The Hebrews are the believers tempted to turn back from Christ.
We have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens.
The letter to the Hebrews does not name its author or its city. It writes to people who know the law, the tabernacle, and the priesthood, and who are drifting. Jesus is the Son above angels, the apostle and high priest of their confession, the mediator of a better covenant. They are told not to neglect so great a salvation, and not to refuse Him who speaks. The church reads them as Jewish believers under pressure. The letter itself calls them holy brothers who share in a heavenly calling. They are the people told to hold fast.
- The old covenant is obsolete in the argument. The priest who sat down is the point.
- They had endured suffering and are now tired.
- The cloud of witnesses is set before them so they will run.
Holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling.
We have a great high priest.
Do not refuse him who is speaking.
- The Hebrews are the believers addressed by the letter.
- The author is not named.
- They know the tabernacle and are tempted to drift.
- Christ is their high priest, passed through the heavens.
- The better covenant is the answer to turning back.
- Hold fast. Do not refuse the one who speaks.
- The People – Holy brothers.
- The Pressure – Drifting, turning back.
- The Priest – Jesus, passed through the heavens.
- The Covenant – Better, and in force.
- The Cloud – Witnesses, so they run.
- The Author – Not named.
- Hebrews 3:1 – “Holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.”
- Hebrews 4:14 – “We have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God.”
- Hebrews 8:6 – “The covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.”
- Hebrews 12:1-2 – “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”
- Hebrews 12:25 – “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking.”
- Hebrews 2:1 – “We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.”
- Hebrews 10:19-22 – “We have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus.”
- Hebrews 11:1 – “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
- Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
- Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace.”
Holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling.
We have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens.
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking.
The Hebrews are those brothers. The letter will not let them turn back from the priest who sat down.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.