A Brief Overview of the Epistle to the Hebrews
The writer of this grand book of Hebrews is anonymous. Although the author of this magnificent book is unknown, the basic appeal of the book is “let us go on unto perfection (maturity)” (Hebrews 6:1). In this majestic book, the author is presenting a valid claim that Jesus Christ, God’s matchless Son, is superior to anything that Judaism has to offer. His audience, primarily Jewish, were experiencing some degree of persecution from their countrymen and were tempted to abandon their Christian profession and revert to Judaism. Presenting the lofty claims of Christ’s person and work, the author will show that in Christ they have everything they need to “go on to maturity” in view of the persecution to which they were experiencing.
This book was perhaps written sometime before A.D. 70, just before the destruction of Jerusalem and will exalt the superior excellences of Christ by presenting Him as: Superior to the Prophets (Chapter 1:1-3); Superior Over Angels (Chapter 1:4-2:18); Superior Over Moses (Chapter 3:1-4:13); Having a Superior Priesthood (Chapter 4:14-7:28); Having a Superior Covenant (Chapter 8:1-13); and Having a Superior Sanctuary and Sacrifice (Chapter 9:1-10:18). After the author proves that Jesus Christ is superior to anything that Judaism has to offer, he will exhort his audience to a superior life of faith by illustrating the exemplary life of faith that the Old Testament saints exhibited, for these saints trusted in God’s Word, acting in God’s promises alone.
Having extolled the superlative qualities of the person and work of Christ, the author will prove in a convincing way that abandoning their Christian profession and reverting to their old Judaistic system would be substituting “substance for shadow” and “reality for ritual.” Thus, if his audience abandons the worth of Christ’s superlative person and work, there remains no sufficient sacrifice for sins; thus the author will prove that Christ’s sacrifice was necessary and efficacious (Hebrews 9:23, 28). With the author’s superlative presentation of Christ, he will inject several warning passages (Hebrews 2:1-4; 3:7-4:13; 5:11-6:20; 10:19-39; 12:25-29) as a way of cautioning them of the consequences of turning away from Christ.
In closing, this grand book can be outlined as follows:
- The Superior Worth of Christ’s Person (Hebrews 1:1-4:13)
- The Superior Worth of Christ’s Position as High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-10:18)
- The Superior Life of Faith Exhorted (Hebrews 10:19-13:25
Having followed this author’s superb argument, I am thoroughly convinced that Jesus Christ is superior to anything or anybody that this world has to offer!
May God Bless!
