Jesus Is Greater Than the Prophets 1:1–3 Seven character affirmations:	Jesus Is Greater Than the Angels 1:4–14 Seven Scripture quotations:
Heir of all things (v. 2)	Psalm 2:7 (v. 5)
Creator (v. 2)	2 Samuel 7:14 (v. 3)
Manifestation of God’s Being (v. 3)	Deuteronomy 32:43 or Psalm 97:7 (v. 6)
Perfect representation of God (v. 3)	Psalm 104:4 (v. 7)
Sustainer of all things (v. 3)	Psalm 45:6, 7 (vv. 8, 9)
Savior (v. 3)	Psalm 102:25–27 (vv. 10–12)
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
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:
Personality	Angel’s Action	Biblical Reference
Zacharias	Revealed to Zacharias the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist	Luke 1:11–20
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
Shepherds	Announced Jesus’ birth to them	Luke 2:8–15
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
Apostles	Predicted the return of Jesus; released the apostles from prison	Acts 1:10, 11 Acts 5:17–20
Philip	Sent Philip into the desert to meet the eunuch	Acts 8:26
Cornelius	Instructed Cornelius to send for Peter	Acts 10:3–8
Peter	Released Peter from prison	Acts 12:7
Herod	Judged Herod because of his blasphemy	Acts 12:23
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	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.
B. THE SUPERIORITY OF FAITH (10:19-13:25)	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.

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

Hebrews Overview