Hebrews

God’s Final Word in His Son

Hebrews 1:2-3 LSB — in these last days spoke to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds, who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished cleansing for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high

Warning Against Neglecting Salvation

Hebrews 2:3-4 LSB — how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? That salvation, first spoken by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

Jesus, the Author of Salvation

Hebrews 2:17-18 LSB — Therefore, He had to be made like His brothers in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to help those who are tempted.

Jesus Greater than Moses

Hebrews 3:5-6 LSB — Now MOSES WAS FAITHFUL IN ALL HIS HOUSE AS A SERVANT, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later, but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope.

Warning Against Unbelief

Hebrews 3:12-13 LSB — See to it brothers, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “TODAY,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

The Believer’s Rest

Hebrews 4:9-11 LSB — So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall into the same example of disobedience.

Jesus Our Great High Priest

Hebrews 4:14-16 LSB — Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us take hold of our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things like we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 5:8-9 LSB — Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,

Warning Against Falling Away

Hebrews 6:19-20 LSB — This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and confirmed and one which enters within the veil, where a forerunner has entered for us—Jesus, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

The Inheritance of the Promises

The Priesthoods of Melchizedek and Christ

[Heb 7:24-25 LSB] 24 but [Jesus], on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

[Heb 7:28 LSB] 28 For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, [appoints] a Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Jesus, High Priest of a New Covenant

[Heb 8:10 LSB] 10 "FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND UPON THEIR HEARTS I WILL WRITE THEM. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

[Heb 8:13 LSB] 13 When He said, "A new [covenant]," He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

The Old Covenant

The New Covenant

[Heb 9:11-12 LSB] 11 But when Christ appeared [as] a high priest of the good things to come, [He entered] through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy places once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

[Heb 9:27-28 LSB] 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this [comes] judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without [reference to] sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

[Heb 10:3-4] 3 But in those [sacrifices] there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

[Heb 10:10-14 LSB] 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time UNTIL HIS ENEMIES ARE PUT AS A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

A New and Living Way

[Heb 10:19-22 LSB] 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since [we have] a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

[Heb 10:23-25 LSB] 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging [one another], and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Warning Against Willful Sin

[Heb 10:36-39 LSB] 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. 37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. 38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH, AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. 39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

By Faith

[Heb 11:1-3 LSB] 1 Now faith is the assurance of [things] hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

[Heb 11:6 LSB] 6 And without faith it is impossible to please [Him], for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and [that] He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

[Heb 11:8 LSB] 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

[Heb 11:13 LSB] 13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

[Heb 11:37-40 LSB] 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword. They went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, mistreated 38 (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in desolate places and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of Faith

[Heb 12:1-2 LSB] 1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Father’s Discipline

[Heb 12:11 LSB] 11 And all discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful, but to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Contrast of Sinai and Zion

[Heb 12:22-24 LSB] 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of [the] righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than [the blood] of Abel.

An Unshakable Kingdom

[Heb 12:25 LSB] 25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned [them] on earth, much less [will] we [escape] who turn away from Him who [warns] from heaven.

Sacrifices Pleasing to God

[Heb 13:8 LSB] 8 Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today and forever.

Benediction

[Heb 13:20-21 LSB] 20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, by doing in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom [be] the glory forever and ever. Amen.