Hebrews | Knowable Word

Jesus is More Than Our High Priest

October 21, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). This profound truth leads an honest reader to ponder what Jesus’ earthly existence was like.

In the incarnation of Jesus, Christians understand that God identified with his people. The details of this identification are important enough that the author of Hebrews writes about it at length.

Our Great High Priest

In Hebrews 4 and 5, the author writes about Jesus’ high priesthood. Jesus is our “great high priest who has passed through the heavens” (Heb 4:14). He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because he has been tempted in every respect as we are. Yet in all his temptations, he didn’t sin (Heb 4:15).

Because of this, we can draw near with confidence to the “throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16).

The original recipients of this epistle were much more familiar with what we think of as the “Old Testament” priesthood. The author calls Jesus a great high priest and then makes it clear what he means.

High priests “chosen from among men” are “appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins” (Heb 5:1). They are themselves weak, so they can “deal gently with the ignorant and wayward” (Heb 5:2). These priests must offer sacrifices for their own sins before sacrificing for the people (Heb 5:3). And no one volunteers for this—they must be called by God like Aaron (Heb 5:4).

How is Jesus like and unlike these more familiar high priests?

Jesus is a Priest-King

Like Aaron, Jesus was appointed to his position (Heb 5:5). The author quotes Psalm 2:7 regarding this appointment. However, this is not a text referring to any sort of priest! Psalm 2 is thought of as a royal coronation psalm, detailing the installation of a king. (I have written more extensively about how the title “Son of God” in Scripture is used to refer to kings.)

That kingly reference may feel surprising in the context of Hebrews. But it is confirmed in the next verse: Jesus was also appointed when God said, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 5:6). This quotation of Psalm 110 refers to the mysterious figure who appeared briefly in Genesis 14:18–20 as both a priest and a king. (Melchizedek knew God’s promises to Abram and blessed Abram, and Abram tithed to Melchizedek.)

If we look back a few verses, it’s clear we should have seen this coming. The author encourages his readers to draw near to Jesus’ throne of grace (Heb 4:16), which is furniture for a king, not a priest.

Jesus Identifies With Us

So Jesus is like other high priests in that he was appointed and offers sacrifice for sin. He is unlike other priests (except for Melchizedek) because he is also a king.

One beautiful part of the description of high priests in Heb 5:2 is that they can deal gently with the people because they share the same weaknesses. We know that Jesus sympathizes with our sinful weaknesses (Heb 4:15), but he does not share them. Does this make him more distant?

No. The author of Hebrews argues that Jesus identifies with us as a fellow sufferer, not as a fellow sinner. Jesus prayed with “loud cries and tears” in hope that he would be saved from death (Heb 5:7). He “learned obedience through what he suffered” (Heb 5:8).

Like all humans, Jesus had to depend on God in his suffering. He showed this radical dependence in his passionate prayers and his trust in God to deliver him from death.

The Source of Salvation to Those Who Obey

We might ask what difference it makes that Jesus is both priest and king. I suspect the readers of this letter were wondering the same thing.

It makes a massive difference!

And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. (Heb 5:9).

As a priest, Jesus offered sacrifice for sin. The perfect sacrifice he offered was himself. But a mere priest does not make laws, command obedience, or rule—that is a king’s domain.

So, as a king, Jesus commands us to obey him in his gospel. This primarily means believing the gospel and trusting him. And the ruler of the earth then declares (as the king) that all who trust in him—having made an offering for sin (as the priest) of himself (as the sacrifice)—shall be eternally saved.

The Word of God and the Eyes of God

July 29, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

Rest is one of the most elusive states in the modern west. Most of us are powered up with our engines revving high much more often (and for longer) than we’d like. At the end of the day, at the end of the week, we long for rest.

This is not new. Ever since God cursed the ground after Adam and Eve’s sin, work in the world has been hard. All who labor have felt this. God’s people in the first century felt it too.

The author of Hebrews writes about rest in a way that should grab our attention. And he uses a famous description of the Scriptures to offer us help.

Strive to Enter God’s Rest

In Hebrews 3:7–4:13, the author pens a warning to his readers that is framed as a contrast to what happened to the generation of Israelites who left Egypt. They put God “to the test” and he was “provoked with that generation” (Heb 3:9-10). They were “disobedient” and unbelieving, and God swore to them that they would not enter his rest (Heb 3:18-19).

The exhortation to those who received this letter, therefore, is to “strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience” (Heb 4:11). They must not “harden [their] hearts,” and they should “exhort one another every day […] that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb 3:8, 13).

It is not enough to hear the good news; it is only those who believe who will enter God’s rest (Heb 4:2-3).

Rest as God Rested

The contrast with the wilderness generation of Israel points to “rest” as it was understood in the original context: conquest of the promised land of Canaan. However, “rest” also pointed to something greater. And the readers of Hebrews still have access to this greater rest.

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. (Heb 4:8–10)

Those of us familiar with the letters of the apostle Paul may read “works” here in the sense of works righteousness. (See Eph 2:8-9, Gal 2:16, Titus 3:4–7.) This is an understandable reflex, but it doesn’t square with the context.

The Sabbath rest that remains for the people of God has us resting from our works as God rested from his. From Heb 4:4, we know this refers to the seventh day of creation. Thus, the rest mentioned here is a rest of finality, completion, and satisfaction that what was chaotic has been settled and ordered by a good, sovereign king.

The Sharp and Piercing Word

Those who believe will enter this rest in a preliminary sense when they die and in the full sense at the re-making of the world. So how can we be sure we are among that number? The author of Hebrews anticipates and answers this question.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Heb 4:12-13)

All creatures are exposed before the eyes of God because we cannot hide from him. Our deeds and our hearts are fully known, down to the last detail. We can keep track of God’s judgment of us by paying attention to his word.

God’s word is like a sword, sharp and piercing the deepest places within us. The thoughts and intentions of our hearts are discerned by the Scriptures. And this word of the Lord is living and active; we cannot encounter it without effect.

The author of Hebrews wants his initial readers (and us) to enter God’s Sabbath rest. This is available to all who believe, and we can check our faith by comparing ourselves to God’s word. The more we are spiritually exposed before the Bible and the more we “consider Jesus” who is found there, the more surely we will “share in Christ,” as we “hold our original confidence firm to the end” (Heb 3:1, 14).

Hop Aboard the Train of Thought

June 7, 2024 By Peter Krol

When I write an article, I want to make a point. To make that point stick, I follow a series of steps. First, I try to capture your attention with the first sentence or two. Second, I introduce my thesis early. Third, I explain the thesis and apply it. Finally, I land the article with a strong sense of arrival (or liftoff, if I want to inspire you with a certain Bible study practice). Along the way, I pepper my writing with salty metaphors, everyday illustrations—like the time I explained how Bible study was like teeball—and clear conclusions. Therefore, I have something to say, and I want to set you up to hear it.

Nonfiction works this way: An author has something to say, but that author must bring the readers along for the ride. From the beginning of the work to the end, a journey of discovery unfolds. We call this journey the author’s train of thought.

The Bible works similarly, and our Bible study hits pay dirt when we hop aboard the author’s train of thought.

Why it Matters

Leon Rice-Whetton (2009), Creative Commons

The author’s train of thought outlines his main ideas. And his main ideas are, well, his main ideas. If you’d like to grow at fighting for the main point and reading passages in context, you’ll want to grow your ability to follow a train of thought. The tracks have been laid. Will you walk along them?

Example #1: Romans 4

Look at how Paul’s argument unfolds, and hop aboard for the ride:

Rom 4:1: What did Abraham gain in this matter [How did he get the righteousness of God (Rom 3:21)?]?
Rom 4:2-8: He didn’t get it by works.
Rom 4:9-12: He didn’t get it through circumcision.
Rom 4:13-15: He didn’t get it by law.
Rom 4:16-17: Therefore, he got it by faith!
Rom 4:18-22: Abraham’s faith = despite outward circumstances, being fully convinced God is able to do what he promises.
Rom 4:23-25: Our faith works the same way (believing God’s promise despite our circumstances) and achieves the same result (the righteousness of God).

What’s at stake for Paul in this chapter? How Jews can be made right with God. How it’s always been this way for them. How it’s no different now for non-Jews.

Looking at the immediate context, we see that Paul addresses key questions asked by the Jewish members of his Roman audience.

What about good works? (Rom 3:27-28)
What about circumcision? (Rom 3:29-30)
What about the law? (Rom 3:31)

And for Jew and Gentile alike, God’s righteousness remains available—not through good deeds, religious rituals, or law-keeping, but by believing him who raised Jesus from the dead (Rom 4:24).

Example #2: Hebrews 1-5

Hebrews hits us between the eyes with its train of thought. I can think of no other book that announces each point this clearly before explaining it. The announcements come as transitions from one major section to the next.

Big idea: God has spoken by his Son who sat down (Heb 1:1-4).
First point: Jesus became “as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs” (Heb 1:4).
- Jesus’ more excellent name (Heb 1:5-14)
- Jesus’ superiority to angels (Heb 2:5-18)
Second point: Jesus had to “become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God” (Heb 2:17-18).
- Jesus the faithful high priest (Heb 3:1-4:14).
- Jesus the merciful high priest (Heb 4:15-5:10).

The rest of the book continues in the same way, announcing the points before explaining them. The author scatters sections of application between major points. The main idea comes alive with each point: Jesus accomplished the work of salvation God sent for him to do. Therefore, he is “more” and “better” than the things God used to communicate salvation in the Old Testament. Hop aboard the train of thought when you study Hebrews, and you’ll find buckets of gold at the end of each rainbow.

Example #3: Job 4-5

It works for poetry as well. Look at the first speech given by one of Job’s friends, and track the thinking stanza by stanza.

Can I remind you of where your confidence should be (Job 4:1-6)?
You are guilty (Job 4:7-11).
You are mortal (Job 4:12-21).
You’re a fool (Job 5:1-7).
Seek your confidence not in yourself, but in God (Job 5:8-16).
Accept the Almighty’s discipline (Job 5:17-27).

Think about how Eliphaz moves from one thought to the next, and we can discover his underlying point: “Hardship is always a sign of God’s corrective discipline; therefore, Job, you’re despising God’s redemptive work in your life.” Of course, the larger context of Job makes it clear that Eliphaz is wrong (Job 42:7-8). But that doesn’t stop Paul from turning Eliphaz upside down to see if he can shake some treasure out of his pockets (1 Cor 3:18-19).

Conclusion

Of course, some passages won’t have much train of thought (think Proverbs 10-29). And narratives look a little different. But don’t miss this train, or your Bible study might not get where you’d like it to go.

Diving Deep on Hebrews 3:13—How Should We “Exhort One Another?”

May 20, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

A hard heart is poisonous, but there is an antidote. The author of Hebrews gives a concise prescription: Christians are to exhort one another, every day (Hebrews 3:13).

In this article, we will try to make this command specific.

Application Within Context

We preach context regularly here at Knowable Word, and there is no exception when it comes to application. Application should flow from the main point of the passage, but we should avoid writing down that main point and then staring dreamily out the window to apply the text.

Consider our passage (Hebrews 3:7–19) as an example. In my view, the main point is that Christians should exhort one another every day to avoid being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (This is only a restatement of Hebrews 3:13.) It would be a mistake to focus on the word “exhort” and then go off on a word-study rabbit trail to frame my application. Here, as in so many places, it is not just the imperative verb that is important. The context gives the word meaning.

Let’s first look to the letter as a whole. My co-blogger Peter has written an interpretive overview of Hebrews in which he argues for this main point of the book: God has spoken by His Son whose work is finished. There is a stay-the-course nature to the tone of this letter—the author does not want his readers to give up Christ.

In the more immediate context (Hebrews 3:1–6), Jesus is contrasted with Moses. Jesus is worthy of far greater glory that Moses (Hebrews 3:3), so it doesn’t make sense to turn from Jesus to Moses and his commands.

When we turn to the ultra-local context, this Christian exhortation is meant to prevent evil, unbelieving hearts (Hebrews 3:12) and to combat the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13). Our exhortation is rooted in the fact that we share in Christ, holding our confidence firm to the end (Hebrews 3:14). Our efforts in this regard should aim to pull our friends back from disobedience and unbelief (Hebrews 3:18–19).

Shades of Meaning for our Application

If we are to exhort one another in the ways that Hebrews indicates, an analogy and some examples might help.

When thinking about this passage, I’ve pictured a marathon runner putting one foot after the other, drenched in sweat and with pain on his face. I can see his struggle between the easy option (giving up) and the hard one (finishing the race). How will I exhort him to help him finish the race?

Sometimes exhortation will look like encouragement, speaking timely truths to give a friend courage. Exhortation might also look like challenge or rebuke—if a runner is heading off course we should sound a warning. To exhort might mean reminding someone of their calling, identity, and the precious promises that are theirs in Christ. Often, to continue the analogy, exhorting will mean running next to a friend, to speak and to listen, to comfort and to point in the right direction.

While exhortation is likely part of a sermon in weekly corporate worship, it cannot be limited to that. This is to happen within our every-day relationships.

We need others to help us identify and resist false teaching, to point out temptations, and to remind us of the truth. We need friends to tell us what the finish line is like and why crossing it is so much better than ducking out of the race early.

What this Application Presupposes

In thinking through the command to exhort one another, I noticed three things this presupposes.

First, this command is given to a community of Christians, and there is a clear community responsibility. There should not be in “any of you” an unbelieving heart, and “none of you” should be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. So just as I am to exhort others, I am one who needs exhortation myself.

Additionally, this command presupposes strong relationships that can bear the weight of exhortation. This sort of strong urging is not something we can do for acquaintances. In order to encourage, challenge, and edify a brother, we need to know in what way that brother needs to be encouraged, challenged, or edified. These sorts of close, vulnerable relationships are difficult to form and difficult to maintain.

Finally, the content of my exhortation should be what God has spoken in his Son. My words and thoughts alone are not sufficient to prevent a hard heart.

Five Questions

Because application is so personal, I rarely suggest specific application points for others (unless I know them really well). Instead, here are some questions that flow out of our present considerations.

Who are some people you could exhort? From whom would you welcome exhortation? If no one comes to mind for either question, how can you build these sorts of relationships?
What can you do to make your church a place where mutual exhortation is welcomed?
In what ways are you tempted to turn away from obeying God? How could you share these with a trusted friend?
Where do you lack courage in your Christian life? How could you share this need for encouragement with someone else?
What passages of Scripture (or general biblical truths) would be most appropriate for exhorting one of your specific friends?

The Antidote to a Hard Heart

May 6, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

National Cancer Institute (2020), public domain

In the Bible, having a “hard heart” puts a person in dangerous company. At various places, authors in Scripture use this phrase to indicate a lack of compassion (Mark 3:5), a refusal to repent (2 Chronicles 36:13), and a destiny full of the wrath of God (Romans 2:5). One of the characters in Scripture most often described as hardening his heart is the Egyptian Pharaoh who faced off with Moses (Exodus 8:32).

So, when an epistle tells us how to avoid or prevent a hard heart, we should take notice!

Beware of a Hard Heart

The subject of Hebrews 3:7–19 must be related to obedience, hearts, and hardening. The word “hard” or “harden” occurs three times, “heart” occurs four times, and there are four references to sin, disobedience, or unbelief.

The author of this letter uses as an example the generation of Israelites who exited Egypt with Moses. But this is not a positive example! Christians are NOT to be like them (Hebrews 3:8,15).

A hard heart is not just unacceptable in polite society. It has dire, terrible consequences, including the wrath of God.

Therefore I was provoked with that generation,
and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;
they have not known my ways.’
As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest.’ (Hebrews 3:10–11)

A hard, unbelieving heart will lead people to “fall away from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12). God will deny them access to his rest. There are eternal consequences to a hard heart.

Hard Hearts and Sin

A hard heart is dangerous because it leads to sin. It may indicate blindness to or apathy about obeying and loving the Lord.

In this passage, the author quotes Psalm 95:7–11, which refers to Exodus 17:1–7. The Israelites, despite having just seen God deliver them miraculously from the Egyptians, “quarreled” with Moses and complained about a lack of water. They accused Moses of taking them out of Egypt only to kill them in the wilderness. Moses thought the people might stone him, and the people questioned God’s promise to go with them, asking “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Hebrews 3:16–19 emphasizes that hard hearts lead to sin. Those Israelites “rebelled,” “sinned,” and were “disobedient.” They were unable to enter God’s rest because of unbelief.

A Powerful Antidote

The author of Hebrews does not want this end for those reading his words.

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. (Hebrews 3:12–14)

How do we prevent an evil, unbelieving heart? How do we avoid falling away from the living God? How do we prevent a hardening by the deceitfulness of sin? We exhort one another, every day.

A person filled with a certain kind of zeal might seize on the word “exhort” and go hunting for sin in other Christians’ lives. But exhort is not quite the same as rebuke, though an exhortation might include rebuke. This command is written to communities of Christians, and these brotherly and sisterly exhortations are to be grounded in knowledge of one another. The best exhortation contains exactly the timely encouragement, challenge, chastisement, and pointers to the promises of God that the other person needs. An obvious but challenging implication of this is that we must get to know each other well enough to know what exhortation is fitting.

Every Day

A person might be able to get behind the idea of occasional exhortation of their Christian friends. But the author of Hebrews is insistent that this happen frequently—”every day,” and “as long as it is called ‘today.'”

Why do we need such regular exhortation? Because we forget! As we have seen above, the same people who crossed on dry ground through the Red Sea accused God of abandoning them a short time later. We are fallible and finite and prone to forgetfulness, so we need to be spurred on by our brothers and sisters.

We Share in Christ

As we remind each other who God is and what he has done, we help to prevent the evil, unbelieving hearts that are ready to sprout within us. This is a vital community effort.

We “have come to share in Christ,” after all. He is not just the Savior and Lord and Redeemer of individuals, but of a collective people. As we share in Christ, we belong to one another. We have this privilege and vital responsibility to speak life-giving truths to our brothers and sisters.

10 Truths About Jesus from Hebrews 3

March 11, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

The first six verses of Hebrews 3 are bursting with truths about Jesus. In this article, I will hang these truths in frames on the wall, as it were, so that we might walk around and consider them. Like the author of Hebrews, I want us to see how glorious Jesus is so that we might respond by listening and holding fast to him.

Consider Jesus

That word “consider” in the opening paragraph was no accident. In Hebrews 3:1–6, there is only one command: Consider Jesus.

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. (Hebrews 3:1–2)

In the verses that follow, the author gives us much to consider!

Thus far in the epistle, the author has been arguing that because Jesus is superior to the angels, readers/hearers should “pay much closer attention” to what they have heard from Jesus (Hebrews 2:1). What the angels declared was good and reliable, but now Jesus has accomplished “a great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3).

In chapter 3, the author compares Jesus to Moses, providing many reasons for these first century Jews to endure to the end as Christians.

Ten Truths

In my observation of Hebrews 3, these ten truths about Jesus jumped out. (Some of what I’ve included also requires interpretation, but that is to be expected!)

Jesus is the apostle of our confession (verse 1)

We think about Jesus having apostles much more than him being an apostle. But “apostle” just means “one who is sent out,” which is an apt description of Jesus.

Jesus is the high priest of our confession (verse 1)

The author of Hebrews spends a lot of time on this subject, introducing Jesus as a high priest a few verses earlier (Hebrews 2:17). Note the way these two offices—apostle and high priest—reference the new and old covenants.

Jesus is the apostle and high priest (verse 1)

I’m not repeating myself here, I’m only drawing attention to the singularity of Jesus. There were many apostles, and there were many high priests (each one was replaced when they retired or died), but Jesus is the only one who occupies both offices.

Jesus was faithful to God (verse 2)

All that the Father called Jesus to do, Jesus did. He did not duck a single responsibility or duty.

God appointed Jesus (verse 2)

The one Jesus was faithful to was the one who appointed Jesus to his work.

Jesus’s faithfulness was like Moses’s faithfulness (verse 2)

Moses was a man who spoke with God with a frequency and intimacy unlike anyone else in the Old Testament. Moses was not perfect, but he was faithful, and Jesus’s faithfulness was like that.

Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses (verse 3)

Despite their faithfulness being comparable (to a degree), the glory they are due differs dramatically. Jesus is far more glorious.

In terms of glory, Jesus is like the builder and Moses is like the house (verse 3)

How much more glorious is Jesus than Moses? Well, we do not praise a building for its design, beauty, or longevity, do we? No, we praise the architect and builder! Praising the building would be just as misguided as preferring Moses.

Jesus is the Christ (verse 6)

Note how the author had been referring to “Jesus” in verses 1–3 but then calls him “Christ” in verse 6. Titles are never used by accident, and we should hear the author emphasizing that Jesus is the Messiah. That would be powerful for Jewish Christians.

Jesus is faithful over God’s house as a son (verse 6)

The contrast in verses 5–6 is masterful.

Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. (Hebrews 3:5–6)

Moses was faithful, but Jesus is faithful. Moses was faithful in God’s house, but Jesus is faithful over God’s house. Moses was faithful as a servant, but Jesus is faithful as a son.

Listen to Jesus

At first glance, this contrast appears to be missing one ingredient. Moses’s task as a servant is stated, “to testify to the things that were to be spoken later.” Where is the corresponding task of Jesus?

It is included in Moses’s job description! Moses pointed to the one who would speak later—Jesus, the Messiah, the son who is over God’s house. And we are his house!

Jesus is the one who speaks to us; this is a key to understanding the entire letter and is introduced in Hebrews 1:2. And if we follow the author’s logic, the implication is clear. If faithful Moses pointed to Jesus as the one worthy of our attention, respecting this great prophet of old means following Jesus of Nazareth now.

We Must Pay Close Attention or We Will Drift Away

January 29, 2024 By Ryan Higginbottom

Imagine a leaf in autumn pulling free from the branch where it started to grow just seven months before. It tumbles and glides through the air, landing in the river below. Once in the water, the leaf does not choose its destination; the current carries it away.

This leaf is experiencing drift. The whims of water and wind, along with gravity and the shape of the riverbed, take the leaf along to its next resting place.

The author of the book of Hebrews wants us to know that unless we are careful, we will be much like this leaf.

What We Have Heard

The second chapter of Hebrews opens with a conclusion to an argument.

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. (Hebrews 2:1)

The word “therefore” presses our noses in the words previously written, focusing on “what we have heard.” We have been told that while God spoke to the fathers “by the prophets,” “he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). The writer, after highlighting the nature and work of the Son, goes on for the rest of the chapter to argue how much “superior to angels” this Son is (Hebrews 1:4).

Do Not Neglect Such a Great Salvation

The fact that Jesus is superior to the angels means that we should pay more attention to his words than theirs. The testimony of the angels “proved to be reliable” and laid the foundation for just retribution for disobedience (Hebrews 2:2), but the testimony of the Son brings a great salvation (Hebrews 2:3).

Side note: The reference to the Mosaic covenant as being delivered by angels seems to be a mixture of Scriptural allusions (Acts 7:53 and Galatians 3:19) and tradition.

The implication of this line of reasoning is clear: Ignore the Son at your own risk! Since “every transgression” under the Mosaic law “received a just retribution,” and since Jesus’s words are worthy of closer obedience (since he is greater than the angels), we shall not escape “if we neglect such a great salvation” (Hebrews 2:2-3). Those who have heard the Son have not just heard the offer of salvation—there is judgment for those who ignore or refuse this offer.

A Sure Message

The author wants readers to know this message of the Son can be trusted. He writes that this “great salvation” was “declared at first by the Lord” and also “attested to us by those that heard” (Hebrews 2:3). A first-hand account of Jesus’s teaching was both powerful and persuasive! But the testimony didn’t end there.

The author of Hebrews says that God himself was involved—he “bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles” (Hebrews 2:4). Like in the days of Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh, God occasionally gives signs and miracles to authenticate the message of his servant.

God also bore witness to the veracity of Jesus’s message “by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will” (Hebrews 2:4). After the pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost, gifts were visible throughout the young church. These also pointed to the great salvation declared by the Lord.

Pay Much Closer Attention

In Hebrews 2:1–4 there is only one command (with one reason). We “must pay much closer attention to what we have heard” (Hebrews 2:1). Given the context, this means we must pay careful attention to God’s message through his Son.

If we don’t focus on this message—this gospel—we will drift away from it. Like the leaf in the water, we will not stay still. When we stop fixing our eyes on the good news of king Jesus, we will get caught up in just about anything else. The cultural currents that flow strongest and closest to our hearts will carry us downstream, away from our great salvation.

In this case, the what of application is easy but the how is more challenging. How exactly do we pay close attention to what we have heard? How do we help those around us pay close attention?

Part of the answer for all of us is recognizing that we are “prone to wander,” as the hymn writer says. Because we are forgetful, we need reminders about what is important and true and vital to our faith.

Within our churches, we must therefore figure out good ways to build friendships and structures that support these reminders. These reminders must happen during weekly worship, but there may be other opportunities that could help us remind each other about what we tend to forget.

You Better Believe in Constant Reliance

January 12, 2024 By Peter Krol

‌You better believe it’s worth it to keep going as a Christian. The third reason for this is the need for constant reliance.

But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Hebrews 10:32-39

‌Hard Struggle is not Incompatible with Great Joy

Let’s be honest: The way of following Jesus is one filled with “a hard struggle with sufferings” (Heb 10:32).

Jesus never promised that following him would be easy. He called it a hard way and a narrow gate that few would find (Matt 7:14).

‌However, that hard struggle is not incompatible with great joy. The people to whom Hebrews was written had their stuff taken from them on account of being Christians, and they accepted it with joy (Heb 10:34)!

‌How is that possible? How does a person endure hard suffering with unexpected joy?

‌Only if you know that you have “a better possession and an abiding one” (Heb 10:34b). In other words, you’re giving up something you can’t keep anyway, in order to gain something you can’t lose (Jim Elliot). You’ve got a deep understanding that a better future awaits you, and this understanding gives you confidence in a great reward (Heb 10:35).

‌It’s not worth it to throw away such confidence! Like the children in a famous psychological experiment, you can deny yourself one cookie now, because of the promise of two cookies later.

‌In short: “You have need of endurance” (Heb 10:36). The sort of endurance that doesn’t “shrink back” in the hard times, but perseveres in faith (Heb 10:38-39). The need of the moment is constant reliance on the Lord Jesus.

‌This is just another way to say the same thing Hebrews has been saying all along. “Hold fast to your confession” (Heb 3:1, 10:23). “We have such a great high priest” (Heb 8:1). “Jesus is your better and abiding possession” (Heb 10:34). “Let us draw near to him with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb 4:16, 10:22).

‌Application

‌The only sin that warrants the Holy Spirit’s outrage and the Father’s vengeance is the sin of unbelief (not persevering in faith).‌ This chapter is not talking about broad struggles with sinful behaviors, but with the sin of disloyalty to Christ, also called unbelief.

‌So the solution to that sin is that you don’t ever throw away your confidence that something better is coming. Today, tomorrow, and the next day, you persevere in faith. You endure the hard times, knowing that Jesus remains your king, your priest, and your inheritance.

‌What might apostasy look like? What are the beliefs of a person who has thrown away their confidence in Christ?

‌This will never change.
The people whose opinions matter most will hate me.
I’ll lose what I’ve worked so hard to gain, and it will be the end of me.
It’s not worth it.
Jesus is not worth it.

‌The better you get at recognizing such beliefs in yourself, the better you will get at recognizing them in others. Then you and I can spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Toward endurance in Christ. Toward constant reliance on him to rescue and redeem.

‌You better believe it’s worth it to keep going in the Christian faith, in love for Christ Jesus.

‌In Christ, we have confident entrance. Without him, there is nothing but certain vengeance. Therefore, here and now, day after day after day, we exercise constant reliance.

‌We will never grow out of our need for trusting Christ Jesus. That’s not just what you do on the first day, when you become a Christian. It’s what you do every day, up until the Last Day.

‌May the Lord guard us and guide us, that we might never shrink back from him and be destroyed, but that we would persevere in faith and preserve our souls (Heb 10:39).

‌You better believe it’s worth it.

You Better Believe in Certain Vengeance

December 15, 2023 By Peter Krol

‌You better believe it’s worth it to keep going as a Christian. The second reason for this is the Lord’s certain vengeance.

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Hebrews 10:26-31

‌A Serious Warning

Here is one place in the book of Hebrews where it’s tempting to disregard what the passage says. What I want to write is that Jesus paid it all, and that nothing can ever change that. So if you trust him, you are secure now and forever.

‌And that is all true — but only if you hold fast to your confession.

‌Heb 10:26 says that there is no sacrifice for deliberate sin. That’s right from the Old Testament. One of the most common misconceptions of the OT sacrificial system is that people could commit any sins they wanted, and then just go and offer a sacrifice to fix it and keep themselves good with God.

‌But the Prophets are abundantly clear that God hates sacrifices offered under such presumption. In the book of Leviticus, where the sacrificial law is laid out in great detail, there is no sacrifice prescribed for those who go on sinning deliberately, in total disregard of God, his commands, or his fatherly affection.

‌A Clear Warning

But don’t misunderstand me. When the author mentions “sinning deliberately,” he’s talking about something specific. He’s not talking about my struggle with overeating, nor with anyone’s honest struggle with lust, anger, or greed. Those are all problems that must be addressed, but those are not what he has in mind here.

In Heb 10:28, he talks about the law of Moses prescribing execution for those who set aside the law. He’s referring to Deut 17:2-6 which says the following:

‌“If there is found among you … a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant, and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them … then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you shall stone that man or woman to death with stones. On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death…

‌You see, the sort of “deliberate sin” that was punishable by death was the sin of transgressing the covenant — abandoning Yahweh, the God of Israel, as their God. Such folks might have still participated in temple worship as a cultural experience, but they did not hold fast to the true God as their God.

‌That’s what he’s talking about in Heb 10:26-31.

He’s talking about the same thing he talked about in Hebrews 6. He’s talking about those who give up on Jesus. Those who decide it’s not worth it to keep going with him. Those who believe they can find something better than Jesus in this world and in the acceptance of those who are in this world.

‌He’s talking about what we call apostasy: the act of denying the Christian faith, renouncing Jesus Christ as your king and priest, and relying on yourself to figure out what is true and what is right.

‌A Dramatic Contrast

So if you fear whether this might be about you, just keep in mind the contrast between this paragraph and the previous one.

‌In Heb 10:19-25, he talks about those who hold confidently to their confession of Jesus and maintain loyalty to him. They are not perfect. They are not sinless. They have not yet completed their growth curves in Christ. But they won’t let go of him.

‌And in Heb 10:26-31, he describes those who deny Christ. They are finished with him. They’re done with following him. They have set him aside in favor of another god or an alternate lifestyle. Holding on to him is the last thing they want to do.

‌And what can such a person expect?

‌Well, the good news is that the death penalty for apostasy is no longer in force among the covenant people of God. But the bad news is that there is a fearful expectation of judgment; a fury of fire awaits (Heb 10:27). Something worse than death awaits, because God does not take it lightly when people trample on his Son and outrage his Spirit (Heb 10:29). There is a future of certain vengeance (Heb 10:30). Apostates are now in God’s hands, which ought not be a comforting reality (Heb 10:31).

Application

‌Please take this warning seriously.‌ No matter what you have ever experienced or done, there is only one sin that will warrant the certain vengeance of God: unbelief (or disloyalty).

‌I am often tempted to fear that my behavioral sin is “deliberate” and thereby deserving of judgment. But it is tremendously assuring to recognize that “sinning deliberately” in this context refers to the sin of unbelief or apostasy. This motivates me more than ever to hold fast to Christ through whatever trials I face.

‌But holding fast to Christ means confessing sin and turning away from it.

‌One of the most common reasons people turn away from the faith, is because their sin becomes more pleasing to them than the Lord Jesus. So they need to keep their sin a secret in order to continue pretending to be Christian.

‌Therefore, some of you may need to stop being so afraid of being found out. Being found out now might be the best thing that ever happens to you, as you do not want to fall into the just and outraged hands of the living God.

‌Hold fast to Jesus, and you have confident entrance into heaven. Whatever you have done can be forgiven! No sin can ever disqualify you from being with Jesus forever, except for the sin of not trusting Jesus to forgive your sins.

‌Let go of Jesus, and there is little but certain vengeance.

‌There will not be any unbelievers in heaven. No-one there, except those who want to worship God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

‌You better believe it’s worth it to keep going. But how do we do that. What does it look like?

‌That takes us to third reason it’s worth it to keep going, which, after the holidays, we’ll discover in the final paragraph of Hebrews 10.

You Better Believe in Confident Entrance

December 8, 2023 By Peter Krol

You better believe it’s worth it to keep going as a Christian. The first reason for this is your confident entrance.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:19-25

‌‌Draw near (Heb 10:22) and hold fast (Heb 10:23). Those are the chief instructions of this paragraph.

Draw Near

‌You ought to draw near to the holy places of heaven. The place where Jesus now lives and reigns and ministers as a high priest forever. You and I, even now, even today, can draw near to that place with him.

‌Why can we do that? Two reasons:

Jesus has opened a new and living way to get there (Heb 10:20).
We have Jesus as a great high priest (Heb 10:21).

‌In other words: He went ahead to blaze a trail before us, and he’s now waiting with open arms to receive us. Because of both those things, v.19: We have confidence to enter the holy places (Heb 10:19).

‌I remember the first time I went camping with my sons. I had never gone camping before, mostly because of my sleep disorder. But as a result, I had grown solidified over time in my inability to do anything outdoors, such as camping.

‌But the first time my sleep was healthy enough to allow me to try it, I really needed some friends to show me the way and to welcome me. One friend blazed the trail: making all the arrangements and setting up all the equipment. Other friends got there ahead of me, welcoming me at my arrival, and showing me what I needed to do, so that I didn’t have to figure it all out on my own. I’m sure you can imagine that this gave me great confidence!

‌That’s what Jesus does, in order to lead us to be with his Father in heaven. He blazed the trail ahead of us. And he serves us and waits for us there with open arms and ready hands. All of this enables us to draw near to him in heaven.

‌“But,” you might say, “I’m not in heaven with Jesus! So what does this mean for me now?”

‌That’s a great question, because until the Day comes when we are actually present with Jesus in heaven, what that means for us now is that we follow the second chief instruction in Heb 10:23: hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.

Hold Fast

‌All through the book of Hebrews, the author has been urging us to hold fast to Jesus by holding fast to our confession of him. This means we publicly acknowledge him as our King, Priest, and Inheritance. We confess this before the church — not only when we are baptized, but every time we gather to sing, pray, and teach one another. Because in Jesus, heaven and earth are coming together.

‌So we confess these things before the world — at any cost.

‌Holding fast to our confession of Jesus as king, priest, inheritance, and superior to all creation under heaven — that’s how we draw near to Jesus in heaven for now. Until we reach that day when he returns, and we get to be with him forever, physically.

‌But even that drawing near, that holding fast — that confident entrance into heaven with Jesus — that is really difficult to do. And it’s even more difficult to persevere in once you’ve tried it.

‌For example, let’s say a young person is in a class at school, or playing on a sports team, and they give credit to the Lord Jesus for their success. Or they testify to how good it is that God created us male and female. They might be laughed at to the point of embarrassment. Once that happens, it’s not so easy to do it again, is it? The memory of that public ridicule makes them think twice about confessing Jesus as king and Lord of all.

How much more difficult is it for adults, whose respect, reputation, or livelihood might be on the line? Many of us try to make it seem more “grown up” to keep our mouths shut about Jesus in public places.

‌This is hard. This is really hard. Is it worth it to keep going, especially when we’re punished for it? How do we do this?

Consider How to Stir One Another Up

‌Because of that difficulty to endure, the author concludes that we need each other (Heb 10:24).

It is not enough to consider how I ought to hold fast the confession. It is crucial that both you and I consider how to stir one another up to love and good deeds. That means we must not neglect our meeting together (Heb 10:25). The closer we get to the day of Jesus’ return, the more important it is to continue meeting together, so we might stir one another up.

‌Application

‌Let the truth of place and priest fuel your confidence. Because Jesus your priest is in heaven, you get to be with him. You are with him now, in spirit, when you confess him as your king, priest, and inheritance. You will be with him then, in the body, when he returns and reunites heaven and earth once and for all.

‌Your priest is in that place, so you can approach with confidence.

‌But that’s not all. There’s another crucial application: Do not isolate yourself! If you think you can get through the challenges you’re facing on your own, you are terribly deceived. Drawing near to Christ, to our confession, and to each other is how we nurture our confidence and endurance.

‌Perhaps you need a reminder of what is true, lest you throw away your confidence. Perhaps you need to be more honest and vulnerable about what you’re going through. Perhaps you need to be more receptive to the help that is available to you.

‌Whatever it is for you: draw near and hold fast.

‌This is not just about you, but about your entire church. You might hold the key to someone else’s confidence. You might have the experience, or the Scriptural insight, to stimulate another brother or sister to believe it’s worth it to keep going.

‌So you better believe it’s worth it to keep going as a Christian.

‌Jesus has given you confident entrance into heaven, which is not yours to keep for yourself, but something to help you encourage others with.

‌In the next paragraph, we’ll discover the second reason it’s worth it to keep going as a Christian.