Hebrews continues to assert that Jesus is better than just about everything. Even sliced bread.
Christ greater than Moses
Hebrews 3:1-6
Warning against unbelief
Hebrews 3:7-13
Necessity for faith
Hebrews 3:14-19
Our sabbath rest
Hebrews 4:1-13
Christ our High Priest
Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:1-14
Exhortation to go on to maturity
Hebrews 6:1-12
God’s unchangeableness
Hebrews 6:13-20
Melchizedek a type of Christ
Hebrews 7:1-28
Hebrews moves on to talking about Moses, the great Jewish hero. In his arguments with the Jews, Jesus often found his opponents saying “We have Moses as our Father,” or “Moses gave us the manna in the desert.” They looked back to Moses as their defining identity. But, Jesus is greater than Moses, says the writer. Don’t look at the servant, look at the Son.
When they were wandering in the wilderness, what the people longed for was rest. “Rest on every side” was their dream - safe in their own land, with no enemies attacking them. The original generation in the desert were doomed never to experience that rest, because of their unfaithfulness, and the rest that the Jews did enjoy was fitful at best. So the writer holds out the prospect of a better, deeper rest - “a sabbath-rest for the people of God.” (4:9). This metaphor takes on a deep and profound meaning, and the writer continues to develop it as he talks about Jesus ascending into heaven and sitting down at God’s side. Job done. Entering his rest.
That rest is there for us one day.
Then the writer turns his attention to another focus of Jewish identity, the High Priest. He wants us to know that the earthly High Priest, is incomplete and imperfect, always offering his sacrifices again and again, because they are never enough. But Jesus has offered one perfect sacrifice once for all, and then sat down. Job done, Entering his rest.
But there’s a problem - Jesus can’t be a priest, because he’s from the wrong tribe. He isn’t a Levite, he’s descended from Judah. He’s not one of the religious civil service, so he wouldn’t have been allowed to offer a sacrifice. So the writer digs down into the depths of the Old Testament and fishes out an unlike;y character to be a forerunner of Jesus. It isn’t only Levites who are priests. Melchizedek was a priest.
I wrote about Melchizedek way back on January 13th, when I said, “Then the mysterious Melchizedek appears. Priest of God Most High, he blesses Abram. Who is this man? Where does he come from? How does he know God? All unanswered questions. For now, all we know is that Abram has an ally.” Melchizedek is a mysterious chieftain, one of the potentates of the region. But he knows God, and he brings a blessing. And in him, the writer to the Hebrews finds a forerunner to Jesus.
Christ greater than Moses
Hebrews 3:1-6
Warning against unbelief
Hebrews 3:7-13
Necessity for faith
Hebrews 3:14-19
Our sabbath rest
Hebrews 4:1-13
Christ our High Priest
Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:1-14
Exhortation to go on to maturity
Hebrews 6:1-12
God’s unchangeableness
Hebrews 6:13-20
Melchizedek a type of Christ
Hebrews 7:1-28
Hebrews moves on to talking about Moses, the great Jewish hero. In his arguments with the Jews, Jesus often found his opponents saying “We have Moses as our Father,” or “Moses gave us the manna in the desert.” They looked back to Moses as their defining identity. But, Jesus is greater than Moses, says the writer. Don’t look at the servant, look at the Son.
When they were wandering in the wilderness, what the people longed for was rest. “Rest on every side” was their dream - safe in their own land, with no enemies attacking them. The original generation in the desert were doomed never to experience that rest, because of their unfaithfulness, and the rest that the Jews did enjoy was fitful at best. So the writer holds out the prospect of a better, deeper rest - “a sabbath-rest for the people of God.” (4:9). This metaphor takes on a deep and profound meaning, and the writer continues to develop it as he talks about Jesus ascending into heaven and sitting down at God’s side. Job done. Entering his rest.
That rest is there for us one day.
Then the writer turns his attention to another focus of Jewish identity, the High Priest. He wants us to know that the earthly High Priest, is incomplete and imperfect, always offering his sacrifices again and again, because they are never enough. But Jesus has offered one perfect sacrifice once for all, and then sat down. Job done, Entering his rest.
But there’s a problem - Jesus can’t be a priest, because he’s from the wrong tribe. He isn’t a Levite, he’s descended from Judah. He’s not one of the religious civil service, so he wouldn’t have been allowed to offer a sacrifice. So the writer digs down into the depths of the Old Testament and fishes out an unlike;y character to be a forerunner of Jesus. It isn’t only Levites who are priests. Melchizedek was a priest.
I wrote about Melchizedek way back on January 13th, when I said, “Then the mysterious Melchizedek appears. Priest of God Most High, he blesses Abram. Who is this man? Where does he come from? How does he know God? All unanswered questions. For now, all we know is that Abram has an ally.” Melchizedek is a mysterious chieftain, one of the potentates of the region. But he knows God, and he brings a blessing. And in him, the writer to the Hebrews finds a forerunner to Jesus.
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