Hebrews 2:1-18

What is the theme of this chapter?

Christ Jesus was made lower than the angels in order to free His children from the power of death.

What is the key verse(s) of this chapter?  Verses 14-15

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.


What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?

Christ suffered temptation in all ways that I do and withstood it.  I as a believer have the same resource in the Holy Spirit who indwells me to withstand any temptation that comes my way.

It is also comforting to know that the Lord is always there, the compassionate High Priest, even when I don't think I have the resources to keep going.  In fact, He understands all about it, not only in His omniscience, but also experientially because He has experienced it all, too.


Additional observations/questions:

Verses 3 and 4 are the hardest verses for me to understand; is the audience unsaved Hebrews or slothful, believing Hebrews?  For now I'm leaning toward unsaved Hebrews, but maybe I'll change my mind as I study more of this book.

Hebrews 2:14-18

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren 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 the aid of those who are tempted.

flesh and blood - an OT figure for human nature

Verse 14 overthrows the Gnostic and Christian Science doctrine that Christ had no physical human body, and that He never died in that body.

partook of the same - partook of the same human nature

render powerless - Literally, bring to nothing or make inoperative or useless, but not annihilate, for the devil will exist in torment in the lake of fire forever (Rev 20:10).  This verse states the overriding purpose of Christ's accepting "a lower state."

"The reason why the Lord Jesus became incarnate is that He might die.  The reason why He needed to die is that through dying and raising Himself out from under death, He might break the power of death, and thus break the power of the one who has the power of death.  The word "destroy" is the translation of katergazomai, which means "to bring to naught, to render inoperative."  Satan was not annihilated at the Cross.  His power was broken.  Spiritual death cannot hold the person who puts his faith in the Saviour.  Physical death cannot keep his body in the grave.  The resurrection of the Lord Jesus provides the believer with eternal life, and his body with glorification at the Rapture.   Thus, Jesus conquered death, and brought to naught the Devil.  Satan had the power of death, not in the sense that he had power over death, but that he had the sovereignty or dominion of death.  He had a sovereignty of which death is the realm.  The word for "power" in the Greek text here is kratos, which  means "power in the sense of dominion."  His dominion over the human race was in the form of death.  That dominion is now broken." (Kenneth S. Wuest)

free - give absolute freedom

help to angels...descendant of Abraham - Christ did not come to save fallen angels but to save fallen men.

"The word "verily" [assuredly] is the translation of depou which has the ideas of "doubtless, as is well known."  The words "he took" are epilambanetai in the Greek text.  The verb means "to take, lay hold of, take possession of."  By a metaphor drawn from laying hold of another to rescue him from peril, the word came to mean "to lay hold of for the purpose of helping or succoring."  It is used in the latter sense here." (Kenneth S. Wuest)

"The force of "verily" [assuredly] here (v. 16) is "you know very well that the Messiah did not assume angelic nature but became a Hebrew."  This fact does not exclude His unity with the Gentiles, but the letter being written to Hebrews by a Hebrew; His unity with them, as the descendants of Abraham, is made prominent." (G. Williams)

to make propitiation (or expiation) - Propitiation refers to God's wrath being satisfied by the death of Christ (Rom 3:25; 1 Jn 2:2).  Expiation emphasize the removal of sin by the sacrifice that satisfied God.  Sin interrupts normal relations with God; expiation removes sin and restores the relationship.

"The words "it behooved" [He had to be] are in the Greek text opheilo, which speaks of an obligation imposed upon one by reason of a certain consideration.  Here the consideration is that the position our Lord assumed as the One who would come to the aid of lost sinners.  The obligation arising out of this position was that in order to provide a salvation for the human race, He had to become like the human race, namely, Man, for a priest must always partake of the nature of the one for whom he officiates." (Kenneth S. Wuest)

merciful (or compassionate) - speaks of that feeling of sympathy with the misery of another that leads one to act in his behalf to relieve that misery - The idea of compassion as an attribute of priests is not found in the OT.  One of the faults of the priests was their lack of sympathy with the people (Hos 4:4-9).  In later Jewish history and in NT times, the priests were unfeeling and cruel, so the idea of a compassionate priest would be welcomed by the Jewish readers of this letter.

tempted in that which He has suffered - the emphasis is not upon the fact that the Lord Jesus suffered, but upon the fact that He was tempted.  The order of the Greek words and their translation are as follows: "For in that which He suffered, having Himself been tempted."

Hebrews 2:9-13

But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE.”  And again, “I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.” And again, “BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME.”

but we do see Him - In the midst of this dark picture of man's lost dominion, the writer calls our attention to a bright beam of light that pierces the surrounding gloom — it is Jesus!

"An angel once was the regent of God on the first perfect earth, which angel with his associated angels administered the affairs of a pre-Adamic race.  His throne was on earth.  He was the anointed cherub, the guardian of the holiness of God.  He struck at God's throne, and forfeited the regency of this earth (Is 14:12-14; Ezek 28:1-19).  That angel was Lucifer.  He is now Satan.  The earth over which he had ruled, was rendered a desolation and a waste, and he, with his angelic cohorts, were banished.  After the restoration of the earth, God placed man upon it, but man handed the sceptre over to Satan, who now is the god of the world-system and whose throne is again on earth (Rev 2:13). But the Lord Jesus, through the blood of His Cross, has regained for man the dominion over this earth, and will in the Millennial Kingdom dethrone Satan, ruling as King of kings and Lord of lords.  The saved of the human race will be associated with Him in this reign.  Thus, the angels will not administer the Millennial earth, but man in the Person of the Son of Man and those of the human race saved by His precious blood." (Kenneth S. Wuest)

because of the suffering death crowned with glory and honor - Christ becomes the Savior through His death on the cross

"Christ (Messiah) crucified (1 Cor 1:23), was a stumbling block to the Jew.  This may have been one of the factors which was influencing these Hebrews in their drift away from their new profession of Messiah, back to the Levitical sacrifices.  The inspired writer seeks to justify his bold assertion of verse 9.  He senses the recoil which his readers would have from the thought of a suffering Messiah, and he now shows that Jesus' suffering and death were according to the divine fitness of things." (Kenneth S Wuest)

bringing many sons to glory - speaks not only of believers as sons but includes the Son of God Himself because in verse 9 it says that our Lord was crowned with glory and honor because of His sufferings

to perfect - to carry to the goal or consummation

"Moral perfection is not intended here but a perfect equipment as Man in order to discharge the office of Captain of Salvation.  He undertook the cause of the sons whom God purposed to bring to glory, and it was therefore necessary that He should enter into the circumstances in which they were found, suffer their penal consequences, and so deliver them.  Such a subjection into man's nature honoured God; so the Captain of Salvation was made perfect through sufferings — the perfection of suffering — even the death of the cross — was His." (G Williams)

He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father - Christ and the many sons are all a unity in human nature.

"But He does not call every man His brother, He is such only to the sanctified (v 11).  He and they appear before God in the nature and position of men.  He sanctifies them, they are sanctified, and on this account He is not ashamed to call them His brothers.  This relationship is developed in the Scriptures which follow (vs 12 and 13).  He is One in a company of brother; He is a Worshipper in the midst of worshippers (v 12); He is a Believer surrounded by believers; and a Son accompanied by sons (v 13)." (G Williams)

Hebrews 2:5-8

For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking.  But one has testified somewhere, saying, “WHAT IS MAN, THAT YOU REMEMBER HIM? OR THE SON OF MAN, THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HIM? “YOU HAVE MADE HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND HAVE APPOINTED HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

Verse 5 reads on from 1:14.

"The position and ministry of angels interrupted at 1:14 is now resumed at 2:5 but only to put them aside in order to present the Messiah as Man, lower than the angels for the suffering of death, now crowned with glory and honour, and so satisfying the statements of Psalm 8." (G. Williams in Complete Bible Commentary)

the world to come - literally, the coming inhabited earth (as in Lk 2:1).  A reference to the millennial kingdom on earth, which will not be ruled by angels but by Christ and the redeemed.

"When the Lord Jesus was dealing with Israel in the Gospels, Christ spoke to them about the sin of blasphemy of the Holy Ghost, a sin which (Matt 12:31-32) "shall not be forgiven in this world, neither in the world to come."  Jesus also told His disciples about their twelve throne (Matt 19:28) upon which they would be seated in a regenerated world." (TD McLean)

for a little while - may mean (1) for a short time, or (2) more likely a little lower in rank - In the order of creation, man is lower than angels, and in the Incarnation, Christ took this lower place.

his feet...to him...to him - refers to man (not Christ) who was given dominion over the creation (Gen 1:28) but who lost it when he sinned (Rom 8:20) and who will regain it in the future millennial kingdom because of Christ's death for sin (v 10)

we do not yet see all things subjected to him - points to the fact that Adam through his fall into sin, lost the dominion he had before enjoyed

Hebrews 2:1-4

For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it 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.

for this reason - (or therefore) reads on from chapter 1:1-3 - Because God in His Son is the speaker, therefore we are exhorted to listen to the things He says so that we don't drift away.

we - the Hebrew people

"The Epistle to the Hebrews contains rich blessings not to be found in any of Paul's epistles to the Gentiles.  The Gentiles knew little or nothing about the Law and the priesthood, hence in these epistles the apostle did not deal at length with the rich symbolism of Judaism, its beautiful comparison with that which we have in Christ, and especially its striking contrasts to our position and blessings in Christ." (CR Stam)

drift away - or loose from their moorings

the word spoken through angels - refers to the Mosaic Law (Ps 68:17; Acts 7:53).

"We know the word spoken by angels is steadfast; and so when Stephen preaches about the angelic message to Israel (Acts 7:3-32), it would be steadfast information which the Hebrew people chose to "neglect" and "let slip."  This clarifies the doctrinal application of the passage and explains why the passage is so dire and threatening, because for unsaved Hebrews reading this, the consequences are grave." (TD McLean)

"Neglect" is exactly what many of the Hebrew "believers" were guilty of.  More grammatically, Heb 5:11 reads: "ye have become dull of hearing," and "dull of hearing" is rendered "slothful" in 6:12, the only other occurrence of the word.  Through neglect, slothfulness, and failing to take heed to the things which they had heard they had become spiritually sluggish." (CR Stam)

vs 3-4  -  The Lord spoke of this "so great a salvation," and it was confirmed to the writer and readers of Hebrews by those who heard Him and by God, who authenticated it by signs and wonders.

salvation - refers to the word itself, not to the teaching concerning it

"The idea is, "salvation which is of such a character" as to have been spoken by the Lord.  The message of salvation given by the angels was typical in its method of presentation.  It looked forward.  It was not final in itself, since sin had not actually been dealt with.  It was given in many parts and in many ways.  But the message of salvation given by the Lord was in its character, final.  He was not only the Spokesman but the One who brought into being and made available to believing sinners, the salvation which He announced.  Our Lord announced the New Testament as taking the place of the First Testament, when He said, 'This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins' (Matt. 26:28)." (Kenneth S. Wuest)

Hebrews 1:1-14

What is the key verse(s) of this chapter?  Verses 3 and 4.

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.

What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?  None that I can think of at the moment.  

Additional observations/questions:

Observation and question:  The Lord sat down when His work on the cross was completed (Heb 1:3;10:12) and yet we see Him standing again in Acts 7:51-55 and James 5:9.  Why did He stand up again?

Possible answer:  He stood up to fulfill those many prophecies yet waiting — judgment (the Tribulation) and His return to earth and set up His Kingdom.  But as Jesus stood there in heaven, He watched Israel "resist the Holy Spirit" just as their fathers had done (Acts 7:51), and still He didn't commence judgment.  Instead, He sent Paul with the message of total grace.  Jesus did not come back to earth from His standing position, but did He sit back down?  Some say yes and some say no.

Question:  In what way do angels render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?  What exactly does this mean?

Possible answer:  This must refer to the Hebrews who, because of the promise to their fathers (making them heirs), will pass from the Tribulation into the Kingdom.  The Hebrew people enduring the Tribulation can expect to benefit from the ministry of angels.  No angel can deliver us from anything today because we are already complete in Christ (See also Wuest's comments here),  "and He is the head over all rule and authority" (Col 2:10).

"Imagine knowing that there is "one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" and thinking that you need an angel.  God has placed you in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13) and Christ in you (Colossians 1:27); and so your looking for help from an angel would be rather like climbing out of your Rolls Royce to go dumpster diving." (T. D. McLean in Hebrews) 

Hebrews 1:5-14

For to which of the angels did He ever say, "You are My Son, today I have begotten You"?  And again, "I will be a Father to Him and He shall be a Son to Me"?  And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, "And let all the angels of God worship Him."  And of the angels He says, "Who makes His angels winds, and His ministers a flame of fire."  But the Son He says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.  You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above your companions."  And, "You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands; they will perish, but You remain; and they all will become old like a garment, and like a mantle You will roll them up; like a garment they will also be changed.  But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end."  But to which of the angels has He ever said, "Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet"?  Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

the angels - The word "angel" means "messenger."  It usually refers to an order of spirit beings, rarely to human beings (as in Lk 7:24; James 2:25).  All angels were originally created in a holy state, but some followed Satan in his revolt against God and became the demons.  Angels are created beings who must ultimately answer to their Creator (Col 1:16).  Since they are spirit beings, they are not bound by some of the restrictions that limit us (Acts 12:5-10).  They are organized and ranked (Isa 6:1-3; Dan 10:13; Eph 3:10, Jude 9).  Angels ministered to Christ often during His first advent and will accompany Him at His return (Matt 2:13; 4:11; 26:53; 28:2, 5; Lk 22:43; 2 Thes 1:7-8). They observe believers (1 Cor 4:9; 11:10)  Michael is the only one designated an archangel (Dan 10:13, 21; Jude 9), though Gabriel also has an important position (Lk 1:19, 26).

"...the question arises, Why does the inspired writer bring in a comparison between the Son and angels?  The answer is as follows: The entire Old Testament dispensation is related to the New Testament dispensation as the angels are related to the Son.  In the former dispensation, mankind and God are separated by sin.  The angels stand as mediators between God and man.  Here there was a chain of two links, Moses, and the angel of the Lord.  In the former, we have a mere man raised above his fellows by being given a commission to lead Israel, and brought nearer to God.  But he is a sinner like his brethren.  In the latter, we have God revealing Himself in angelic form to Israel, but without becoming Man.  There was no real union of the Godhead and Manhood.

"How different it is in the New Testament dispensation.  God and Man become personally One in the Son incarnate.  God no longer accommodates Himself to the capacities of man in an angelophony or theophony, but has revealed Himself in the Son become incarnate.  The writer's thesis throughout the letter is that the New Testament is better than the First Testament.  If he can show that the One Mediator between God and man of the New Testament is superior to the mediators of the First, the angels, then he has shown that the New Testament takes the place of the First.  And this he proceeds to do."  (Kenneth S. Wuest)

did He...say? - quoting 2 Sam 7:14 and Ps 2:7 - Never to an angel did God say that he was a son, only to and of Christ.  2 Sam 7:14 was addressed to Solomon, and Ps 2:7 may have been sung to a monarch on the day of his coronation.  Christ, explains the writer of Hebrews, is the ultimate fulfillment of these words.

and when He again brings the firstborn into the world - this refers to the second coming of Christ.  A combination of Ps 97:7 with Deut 32:43.

winds - a quote of Ps 104:4 and is part of the creation account.  This places Christ at the creation as does Col 1:16 and does not have anything to do with the ministry of angels today.

your companions - beyond all others

The cross references for verses 8-9 are Ps 45:6-7, which give absolute assurance to the reader that Christ is in fact the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

Verses 10-12 quote from Ps 102:25-27.  Christ is the Creator of all things and the One who, in the midst of change, is unchanging.

"Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet?" - Ps 110:1 is applied to the Lord Jesus's final victory over His enemies.  We are still waiting for Christ's enemies to be made His footstool, and Heb 2:8 declares "But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him."  The point of the verse is that none of the angels were told to "sit at My right hand" as testified in Ps 110:1.

"Here the writer sums up the function of the angels as compared to that of the Son.  He is the highest dignity, a co-ruler with God.  They are His servants, appointed to minister to the heirs of redemption." (Kenneth S. Wuest)

Hebrews 1:1-4

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.

fathers - forefathers

in many portions and in many ways - in many parts of Israel's history and in various ways (through laws, institutions, ceremonies, kings, judges, prophets)

"In the Greek text, the order of the words is, 'At sundry times and in divers manners God spake.'  The Greek places his words at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis.  Therefore, the main idea in the writer's mind here is not that God spake, but that it was at sundry times and in divers manners that He spake.  He is not combating the denial of a revelation, but is preparing the reader for the truth that God now, after the preliminary revelations, gives a final word in the revelation of His Son.

In the giving of the First Testament truth, God did not speak once for all, but in separate revelations, each of which set forth only part of His will...At the beginning of the revelation, the presentation was elementary.  Later it appealed to a more developed spiritual sense.  Again, the revelation differed according to the faithfulness or the unfaithfulness of Israel.

"...The First Testament revelation was progressive.  All could not be revealed at once because all could not be understood at once.  Thus the revelation was given in many parts.  In addition to this, it was given in different modes.  It was given in the form of law, prophecy, history, psalm, sign, type, parable.  Expositor's* says that the people of Israel 'were like men listening to a clock striking the hour, always getting nearer the truth but obliged to wait til the whole is heard."  (Kenneth S. Wuest)

"When we allow the Bible to speak for itself with respect to 'sundry times and diverse manners' we do in fact find that God has not always done things the same way and has dispensed His grace toward man in diverse manners." (T. D. McLean in Hebrews)

in these last days - the last days of the First Covenant

has spoken to us in His Son - "The revelation God gave in His Son, consisted not merely in what was said, as in the case of the prophets, but in what the Son was, not merely in what He (the Son) said.  In other words, it was not primarily, nor finally, a revelation through words, but through a Personality.  It was a revelation made by One who in all that He is and all that He does and says, reveals the Father." (Kenneth S. Wuest)

the world - literally the ages, including time, space, and the material world

radiance - flood of resplendent light.  The word means "an outshining," not a reflection.  A radiance, effulgence, used of light beaming from a luminous body.  Its verbal form means "to flash forth."  Vincent* says the meaning is that "the Son is the out-raying of the divine glory, exhibiting in Himself the glory and majesty of the divine Being."  He quotes Weiss saying that "God lets His glory issue from Himself, so that there arises thereby a light-being like Himself."

the exact representation - of God's essence or nature (strong assertions of the deity of Christ)

upholds all things by the word of His power - maintains and sustains - While the word implies the idea of sustaining, it also includes in itself the idea of movement.  It speaks of the act of sustaining something that is in constant movement.  This act has to do, not only with sustaining the weight of the universe, but also with maintaining its coherence and carrying on its development (Col 1:17).  The universe was called into being by the Word of God (Heb 11:3), and is sustained by the same Word.

sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high - The picture of Christ being seated indicates the finished character of His once-for-all sacrifice for sin (Heb 10:10,12), and the right hand indicates the  place of honor that He occupies.

What is the theme of this chapter?

The theme of the first four verses is Christ is superior to the prophets — "The Son is superior to the prophets because He is the brightness of God's glory." (Kenneth S. Wuest) — whereas the theme of the rest of the chapter is Christ is superior to the angels in His divine person.

*The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll, M.A., LLD.
* Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament.

Hebrews - introduction cont.

Who is the audience?  The Hebrew people. 

Although some hold that the audience was Gentiles, all evidence points to their Jewish background — the title of the book, "to the Hebrews," the reference to the prophets and angels ministering to Israel, and the citation concerning the Levitical worship.  They lived in either Palestine or Italy, though preference seems to be Italy since these readers were not poor (and the Jews in Palestine were, Heb 6:10; 10:34; Rom 15:26).  Also, the Septuagint is used exclusively for quotations from the OT, which would not be expected if the readers were Palestinian; and, "Those from Italy greet you" (Heb 13:24) sounds like Italians outside of Italy are sending greetings back home.

"Does the 'us' here [in 1:1] refer to us Christians of the Gentile dispensation?  The question is not whether the Epistle has a voice for us; 'Every student of Hebrews must feel that it deals in a peculiar degree with the thoughts and trials of our own time,'* but what was the meaning which they to whom it was primarily addressed were intended to put upon the words?  The opening verses are an undivided sentence; and as 'the fathers' were Israel, we may assume with confidence that the 'us' must be similarly construed." (Sir Robert Anderson)

When was the book written?  Probably between 64-68 A.D. 

"The book was written before A.D. 70, but after the ascension of our Lord (Heb. 10:11, 12).  The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70, but at the time of the writing of Hebrews, priests were still offering sacrifices, this fact showing that it was still standing.  Our Lord is seen, seated in heaven after His ascension.  Thus the date is somewhere between A.D. 33 and A.D. 70." (Kenneth S. Wuest in Hebrews in the Greek New Testament - for the English reader)

"The lack in the book of any reference to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem as the divine proof that the OT sacrificial system was finished argues strongly for a date before A.D. 70.  In addition, the mention of Timothy's recent release (Heb 13:23), if it was in connection with his ministry to Paul in Rome, requires a date in the late 60s." (Charles Ryrie).

Where does it fit within the progression of Scripture? 

All the Hebrews to whom this book was written at least professed to believe in the Lord Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah.  They had heard the message of Pentecost (Heb 2:3-4), how Christ had been raised from the dead to sit upon David's throne (Acts 2:30-31).  Peter had promised that if Israel would repent "the times of refreshing" would come, and God would "send Jesus Christ" back to earth (Acts 3:19-20).  They had not only hoped for this event, but had begun practising its program (Acts 4:32-37).  But years had passed since then.  Their number had grown to tens of thousands (Acts 21:20), but still Christ had not returned, and the kingdom had not been set up.  Meanwhile, God had raised up another apostle, Paul, to go to the Gentiles apart from Israel, with a message of salvation by grace, through faith alone: BUT NOW apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets (Rom 3:21).  And Paul had just made this awful pronouncement regarding Israel: ...the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes...therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen. (Acts 28:27-28).  The twelve apostles had previously been very careful not to start another sect apart from Judaism (Acts 2:46-47; 3:1), but now the writer of Hebrews tells these believers to leave Judaism and take their place with the rejected Christ alone (Heb 13:13).  It is clear from Paul's early epistles that in Christ Jewish and Gentile believers were already one, and Acts 10:11, 15 had indicated that "the middle wall of partition" was toppling.  So now, with the nation Israel set aside, the Jewish believers who still had gone on under the kingdom program (Acts 15) had to be shown their position and blessings in Christ and called out of Judaism.  Therefore, "the purpose of the Epistle to the Hebrews is threefold: (1) to provide the solution to the believing Hebrews' dilemma [what now? what becomes of us?], (2) to prove beyond a doubt that the 'mystery' revealed through Paul, and 'stewardship of God’s grace' committed to him, were indeed God's eternal purpose,' all along, and (3) to prove that God's blessings under grace are infinitely 'better' than anything Israel, or we, ever knew, or ever could know under the Law." (C.R. Stam).

What is the theme of the book? 

The key word is "better."  The key verse is Heb 7:12 - For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.  And the theme — the superiority of Christ's New Covenant.

"We must be careful to note that the book is not an argument to prove that Christianity is superior to and takes the place of Judaism.  The New Testament is the reality of which the First Testament was the type.  The type consisted of a blood sacrifice which symbolically gave the offerer salvation, while in reality his salvation came from the New Testament which necessarily is a sacrifice, even the Lord Jesus at Calvary.  Christianity is not a sacrifice nor a means of salvation.  Christianity is a result of what happened at the Cross, namely, the Christian church made up of all believers from Pentecost to the Rapture, together with the doctrines and duties of the members of that Church.  Furthermore, the New Testament is a covenant made with the Jewish nation.  The latter must be distinguished from the Church.  It is not a matter of a choice between Judaism and Christianity with which the writer is dealing, but between the type and the reality, between the Levitical sacrifices and the substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus."  (Kenneth S. Wuest)


* Bishop Westcott

Hebrews - introduction

Who is the author?  Most likely the Apostle Paul, but most certainly God.

"The Author of this letter was the Holy Spirit.  The Hebrew whom He trained to write it was the Apostle Paul." - George Williams in The Student's Commentary.

After disposing of Luke, Barnabas, Apollos and Clement of Rome as possible authors, Sir Robert Anderson in Types in Hebrews says: "As for the other companions of the Apostle, their claims rest on mere conjecture; there is not a scintilla of evidence to connect them with the book."

"Luther and Calvin both questioned the Pauline authorship of Hebrews, but John Owen, the translator of the English edition of Calvin's Commentary on Hebrews, writes: 'As far, then, as the testimony of history goes, almost the whole weight of evidence is in favor of Paul being the author...Luther indeed, ascribed it to Apollos — a mere conjecture.  Calvin, as we find, supposed that either Luke or Clement was the author; for which there are no satisfactory reasons.  Beza differed from his illustrious predecessor, and regarded Paul as the writer; and such has been the opinion entertained by most of the successors of the Reformers...'  (Calvin's Commentaries, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1949, The Epistle to the Hebrews, P.VIII)." - C.R. Stam in The Epistle to the Hebrews.

Internal evidence:
1.  It is evident from 2 Peter 3:15 that Paul wrote a letter to the Hebrews.  If this epistle is not that letter, where is it?
2.  The author of Hebrews wrote from prison in Italy (Heb 13:18-24) and we know that Paul was a prisoner in Rome. 
3.  Timothy is mentioned in Heb 13:23.  He had been the writer's fellow-prisoner until recently and was now expected shortly to travel with him.  Do we know if Timothy was closely associated with anyone else besides Paul?

The preponderance of evidence points to Paul being the author, but it is interesting to note how he began each of his other epistles:

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle..." (Rom 1:1)
"Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ..." (1 Cor 1:1)
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God..." (2 Cor 1:1)
"Paul, an apostle (not of men..." (Gal 1:1)
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God..." (Eph 1:1)
"Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Christ..." (Phil 1:1)
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God..." (Col 1:1)
"Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church..." (1 Thes 1:1)
"Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church..." (2 Thes 1:1)
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ..." (1 Tim 1:1)
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ..." (2 Tim 1:1)
"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ..." (Titus 1:1)
"Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ..." (Philemon 1:1)

Bible study questions

1.  Who is the author?
2.  Who is the audience?
3.  When was the book written?
4.  Where does it fit within the progression of Scripture?
5.  What is the theme of the book?
6.  What is the theme of each chapter?
7.  What is the key verse(s) of each chapter?
8.  What can I apply to my life from each chapter (things to do/avoid)?
9.  Additional observations/questions.

"Distinguish the ages and the Scriptures harmonize."

Augustine