Graphics of Hebrews
Vital statistics
| Purpose: | To present the sufficiency and superiority of Christ | | Author: | Paul, Luke, Barnabas, Apollos, Silas, Philip, Priscila, and others have been suggested because the name of the author is not given in the biblical text itself. Whoever it was speak of Timothy as "brother" (13:23). | | Original audience: | Hebrews Christians (perhaps second-generations Christians, see 2:3) who may have been considering a return to Judaism, perhaps because of immaturity, stemming from a lack of understanding of biblical truths | | Date written: | Probably before the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70 because the religious sacrifices and ceremonies are referred to in the book, but no mentions is made of the Temples' destruction | | Setting: | These Jewish Christians were probably undergoing fierce persecution, socially and physically, both from Jews and from Romans. Christ had not returned to establish his Kingdom, and the people needed to be reassured that Christianity was true and that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. | | Key verse: | "The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven" (1:3). | | Key people: | Old Testament men and women of faith (chapter 11) |
Two Covenants Compared
THE OLD COVENANT: (Heb 9:1–10) |
THE NEW COVENANT: (Heb. 9:11–28) |
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Obsolete now that Christ has come (Heb. 8:13). |
A better covenant brought about by Christ (Heb. 7:19; 8:6–7). |
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Originated at Mount Sinai (Gal. 4:24–25). |
Originated from the Jerusalem above (Gal. 4:26–27). |
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Brought death and condemnation (2 Cor. 3:7–9). |
Brings life (Eph. 2:1–13). |
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Impossible to obey perfectly because of human weakness and sin (Rom. 8:3). |
Fulfilled perfectly by Christ (Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25). |
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Required annual atonement for sins (Heb. 9:7–8; 10:1–4). |
Removes sin once for all and cleanses the conscience (Heb. 9:12; 10:2, 22). |
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Restricted access to God (Heb. 9:7–8). |
Opened access to God for all (Heb. 9:15–16). |
Word in life study Bible . 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (He 9.1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Key Concepts Chart
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Hebrews |
Theme |
Concept |
Key Verses |
Key Words |
Meaning |
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Foundation Truths... |
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Chap. 1 |
Jesus’ identity |
Jesus is God |
Heb. 1:1–2 |
whole, complete |
Jesus is enough . . . there is nothing more I need. |
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2 |
Our identity |
We are Jesus’ brothers |
Heb 2:11 |
mastery, dominion |
I need to see myself raised to mastery of life in Jesus.
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3 & 4 |
Life-principle |
Experience our position |
Heb 4:10 |
rest, faith, response |
When I trust and obey God I enter His rest. |
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5 |
High Priest |
Jesus links us with God |
Heb 4:16 |
weakness, link |
When weak, I can come confidently to Jesus for forgiveness and aid. |
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6 |
Maturity |
Security stimulates growth
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Heb 6:18 |
insecure, foundation |
I can forget myself and launch out in reckless trust that the Atonement is complete. |
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Deeper Truth ... Identity |
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7 |
Priesthood |
Relationship is assured |
Hcb 7:25 |
guaranteed relationship |
I can have assurance of salvation:Jesus is my Guarantee! |
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8 & 9 |
Law |
Righteousness is necessary
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Hcb. 8:10 |
commandment law, inner law |
I can trust Jesus to make me progressively more righteous as I trust and obey Him. |
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9 & 10 |
Sacrifice |
Holiness is ours |
Heb. 10:14 |
guilt, cleansed |
I can see myself in Jesus as a holy, not a guilty person. |
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Deeper Truths ... Lifestyle |
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10 |
Warning |
Maturing takes time |
Heb 10:35–36 |
process, persevere |
I can know that daily commitment to God’s will will produce maturity. |
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11 |
Faith |
Faith enables |
Heb. 11:6 |
enablement, obedience |
I can meet any challenge enabled by faith in God. |
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12 |
Discipline |
Faith becomes commitments |
Heb. 12:10 |
patience, holiness |
I can discipline myself to full commitment to faith’s life. |
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13 |
Love |
Faith produces love |
Heb. 13:20–21 |
externals, grace |
I can find life’s real meaning in others and in Christ. |
Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The teacher's commentary. Includes index. (989). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
Warnings in Hebrews
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Question |
Heb 3–4 |
Heb 6 |
Heb 10:26–39 |
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Why is being warned? |
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What are they told to do? |
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What are they told not to do? |
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What consequences follow the wrong response? |
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What benefits grow from the right response? |
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What is the danger against which we are begin warned? |
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Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The teacher's commentary. Includes index. (991). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
Jesus Deals with Sin
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An act of sin... |
generates |
Jesus deals with sin as |
providing |
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Shame |
High Priest
(compassionate) |
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Guilt |
High Priest and blood sacrifice |
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Guilt feelings |
High Priest and food sacrifice
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Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The teacher's commentary. Includes index. (1006). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
Christ’s Superiority in Hebrews 1
Jesus Is Greater Than the Prophets
1:1–3
Seven character affirmations: |
Jesus Is Greater Than the Angels
1:4–14
Seven Scripture quotations: |
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Heir of all things (v. 2) |
Psalm 2:7 (v. 5) |
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Creator (v. 2) |
2 Samuel 7:14 (v. 3) |
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Manifestation of God’s Being (v. 3) |
Deuteronomy 32:43 or Psalm 97:7 (v. 6) |
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Perfect representation of God (v. 3) |
Psalm 104:4 (v. 7) |
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Sustainer of all things (v. 3) |
Psalm 45:6, 7 (vv. 8, 9) |
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Savior (v. 3) |
Psalm 102:25–27 (vv. 10–12) |
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Exalted Lord (v. 3) |
Psalm 110:1 (v. 13) |
New Geneva study Bible. 1997, c1995 (electronic ed.) (He 1.1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Angels in the New Testament
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Angels are active throughout the N.T. as special messengers of God (Heb. 1:14). The news that Mary would give birth to the Messiah, the Savior of the world, was brought to her by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:26–38). The N.T. also reveals that angel guide, instruct, and protect god’s people. Angels are not as obviously active today as in N.T. times because of the larger role played by the Holy Spirit in the loves of Christians.
Following are other N.T. events in which angels played a significant role: |
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Personality |
Angel’s Action |
Biblical Reference |
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Zacharias |
Revealed to Zacharias the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist |
Luke 1:11–20 |
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Joseph |
Assured Joseph of Mary’s purity; warned him of Herod’s plot; told Joseph about Herod’s dream |
Matt. 1:20–25
Matt. 2:13
Matt. 2:19, 20 |
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Shepherds |
Announced Jesus’ birth to them |
Luke 2:8–15 |
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Jesus |
Ministered to Jesus during His temptations; strengthened Him in the Garden of Gethsemane; rolled away the stone from the tomb an announced His resurrection |
Matt. 4:11
Luke 22:43
Matt. 28:2–6 |
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Apostles |
Predicted the return of Jesus; released the apostles from prison |
Acts 1:10, 11 Acts 5:17–20 |
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Philip |
Sent Philip into the desert to meet the eunuch |
Acts 8:26 |
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Cornelius |
Instructed Cornelius to send for Peter |
Acts 10:3–8 |
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Peter |
Released Peter from prison |
Acts 12:7 |
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Herod |
Judged Herod because of his blasphemy |
Acts 12:23 |
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Paul |
Reassured Paul in a storm at sea |
Acts 27:23, 24 |
New Geneva study Bible. 1997, c1995 (electronic ed.) (He 1.9). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
The Blueprint
A. THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST ( 1:1-10:18)
1. Christ is greater than the angels
2. Christ is greater than Moses
3. Christ is greater than the Old Testament priesthood
4. The new covenant is greater than the old
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The superiority of Christ over everyone and everything is clearly demonstrated by the author. Christianity supersedes all other religions and can never be surpassed. Where can one find anything better than Christ? Living in Christ is having the best there is in life. All competing religions are deceptions or cheap imitations.
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B. THE SUPERIORITY OF FAITH (10:19-13:25)
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Jews who had become Christians in the first century were tented to fall back into Judaism because of uncertainty, the security of custom, and persecution. Today believers are also tempted to fall back into legalism, fulfilling minimum religious requirements rather than pressing on in genuine faith. We must strive to live by faith each day.
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Christ and the Angels
The writer of Hebrews quotes from the Old Testaments repeatedly in demonstrating Christ's greatness comparison to the angels. This audience of first-century Jewish Christians had developed an imbalanced belief in angles and their role, Christ's lordship is affirmed without disrespect to God's valued messengers.
| Hebrews passage | Old Testament passage | How Christ is superior to angels | | 1:5, 6 | Psalm 2:7 | Christ is called "Son" of God, a title never given to an angel. | | 1:7, 14 | Psalm 104:4 | Angels are important but are still only servants under God. | | 1:8, 9 | Psalm 45:6 | Christ's Kingdom is forever. | | 1:10 | Psalm 102:25 | Christ is the Creator of the World. | | 1:13 | Psalm 110:1 | Christ is given unique honor by God. |
Abraham in the New Testament
| Abraham was an ancestor of Jesus Christ. | Matthew 1:1, 2, 17
Luke 3:23, 34 | Jesus Christ was human; he was born into the line of Abraham, whom God had chosen to be the father of a great nation through which the whole world be blessed. We are blessed because of what Jesus Christ, Abraham's descendant, did for us. | | Abraham was the father of the Jewish nation. | Matthew 3:9
Luke 3:8
Acts 13:26
Romans 4:11; 11:1
2 Corinthians 11:22
Hebrews 6:13, 14 | God wanted to set apart a nation for himself, a nation that would tell the world about him. He began with a man of faith who, though old and childless, believed God's promise of innumerable descendants. We ca trust God to do the impossible when we have faith. | | Abraham, because of his faith, now sits in the Kingdom with Christ. | Matthew 8:11
Luke 13:28;
16:23-31 | Abraham followed God, and now he is enjoying his reward - eternity with God. We will one day meet Abraham because we have been promised eternity as well. | | God is Abraham's God; thus, Abraham is alive with God. | Matthew 22:32
Mark 12:26
Luke 20:37
Acts 7:32 | As Abraham lives forever, we will live forever, because we, like Abraham, have chosen the life of faith. | | Abraham received great promises from God. | Luke 1:55, 72, 73
Acts 3:25; 7:17, 8
Galatians 3:6, 14-16
Hebrews 6:13-15 | Many of the promises God made to Abraham seemed impossible to be realized, but Abraham trusted God. The promises to believers in God's Word also seem too incredible to believe, but we can trust God to keep all his promises. | | Abraham followed God | Acts 7:2-8
Hebrews 11:8, 17-19 | Abraham followed God's leading from his homeland to an unknown territory, which became the Jews' Promised Land. When we follow God, even before he makes all his plans clear to us, we will never be disappointed. | | God blessed Abraham because of his faith. | Romans 4
Galatians 3:6-9, 14-19
Hebrews 11:8, 17-19
James 2:21-24 | Abraham showed faith in times of disappointment, trial, and testing. Because of Abraham's faith, God counted him righteous and called him his "friend." God accepts us because of our faith. | | Abraham is the father of all those who come to God by faith. | Romans 9:6-8
Galatians 3:6-9, 14-29 | The Jews are Abraham's children, and Christ was his descendant. We are Christ's brothers and sisters; thus, all believers are Abraham's children and God's children. Abraham was righteous because of his faith; we are made righteous through faith in Christs. The promises made to Abraham apply to us because of Christ. |
The Old and New Covenants
Like pointing out the similarities and differences between the photograph of a person and the actual person, the writer of Hebrews shows the connection between the old Mosaic covenant en the new Messianic covenant. He proves that the old covenant was a shadow of the real Christ.
| Reference | The Old Covenant under Moses | The New Covenant in Christ | Application | | 8:3-4 | Gifts and sacrifices by those guilty of sin | Self-sacrifice by the guiltless Christ | Christ died for you | | 8:5-6, 10-12 | Focused on a physical building where one goes to worship | Focuses on the reign of Christ in believers' hearts | God is directly involved in your life | | 8:5-6, 0-12 | A shadow | A reality | Not temporal, but eternal | | 8:6 | Limited promises | Limitless promises | We can trust God's promises to us | | 8:8-9 | Failed agreement by people | Faithful agreement by Christ | Christ has kept the agreement where people couldn't | | 9:1 | External standards and rules | Internal standards - a new heart | God sees both actions and motives - we are accountable to God, not rules | | 9:7 | Limited access to God | Unlimited access to God | God is personally available | | 9:9-10 | Legal cleansing | Personal cleansing | God's cleansing is complete | | 9:11-14; 24-28 | Continual sacrifice | Conclusive sacrifice | Christ sacrifice was perfect and final | | 9:22 | Forgiveness earned | Forgiveness freely given | We have true and complete forgiveness | | 9:24-28 | Repeated yearly | Completed by Christ's death | Christ's death can be applied to our sin | | 9:26 | Available to some | Available to all | Available to you |
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