. 7:18,19), as the quotation from Jer. 31:31-33 makes clear.

How does the new covenant work? Heb. 8:10 says, "I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." Unlike the law's sacrifices, Jesus' death cleanses the conscience (Heb. 9:9-14), so that we do the will of God (Heb. 10:36; 13:21). Heb. 8:12 says, "I will remember their sins no more." The sacrifices according to the law were an annual reminder of sins (Heb. 10:3). Only Jesus' offering and sacrifice of himself brings forgiveness, holiness and perfection once for all (Heb. 10:10,13,18).

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A Necessary Change for Something Better (Heb. 7:1-28)

Melchizedek priesthood superior to the Levitical priesthood (Heb. 7:1-10). All priests in Israel were only from the tribe of Levi (Heb. 7:5). But Jesus belonged to a different priesthood, that of Melchizedek (Heb. 7:1-3), the mysterious figure from Gen. 14:18-20 (Ps. 110:4), who blessed Abraham and received his tithe, meaning that he was superior while Abraham and all his descendants, including the priesthood of Levi, was inferior (Heb. 7:4-10).

Only Jesus is Able to Save to the Uttermost/Completely (Heb. 7:11-28). Why did God establish a different priesthood from the one he established through Levi? It's because perfection was not attainable through the Law that came from the Levitical priesthood, thus necessitating the need for another priest, one in the order of Melchizedek -- Jesus -- who was descended from Judah (Heb. 7:11-14), and who is a priest forever because of his resurrection from the dead (Heb. 7:15-17).

What's wrong with the Law? In perfecting sinful man, it was weak and useless, for only through Jesus priesthood are we able to be brought to perfection and to draw near to God (Heb. 7:18,19). Jesus is the "guarantor of a better covenant," for since Jesus lives forever through his resurrection, his priesthood is permanant, while all former priests eventually died in office (Heb. 7:22-24). Heb. 7:25 says, "Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." Thank God for Jesus who is continually interceding on our behalf before the throne of God. Only Jesus is able to do so, because only Jesus, our high priest, is "holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners," and because only Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins (Heb. 7:26-28).

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Forward or Destruction; No Third Option (Heb. 6)

The Doctrine of Perseverance (Heb. 6:1-12). Heb. 6:1 says, "...let us...go on to maturity." To do so, we should "leave the elementary doctrine (teaching) of Christ" (Heb. 6:1-3). Otherwise, the author warns of certain apostasy/destruction/falling away (Heb. 6:4-8). Some think this passage means that a Christian, who was once saved, can lose their salvation. That's not the case, because those whom God has truly saved will persevere in faith to the end (John 10:28,29; Rom. 8:28-30).

God's Promise is Certain (Heb. 6:13-20). "When God made a promise to Abraham" (Heb. 6:13), God had to swear by Himself, because there was no one higher than God to swear by (Heb. 6:13-18; Gen. 22:16,17). Therefore, our Christian hope is not in some vague wishful fantasy or positive thinking based on nothing, but in the Person and Saving Work of Christ, our high priest (Heb. 6:19,20). This is the only reason why we Christians are able to confidently "take hold of the hope set before us" (Heb. 6:18), and why "we have this hope as an anchor of the soul, firm and secure" (Heb. 6:19). In brief, our hope does not at all stem from ourselves, but from what Christ has done for us.

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Jesus Obeyed First, We Obey Next (Heb. 5:8,9)

Draw Near the Throne of Grace with Confidence (Heb. 4:16-5:10). Nobody likes to feel that he has to prove something to others, or prove anything to anyone. But Jesus, though He is God, subjected himself to all the limitations of the flesh as our high priest (Heb. 4:14,15; 5:4-6). He willingly choose to "prove" by his tearful prayers (Heb. 5:7), sufferings and obedience in human flesh culminating in the cross, in order to pave the way for our salvation (Heb. 5:8,9). Only because of what Jesus has done, are we able to come to him with confidence (Heb. 4:16). Only because Jesus obeyed unto death, are we able to obey (Heb. 5:9).

Spiritual Immaturity (5:11-14). The Christians were weak and in danger of apostasy because they were immature. The maturity needed to understand Jesus' priestly sacrifice is not intellectual sophistication, but spiritual discernment arising from consistent obedience to God's will (Phil. 1:9-11).

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Our Faith is Already, But Not Yet (Heb. 4:1-16)

We Christians are like we're already the Mona Lisa--the greatest painting in the world--but not yet fully the Mona Lisa. Sorry for this corny illustration!

Strive to Enter God's Rest (Heb. 4:1-13). Have we Christians already received God's rest? Or are we yet to receive God's rest in the future? Heb. 4:1-13 answers "Yes" to both. Our rest is already inaugurated, but still awaiting consummation. We live in the time between Jesus' ascension and His 2nd Coming. Until that glorious day, we live in the humble confident state of "Already, But Not Yet." Because our present life is "Not Yet" and looks to the future, we need to continue to strive to enter God's rest (Heb. 4:1,11,14). Yet, because it is simultaneously "Already" we have the sure promise of the cessation from all the struggles of this life (Heb. 4:9,10). It is when we screw up this "balance," that our Christian lives become weird, even ugly: either blindly overconfident, arrogant, and triumphalistic, or despairing and defeatist with a victim's mentality--both leading to failure, unbelief, disobedience (Heb. 4:6,11). But with proper balance, God, by his grace alone, enables us to be both bold and humble simultaneously. We are boldly confident because we are already the Mona Lisa. Yet, we are truly humble because we are a bald Mona Lisa!

For proper balance, we need the Word of God. Heb. 4:12,13 say, "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. ¹³ 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." We, in our sins, can't balance ourselves. But God Himself, through His Word, constantly exposes our innermost thoughts and intentions. Our total dependency must be on God's absolute authority (Pro. 3:5,6) expressed through His word.

Tempted, Yet Without Sin - Jesus the Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14-16). To serve as high priest on behalf of humanity, Jesus must be human (Heb. 2:17). He had to satisfy God's wrath and make propitiation for our sins by being the atoning sacrifice in our place. Our confidence in "holding firmly" (Heb. 4:14,16) to our faith, is that Jesus is not foreign to any temptation that entices us (Heb. 4:15).

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Exhort One Another Every Day (Heb. 3:13)

Heb. 3:1-10:18 is an exposition of how Jesus is superior/greater than the Mosaic Law - superior to Moses (Heb. 3:1-4:13); superior to Aaron (Heb. 4:14-7:28); and that the priestly ministry of Christ {covenant, tabernacle, blood, sacrifice} is superior (Heb. 8:1-10:18).

Jesus is Greater than Moses (Heb. 3:1-6).

The Failure of the Exodus Generation (Heb. 3:7-19). In contrast to Moses' faithfulness (Heb. 3:1-6) in leading his people in the desert, the people failed to respond to the Holy Spirit; they hardened their hearts, provoked God, and experienced God's wrath (Heb. 3:7-11). It was because their "evil, unbelieving heart" led them to "fall away from the living God" (Heb. 3:12).

In light of their failure and rebellion, Heb. 3:13 says, "But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." This is the 2nd of 6 warnings/exhortations in Hebrews. Our hearts are deceitful (Jer. 17:9). Sin lies and deceives (Rom. 7:11; 2 Thess. 2:10; Jas. 1:14-16). Satan is crafty (Gen. 3:1). Only by God's grace, we "share in Christ" and "hold our original confidence firm to the end" (Heb. 3:14). And practically we need individual and corporate accountability and responsibility to "exhort one another every day." Then the author repeats his warning again not to harden their hearts (Heb. 3:15), by reminding them of the rebellion, disobedience, and unbelief of their forefathers in the exodus generation, and the tragic consequences (Heb. 3:16-19).

It is always good to find one or more to exhort us, and also good for us to personally exhort fellow believers (Heb. 3:1; Eph. 4:15).

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Don't Drift (Heb. 2:1-18)

1st of 6 warnings in Hebrews: Don't drift/neglect such a great salvation (Heb. 2:1-4). Heb 2:1 exhorts/warns us Christians to "pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it." What have we heard? We 1st heard "the message declared by angels," which is the law of Moses, and which is still binding, and leads to retribution and punishment to those who sin and disobey (Heb. 2:4). But now we're heard the gospel proclaimed through Christ, which is surely the greater salvation (Heb 2:3), and which God has attested to "by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will" (Heb. 2:4).

Surely, the Christian life is repeatedly fraught with temptation, distraction, discouragement, disillusionment, persecution, betrayal, etc. We want to be in charge or in control, to give up, give in, be in our comfort zones, go on cruise control, live at ease, blame others, etc. But what we should do is to never neglect or drift from the gospel of "such a great salvation" (Heb. 2:3).

Only Jesus is the Founder of Salvation for only He is fully God and fully Man (Heb. 2:5-18). Though Jesus is God, and greater than the angels, he was made "lower than the angels...because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone" (Heb. 2:9). Without knowing the grace of One who tasted death in our place, our faith can always easily falter and drift.

Heb. 2:14,15 explains that a human Savior was necessary, because human beings are in need of a propitiatory (satisfying God's wrath) sacrifice and a sympathetic high priest (Heb. 2:17,18). Praise Jesus who willingly tasted the hell and death that we fully deserve, so that he could be our great salvation.

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Jesus, God's Final Word (Hebrews 1:2)

Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians to show that Jesus is greater/better than the angels, priests, Moses; that Jesus is the greater/better sacrifice, temple, hope, promise, country, resurrection. They were subject to suffering and shame for their confession of Jesus; they were tempted to turn away from the faith (Heb. 10:38,39), and in danger of falling away, perhaps fearing death (Heb. 2:14-18). Thus, the author of Hebrews wrote to exhort them to take heed (Heb. 13:22), persevere, and hold on to faith, by fixing our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:2).

Heb. 1:1-4 is the introduction to Hebrews, and it is a summary of who Jesus is (the Person and Work of Jesus). It may be the absolute shortest resume on record. From it, we learn that Jesus is all of the following:

1. The Creator. "He created the world." (John 1:3, 10; Col. 1:16)
2. The Heir. "(God) appointed the heir of all things." As God's adopted sons through Jesus, we too are heirs (Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 4:6,7; Heb. 1:14).
3. The Glory of God. "He is the radiance of the glory of God." (2 Cor. 4:4-6)
4. Upholder. "He upholds the universe by the word of his power." (cf. Col. 1:17)
5. Mediator. "(He provided) purification of sins." (Tit. 2:14; Rev. 1:5)
6. Inheritor of an exalted/excellent/superior name. "The name he has inherited is more excellent."

Heb. 1:5-14 quotes from the Old Testament to give the evidence of Jesus' status as Son and God, which is why Jesus is superior to the angels (Heb. 1:4).

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