So many people want to have Jesus plus _________. You may insert whatever
else one thinks they need in the blank provided above. In the book of Hebrews, we are
confronted repeatedly with the fact that Jesus is it. He is the deal. He is the center of
human existence, and we have no need of anything beyond what is provided in Him,
especially as it pertains to salvation. Yet, people consistently seek to insert their own
devices alongside the Christ and His revealed will. The Hebrews writer had to remind a
group of struggling Jewish Christians there was nothing for them to gain in Moses’ Law
with its ceremonies and sacrifices, but they had everything they needed in Christ. In this
discussion, we reconsider some of what we have already seen of His provisions for His
people as well as looking ahead to more of what we have in Him in the future of our
study through Hebrews.
From the outset, the writer emphasized that we need communication from the
Father above. 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 leaves no question that without divine
communication we cannot know what God wants us to know and do. Fortunately, God
has always communicated with His people, providing us with “…all things that pertain
to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue”
(2 Pt. 1:3). In Hebrews 1:1-3, the author reminded them (and us) of God’s
communication in the past by the prophets, and he concluded that God has given His
final revelation in His Son.
In this vein, He spent a great deal of time detailing why the Son is worthy of our
attention beyond all others. Jesus is better than the angels who mediated the Old
Covenant (Heb. 1:4-2- 4), better than Moses who received and delivered the Old
Covenant (Heb. 3:1-6), and He provides a better rest than Joshua who led the children
of Israel in the conquest to take possession of the land God promised in the Old
Covenant (Heb. 4:1-10).
Intrinsic to every covenant of God is the need for a priesthood. The Levitical
priesthood served the people of Israel under Moses’ Law. Beginning in Hebrews 4:14
and continuing through Hebrews 10:25, the writer declared the supremacy of Jesus’
priesthood to the Levitical priesthood. He is better because He faced the same
temptations we do without sinning a single time (Heb. 4:15). He is better because His
priesthood is not hindered by death (Heb. 7:3, 8, 24-25). All this enabled Him to offer
the sacrifice we need to make final atonement for sin and perfect our conscience (Heb.
7:25; 9:15; 10:12-22). The full picture is that Jesus is Prophet, Priest, and King. He is
the sacrifice and the priest who offered the sacrifice.
For all this, He ushered in the New Covenant which was promised in the days of
Jeremiah the prophet (Heb. 8:7-13; cf. Jer.. 31:31-34). In the Old Covenant, there
was a reminder of previous sins every year (Heb. 10:3). In the New Covenant, we have
assurance that He no longer remembers our past transgressions (Heb. 8:12). In short,
Jesus is all sufficient for the child of God. Why would we look to any other source for the
things which He alone can provide?
else one thinks they need in the blank provided above. In the book of Hebrews, we are
confronted repeatedly with the fact that Jesus is it. He is the deal. He is the center of
human existence, and we have no need of anything beyond what is provided in Him,
especially as it pertains to salvation. Yet, people consistently seek to insert their own
devices alongside the Christ and His revealed will. The Hebrews writer had to remind a
group of struggling Jewish Christians there was nothing for them to gain in Moses’ Law
with its ceremonies and sacrifices, but they had everything they needed in Christ. In this
discussion, we reconsider some of what we have already seen of His provisions for His
people as well as looking ahead to more of what we have in Him in the future of our
study through Hebrews.
From the outset, the writer emphasized that we need communication from the
Father above. 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 leaves no question that without divine
communication we cannot know what God wants us to know and do. Fortunately, God
has always communicated with His people, providing us with “…all things that pertain
to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue”
(2 Pt. 1:3). In Hebrews 1:1-3, the author reminded them (and us) of God’s
communication in the past by the prophets, and he concluded that God has given His
final revelation in His Son.
In this vein, He spent a great deal of time detailing why the Son is worthy of our
attention beyond all others. Jesus is better than the angels who mediated the Old
Covenant (Heb. 1:4-2- 4), better than Moses who received and delivered the Old
Covenant (Heb. 3:1-6), and He provides a better rest than Joshua who led the children
of Israel in the conquest to take possession of the land God promised in the Old
Covenant (Heb. 4:1-10).
Intrinsic to every covenant of God is the need for a priesthood. The Levitical
priesthood served the people of Israel under Moses’ Law. Beginning in Hebrews 4:14
and continuing through Hebrews 10:25, the writer declared the supremacy of Jesus’
priesthood to the Levitical priesthood. He is better because He faced the same
temptations we do without sinning a single time (Heb. 4:15). He is better because His
priesthood is not hindered by death (Heb. 7:3, 8, 24-25). All this enabled Him to offer
the sacrifice we need to make final atonement for sin and perfect our conscience (Heb.
7:25; 9:15; 10:12-22). The full picture is that Jesus is Prophet, Priest, and King. He is
the sacrifice and the priest who offered the sacrifice.
For all this, He ushered in the New Covenant which was promised in the days of
Jeremiah the prophet (Heb. 8:7-13; cf. Jer.. 31:31-34). In the Old Covenant, there
was a reminder of previous sins every year (Heb. 10:3). In the New Covenant, we have
assurance that He no longer remembers our past transgressions (Heb. 8:12). In short,
Jesus is all sufficient for the child of God. Why would we look to any other source for the
things which He alone can provide?