The Epistle to the Hebrews bears the name of no earthly writer. Rather, the Lord Himself is peculiarly the Author of this epistle: “God... hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son” (Heb 1:1212And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. (Hebrews 1:12)). Christ is seen as the Apostle: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus” (ch. 3:1).
The book is written to the Hebrews the “we” used habitually throughout a people whose hopes were earthly. They looked for an earthly kingdom and an earthly Messiah, but where was all that now? This epistle lifts their eyes heavenward. There we see the One of whom it is written, “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy kingdom” (ch. 1:8, cited from Psa. 45:66Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. (Psalm 45:6)). There we see Jesus “who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor” (Heb. 2:99But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)).
For the Jew who had received Jesus as Messiah (Luke 24:2121But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. (Luke 24:21); Acts 19:1414And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. (Acts 19:14)), this was undoubtedly perplexing. Hebrews opens to them things seen only by faith. For all that the Jew valued, better things are to be found in Christ: a better hope, a better covenant, better promises, a better sacrifice, in heaven a better and abiding substance, and a better country.
For us, in a day when Christianity has become an earthly religion, Hebrews likewise takes us out of this scene, through the rent veil, into heaven itself.
Alas, there were those who had partaken of the wonders and miracles of the Holy Spirit, but were in danger of rejecting this testimony, to turn back to the dead ritualism of Judaism. This is apostasy having come so far, and then turning from the truth. Grace rejected leaves man without remedy.
Better Things
The Epistle to the Hebrews follows an easily discerned line of reasoning. It neither addresses an assembly, nor takes up matters of the assembly. Instead, it has the form of a treatise, its special purpose outlined above.
In the first chapter we have the Son of God: His glory as Son and Messiah, and His superiority to angels. The second brings before us the Son of Man: the Captain of salvation and Sanctifier of those He calls His brethren. Between the two we have a parenthesis: “If the word spoken by angels was steadfast... how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord” (Heb. 2:23).
The third chapter contrasts Christ as Son over His own house with Moses; this brings us to the wilderness journey. Many who left Egypt failed to enter the land of Canaan. They were to take heed, lest they too should find within themselves the same heart of unbelief. In the fourth chapter we have the subject of rest. Canaan was their destination, their rest, but there is a rest beyond the promised land “My rest” (Psa. 95:1111Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. (Psalm 95:11)). There remains, then, a rest for the people of God. As with those in the wilderness, we have a High Priest One who is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, who sympathizes with our infirmities, having been tempted in all things in like manner, “sin apart” (Heb. 4:14-1514Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:14‑15) JND).
The fifth chapter further develops the priesthood of the Lord Jesus, comparing and contrasting it with the Aaronic priesthood. Christ glorified not Himself to be made a high priest, but God has appointed Him a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec (Psa. 110:44The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 110:4)). The writer would develop this subject further, but must first address their spiritual state; they had become dull of hearing. The things written aforetime are types and shadows, but they didn’t comprehend.
The sixth chapter is an exhortation to go on. They were not ignorant of the principles of the doctrine of Christ the Messiah, the Lord’s anointed (Heb. 6:11Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, (Hebrews 6:1)). Not only that, they had witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit, which things in themselves spoke of the glorification of the Lord. There was no going back; the former things would be of no help now.
The seventh chapter resumes the subject-matter of the fifth. The priesthood of Melchisedec is in every aspect superior to that of Aaron. Abraham, from whom Aaron descended, paid tithes to Melchisedec (ch. 7:9-10).
In the eighth chapter we have the new covenant—a better one established upon better promises, of which Christ is the mediator. This is a covenant that will be made with the house of Israel (not the church): “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord” (ch. 8:10). A new covenant necessarily makes the former old, ready to vanish away (vs. 13).
The ninth chapter contrasts the sacrifices of the old covenant with the one, perfect sacrifice of Christ, a sacrifice that does not give entrance into an earthly tabernacle which was a figure of the true but rather into heaven itself (ch. 9:24). The tenth chapter continues with the subject of the sacrifice, now in its application to the believer. “The law... can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect.... For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (ch. 10:1,14). As purged worshipers, we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. The veil is rent, that is to say, His flesh the rent veil of the temple confirmed the access we have into the holiest, but was not the means that provided the access (vss. 19-20).
The Path of Faith
The doctrinal portion ends with verse 22 of the tenth chapter; the path of faith in practice follows. They suffered persecution, but there could be no drawing back that would be apostasy. The writer, however, could confidently say, “We are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul” (vs. 39).
The just shall live by faith (vs. 38, cited from Hab. 2:44Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4)). God’s Word cannot and will not fail; Habakkuk had to learn this, as did those in the eleventh chapter. Each had to walk by faith, not by sight. “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (ch. 11:13).
In the twelfth chapter, weights and sin entangle us; the difficulties of the way lead to discouragement; the hands hang down, and the knees become feeble. Far above all earthly example, we have One on whom we fix our gaze, and whose path we are to consider, Jesus in the glory the leader and completer of faith. We also have a loving Father, who sees that we do not wander out of the path, chastening those He loves. “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.... Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me” (Psa. 23:34).
The old earthly kingdom and its characteristic mount, the unapproachable Sinai, are contrasted with the future millennial kingdom (Heb. 12:18-2418For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12:18‑24)). Sinai shook with the giving of the law, but His kingdom will be established with the shaking of heaven and earth (vs. 26, cited from Hag. 2:67). It is a serious thing to reject His grace, “for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:2929For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:29)).
The exhortations of the thirteenth chapter close the book. There could be no mingling of the old, earthly altar with the heavenly. Christ had suffered outside the gate; we go unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach (ch. 13:10-14).
N. Simon