JESUS Greater Than Moses

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on JESUS, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. HE was faithful to THE ONE who appointed HIM, just as Moses was faithful in all GOD'S house. JESUS has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but GOD is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all GOD'S house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But CHRIST is faithful as a son over GOD'S house. And we are HIS house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.


The Book of Hebrews: chapter 3, verses 1 - 6

Warning Against Unbelief

       So, as THE HOLY SPIRIT says:

       "Today, if you hear HIS voice,
          do not harden your hearts
       as you did in the rebellion,
          during the time of testing in the desert,
       where your fathers tested and tried ME
          and for forty years saw what I did.
       That is why I was angry with that generation,
          and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray,
          and they have not known MY ways.'
       So I declared on oath in MY anger,
          'They shall never enter MY rest.' "

       See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from THE LIVING GOD. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in CHRIST if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
As has just been said:

       "Today, if you hear HIS voice,
          do not harden your hearts
       as you did in the rebellion."

       Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was HE angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did GOD swear that they would never enter HIS rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.


The Book of Hebrews: chapter 3, verses 7 - 19

A Sabbath-Rest for the People of GOD

Therefore, since the promise of entering HIS rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as GOD has said,

       "So I declared on oath in MY anger,
          'They shall never enter MY rest.' "

And yet HIS work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere HE has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day GOD rested from all HIS work." And again in the passage above HE says, "They shall never enter MY rest."
       It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore GOD again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later HE spoke through David, as was said before:

       "Today, if you hear HIS voice,
          do not harden your hearts."

For if Joshua had given them rest, GOD would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of GOD; for anyone who enters GOD'S rest also rests from his own work, just as GOD did from HIS. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
       For the word of GOD is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from GOD'S sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of HIM to whom we must give account.


The Book of Hebrews: chapter 4, verses 1 - 13

JESUS the Great High Priest

       Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, JESUS THE SON OF GOD, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Every high priest is elected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to GOD, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.
       No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by GOD, just as Aaron was. So CHRIST also did not take upon HIMSELF the glory of becoming a high priest. But GOD said to HIM,

       "YOU are MY SON;
          today I have become YOUR FATHER."

And HE says in another place,

       "YOU are a priest forever,
          in the order of Melchizedek."

       During the days of JESUS' life on earth, HE offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to THE ONE who could save HIM from death, and HE was heard because of HIS reverent submission. Although HE was a son, HE learned obedience from what HE suffered and, once made perfect, HE became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey HIM and was designated by GOD to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.


The Book of Hebrews: chapter 4, verses 14 - 16 & chapter 5, verses 1 - 10

Warning Against Falling Away

       We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of GOD'S word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about CHRIST and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in GOD, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And GOD permitting, we will do so.
       It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in THE HOLY SPIRIT, who have tasted the goodness of the word of GOD and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying THE SON OF GOD all over again and subjecting HIM to public disgrace.
       Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of GOD. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
       Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case--things that accompany salvation. GOD is not unjust; HE will not forget your work and the love you have shown HIM as you have helped HIS people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.


The Book of Hebrews: chapter 5, verses 11 - 14 & chapter 6, verses 1 - 12

The Certainty of GOD'S Promise

       When GOD made HIS promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for HIM to swear by, HE swore by HIMSELF, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
       Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because GOD wanted to make the unchanging nature of HIS purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, HE confirmed it with an oath. GOD did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for GOD to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where JESUS, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. HE has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.


The Book of Hebrews: chapter 6, verses 13 - 20

Melchizedek the Priest

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of GOD MOST HIGH. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace." Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like THE SON OF GOD he remains a priest forever.
       Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people--that is, their brothers--even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.


The Book of Hebrews: chapter 7, verses 1 - 10

JESUS Like Melchizedek

       If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. HE of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our LORD descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared:

       "You are a priest forever,
          in the order of Melchizedek."

       The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to GOD.
       And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but HE became a priest with an oath when GOD said to HIM:

       "THE LORD has sworn
          and will not change HIS mind:
       'You are a priest forever.' "

Because of this oath, JESUS has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
       Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because JESUS lives forever, HE has a permanent priesthood. Therefore HE is able to save completely those who come to GOD through HIM, because HE always lives to intercede for them.
       Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, HE does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. HE sacrificed for their sins once for all when HE offered HIMSELF. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed THE SON, who has been made perfect forever.


The Book of Hebrews: chapter 7, verses 11 - 28

The High Priest of a New Covenant

The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of THE MAJESTY in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by THE LORD, not by man.
       Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If HE were on earth, HE would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." But the ministry JESUS has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which HE is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
       For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But GOD found fault with the people and said:

       "The time is coming, declares THE LORD,
          when I will make a new covenant
       with the house of Israel
          and with the house of Judah.
       It will not be like the covenant
          I made with their forefathers
       when I took them by the hand
          to lead them out of Egypt,
       because they did not remain faithful to MY covenant,
          and I turned away from them,
                                                               declares THE LORD.
       This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
          after that time, declares THE LORD.
       I will put MY laws in their minds
          and write them on their hearts.
       I will be their GOD,
          and they will be MY people.
       No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
          or a man his brother, saying, 'Know THE LORD,'
       because they will all know ME,
          from the least of them to the greatest.
       For I will forgive their wickedness
          and will remember their sins no more."

       By calling this covenant "new," HE has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.


The Book of Hebrews: chapter 8

Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
       When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. THE HOLY SPIRIT was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings--external regulations applying until the time of the new order.


The Book of Hebrews: chapter 9, verses 1 - 10