Hebrews: Introduction

Handout: Hebrews Introduction

Steve Ellis

Seeing Jesus Through the Story of Scripture

Hebrews is deeply rooted in the story of the Old Testament. Angels, Moses, the wilderness, priesthood, sacrifice, covenant, and the Psalms all become part of a larger portrait centered on Jesus.

Introducing Hebrews

Author: Unknown

Audience: Followers of Jesus experiencing pressure and trials

Purpose: To encourage believers to remain faithful and endure

Hebrews may have originated as an early Christian sermon or teaching message.

Bible Passages:

Hebrews 1:1

Hebrews 2:1

Hebrews 10:33

Hebrews 13:22

Key Thought: Look at Jesus. See who he is. See what he has done. See where he is leading us.

Hebrews and the Old Testament

Hebrews assumes familiarity with Israel's Scriptures and repeatedly takes its readers back into the biblical story.

Hebrews 1–2: Jesus and the angels

Hebrews 3–4: Moses, the wilderness, and God's promised rest

Hebrews 5–7: Priesthood and Melchizedek

Hebrews 8–10: Covenant, sacrifice, and the tabernacle

Hebrews 11–13: Faithful endurance

Study Principle: When Hebrews takes us into the Old Testament, we need to go there with it.

Who Is Jesus?

Hebrews uses many biblical images and titles to help us see Jesus:

Son

Heir

Son of Man

Apostle

Great High Priest

Priest in the order of Melchizedek

Mediator

Pioneer and Perfecter of Faith

Great Shepherd

These are not competing descriptions. Each reaches into the biblical story and contributes to a larger portrait of Jesus.

Jesus the Son

The title Son draws upon Israel's expectation of God's promised Davidic King.

Bible Passages:

2 Samuel 7:14

Psalm 2:7

Hebrews 1:2–5

Psalm 102

Hebrews 1:10

Hebrews also describes the Son as the one through whom God made the universe, "the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" (Hebrews 1:3).

Jesus the Apostle

Bible Passages:

Hebrews 3:1

Hebrews 3:6

An apostle is one who is sent. Hebrews presents Jesus as the one God has sent and then compares his faithfulness with Moses. Moses was faithful as a servant in God's house. Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house.

Jesus the Great High Priest

Bible Passage:

Hebrews 4:14

Israel's priests represented the people before God. Hebrews presents Jesus as our great high priest who has ascended into heaven.

King and Priest

Psalm 110 brings two important biblical images together.

Bible Passages:

Psalm 110:1

Psalm 110:4

Psalm 110 speaks of God's anointed King sitting at God's right hand and also of a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

King & Priest - Both fulfilled in Jesus

Jesus the Mediator

Bible Passages:

Jeremiah 31:31

Hebrews 8:6

Jeremiah promised that God would establish a new covenant with his people. Hebrews presents Jesus as the mediator of that covenant.

One Story Coming Together in Jesus

Hebrews draws together many threads from Scripture:

Creation

Israel

David and the promised King

Moses and the wilderness

Priesthood and sacrifice

Covenant

Psalms and Prophets

All of these contribute to the larger biblical story that Hebrews brings together around Jesus.

Continuing the Journey

The original readers of Hebrews were under pressure to give up. Hebrews responds by giving them a larger vision of Jesus: Don't drift away. Don't turn back. Don't give up. Look at Jesus.

Main Truth

Hebrews invites us to see Jesus through the whole story of Scripture.