Lord Jesus Christ in Hebrews

Verses within this Study.

1:2, 5, 8, 10; 2:3, 6, 9, 10; 3:1, 6, 6-Son, 14; 4:8, 14, 14-Son; 5:5, 5-Son, 8; 6:1, 6, 20; 7:1, 2, 3, 5, 14, 21 22, 28; 8:2, 8, 9, 10, 11; 9:11, 14, 24, 28; 10:10, 16, 19, 29, 30; 11:17, 21, 24, 26, 23, 27; 12:2, 5, 5-Son, 6, 6-Son, 7, 8, 14, 24; 13:6, 13:8, 12, 20, 21.

Click on the following links to jump to a section within the study of this Bible Book: Lord only, Jesus only, Christ only, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus, Lord Jesus, Lord Christ, Lord Jesus Christ, King, Son

God appears 72 times, Lord appears 16 times, Jesus appears 14 times and Christ appears 13 times but Son or sons occurs 21 times. Within those counts, Lord Jesus appears 1 time, Jesus Christ appears 2 times, Christ Jesus appears 1 time, and other combinations do not appear. The main emphasis is upon our relationship to God as His sons and how His Son is our true authority for a proper relationship with God.

In addition, to the verses which contain the various names of God, Hebrews 6:1 says Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ. This lets us know that much of chapters 1 through 5talk about the doctrine of Christ, even though the word Christ rarely appears in them. Although related, the study about the doctrine of Christ within those verses is not covered in this study at this time. However, Christ is the role that the Son of God uses to teach us how to mature spiritually after our initial profession. Within the first 5chapters we are taught how to live as sons of God using the principles of the doctrine of Christ.

Lord Only

Hebrews 1:10; 2:3; 7:14, 21; 8:2, 8, 9, 10, 11; 10:16, 30; 12:5, 6, 14; 13:6.

Lord is used in Hebrews to refer to God the Father and to our Lord Jesus Christ in His various responsibilities related government such as judgment and assigning positions to people. Click here for all of the Verses that use Lord and here for the Summary on the name / role of Lord.

Hebrews 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the Heavens are the works of thine hands:

Please see the note for this sentence in the Book Study on Hebrews for the context of this verse. As explained there, all of this chapter is connected by context and because the sentences all start with connecting words. Proper interpretation requires considering context.

In addition, to the Book Study, there are several notes for verses within this chapter that are in this Study. They are each good sized and contain critical doctrine about the Son of God, Who is a major theme of this particular epistle. Please also consider them. The note for Hebrews 1:1-4 is covered in the note for 1:2 and 1:5-7 is covered in the note for 1:5. Both deal with the Son of God and provide the contextual basis of this sentence. The author starts out telling us that God's Son is greater than anyone or anything. His first evidence to support that claim is that God's Son is greater than angels, which some men consider to be gods. As part of that claim, the author lets us know that God's Son has obtained a more excellent name than they, which means He has a better position and more power, and this is also why our current verse uses the title of Lord for Him.

In this sentence (especially with all of the quotes), the author is clearly saying that God the Son is Lord because He is Creator and has ownership over what he created. Our sentence also tells us that God the Father has declared His Son to be the Lord who has a throne (Revelation 1:8) and Who will execute judgment to the point of total destruction and replacement of this physical world. What He created He can also destroy and replace. Only those who have His character will be allowed to enter His kingdom after He destroys this one that has been ruined by sin and sinners. Look at Hebrews 2:1 which starts with Therefore and starts the chapter which tells us the consequences in our lives due to the fact that God's Son is Lord and King Who will execute judgment to the point of total destruction and replacement of this physical world. Please also see the note below which deals more with this subject.

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Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

This verse is part of a sentence that goes from 2:2 through 2:4 and, in more than one way, tells us of the consequences of neglecting the word / salvation / witness of our Lord / God / angels (messengers from God). Lord is used here to denote His right to command and to judge and punish the disobedient.

This sentence starts with For, which means it gives us the reason for what was said in the prior sentence. That sentence (2:1) started with Therefore, which means it tells us how what was said in Hebrews 1 affects our lives. This sentence is the beginning of the details of that conclusion. It is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews. That note also explains the contextual considerations and provides links to related notes

This verse starts with How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation and this sentence gives us four reasons to not neglect so great salvation and to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard. The How shall we escape Is rhetorical and it should be obvious that this verse uses Lord for the role that God used to give the word spoken by angels and Lord is the role that God will use to judge those who disobey His word and neglect so great salvation.

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Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

This verse says For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda and Judea is the tribe of the kings of Israel. As the author points out, the Jewish priests came from the tribe of Levi (7:5-6). In context, the author is pointing out that there are two different orders of priesthood: that from Levi and that from Melchisedec. The Leviticus priesthood served under the Old Covenant and Law (Chapter 8). Jesus Christ the Son of God, who is a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec (5:5-6, 6:20) serves under the New Covenant (Chapter 8) and the promises made to Abraham before the coming of the Mosaic Law (Galatians 3:17).

The priesthood that our Lord is part of is the one that even Abraham acknowledged as greater (7:1-10). This priesthood represented the God that Abraham looked to for salvation (Hebrews 11:10). In these chapters, the author explains how the Law and priesthood and Covenant / Testament are all different facets of a single package from God and how when God replaced the package, He replaced all parts of the package. Further, the New is better than the Old, as explained by the author in these several chapters. In this chapter, the author is explaining how the priesthood of our Lord is better, but he uses Lord because he is tying the change in priesthood to the change in Law and it is through the role of Lord that the Son of God deals with Law. Notice that we find that the Son of God is our priest in His roles as Lord (here) and as Jesus (6:20) and as Christ (5:5-6).

Here, Lord is used to say that the Son of God, Who became the human man named Jesus is Lord and is the ultimate human ruler of all mankind throughout all of history. King Saul offered a sacrifice in 1Samuel 13 and that was the start of the corruption of his kingdom. In fact, all through human history any time government and religion were combined the result was the corruption of both. Our Lord is the only one Who can combine the two without corruption because He is the Son of God. Back in 2:8 we were told ...But now we see not yet all things put under him and only the truly saved have His kingdom in their heart. However, the day will come when He rules the world. He is both high priest and Lord to the truly saved and because of that, we are under the New Covenant / Testament, as explained in this epistle.

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Hebrews 7:21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)

7:20-22 is a single sentence. Please see the note for 7:22 under Jesus for the breakdown of this sentence and the details of the interpretation of this verse. This verse is a quote of Psalms 110:4. In this verse, Lord is referring to God the Father.

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Hebrews 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

Since many verses tell us that the LORD God of Israel made Heaven and earth, this verse uses Lord to refer to God the Father Who gave the Son His position as high priest. The true tabernacle is in Heaven and is part of Heaven, which makes the Lord of this verse to be God the Father.

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Hebrews 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Most of Hebrews 8:8 through 8:11 is a quote of Jeremiah 31:31-34. Hebrews 8:8-9 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation within the Book Study on Hebrews. The note below is also referring to the same sentence.

8:6 told us that the Son of God hath he obtained a more excellent ministry where he is the mediator of a better covenant. Then every sentence until 8:13 start with the word For and tell us why we have a better covenant with the last two sentences of our chapter providing the conclusion. Thus we see that the theme of our chapter is a better covenant. This sentence and verse uses Lord for God the Father since it is a quote of Old Testament prophecy. It was God the Father Who decided to give each covenant and was God the Father Who knew that the old covenant would have to be replaced even as He gave His people the desires of their heart.

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Hebrews 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

8:8-9 is a single sentence and the note above is dealing with the same sentence. Please see it. Most of Hebrews 8:8 through 8:11 is a quote of Jeremiah 31:31-34. However, the phrase I regarded them not, saith the Lord, within our current verse, is a reference to passages found in Jeremiah 11.

This sentence and verse uses Lord for God the Father since it is a quote of Old Testament prophecy. The Lord who makes laws and covenants and judges us said that He regarded them not who were under the old covenant. He will not regard anyone who tries to come under that old covenant. The Lord has provided a new covenant and only accepts people under it today. That new covenant is what our current verse is talking about. Every verse in this chapter that uses Lord is talking about God the Father because He is the one that provides the covenant whereby we can get into Heaven and He is the judge that will send everyone to the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14-15) who tries to get into Heaven any other way.

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Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Most of Hebrews 8:8 through 8:11 is a quote of Jeremiah 31:31-34. It also references Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26-27 and Hosea 2:23 and Zechariah 8:8.

8:10-11 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews. That note also explains the context and meaning of then entire sentence.

This sentence and verse uses Lord for God the Father since it is a quote of Old Testament prophecy.

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Hebrews 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

Most of Hebrews 8:8 through 8:11 is a quote of Jeremiah 31:31-34. It also references Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26-27 and Hosea 2:23 and Zechariah 8:8.

8:10-11 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews. That note also explains the context and meaning of then entire sentence.

This sentence and verse uses Lord for God the Father since it is a quote of Old Testament prophecy.

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Hebrews 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

This verse is part of a sentence which is a quote from the Old Testament. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Hebrews for the rest of the sentence, the references to the Old Testament and contextual considerations. In this verse, Lord is referring to God the Father since it is a quote of Old Testament prophecy. In addition, the context is that this quote is justifying God's expectation of saved people being sanctified and perfected, as explained in the note for 10:10. (Please see that note.)

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Hebrews 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

This verse starts with For because it gives the reason for what was said in 10:23-29. In this verse, Lord is referring to God as the Judge of everyone in the world and it uses Lord twice to establish a doctrine that applies to everyone. This verse is fairly clear on the surface and deliberately made that way so that everyone can understand it. The first sentence quotes Deuteronomy 32:35 and refers to Deuteronomy 32:41, Deuteronomy 32:43; Judges 11:36; Psalms 58:10; Psalms 79:10; Psalms 94:1; Psalms 99:8; Psalms 149:7; Isaiah 34:8; Isaiah 35:4; Isaiah 47:3; Isaiah 59:17; Isaiah 61:2; Isaiah 63:4; Jeremiah 11:20; Jeremiah 20:12; Jeremiah 46:10; Jeremiah 50:15, Jeremiah 50:28; Jeremiah 51:6, Jeremiah 51:11, Jeremiah 51:36; Ezekiel 24:8; Ezekiel 25:14, Ezekiel 25:17; Micah 5:15; Nahum 1:2; Luke 21:22; Acts 28:4; Romans 3:5; 12:19; 2Thessalonians 1:8 and Jude 1:7. The second sentence quotes Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalms 50:4; 96:13 and 135:14. Since these quotes are taken from the Old Testament, it can be argued that in this verse, Lord means God the Father. However, we know that God the Son is the Lord that will judge the saved and while many believe that the Son of God will not bring Vengeance upon the saved, many places in the Bible, including peter, teach otherwise. The truth is that God the Father and God the Son are so aligned in judgment that in this verse, Lord can mean either God the Father or God the Son because there is absolutely no difference in the judgment by either fulfilling the role as the Lord who will judge man. This distinction is one of those things that we are told to avoid (2Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9).

Since this verse starts with For, it is important that we understand what it is giving the reason for. Many people will quote a verse like this and ignore the For. That allows them to separate this verse from the context and apply it to whatever they want, which is usually their own pet peeve or religious rule. They then, usually, come back and give some excuse for the things that the context says the Lord shall judge his people about. Thereby, they convince the people to follow their rules and ignore what the Bible says all while using the Bible to promote error. We shall not do so but will limit the interpretation of this verse to the context as shown by the For which starts this verse. The verses that tell us why The Lord shall judge are 10:23-29 and those verses give us many of the reasons for God's judgment. (Please see the notes for those sentences within the Book Study on Hebrews.) This sentence matches what we read in 2Corinthians 5:11 when it says that our judgment includes a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation.

In each of these sentences we clearly see that the people talked about are the saved and not the lost. Many saved people believe the lie that all punishment upon saved people happens here and that our Lord, who does not change, will change His judgment style at the judgment seat of Christ and not bring punishment but will only take away crowns. However, 2Corinthians 5:11 clearly says Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord and the therefore clearly means that the terror of the Lord is a result (comes after) the judgment seat of Christ. People believe the error taught about God's judgment on His people because good preachers preach error, just like Peter did. However, our final authority is not to be the preacher or religion but the word of God. While I could go through all of these verses and provide far more detail, there should be enough in the breakdown above for the reader to do their own study. The point is that when our main verse says Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense and The Lord shall judge his people, it is talking about what our Lord will do to saved people who disobey the commandments of Hebrews 10: 10:23-29. Let us interpret the word of God in context and not lead ourselves and others into doctrinal error.

In addition, to the verses that precede this verse, those that follow it through the end of this chapter also add further details to this verse. The next verse says It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. The one after that starts with But and the remainder of the verses in this chapter offer encouragement to those who do not face the judgment of the Lord with fear but with faith. Please read those verses as the encouragement that they are meant to be and live your life according to the just shall live by faith (10:38).

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Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Please also see the note for 12:5 under Son. Where this note deals with the chastening of the Lord, that note deals with our position as God's children. Hebrews 12:5-6 form a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews. That note explains the context and explains why everything from 12:1 through 12:13 needs to be considered together as a single unit of logic.

In 12:3 we are told For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. The him of 12:3 is Jesus of 12:2 and this section that we are looking at tells us what the author wants us to consider about Jesus and he wants us to consider this human person (God in human flesh) Who is our example and Who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself. Further, we are told to do this considering lest ye (each and every one of you personally) be wearied and faint in your minds. So the purpose of everything that we are to consider is to see how using Jesus as our example will help us avoid being wearied and faint in your minds. Therefore, any interpretation that does not accomplish this goal is wrong because it does not accomplish the author's stated purpose for these verses.

Within those limits, the first thing that we are told is Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. When we consider how that Jesus resisted unto blood, there is much that could be said but it ends with Him dead and anyone reading the epistle of Hebrews is not yet dead, even if they have shed blood. Even those who have died rarely could claim to have suffered to the extent that Jesus did and even then their claim would not be true once we consider all that he suffered spiritually. Therefore, the first thing that we are told is that our suffering can't match the suffering that Jesus did for our personal salvation. As a result, we have nothing to complain about, relatively speaking.

Next comes this sentence which quotes scripture and basically says that the things we complain about are for our good to make us like Him and fit to be called the children of God. The next few verses (12:7-11) explain God's purpose of chastisement and 12:12-13 tells us (Wherefore) how to properly respond to God's chastisement. The teaching of this section is similar to the teaching of 1Peter.

Basically, this section is teaching why God chastises His children and the results that He expects to achieve. When we have God's results, we will worship Him as the author tells us in 12:12-13. If we can't worship God for the chastisement itself, then He has not accomplished His purpose or He has proven that we ...are bastards, and not sons. (Please see the note for 12:8 under Son.) In this section we are given several reasons for God's chastisement which include:

It proves the Lord's love - this sentence.
It proves we are God's son - this sentence and 12:7.
It tells us that when we are rebuked by God, He includes chasteneth, and scourgeth to change our behaviour. When we are rebuked by others, they don't include what is necessary to change our behaviour, which means we will continue to be rebuked. God includes chasteneth, and scourgeth to end the behaviour that causes the rebuke. - (This sentence).
It proves that we personally (ye) are not bastards (our spiritual father is Satan and our spiritual mother is church / religion). Since our salvation is based upon who our spiritual father is, and not upon who our spiritual mother is, this proves our professed salvation.
It teaches us subjection, which is required for God's blessings - 12:9.
It is for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness - 12:10.
It yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby - 12:11.
It gives us a reason to praise God - 12:12.
It makes our paths straight, which is Godly- 12:13.
It heals us - 12:13.

We also find similar teaching in Deuteronomy 4:9-10; Job 5:17-19; 34:31-32; Psalms 89:31-34; 94:12; 118:18; 119:75; Proverbs 3:11-12; 2Samuel 7:14-16; Isaiah 1:17-20; Jeremiah 12:5; 31:18; 1Corinthians 11:32; James 1:12-20; Revelation 3:19-21. While we could go into lots of details on this section, our original sentence told us why the Lord chasteneth, and scourgeth us, and I believe I have covered what the author presented as God's reasons. This sentence uses Lord for the Son of God because God the Father does not directly deal with Christians but directs all interactions through Lord Jesus Christ. Here, the author uses Lord because He is judging and punishing His children for the wrong they do as a means to make them more like Him so that He can bless them.

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Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 12:5-6 form a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews. That note explains the context and explains why everything from 12:1 through 12:13 needs to be considered together as a single unit of logic In addition, there is a separate note above which deals with the chastening of the Lord. The note under Son deals with our position as God's children.

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Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Hebrews 12:14-16 is a single sentence and part of the instructions of how we are to act based upon the doctrine taught in Hebrews 12:1-13. That doctrine was based upon all that had been said since Hebrews 1:1 and is especially based upon the testimony of the great a cloud of witnesses that we are told about in Hebrews 11. This doctrine is explained in the notes for 12:2 under Jesus and the note for 12:5 above (under Lord) and the other note for 12:5 under Son. Hebrews 12:14-16 is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews.

After all that the author told us leading up to this point, he is not ready to give us general instruction and understanding about how we are to act in this life. The author continues this through the end of the chapter and then switches to specific instruction and understanding in Chapter 13. Within this context, our current sentence, and verse, is the first thing told to us as the general instruction and understanding. The note within the Book Study on Hebrews has much more details but, in general, we are to Follow peace with all men if we personally want to have peace with God (Romans 10:15; Hebrews 12:14-LJC) and the peace of God (Philippians 4:7; Colossians 3:15). Of course, God only gives those to people who also Follow peace with all men, and holiness. Within our sentence we see the Bible use the role of Lord because this is the role that God uses for everything dealing with government and judgment. If we are not willing to show other men God's peace and holiness, then we will shall see the Lord because He does not waste His time with people who refuse to obey, even if they are saved.

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Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Part of this verse is a quote of Psalms 54:4 and part of Psalms 56:4.

Back in 12:14 we were told Follow peace with all men, and holiness... Then the rest of chapter 12 told us the spiritual / covenant reasons for obeying this command. Now in Hebrews 13, we are given practical instructions on applying this rule of our Lord to our everyday lives. Our Lord made laws and rules (see Psalms 119 for the variations on laws or rules) that reveal that His character does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 1:12; Hebrews 13:8). As Creator, He made laws like the Law of Gravity. Now, we can fight against it and find out the results of that sudden stop after we step off the top of a 60 story building, or we can learn His laws and learn how they work and use these never-changing laws to prosper. His laws for life, found in the Bible, also do not change. If we seek to know the Lord, he will show us His laws, and how they work and how to use them to prosper in this life. As this verse says, the Lord really will help us and that His laws are greater than anything any man can do to set them aside. Therefore, as this verse says, we do not need to fear men's threats when those threats go against our obeying the law of our Lord. (Also see Psalms 18, 27, 37, 40, 46, 54, 56, 118; Daniel 3:16-18; Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:4-5; etc.)

This is particularly important when we consider what the author was saying in 13:1-5 which led him to tell us this verse. Notice that this verse starts with So that we may boldly say... We can't boldly say.. unless we have proof to back our mouth and we can't have proof without letting God put us to the test. As He puts us into circumstances that we can't handle on our own and we turn to Him for help, we get the evidence that He really till help us, which lets us be more bold the next time. For example, the first verse in this chapter says Let brotherly love continue. (Also see Romans 12:10-18.) That may seem simple to those who have never been really hurt be a brother, but the truth is that the closer someone is the more they can hurt you. When a brother really hurts you, it can last for years and generations without God's help. Just look at all of the years of wars between the Jews and Arabs that started with jealousy between Ishmael and Isaac. Only God can resolve that conflict.

In the second verse, we are told Be not forgetful to entertain strangers.. and all of the prejudice seen throughout man's history shows how hard that is for men to do. Look at the parable of the Good Samaritan. Even in the church we find men justifying prejudice based upon factors that have no real Biblical basis for the prejudice. Even people who take in strangers first make sure those strangers are enough like themselves to feel safe and people rarely take in people that appear to be really strange.

Moving on, we are told to Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Simply put, does your church have a Jail Ministry and/or a Soup Kitchen and/or a Convalescent Home Ministry and/or a Bus Ministry and/or some other outreach for the social misfits and undesirables? If so, how important is it in the scheme of the total church? Is it something central to the ministry whereby everyone is affected or is it something done by a few away from the church?

In the next verse, the author talks about Marriage in context with whoremongers and adulterers. Then he talks about covetousness in context of relying upon God as opposed to providing for ourselves. It should be obvious that each of these circumstances mentioned in this chapter can cause problems that require God's help to solve when they go really, really wrong. However, God lets many of His people go through one or more of these circumstances so that when they come through them successfully, they can honestly say The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

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Jesus Only

Hebrews 2:9; 4:8, 14; 6:20; 7:22; 10:19; 12:2, 24; 13:12.

Every verse in Hebrews that uses Jesus uses that title to mean God in human flesh. Click here for all of the Verses that use Jesus and here for the Summary on the name / role of Jesus.

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

This verse uses Jesus to denote God in human flesh. It was in human flesh that God was made a little lower than the angels and Who experienced suffering of death. This verse quotes Psalms 8:5 and this gives us the proper application of prophecy. The notes for the prior sentences within this chapter, which are found in the Book Study on hebrews, explain all of the quote from Psalms 8. This verse makes it clear that the quoted verses are a prophecy about Jesus and not something to be applied to other men.

There is a doctrine, which is explained elsewhere on this web site, whereby the Bible teaches that since man sinned, a man must pay the price for sin. Although many people have trouble with this Bible truth, Jesus lived as a literal physical man without using His own power as the Son of God but used the power of the Holy Ghost. The rest of this chapter teaches the doctrine that Jesus was a weak human man (for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity [5:2], etc) and tells us many reasons for that fact, but I will leave that for others to prove.

Jesus is our example of how to live in the flesh by the power of the Holy Ghost. Please see the document called Jesus used the Holy Spirit. This verse clearly uses Jesus to refer to a physical man who was made a little lower than the angels and it clearly tells us that He should taste death for every man as a man and not as God.

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Hebrews 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

Acts 7:45 uses Jesus for Joshua, just like this verse does. Please see the note for that verse. The context of Chapter 4 makes it clear that the author is deliberately playing with the name to let us know that Joshua is a type of Jesus. The context is talking about the Jews wandering in the wilderness and the one leading them was literally Joshua. However, the context is also making clear that that experience was given by God as a type of a spiritual lesson and in the spiritual application. The main application of the name of Jesus is 'the Son of God in human flesh'. However, single definition of the name of Jesus is 'a literal physical man' because the single definition must fit all usages within the Bible. What we see here is that Jesus (the Son of God) used Joshua to act in the flesh and offer God's people a chance to enter His rest, but they would not.

Hebrews 3 talks about the rest from the Lord and Hebrews 4 starts out telling us to act in fear of not entering the Lord's rest. Hebrews 4 goes on to explain how, in the Old Testament, most did not enter into the Lord's rest because of unbelief. Hebrews then goes on to explain that there is a similar, but different, rest for God's people (the church) today. That is what this verse is saying. If Joshua (Jesus) had given them rest then the promise would be fulfilled and the promise wouldn't have been made at a later time. Hebrews goes on to show us that there is a rest that we can gain or loose and this verse is disproving any claim that this promise is no longer available. This verse uses Jesus for Joshua as the physical man that Jesus, the Son of God, worked through. Note: all through Hebrews 4 the one speaking is God the Father. When this sentence says then would he not afterward have spoken of another day it is talking about what God the Father said through David in Psalms 95.

This verse is talking about our getting into God's rest. Notice that it says if, which means that getting into God's rest is conditional. This entire chapter is about those who getting into God's rest by meeting His requirements, and those who miss His rest and what His requirements are.

Notice back in 4:1 we were told Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 4:2-3 make it clear that the promise spoken of in 4:1 is God's rest. 4:1-3 tell us that in order to get into God's rest we have to therefore fear. The therefore means based upon what was just said and in chapter 3 we were told 17things (see the note for 3:6 under Christ) that are required for us to be in Christ and to stay in Christ. So, 4:1-3 tells us that we have to do those things and stay in Christ in order to get into God's rest.
The middle of Hebrews 4:3 through the end of 4:5 quotes Psalms 95, which was written by David. In it God has David pen that He had a place of rest prepared since creation but the Jews in the wilderness did not enter because of unbelief. Psalms 95:8 says Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness in the present tense. In fact, most of Psalms 95 is present tense, which is why the writer of Hebrews tells us that this promise of God is still available (Psalms 4:6-7). So here we are indirectly told to do the commandments of Psalms 95 (...let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise...come before his presence with thanksgiving...with Psalm (with acknowledgment of His works)...let us worship and bow down...he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture...hear his voice, Harden not your heart..). [In addition, Psalms 95:1 says to direct our worship to the rock of our salvation. Every place that the Bible uses rock it is a reference to Christ and Christ is the role used by the Son of God to deal with us in the present tense while we are in the flesh.]
4:3 tells us For we which have believed do enter into rest and 4:6 tells us and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief. This makes a very clear absolute requirement. We must live by faith (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38) if we are going to enter and remain in God's rest.
4:10 tells us For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Yet the next verse (4:11) says Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. The labour required to enter into that rest is not our own works but a work of faith (not unbelief). (We see this same concept in 2 Peter 1:10-11.) Our own works is providing for our own desires, needs and lusts. The work of faith is finding God's commandments and doing them with the faith that God will meet our desires and needs when we do His work.
The next verse (4:12) is quoted and preached and applied to many different areas of life. But, as many mentions that I have heard about it, no one has applied it to the context and subject of this chapter. That is, I have not heard it applied to entering and remain in God's rest or not doing so. 4:12 starts with For, which means it gives the reason for what was just said in 4:10-11. It is the word of God that determines if our labour is our own works or a work of faith and whether we enter and remain in God's rest or not. Further, it divides asunder of soul and spirit (mind, will and emotions versus Spirit) and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The word of God uses these methods to distinguish between our own works and a work of faith. Basically. A true work of faith is based upon (and stays in line with) the word of God and the Spirit of God and has thoughts and intents of the heart that are only about accomplishing God's work. While I appreciate all of the other applications of this verse, every Bible verse and sentence should be understood in its context before applying it to something else so that we do not violate the true intention of the verse in our application.
The rest of this chapter reminds us that God sees and knows everything about us, and loves us in spite of that truth. (Please see the note for 4:14 under Jesus.) When we truly understand this, we get a peace and rest that can not be achieved any other way and can not be explained.

This verse and chapter tell us what is required to enter and stay in God's rest. Unfortunately, very few saved ever get there and those that do often leave.

This verse uses Jesus for the Son of God Who worked through the physical man named Joshua. It is letting us know that Joshua is an Old Testament type of Jesus. In addition, to this verse, 8:14 uses Jesus the Son of God and there are no other references to any of the roles of the Son of God in this chapter. Every place that the Bible uses Jesus, it is talking about a literal physical man. This chapter uses Jesus because God's rest is provided for us while we are in this physical world. God's rest is only provided through the Son of God and He provides it through His role as Jesus because that is the role that lets Him know our physical needs.

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Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Please see the note for 4:8 above for the context of this verse and chapter.

Here Jesus is used in reference to God in human flesh. This verse is talking about the death and resurrection of the physical man named Jesus (that is passed into the Heavens) who is the Son of God. Passed is past tense indicating that the author is talking about what is already completed, not what is current. This verse is telling us that Jesus is physically in Heaven (not on Earth) representing us before God the Father in the role as our great high priest. Based upon what He is faithfully doing for us, our sentence tells us that we need to hold fast our...profession. Of course, fast includes faithfully, unshakably and consistently (not up and down).

Our sentence uses Jesus as the literal physical man who understands our weaknesses because of His experience as a physical man. The very next sentence, within our chapter says For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Even though He has the experience and understands us, Our sentence also identifies Him as the Son of God. He also has the character of God the Father and understands how to represent us before God the Father. Thus, our sentence is telling us that He has unique qualities which allow Him to be a bridge between us and God the Father. These are qualities possessed by no other being.

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Hebrews 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

6:17through 6:20 form a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews.

This sentence is divided into three equal parts that tell us three equivalent things upon which our hope rests: God the Father, the oath of God the Father and the person of Jesus, Who is equivalent to God the Father.

We have already seen that the priesthood that is after the order of Melchisedec is an eternal priesthood. In addition, this verses leads into 7:1, which starts with For. Hebrews 7 explains why Jesus is after the order of Melchisedec (please see note for 7:22). The Bible presents Melchisedec as a physical human person. Therefore, Jesus is equated to Melchisedec because Jesus is always referring to a physical human being in the Bible. The physical man named Jesus ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:9) and is seated on the right hand of God the Father (Acts 2:25, 33-34, etc). There, the physical man named Jesus is acting as our high priest as already explained in the note for 4:14 under Jesus.

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Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

7:20-22 is a single sentence which is divided by the punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews.

This sentence starts with And, which means it is added to the prior sentence. The prior three sentences start with For and, basically, it can be shown that all of Hebrews .7 is a single united argument that started in 7:1 and provides the reason for what came in prior chapters. Most of the difficulty that people find in these verses is due to their ignoring the critical context and their trying to explain things that God didn't provide enough information for us to explain.

The Bible doesn't tell us where Melchisedec came from or what happened to him and many people are so busy arguing about their speculation that they miss what God is trying to tell us in this section. We have two types of God given priests. They became priests different ways, one through religious inheritance and the other through an oath, which makes it a spiritual contract (covenant). Each type of priesthood was created with a covenant, but the Leviticus priests were not part of the covenant (did not swear the oath of the covenant) and did not have to swear an oath to become priests. They became priests by religious inheritance. Each type of priesthood did the services for a covenant / testament. Because the priesthoods were different, the covenants / testaments are also different and we are told that the covenant / testament which is based upon a spiritual oath and backed by an everlasting spiritually based priesthood is better than the one that is based upon religious (Mosaic) Law and backed by a physical priesthood that is inherited and can have any type of man in it including the many devil led ones found in the Bible.

While all of Hebrews is connected and stacks one thing upon all prior, starting in Hebrews 7:1 we are told a few things about Melchisedec because he is a type of the priesthood that God put Jesus Christ into. So, if we are only considering what is said about this priesthood, we can start with 7:1 (please see all verses and associated notes from there to here) and only reference earlier parts of Hebrews as they apply to this limited consideration.

In 7:1-3 we are told that Melchisedec (and Jesus Christ because he is a type of Jesus Christ in this chapter) was not human (Without father, made like unto the Son of God) but spiritual (priest of the most high God), was King of righteousness, was and King of peace.

In 7:4 we are told that even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils and 7:6 tells us that Melchisedec blessed him that had the promises (Abraham) and 7:7 tells us without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. Therefore, this priesthood is greater than Abraham and all that came from him including the Mosaic Law and Leviticus priesthood.

In 7:5-6, 9 we are told that the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. That makes the priesthood of Melchisedec and Jesus Christ greater than the Leviticus priesthood. Also note: I know of no place in the Bible where we are told about another God ordained priesthood than these two. That makes all other priesthoods false and of the devil.

In 7:11 we are told that perfection is not by the Levitical priesthood and, therefore, there was a further need [of] another priest after the order of Melchisedec. (Also see 9:6-10).

In 7:12 we are told For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. This means that the religious law is directly tied to the priesthood and people can not have the New Testament (law) without the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

In 7:13-14 we are told that Jesus Christ had to come from a different Jewish tribe in order to belong to a different (non-inherited) priesthood.

In 7:15-17 we are told that the Jewish tribe didn't provide the type of priesthood (the tribe just had to be different to separate it from the Levitical priesthood) but the new priesthood was after the power of an endless life.

In 7:18-19 we are told that the Levitical priesthood and Mosaic Law were done away with because of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof and they were replaced with the bringing in of a better hope by the which we draw nigh unto God.

So the context leading up to this sentence is that the Levitical priesthood and directly connected Mosaic Law were done away with because of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. Since they were replaced with the bringing in of a better hope by the which we draw nigh unto God, the main purpose of the priesthood of Jesus Christ is to provide a better hope and to have us draw nigh unto God. In addition, the rest of this chapter, after this sentence, tells us what we have as a result of this new priesthood of Jesus Christ and new covenant / testament which is to provide a better hope and to have us draw nigh unto God.

In 7:23-24 we are told that Jesus Christ has an unchangeable priesthood. The Levitical priesthood died (because of sins) and their leadership often led the people into sin. However, Jesus Christ has an unchangeable priesthood because He is the priest of the most high God and is King of righteousness and is King of peace. Since we know that He brings these things and will not change (therefore we can not loose them), we have a better hope than when we had to rely upon some source that we know will fail and sin, including ourselves.

In 7:25 we are told Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. The proper interpretation of this verse is that us no matter how long He has to make intercession for us, He will continue to do so and make sure that we get to Heaven, because that is why he ever liveth. Our salvation isn't dependent upon us and our 'cleaning up our life' but is dependent upon the priesthood of Jesus Christ. He is the one that changes us to clean up our life. The emphasis is not on how bad we were but on how Long He represents us before God.

One popular preaching about this verse is that this is telling us no matter how bad we are ('gutter-most') we are, He has to make intercession for us. That is not in keeping of the context of what is said here and actually distracts people from the true message. Where the Levitical priesthood failed men, The Son of God, as our high priest will never fail us.

In 7:26-27 we are told of the difference between the sacrifice of the priesthood of Jesus Christ and that of other priests. Since he offered up himself, and other priests don't sacrifice for us but expect our money, ...how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (8:32).

In 7:28 we are told ...the word of the oath... maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. Please see the note for 7:28 under Son.

In 8:1-13 we are given a summary of what the author said so far and how this new priesthood of Jesus Christ gives us a new covenant / testament.

In 9:1-24 we are told how this new priesthood of Jesus Christ gives us a better sacrifice and better results with God because of it.

In 10:1-39 we are told how this new priesthood of Jesus Christ gives us a better Law and judgment by God.

Starting in Hebrews 11:1 we are told of our responsibilities related to this new priesthood of Jesus Christ, which is living by faith.

This verse tells us ...Jesus made a surety of a better testament. The surety of a testament, in this context, is the death of the testator (Jesus). As shown in the note for 4:14 and 6:20 under Jesus (above), Jesus was a physical man Who physically died to become a surety of a better testament. As a side note, there are a lot of fools in the world who think they can come before the Son of God (as Lord) and tell Him that He has to use their interpretation of the New Testament when He judges them. They obviously haven't thought about the fact that He physically died (as Jesus) to put it into effect and then rose from the dead to administer that testament (as Christ). These fools honestly believe that they can convince Him that they know His testament better than he does after all that He went through and is going through. In addition, He had to swear an oath, which he keeps perfectly even if we don't keep our oath before a holy and righteous God. Further, this sentence says that The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec because He faithfully keeps His oath. So they not only will face the Son of God but will also face God the father as they try to convince their God and judge that they know better than God what God put into the legal document that he said would be the basis of our judgment.

Jesus is used here because Jesus is 'God in human flesh' Who died so that the New Testament could be put into force. God can not die. For this, and other reasons, Jesus had to die as a man. He rose as Lord (Luke 24:3), but he died as a man. This verse uses Jesus for the physical man that died as a surety of a better testament.

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Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

This verse is part of a complex sentence that goes from 10:19through 10:22 form a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for it within the Book Study on Hebrews.

This verse uses Jesus to emphasize the physical man who shed His blood that we might get out of Hell and into Heaven. The fact that this sentence says that his flesh was the veil that had to be torn (like the veil in the Temple was - lots of symbols in this sentence) just emphasizes that this sentence is talking about the physical man named Jesus.

There is symbolism involved within this verse and the sentence which it is part of. That symbolism is involved with what is said about Jesus, but understanding it requires understanding the rest of this sentence and the surrounding context. Therefore, that symbolism is explained in the note for it within the Book Study on Hebrews.

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Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This verse is part of a sentence that starts in 12:1 and is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews.

Our verse starts with: Looking unto Jesus. Our sentence, before this verse, talked about other witnesses from the Old Testament who were the subject of the prior chapter. While these other witnesses are great examples, the best human example is God in human flesh Himself (Jesus). This verse also lays out the things that the Son of God did in His role as Jesus on the cross.

First this sentence tells us that He was despising the shame of the cross but endured the cross for the joy that was set before him. Lots of hyper-spiritual people tells us that we should do everything because of our love of Jesus and not for reward. Some even go so far as to claim that looking for reward is sin. However, these people aren't out on the spiritual front lines. They hide in the church and plant seeds of disobedience that will destroy God's worker during a trial. Notice that when Jesus had to endure the cross and face the shame that He despised, He acted for the reward (joy that was set before him). Elsewhere we are told to lay up treasure in Heaven (Matthew 19:21; 27:29; Mark 10:21; Luke 18:22; Philippians 4:1; 1Thessalonians 2:19; 2Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; 1Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10; 3:11) because God knows that we will need this additional motivation when we are facing the terrible things that we have to endure in this life for His sake. 1 and 2 Thessalonians tell us to look for our reward from our Lord (please see the notes for those epistles under Lord) and those who stop looking for the reward and only serve to show their love of Jesus end up breaking under tribulation and torture when their obedience to God and looking at the reward would have kept them going. (For those who deny this statement, prove that Hebrews 12:4 does not apply to your personal life because only those who have passed 12:4 (resisted unto blood, striving against sin and have been brought back to life) have the personal authority to deny this statement that if you are only 'serving God based upon your love of Jesus', then you will fail the trial that ends in torture and death.)

Notice that our main sentence goes on to say that He (Jesus) is the author and finisher of our faith. None of us would get saved if He didn't give us the initial faith required for salvation. This is referring back to Hebrews 2:10 and to Revelation 1:8, 11. Further, John 6:44 says No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. In Acts 3:16 and 5:31 Peter testified of the same to the Jews.

In addition, to being the author of our faith, Jesus is the finisher of our faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 says For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Jesus does everything that is required to get us saved and we have no part in our salvation other than accepting God's free gift. In addition, the work by Jesus is completely done, as this verse says Jesus is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. He is set down because there is no more work to do. What He did is completed for eternity, which is why we have eternal salvation. However, this is different from what the Bible teaches about the cross of Christ because the work of Christ is still ongoing in the lives of the saved. Where Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith, Christ applies that finished work to our daily walk in this flesh.

Beyond considering that Jesus is no longer working on our faith for salvation, He is our example of how to live by faith using the power of the Holy Ghost. The example that He lived is finished and recorded in the Gospels for us to follow. Please see the study called Jesus used the Holy Spirit.

Returning to Ephesians, we see in 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 gives us the basics of what the Bible teaches about the cross of Christ. Christ is the role of God the Son that works only with saved people and only after they are saved (made their initial profession [Romans 3:26]) . After the salvation presented in Ephesians 2:8-9, we see Christ Jesus working in our lives. This is covered in more detail in the notes associated with those verses, so I will just point out a basic difference. Notice that Ephesians 2:10 says that we should walk in them. The ministry of Christ, as related to our salvation, requires our participation, while the ministry of Jesus allows nothing more than our accepting His finished work. Where we can't loose our salvation, because we had no part in providing it, we can loose our rewards after profession for refusing to do our part in the ministry of Christ. This is a basic difference between the cross of Jesus and the cross of Christ and between the Gospel of Your Salvation (Jesus) and the gospel of Christ.

This sentence told us ...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. .. It also told us that that we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses that included all of the saints mentioned in Hebrews 11 who will witness our lives and testify at our trial by our Lord. Finally, it told us Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith and told us how He acted during the worst trial of His physical life because He is our example of how to live in this flesh by the power of the Holy Ghost. Since it is talking about physical life, this sentence uses Jesus as the role of the Son of God that we are to follow.

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Hebrews 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

This verse is part of a complex sentence that goes from 12:18 through 12:24 and forms a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews. Our sentence has three Equivalent Section which tell us about the Covenant of Moses and the New Covenant. Both covenants were given from God to man through a man. The first Covenant was given through Moses. The New Covenant was given through Jesus, who is 'God in human flesh'. This sentence is contrasted with the prior where we read about Esau and how he was profane because he refused to consider God and spiritual things. The covenants tell us how men dealt with God. Under the Old Testament, men dealt mainly in fear. Under the New Testament men mainly deal with God through His love. Our verse, within the entire sentence, tells us that Jesus (is)the mediator of the new covenant, which means that He is representing us to God the Father and making sure that the reactions which we receive are based upon that love.

The sentence before this told us that Esau was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. He did not meet the Biblical definition of repentance even though he did meet the religious definition of repentance (sought it carefully with tears). True Biblical repentance is Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind (Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-31). Compared to a profane person who found no place of repentance we have those of the Old Testament who tried to repent but intreated that God not speak to them because they tried to keep the Covenant in their flesh (Exodus 20:18-22). Compared to these two type of people we have the saved who are come unto Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling. Since He paid the price, we don't have to pay the price of the Covenant but we do have a responsibility to Jesus, which is See that ye refuse not him that speaketh (12:25). The author goes on and explains what he means by this in the rest of this epistle. Please see the notes for chapter 13 for further details.

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Hebrews 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

This verse is part of a section that compares the sacrifice of Jesus to the Old Testament sacrifices. It mentions that the blood of the Old Testament sacrifices was taken into the Tabernacle while the bodies were burned without the camp (Exodus 29:14; Leviticus 4:21; 16:27; Numbers 19:2-6). It also says that the blood of Jesus was taken into the Tabernacle in Heaven while the body of Jesus...suffered without the gate (Golgotha / place of a skull [Matthew 27:33-34; Mark 15:22; John 19:17-18]). This verse uses gate to represent the enclosing of the Jewish religion and community. Jesus was rejected and killed by the Jewish religious leaders and people. See the Section called Sequence of the Betrayal of Jesus in the the Study called Gospel Time Sequences for the prophecies of Jesus Christ being betrayed. See the Sections called Harmony, Prophecies and Prophecies Fulfilled, in the Study called Significant Gospel Events, for references to verses related to the suffering of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13 is making a contrast between the life that true believers are supposed to live and the life of lost religious Jews. Here, we are told just as Jesus was willing to be rejected by His religion and community in order to do right and serve God in a personal way (Hebrews 10:5-10), so also de we need to do the same. This verse uses Jesus for God in human flesh Who sanctified us with his own blood. This is saying what has been said many times in this study. The Son of God died and shed His blood in His role as Jesus to get us out of Hell and into Heaven (sanctify is defined as: 'set aside from sin and Hell'). Look at the next few verses where we are told Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, (follow Him personally even when it means leaving our religion) bearing his reproach (acting like He did while He was in the flesh [1Peter 4:14; etc.]) For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come (because we are not looking for approval here in the flesh but seek God's home [Hebrews 11:8-16; 12:18-24]). This verse uses Jesus for the physical man who died for our sanctification (Romans 3:26, etc) and lived to give us an example of how to live in the flesh by the power of the Holy Ghost.

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Christ Only

Hebrews 3:6, 14; 5:5; 6:1; 9:11, 14, 24, 28; 11:26.

Hebrews provides us with (one of) the clearest texts on the differences between the ministry of Jesus and that of Christ in the first 6 chapters. See note on 3:6. Almost all of the verses in Hebrews use Christ to denote the current ministry of God for believers still living on this Earth. Click here for all of the Verses that use Christ and here for the Summary on the name / role of Christ.

Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

In Hebrews 3, Christ is compared to Moses and shown to be more faithful than Moses, who represents all religion while Christ is the role used by the Son of God for a personal relationship with saved people after their initial profession. Hebrews 3 gives us some differences in results seen by the religious versus those who maintain a personal relationship. Notice that this verse says that Christ is as a son over his own house. We each make our own house reflect ourselves personally, if we are allowed. As a son, Christ is like God the Father. Therefore, this segment of this sentence is telling us that Christ is going to make us like God the Father through our personal relationship. Further on in this epistle we are told that those who allow Christ to do that get to enter God's rest while the religious people, represented by Moses, do not get to enter God's rest.

Notice that this sentence continues with if. Here is the first of conditions for becoming the house of Christ that this author gives. (Please see Verses - in Christ for other verses and notes that tells us other requirements and advantages of becoming the house of Christ.) The requirements told to us here are that we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. We can not do this on our own. Only by having under Christ in us will we have what is required to hold fast firm unto the end. He can remind us of past victories and of promises when thee world, the devil and our own flesh seem to be about to overwhelm us. Further, notice how we are to hold fast firm unto the end. It is by holding the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope. Both of these things are based upon a personal relationship where we have more confidence and hope the more that we know the other person personally. As we have seen elsewhere in this study, hope is like faith except that where faith is based upon a specific promise from God, hope is based upon the character of God. Both require action by the person claiming them. The actions required by our hope are detailed by the author in the remainder of this chapter, and listed below.

Hebrews 3 tells us that people following Moses who refused to believe and obey were not allowed to enter God's rest and died in the wilderness (3:16-19). The author goes on in Hebrews 4 and warns us to be careful to not miss God's rest (3:15, 4:1-11). 4:8 says For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. We have seen in this study (Romans 3:26, etc) that God is ...the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. That means we trust on Jesus when we make our initial profession. Our relationship with Christ is created after our initial profession. 4:8 says For if Jesus had given them rest.., which means we do not get to enter God's rest just because we made our initial profession (have a relationship with Jesus). We must have a personal relationship with Christ to enter God's rest.

The author also warns that some of God's people will not receive God's rest (4:1, 3:11-12). When we look at all that we need to do to receive God's rest, it should be apparent that we can't do this on our own but can only do all of these requirements if we let Christ do them in us. Notice that this verse says whose house are we. We are the house of Christ and the context tells us that Christ is faithful. He will do the work, if we allow it. This verse uses Christ to denote the current ministry of God for believers still living on this Earth. The current ministry of Jesus is in Heaven, not on Earth. This verse also clearly teaches that this blessing from Christ is conditional and dependent upon our faithfulness (hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing) in allowing Him to work. It also tells us that Christ is God's Son. Within this epistle we are told that God's Son is Lord and He is Jesus and He is Christ.

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Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end

3:14-15 is a single sentence that starts with For, and gives the reason for the prior sentence. That sentence starts with But, which means it covers the same subject as the sentence before it while going in a new direction. We could continue following this reverse sequence back to the start of this epistle because everything said so far is dependent upon what came before it. At the start of this epistle, we are told that God's Son is better than anyone and anything. Then the author proves that God's Son is better than angels, which are the most powerful beings in existence other than God. Starting in 3:1, the author starts proving that God's Son is greater than religion, represented by Moses. Where the religious Jews lost out of God's reward and God said I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest (3:11), the author says that those that truly follow Christ (Take heed, brethren..) will have a different result. So this sentence is part of our instructions on how to truly follow Christ and avoid the error of religious people. All of the verses and associated notes prior to this one are needed for a proper understanding of the context, and those of Hebrews 3 are especially important. Those who ignore the context are often led into a religious interpretation of these verses and thereby slip into the very error that the author is warning against. This sentence can be divided by punctuation as:

We must meet this requirement to be partakers of Christ.

For we are made partakers of Christ,
if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

We must continue to hear his voice if we want to continue to be partakers of Christ.

While it is said,
To day if ye will hear his voice,
harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

When this verse (3:14) says For we are made partakers of Christ, it is first giving the reason (For) that we are to not have an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God (3:12) and to not be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin but are to exhort one another daily, while it is called To day. That is, being a partaker of Christ requires us to do these things because that is what Christ does and what Christ teaches true Biblical Christians to do. Notice that this sentence says if... When the Bible uses if, it uses it in the same way as computer programs use it, and not in the way that many people think. That is, if you want the result of the if, you must meet the condition of the if. Many people make the error of believing that they can claim the promises of God without meeting the requirements of God. Many people raise their children making promises of reward or punishment and then give some excuse or ignore their promise. Thus, most of us are raised knowing deep in our soul that that a lot of requirements can be worked around with some excuse or partial fulfillment of the requirements. However, that isn't true for God and the Bible. When God says if in the Bible, He absolutely means that we won't get the result unless we completely fulfill the requirement. This is as absolute as 2 + 2 = 4 since both are based upon God's pure logic that is not man's logic. (Logic is part of the wisdom found in the Bible and 1Corinthians explains the difference between God's wisdom and man's wisdom.)

The note for 3:6, in the Book Study on Hebrews,lists 17things that this chapter tells us we must do to maintain our relationship with Christ. This chapter also warns that if we don't do these things that we will not be partakers of Christ. Not only does the author say that we are to do these things, but this verse also tells us that we have to be faithful in doing the things of Christ when it says if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end. Thus we see that we will not be partakers of Christ if we are double minded (James 1:8; James 4:8) and inconsistent.

When Christ teaches us something that leads to spiritual maturity, God expects us to retain it and not have to be taught the same lesson repeatedly. After Christ shows us what to do and what reward we will have if we do it, Satan sends people and devils to try and make us question God, like he did with Eve, or neglect to do what we are told to do. If we stop doing what Christ teaches us, and depart from the living God, we are warned that there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief. The author tells us that it is only if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end that we are truly living by faith and are made partakers of Christ. Further, as the second section of this sentence says, we must continue to hear his voice if we want to continue to be partakers of Christ.

The rest of this sentence and chapter says that those who don't do the things of Christ faithfully have hardened their hearts as in the provocation. Just like the Jews that God killed ended up living in unbelief and being denied God's rest, so also will those that leave Christ suffer the same fate. This verse clearly teaches that these blessings from Christ are conditional and dependent upon our faithfulness (if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end). Since only some saved people have these blessings, this verse uses Christ and not Christ Jesus or Jesus Christ.

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Hebrews 5:5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

Please also see the note for 5:5 under Son for additional considerations related to the position of Son.

In verses 5:4-6, we are told that God made Christ a high priest and He did not take this honor onto Himself. Christ is used because this is the role of the Son of God that He uses when He is dealing with us about our personal spiritual relationship with God. He does this only in this life because there are no more changes to us after we die. Whatever our spiritual condition at death, that will be our condition for eternity. It is only in this life, while we are still sinning, that we need a priest to teach us obedience.

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Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Hebrews 6:1 and 6:2 form a single sentence that is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews.

All of the first five chapters of Hebrews have to do with the principles of the doctrine of Christ. In Chapter 1 we were told that God's Son is greater than angels and the Hebrews understood that the true power behind idols was devils, which are rebellious angels. Chapter 2 tells us that God's Son fulfilled prophecy and became a weak human like us so that he could be able to succour them that are tempted. Then Chapter 3 tells us that our personal relationship with God's Son is greater than any religion. Then Chapter 4 tells us that the religious miss God's rest that is reserved for those who are in Christ and meet God's other requirements and that it is the word of God that divides the religious from those with a true relationship be discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart. Finally, Chapter 5 tells us about how Christ is our high priest and how He is better than any other priest and finishes with 5:12-14. Those verses directly relates to the doctrine of Christ and says that the doctrine of Christ is what takes saved people from being spiritual babes that have need of milk and are not skilled to those that can handle strong meat and have exercised their senses to discern both good and evil. Christ is the role of the Son of God that He uses to bring spiritual maturity to saved people after their initial profession. In order for us to accept all of the doctrines found in the first 5chapters of Hebrews, we must accept the doctrine that Christ teaches us.

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Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Hebrews 9:11 and 9:12 form a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Hebrews. This sentence has two Steps with the First Step telling us: 'Christ became the high priest of a greater and more perfect tabernacle and covenant that works differently than the old'. The Second Step tells us: 'Christ brought a sacrifice of his own blood and obtained eternal redemption for us, which the old sacrifices could not provide'.

This sentence starts out with But. That links it to all of the previous discussion (9:1-10), and also makes a contrast or change in the direction of what is said. Where prior comments were about the Earthly Tabernacle and sacrifices, the author is now talking about the present priestly ministry of Christ in Heaven. Christ is used for a couple of reasons.

Christ is the role that God the Son used to fulfill Old Testament prophecies. The Old Testament Law had to be fulfilled and the sin debt completely paid before the Old Testament Tabernacle and sacrifices could be eliminated (9:6-10).
Christ is also used because the author is talking about a current ministry for saved people still on Earth. Christ is the role that the Son of God uses to minister to saved people from the time of their profession until the time of their death.

Notice how the next several sentences start with connecting words. That means they are built upon this sentence. The very next sentence (9:13-14) starts with For, which means it gives the reason for what is said in this sentence (Please see the note for Hebrews 9:14 below). This chapter started telling us about the Earthly Tabernacle and sacrifices and priests. This sentence changes the focus to the Heavenly Tabernacle and the Heavenly high priest (Christ) and the Heavenly sacrifice (his own blood). The rest of this chapter gives us more details about these things and how Christ is involved in them. Please read this entire chapter together and see the notes for 9:14, 9:24 and 9:28 below. Please also see Romans 5:6-8; 1Corinthians 10:16; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:13; 5:2; Hebrews 9:14; 1Peter 1:19; and associated notes which also deal with the sacrifice by Christ and our responsibilities because of that sacrifice.

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Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9:13and 9:14 form a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Hebrews This sentence has two Equivalent Sections with the First telling us: 'Old Testament sacrifices were offered with an expected result of sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh'. The Second tells us: 'The New Testament sacrifice of the blood of Christ was offered with an expected result of sanctifying out soul which should have the result of purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God'.

This sentence continues the discussion started for 9:11 and since it starts with For and gives the reason why what was said in the prior sentence is true. Simply put, Christ being come an high priest and by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place to obtain eternal redemption for us because that is what is required to purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Unfortunately, too many of God's people don't consider what is meant be purge your conscience from dead works and they continue in dead works such as following religious rules or fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. These things keep God's people from serving the living God, which is what God expects to receive for the sacrifice and sanctification that He provides to His people.

Again (in this sentence), we see Christ used for the current ministry for saved people still on Earth. This verse says How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. We have to deal with our conscience here in this present life after our profession. Most of us were brought up in a religion that used our conscience to make us feel guilty when we didn't do the requirements of the religion. However, those works don't make us any cleaner before God, like the religion claims that they do. In addition, many of them go beyond the requirements of God in the Bible. Look at the use of meats in the New Testament where spiritually immature (weaker) Christians thought they had to keep religious ordnances. However, those who had grown spiritually through the ministry of Christ no longer felt guilty when they did these things that religion said was wrong but God said was OK.

In addition, look at the disagreement between the Jewish religious leaders and Jesus over Jewish additional rules related to the sabbath. This verse says that the blood of Christ will purge your conscience from dead works. That is, Christ paid the debt to remove the stain (purge our conscience) for sins (dead works) that we do after our initial profession. No stain is purged with one spray of a stain remover. The stain remover is put on, allowed to work for a while and then the stained item is washed to remove the stain remover and what part of the stain that it has removed. Often it takes more than one application and the correct stain remover has to be used. All of this relates to the teaching by Reformers Unanimous about how we are not set free but are made free by the Son of God as we develop our personal relationship with Him.

As we spiritually grow through the ministry of Christ, our conscience will stop bothering us about not doing dead works because we realize that God doesn't want us wasting our time trying to pay a debt that Christ already paid. Christ frees us from these dead works, not to go out and sin or fulfill the lusts of the flesh but to serve the living God. If you're not going to serve the living God then Christ has no motivation to free you and purge your conscience from dead works.

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Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Hebrews 9:24-26 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the note within the Book Study on Hebrews.

This sentence starts with For, which means it gives the reason for the statements in the prior sentence. That sentence starts with It was therefore and starts the summary of Chapter 9. In 9:15-23, the author explained that in order for a testament to be in effect, the death of the testator. Moses sprinkled with blood all of the religious things for the Old Testament and told the people This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you (9:20). However, the author is telling us that we have a better testament because it was paid for by better blood (Christ's blood as opposed to the blood of calves and of goats). Where the blood of calves and of goats had to be offered repeatedly, Christ's blood only had to be offered once. Those religions that claim that we need to keep making sacrifices for sin are denying the one-time full payment made by Christ's blood. What's more, according to the next verse, they are denied the blessings of the New testament. Finally, according to 9:22, they do not have their sins purged because our sins are purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Our sentence uses Christ because all of the better things mentioned within our chapter are provided through our ongoing relationship with God and all of them are spiritual in nature. That makes them part of the ministry of Christ.

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Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Hebrews 9:27-28 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews.

This sentence starts out with And, which adds it to the prior sentence and is part of the summary of this chapter which is in the last three sentences. Please also see the note for 9:24 above, since it is also part of this summary.

When this sentence says it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, it is talking about all men. This phrase includes the lost and the saved that physically die and the saved who go up in the 'Rapture'. Those who are saved (them that look for him) will face judgment at the judgment seat of Christ (Please see the notes for Romans 14:10 and 2Corinthians 5:10-11). When this verse says Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, it is relating the death of Christ to what the saved will answer for at the judgment seat of Christ. We won't answer for sins that would have taken us to Hell but will answer for the deeds done in the flesh after our personal profession.

Matthew 1:21 says ...thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. The Son of God didn't come just to save us from the consequences of our sins, but to save us from the sins themselves. That is, he died to give us the ability to stop sinning. As we have seen all throughout this study, Jesus died to blot out the legal record (consequence) of our sins but Christ died to give us the ability to stop or sinning. So the judgment seat of Christ is all about what we did with His sacrifice after we made our initial profession.

As explained in the note for Hebrews 12:6, there are two parts to sin: the deed and being charged in God's legal system. Even though the saved are not charged in God's legal system, they can still sin by doing the deed. While some theology claims that a truly saved person can't become addicted to sin, reality and the testimony of thousands in Reformers Unanimous proves otherwise. Those saved people that look for him (Christ) get His help to stop their sinning now while in the flesh. Those who are not looking for Him don't get His help to stop their sinning now while in the flesh. Those saved people that look for him (Christ) to appear do stop their current sin, are saved from the addiction of sin because they don't want to be embarrassed by being stained with sin when He appears to them personally. Our sentence says that He shall...appear the second time without sin. Those people who are saved but continue in their sin will be embarrassed by the difference between their own sinful appearance and the sinless appearance of Christ.

In addition, to those considerations, we have the phrase unto salvation within our sentence. Our true salvation includes our being sinless in Heaven. Many saved people assume that upon death all desire for sin will be taken away, but I have not seen anything in the Bible that supports that belief. Saved people who continue to sin stand a good chance of suffering withdrawal from all of their addictions which will no longer be fulfilled. With both of these considerations, I personally don't want to appear there addicted to all kinds of sin that Christ died to free me from and I refused to accept the salvation from that sin and addiction.

Moving on to other considerations, we see that the next sentence (10:1) starts with For and gives the reason for what is said here. Chapter 10 shows is the difference in what God expects as a result of our having a different sacrifice, but the results of chapter 10 can be summarized by 10:5-7 which tell us ...Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not...Then said I, Lo, I come...to do thy will, of God. That is a quote of Psalms 40:6-8.) Plain and simple: God expects us to stop our sinning and do thy will, of God because He has provided us with a better version of everything and that better version enables us to stop our sinning and do thy will, of God.

In addition, to Chapter 10, our current summary of Chapter 9must also agree with what we read in Chapters 11 and 12 where we read about faith, and the Biblical examples of it, and about what is expected from us as a result of all said earlier within this epistle. A lifestyle of sin does not match the message of the rest of this epistle.

I have consistently shown, since the start of the study on this epistle that every chapter and verse is dependent upon all prior and must support those that follow. I have also shown how we are expected to produce better results because God has provided us with a better version of everything in Christ. Everyone that is mentioned in Hebrews 11 walked by faith because of a personal relationship with God and not because of following Earthly religion. The better of all these chapters gives us a personal relationship with God to replace an Earthly religion. Plain and simple: I am saying that these chapters tell us that Christ provided a better version of everything so that we could stop our sinning and draw nigh unto God (7:19). If we stop our sinning and draw nigh unto God, we will act like those in Hebrews 11.

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Hebrews 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

Hebrews 11:24-26 form a single sentence that is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews. Please also see the note for 11:24 under Son as it is dealing with the same sentence.

Our sentence uses the role of Christ because the Son of God uses this role to spiritually mature us in an individual way as He teaches us to walk by faith. The reproach of Christ is something given to one saved person at a different level than given to another and is part of our personal relationship with God. 1Corinthians 10:13 says God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able. Since some people are more able, they get more of the reproach of Christ, and the proportional rewards in Heaven.

This verse is part of a section going from 11:24 through 11:29 speaking about Moses and tells of the dramatically different results of Moses walking by faith (Psalms 84:10; Mark 9:43-47; Luke 16:25; Romans 8:18; 2Corinthians 4:17-18; 1Timothy 6:17) as opposed to the Egyptians that he would have been leading if he didn't switch to God's side (Exodus 2:11-15; Acts 7:20-40).

Notice that this sentence has a colon in it just before for. This makes respect unto the recompense of the reward equivalent to the other part of the sentence which includes Esteeming the reproach of Christ. Both, the reproach of Christ and the recompense of the reward would be things that Moses understood to be promised by God to him personally, because these are offered by the author as examples of the faith of Moses. Christ is used here because it is talking about God's role for fulfilling (prophetic) promises in the (then) current life of the believer. It is also used because Christ is the role used by God for personal interaction with a believer. Notice that there is a direct relationship between the reproach of Christ and the recompense of the reward which would also apply to us today. There are a lot of people who claim to be Christians, but they do not suffer affliction or have the reproach of Christ, which means that they are not true Biblical Christians. There are also a lot of people who claim to be Christians, but they have not given up the treasures in Egypt in order to receive the reproach of Christ. They also are not true Biblical Christians.

With that said, consider the word reproach. This is not normally something thought to be of value. However, one of the things which the Bible teaches is that there is a reward in Heaven which is proportional to the amount of the reproach of Christ which we accept here on Earth for God's glory. Thus, Moses chose to lose riches, power and position here on this Earth in exchange for riches in Heaven. 'He is no fool who gives up things which he can not keep in order to gain things which he can not lose'.

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Jesus Christ

Hebrews 10:10; 13:8, 21.

Click here for all of the Verses that use Jesus Christ and here for the Summary on the name / role of Jesus Christ. Hebrews uses Jesus Christ in both of the main uses of this title in the New Testament:

Because true Biblical salvation involves a personal relationship with the Son of God in His role as Jesus and in His role as Christ. See Hebrews 1:3 which says when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high after His resurrection and is now representing us through His role as Christ. However, this verse also says that he did this when [after] he had by himself purged our sins. That purging occurred with the death of Jesus (Romans 3:26). Jesus died to purge my personal sins (and justify me) and Christ represents me personally before the Father today.
And to identify doctrinal items which we receive at profession through the ministry of Jesus and which are perfected by the ministry of Christ after profession.

Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

This is in the middle of a section that is declaring the inadequacy of the Mosaic Law and religious legal solutions and how we have a better solution through the personal sacrifice and personal relationship of Jesus Christ. This solution is started with salvation (Jesus) and perfected through the ongoing ministry of Christ. Please see the general note about Jesus Christ above. This verse says that we are ...sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.. by Jesus Christ saying ...Lo, I come to do thy will, of God.. (see the prior verse: 10:9). We are sanctified ('set apart for God's use') by Jesus purging the record of our sin that interfered with God using us and by Christ removing the stain (control) of sin done after our profession so that we are free to come to do thy will, of God.

10:14 tells us For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and provides part of the author's reasons for this verse. It should be obvious that the offering of 10:14 is the offering of the body of Jesus Christ in this verse and them that are sanctified of 10:14 is the we are sanctified in this verse. Therefore, we are perfected by His offering. Since no one is completely perfected (everything done instantly) upon their initial profession, my claim that we are perfected through the ongoing ministry of Christ must be true based upon the combination of these two verses along with many other verses in the Bible. Yes, the Bible has at least one verse that says we are perfected by Jesus. However, there are many examples of things in the Bible where God declares them to be true, because there is no way to put aside the promise of God, even though we do not see it yet. For example, the Son of God is declared to be Lord and King today, even though 1Corinthians 15:23-28 tells us that this will not be completely true till he hath put all enemies under his feet. Since this says till and other similar words, we know that what God has declared to be an absolute truth is something that we do not yet see. So also is our being perfected by Jesus.

This verse uses Jesus Christ because it is speaking of the true Biblical salvation which involves a personal relationship with the Son of God in His role as Jesus and in His role as Christ and because it identifies a doctrinal item (we are sanctified) which we receive at profession through the ministry of Jesus and which is perfected by the ministry of Christ after profession. Please also see the note for 10:16, which also provides the author's reasons for the claim made in this verse.

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Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

This verse can be used by itself and fits with Psalms 102:25-27 and Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 1:10-12 and Revelation 1:4, 18 which tell us that God does not change.

Since all of the laws of creation and other critical things are dependent upon God's maintenance, our physical reality and other things would come apart if God changed and, thereby, forced a change in the laws and fabric of the physical universe. In addition, all faith and hope (our salvation, etc) is based upon God not changing since it is really based upon the character and person of God. If God changed, then we could not trust any promise or act based upon God's past performance because He could change His mind. I know that this might not be obvious to some, but if the reader considers it, the consequence should be obvious. If someone dies a martyr's death based upon a promise of God, but God changed His mind between making the promise and the person's death, what would be their reward?

The doctrine which claims that 'God changes is' ia a lie from the devil. He gets good people to teach it so that God's people are discouraged from truly serving God. This is just another attack on the Bible. If God changed, how could He guarantee that His word would not change (Deuteronomy 7:9; 1Chronicles 16:15; Psalms 105:8; Matthew 5:18; 1Peter 1:23-25)?

Further, not only is He the same in His legal role (Lord), but this verse tells us that he does not change in His roles that deal with the saved personally (Jesus and Christ). This verse makes the doctrine of 'how we get saved varies with dispensations a lie. Since salvation is the personal ministry of God the Father and God the Holy Ghost and God the Son in each of His roles as Lord and as Jesus and as Christ; and since the Bible tell us that God does not change in any of His aspects, it is impossible for the method of salvation to change. Yes, what God wants us to live a life which shows that the application of God's plan of salvation changes in different dispensations and even from person to person. However, that does not change the plan of salvation (the interpretation) which is the same for everyone. The application of God's plan of salvation just shows that salvation is personal and not some 'cookie cutter' religious act.

This verse uses Jesus Christ to assure the saved that they (personally) will be treated the same way as the Son of God treated His saints in the past, because Jesus Christ does not change. Jesus Christ (is) the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

In addition, this verse follows the commandment of Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. We are to follow their faith in consideration of the end of their conversation (way of life) upon the basis that we will get the same results if we act in the same faith. However, if Jesus Christ changed then we could not have this assurance.

This entire epistle is telling us how that Jesus Christ is better than any other being and that a personal relationship with Him (that requires us acting in faith based upon that relationship) is better than any religion or anything else. However, none of the promises and commands of this epistle could be made if Jesus Christ changed over time. This simple verse is a critical foundation verse to this entire epistle, to the entire Bible and to our entire faith.

Look at the verse that follow this one and are dependent upon it. The next tells us Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. We read about meats in the New Testament epistles in Acts 2:46; 9:19; 15:29; 16:34; 27:33-34, 36; Romans 14:15, 17, 20, 23; 1Corinthians 3:2; 6:13; 8:8, 10, 13; 10:3; Colossians 2:16; 1Timothy 4:3; Hebrews 5:12, 14; 9:10; 12:16; 13:9. Given the volume of comments on this subject, we can see that it was an ongoing problem. But it should not have been a problem because our verse here tells us that ...not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. That is, these people wasted their time arguing about meats.

What a study of this word in other places in the New Testament reveals is that the spiritually immature were hung up about meats while those that were saved and spiritually mature (result of the personal ministry of Jesus Christ) did not have this problem. What this comes down to is that Jesus Christ does not change. He spiritually matures us on a personal basis just like He did Paul and others. If we are developing our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we will have the same results as they had because Jesus Christ does not change. If we do not have the same results then the problem is with us exclusively and we are not spiritually maturing through our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, no matter what religious claims we may make.

Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians 6:13, which discusses the application of this doctrine more; and the note for Hebrews 13:9, which provides links to every place in the Bible where the literal word meats (plural) is used along with a short note on the doctrine of each usage. Please note that the usage of the plural word is not the same as the usage of the singular, even though the plural and the singular have the same basic definition. In addition, the note for Hebrews 5:12 has links to every place in Hebrews where we find forms of this word along with the symbolic usage of this word for spiritual food.

In 13:10 the author tells us that we have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. In this verse and others the author references prior comments within this epistle and very clearly separates the results received by the religious from those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This separation is due strictly to the person of Jesus Christ Who does not change and Who always gives the same results to those who develop their personal relationship with Him and Who denies these same results to all (saved or lost) who are relying upon their religious activities.

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Hebrews 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

This verse clearly states that Jesus Christ is used for perfecting things that we receive at salvation. In this case, good work is the result of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-10) that God perfects through the ministry of Christ after our salvation is provided by Jesus. This verse is part of the same sentence as 13:20. Please see the note for it under Lord Jesus.

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Christ Jesus

Hebrews 3:1.

Christ Jesus Is used as the combination of the roles of the Son of God that deal with all of the saved in a personal way with emphasis upon the ongoing personal relationship that occurs after initial profession. This sentence emphasizes His roles as Apostle and High Priest of our profession. Neither of these roles deal with the lost and both are involved in a personal way from the time of initial profession until we meet our God at our death or 'Rapture'. Click here for all of the Verses that use Christ Jesus and here for the Summary on the name / role of Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the Heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

3:1-2 is a single sentence that is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews

This sentence gives us two things to consider that are based upon prior things said because this sentence starts with Wherefore. This epistle started out telling us that God's Son is better than anyone and anything. (Please see the note for 1:2 under Son.) Then, in the first two chapters, we were told how God's Son is better than angels. Those chapters end with the author telling us that God made His Son suffer like us so that He could succour them that are tempted. The author also told us Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people (Hebrews 2:17). God's Son was better than angels yet He became less than angels (Hebrews 2:9) so that He could be like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. Based upon these considerations (and more considerations), the author starts this sentence with Wherefore.

Where the first two chapters concentrated upon His role as God's Son, this chapter starts telling us about how His positions affect us. The first thing that we are told is that He is the Apostle of our profession. One of the things that Webster's 1828 points out is that Apostle is the title was given to officers who were sent into distant provinces, as visitors or commissioners, to see the laws observed. As the Apostle, He is the one and only (the definition of the is there is one and here it is) representative sent from God for this purpose. This brings doctrines to mind such as John 14:6 (Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me). But the main use of Apostle in this context is limited by the author's expression of our profession. That associates Apostle with Jesus coming to Earth (sent into distant provinces) to save us and Christ spiritually maturing us after our profession (to see the laws observed).

The first thing that we are told is that He is the High Priest of our profession. Jesus started the role of High Priest only after His death. Most of His work as Apostle and as High Priest is done for us after our initial profession. Thus, not only is Christ included, but Christ Jesus is used instead of Jesus Christ. That is, both roles of the Son of God are involved but the greatest emphasis is on the role of Christ. He acts as Apostle and High Priest of our profession, for all that have a profession, but only for those that have a profession and His main function as Apostle and High Priest is to increase the effectiveness of our profession through His role as Christ.

After telling us that He came here to be the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, we are told that the next step is that He is faithful. This is important because Ephesians 2:10 tells us For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Since we are his workmanship and he is faithful, He will do all that needs to be done so long as we let Him do it. Please see the note for 3:6 under Christ which gives a list of things that we need to do in order to be sure that we do not miss God's rest. We can't do that list, but Christ Jesus can do it through us if we allow Him to.

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Lord Jesus

Hebrews 13:20.

Please see the note below. Click here for all of the Verses that use Lord Jesus and here for the Summary on the name / role of Lord Jesus.

Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Here Jesus is used as the 'God in human flesh' Who died for our sins. Lord is used as the role of the Son of God that makes laws, passes judgment, etc. The first time that Lord Jesus is used is in Luke 24:3 and that note explains this combination of roles. Basically, we will b e judged by the lord Jesus for how well we obeyed His commands while we are in our flesh. He is human, but He is also Lord and we violate God's law when we disobey Him.

Hebrews 13:20 and 13:21 form a single sentence that is divided by punctuation within the Book Study on Hebrews.

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Lord Christ

Lord Christ is not used in Hebrews. Click here for all of the Verses that use Lord Christ and here for the Summary on the name / role of Lord Christ.

Lord Jesus Christ

Lord Jesus Christ is not used in Hebrews. Click here for all of the Verses that use Lord Jesus Christ and here for the Summary on the name / role of Lord Jesus Christ.

King

Hebrews 7:1, 2; 11:23, 27.

This epistle uses king for a representative of the true King (the Son of God) and for human kings. In all cases we find that the king can make any law they want and the character of the king is seen by what exists in their kingdom. The true King brings righteousness and peace. The human king brings slavery. Click here for all of the Verses that use King and here for the Summary on the name / role of King.

Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

Hebrews 7:1-3 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews

This is one of those Bible sentences which have lots of people arguing about the interpretation because one interpretation supports the theology they believe and another goes against the theology they believe. I will only lightly touch on the argument that I know about and then move on to the points related to this study.

The main point of contention is the expression Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life abideth a priest continually. These attributes clearly do not match the normal human attributes. Some people use this to say that the Bible has error because Melchisedec was human and these attributes are not human. However, we have many times in the Bible where an angel or even the Son of God ('Christophny') appeared in human form within the Old Testament. Therefore, their conclusion is based upon ignoring Bible truth. Others claim that Melchisedec lived a full life as a human, and therefore the Son of God came as a human before He came as Jesus and they base all kinds of theological weirdness upon this conclusion which is based upon an unsupported assumption. Lots of people come up with all kinds of theologies based upon their own imaginations because they refuse to accept a simple Bible truth. There are things in the Bible that we can not state with certainty because we do not have sufficient information to be certain. We have to trust God for what we don't know (that's called faith).

First, this sentence starts with For, which means it is giving the reason for what was said before this sentence. In Hebrews 6, we were told that we were ...leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.. (6:1). Before 6:1 the author was teaching the principles of the doctrine of Christ and after 6:1 he is talking about doing those things (going on unto perfection). Then he says you can't get saved again (6:1-8) and those who fall away (6:6) are nigh unto cursing (6:8). He also says But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you.. (6:9) and tells us to minister (6:10) in the full assurance of hope unto the end (6:11) because God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name (6:10). The author follows this with the example of Abraham and God's oath to him (6:13-16) and confirmed the promise unto the heirs of promise (6:17) and concludes the chapter telling us that Jesus is the forerunner of the heirs of promise (6:20) and that Jesus is made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. So, if we follow the order of Hebrews 6, Jesus is made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec in order to provide us with what we need so that we can leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ [and]go on unto perfection, which is to not fall away (to remain faithful) and to do work and labour of love toward his name.

That summary brings us to 7:1, which starts with For and is giving us the reason. The author is showing us a parallel between Abraham and us in order to show us how we are to act. Abraham received the promise and we are the heirs of promise. Abraham dealt with Melchisedec as the priest who was made like unto the Son of God and our priest is Jesus, who is the Son of God. We are told that Melchisedec was Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life and we know all of these things are true about Jesus. Regardless of how these attributes apply to Melchisedec (which isn't hard to understand if we accept that Melchisedec is an office), there is no question about the parallel to Jesus, which is the main point. The author tells us a few more things about the priesthood of Jesus in this sentence and even more throughout the remainder of Hebrews 7.

The First Step in our sentence tells us that Melchisedec is first being by interpretation King of righteousness (7:2). (Sure seems like a title to me.) Notice that this King is capitalized, which the Bible only does when King is applied to God. This is different from earlier in this sentence when a lower-case king identified his position amoung men as king of Salem. However, in this part of the sentence we see an upper-caser King, which means God. Thus we have someone who is God and is human, which makes him a 'Christophny'.

Returning to our sentence and the titLe King of righteousness, we need to remember that our righteousness comes from Jesus (Romans 3:26; 2Corinthians 5:21; 1John 2:29) because we have none of our own (Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Titus 3:5). Further, Hebrews 1:8 told us But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, of God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom, which is a more detailed expression of King of righteousness. While we could go into much more detail about this doctrine, the simple point is that Abraham submitted to the King of righteousness of his day based upon the promise he received from God. As the heirs of promise, we are supposed to do the same. Based upon this promise, Abraham gave a tenth part of all (7:2). While there is a whole doctrine about tithing that I will not go into in this note (I have a separate message on it, for those who are interested); the simple truth taught here is that tithing is based upon the promise and not some commandment. We already saw that Hebrews 6 taught us that God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name (6:10) and those who refuse to act upon the promise are nigh unto cursing (6:8). Therefore, we prove whether we want God's blessing or His cursing by how we act based upon His promise in regards to tithing. When we refuse to tithe, we refuse to submit to the King of righteousness like Abraham did and disannul any claim based upon the promise.

Moving on, we are told that he is King of peace (7:2). Again, the doctrine of peace and how it applies to God as our King of peace is too much to develop within this note. However, ask several career criminal how much peace they get from cops and government and then ask several law-abiding citizen who doesn't even get traffic tickets. That should give you an idea of the difference between fighting or submitting to our King of peace.

Before we were told these two things, we were told that Melchisedec met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings (7:1). This is referring to the story of Genesis 14 where Abraham had the Sodomites pay the tithe (Genesis 14:20) in honor of the victory and deliverance that God provided. All of our service is to be based upon the victory and deliverance that God has provided to us and the He has promised to provide in our future.

The author spends the rest of Hebrews 7 explaining how the priesthood of Melchisedec and of Jesus is much better and provides much better things than were received from the Mosaic Law and the Leviticus priesthood. Abraham submitted to his King of peace and King of righteousness and received blessings because of it. The logic of this parallel argument is that we have to do the same if we also want to receive the blessings that come from our King of peace and King of righteousness. A citizen if China does not receive the protection of the U.S. government but a citizen of the U.S. does. Likewise, someone who is submitted to religious laws will not receive the blessings and protection and provision of our King of peace and King of righteousness until they reject the rule of religious law and submit to the rule of our King of peace and King of righteousness.

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Hebrews 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

This verse is explained in the note above for Hebrews 7:1. Pease see it.

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Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

This verse is part of the famous Faith Chapter where we are told about many examples when people didn't just talk their faith but acted upon it while facing terrible circumstances of opposition. This verse is referencing the parents of Moses and the account found in Exodus 2:2-10. The king's commandment was given in Exodus 1:8-22. The king was Pharaoh (Exodus 1:22) and the punishment for disobedience was death. While this was an Earthly king and not God, we see here that any king can make any law they want and enforce it as they wish, including with a death sentence. We also see God honor their faith by preserving and using them. The Biblical account also tells us that even though they did not obey the law of a king which went against the law of God, they were not blatant in their disobedience. By hiding their act, the king could pretend to not know about it so long as they kept their disobedience a secret. This is the way that people take the Gospel into countries where giving out the Gospel is against the law.

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Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

This verse is part of the famous Faith Chapter where we are told about many examples when people didn't just talk their faith but acted upon it while facing terrible circumstances of opposition. This verse is referencing the account found in Exodus 10:28; 11:8; 12:37-42; 13:17-21. We are told about the wrath of the king in Exodus 14:10-13. We are told that Moses endured, as seeing him who is invisible. This verse teaches that the only way for us to not fear the wrath of [an Earthly] king is to keep our eyes upon God (him who is invisible). We see here that any king can make any law they want and enforce it as they wish, including with a death sentence, but their worst punishment can't take away the reward from our true King. (Please see the note for Hebrews 7:1 above.)

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Son

Hebrews 1:21, 5, 8; 2:6, 10; 3:6; 4:14; 5:5, 8; 6:6; 7:3, 5, 28; 10:29; 11:17, 21, 24; 12:5, 6, 7, 8.

11 out of the 23verses which use some form of son in the book of Hebrews are talking about the Son of God. Many of the other verses use son as a human representative of the Son of God, such as Hebrews 2:6 which is quoting Psalms 8 and letting us know that God intended that Psalm to apply to the Son of God. We also see verses like Hebrews 11:24 which tells us ...Moses...refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter because, in the Bible, a son is always shown to have the same character and spirit of the father and Moses...refused to be identified with the character and spirit of Pharaoh. We also have verses like Hebrews 7:5 which talks about the sons of Levi who were priests which had the religious zeal of Levi. In Genesis 34 (see Genesis 34:30), we read how Levi participated in the murder of a city because the prince violated his sister. Levi refused to let the prince make it right and marry his sister. The sons of Levi still acted in his spirit and character when they took God's right of vengeance through religious zeal and helped to crucify the Son of God. Thus, we see in Hebrews, as we also see all throughout the Bible, son is used to identify the son with the character and spirit of the father. Click here for all of the Verses that use Son and here for the Summary on the name / role of Son.

Hebrews 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Verses 1:1-4 form a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews. This sentence has three Steps and while the titles of those Steps, within the Book Study, match the context, we can give them different titles when we concentrate on what each is telling us about God's Son. These different titles are:

God spoke in the past by prophets but has given His final Word through His Son.
God's Son has revealed God in the brightness of his glory and by being the express image of his person and by the word of his power and by His sacrifice when He by himself purged our sins and because he has now sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
God's Son is better in every way than any being including angels.

This sentence tells us three different things about God the Father and God's Son. The distinction between each item is made according to time. The first item tells us what happened in Old Testament times, before God's Son became man. The second item tells us what happened during Gospel times, while He lived in the flesh as a man before His assentation, and the third item tells us what is happening since His resurrection and ascension into Heaven. This is an important distinction to understand since it is in the introduction of this epistle and we find the author telling us of different ways that God operated in each of these time periods, within this epistle. Please note that these changes have to do with How God deals with man but have nothing to do with God's Plan of Salvation, which never changes.

In the first step we are told that God spoke at different times and different ways to the fathers by the prophets. This fits what God said in Numbers 12:6-8. It also matches Joel 2:28-32 which was quoted by Peter at Pentecost in Acts 2:14-21. God has changed how He talks to man with the coming of the New Testament, as this epistle tells us in more detail as we get further into it.

God talked with Adam face-to-face in the garden (Genesis 2). Enoch walked with God (Genesis 5:22) and we believed that other men talked with God before the flood, even though it was not face-to-face like Adam. After the flood, God talked to men in dreams (Genesis 20:3) and visions (Genesis 15:1). And, (reportedly) starting with Moses, God had men write down His Word. So we see the first section of this step fulfilled in the history of the Bible. However, the author goes on to tell us that God Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, which means that God has limited His communication to man to be that which comes through his Son, which we know from several places (Matthew 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; Luke 3:22; 9:35; 20:13; 2Peter 1:17) is Jesus, which is the Son of God manifested in human flesh. John 1:14 tells us And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.. and John 1 tells us the Word is the Son of God manifested in print. Without fully developing the doctrine, God's limiting His communication through His Son has since been limited to communication to man through the word of God (Bible) through His Holy Spirit. The first step also tells us that God's Son made the worlds (which speaks of His power) and he hath appointed heir of all things (which limits our access to anything to going through the Son). John 3 tells us that Christ (God's Son) is better than Moses, who is considered the most important of the fathers with the possible exception of Abraham. However, John 7 tells us that Christ is better than Abraham.

In addition, in this epistle we read about the New Testament replacing the Old Testament in Chapter 9. This replacement is part of what is introduced in this first step of this introductory sentence to the epistle of Hebrews. God is not using the Old Testament any more (but you need to correct definition of Old Testament, which most people don't have) and He is not speaking through prophets any longer. So those religions which are trying to claim things that God is no longer using aren't representing the God of the Bible.

In Acts 15 we read about the Council at Jerusalem where it was doctrinally determined that we don't have to keep part of the Mosaic Law but do have to keep part of it. The Mosaic Law can be divided into 3parts. The part that was Civil Law for the country of Israel is good for our admonition but Peter and Paul both tell us that we are to keep the law of the country that we are in. The Religious part of the Mosaic Law (sacrifices, sabbath, etc) is also good for our admonition but this council determined that God had shown that it no longer has to be kept. However, the things that the Council said for us to keep are part of what is known as the Moral Law. That has to do with our personal relationship with God, as Galatians 3 tells us, the coming of the Mosaic Law can not set aside the promises that God had already established. The Moral Law (tithing, no fornication, etc) was already established before the Mosaic Law was written and can usually be found is some form in Genesis or Job. Having said that, we find in this epistle that Christ is better than the various parts to the Religious Law. Chapter 5 tells us that Christ is better than the religious sacrifices. Chapters 7-8 tells us that Christ is better than the Leviticus priesthood. Chapters 8-10 tells us that Christ is better than the Tabernacle and the Ark and that the New Covenant brought by Christ is better than the Covenant of the Mosaic Law. What's more, Chapter 4 tells us that the rest provided by Christ is better than the rest that the fathers missed out on by not keeping the spirit of the Mosaic Law.

In the second part of this sentence, we see that God's Son has revealed God in the brightness of his glory and by being the express image of his person and by the word of his power and by His sacrifice when He by himself purged our sins and because he has now sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high . When this sentence says that God's Son is the brightness of his glory, it means that God's Son shows God's glory more than anything or anyone else does. Chapter 9 and Chapter 10 tell us about how He purged our sins. He did this with the sacrifice that we are told about in Chapter 5. Since he brought a better sacrifice, He provided a better result in that His sacrifice purged our sins whiles other sacrifices could not. This part of the sentence tells us that He is the brightness of his (God's) glory and we have seen elsewhere that Christ brings God glory by the changes that He brings in our lives by the word of his power. Chapter 4 tells us that the word of his power is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword and that it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart whereby it shows us our own sinful heart so that we can confess and forsake our sin. Christ can not bring God glory through our lives until after we forsake our sin. Then in Chapter 11 and Chapter 12, we read about faith and those who lived by faith and showed us God's glory through their lives. Once more, we find that this section of this sentence introduces subjects that are developed in more detail later in this epistle.

When this sentence says that God's Son is the express image of his person, it is referring to things like John 14:7-9 where Jesus said that if we have known Him we have known the Father. When Jesus lived on this Earth, He lived as God the Father would have lived and the life of Jesus shows us the character of God the Father like our life is supposed to show the World the character of Jesus Christ. This phrase literally tells us what we have found to be the true Biblical definition of son. 'A son shows us the character of the father'. A son of Satan is a liar and sinner like Satan is. A true son of God shows the world the true character of God the Father.

In addition, to being the best of God's glory and the best expression of God the Father's character, this part of the sentence tells us that God's Son is upholding all things by the word of his power. This is not just the power of creation but the ongoing power that keeps Satan from destroying us all. This is the power of His role as Lord. While I could provide more details, I won't but will move on.

When this sentence says that God's Son by himself purged our sins, it is clearly referring to the work of Jesus in salvation. When this sentence says that God's Son sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, it is clearly referring to the present day work of Christ as our advocate. What we find here is that this step in this sentence tells us, in a summary fashion, that God's Son incorporates each and every role of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Where the first section of this sentence told us what God did in the past and how He switched things to only speaking through His Son, the second section tells us about that Son and what He has done and what He is doing for us. The third section of this sentence tells us that He is better than any other being that exists and indicates what He will be doing in the future. According to Jewish thinking, and the thinking of many religious groups, spiritual beings are far more powerful than human beings. If we look at the miracles in the Bible, including those done by agents of Satan and done by Satan as he tempted Jesus, we would have to agree with this thinking. However, this sentence tells us that God's Son is so much better than the angels. He is better in every way (including power), as Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 tells us in more detail. This section goes on to tell us that because God's Son is so much better than the angels, he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Any time we see name used in the Bible it is talking about power and authority. We also see this said in Philippians 2:9-11 and other places in the Bible. The main message of this book is how God's Son is so much better than anything and anyone else. Further, this sentence tells us that because of His more excellent name, He has obtained an inheritance. An inheritance is something that we get in the future because of our current relationship with the person giving the inheritance. Hebrews 12 and other chapters of this epistle tell us about others who also obtained an inheritance and they warn us that if we want to obtained an inheritance, we also have to build and maintain of our current relationship with God. In addition, this segment of the sentence equates so much better than the angels to he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. That is, as we have seen elsewhere in the Bible, The Son of God did more for God and thereby obtained more. There is a direct relationship between what we do for God and what we receive as our inheritance.

This sentence introduces this epistle and tells us of the subjects that will be covered in more detail later in this epistle. In this epistle we are given details about how Jesus Christ fulfills His role as God's Son and what He obtained as a result and how we need to fulfill our role as God's sons and what we will obtain as a result. This sentence uses Son to let us know that God's Son has every role assigned to Him including (but not limited to) the roles as Lord Jesus Christ.

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Hebrews 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

The first question of this verse quotes Psalms 2:7 and 2Samuel 7:12-15. These references are also quoted in Acts 13:33. (See Acts for another view of this verse and subject.) This verse has two sentences which start out with For ('a future reason'). Normally, this verse would give the reason for the prior sentence, but since that sentence introduces the entire epistle (see note above), this sentence only provides the first of several reasons or evidences to support the opening claim. Even then, this verse actually only starts a subject that will go through Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. The fact that Jesus is God's begotton Son is recorded in Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22 and Acts 13:33. Acts also quotes Psalms 2:7 and it tells us that God's Son is Lord. Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22 both tell us that the first thing that God did after declaring that Jesus was His Son was to let Him be tempted by Satan and prove that he was what God declared Him to be. This fits with James 1 and 1Peter 2 and 1Peter 3 which tell us that as God's sons we will also see testing to prove that we really are what we claim to be. This verse starts the argument in Hebrews that God's Son is greater than any being anywhere since the angels are the greatest beings other than God. Further, both Hebrews 1:6 and Hebrews 1:7 start with And, which add them to this sentence.

In Hebrews 1:6 we have a quote that reportedly comes from Psalms 97:7 and calls God's Son the firstbegotten, as also found in: Psalms 89:27; John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; Acts 13:33; 1Corinthians 4:15; Colossians 1:18; Philemon 1:10; Hebrews 1:5; 5:5; 11:17; 1Peter 1:3; 1John 4:9; 5:1, 18 and Revelation 1:5 Here, the author is saying that not only has God given His Son a position that no one else has received, but that God also ordered the most powerful beings, other than God, to worship His Son as God. Then in Hebrews 1:7 we have a quote from Psalms 104:4. These let us know that the author is basing his doctrine upon established scripture and not just popular preaching. The Bible reveals God the Father and His Son to us. Therefore, what we claim about either should be backed by scripture.

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Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, of God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Hebrews 1:1-4 is covered in the note for 1:2 above. 1:5-7 is covered in the note for 1:5 above. As mentioned there, the author starts out saying that God's Son is greater than anyone or anything and follows that with evidence that he is greater than angels, which some men think of as if they were gods. The sentences just prior tell us that the true God has ordered the angels to worship His Son as God. We see that said a second time in this verse. This verse is a quote of Psalms 45:6-7. Psalms 45 is prophetic of thee 1,000 years reign of Christ. This verse tells us Thy throne, of God, is for ever and ever. That Psalm and Isaiah 61 tells us more about this Kingdom. 1Corinthians 15:23-28 tells us that this is the last kingdom on earth. All of these places tell us that the Son is King of kings, along with 1Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14 and Revelation 19:16. Further, the type of character that a kingdom has (the type of laws and the character of the people) is all determined by the character of the king. In this case, the colon makes a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom equivalent to the person of the King, Who is the Son and God that reigns for ever and ever. This is the everlasting kingdom (2Peter 1:11) which provides everlasting righteousness and those in it have everlasting life (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 19:29; John 3:16, John 3:36; John 4:14; John 5:24; John 6:27, John 6:40, John 6:47; Acts 13:46; Romans 6:22). This means that God's Son is King of all saved. The verses in the rest of this chapter give us more details on the everlasting nature of God's Son and His kingdom. Please also see the note for 1:10 as the context makes it related.

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Hebrews 2:6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

This verse and the ones following it quote Psalms 8 and Hebrews 2:9 applies it to Jesus (Please see the note for 2:9 under Jesus) . We also find this thought in Job 7:17-18. These quotes are here to provide scripture evidence that God did not put in subjection (to angels) the world to come (Hebrews 2:5) but did put in subjection the world to come to His Son. It doesn't matter what any man or religion or angel (god) says, God's Son is going to rule and reign and we need to accept that the saved will also put in subjection to God's Son in the world to come.

This verse and the references in Psalms and Job use the son of man to refer to all human beings. We saw in the gospels that Jesus uses the phrase of the son of man to refer to Himself in His human nature. Therefore, the things that God made true about all humans are also true about God's Son within His role as the son of man. (God's Son did not sin within His role as the son of man. While all men are sinners except for God's Son, God did not make sin true for all men.)

While Psalms and Job use the son of man to refer to all human beings, we see in the second half of 2:8 that the author applies these verses to God's Son within His role as the son of man. Then 2:9 continues with this explanation while using Jesus to refer to God's Son. Every place that we find the Bible using Jesus, we find it referring to God's Son within His role as a human being. This verse is clearly teaching that God's Son is also a son of man.

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Hebrews 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings .

Hebrews 1:3 was explained in the note for 1:2 under Son. In Hebrews 1:3 we saw that God's Son is the express image of his (God's) person. While this verse is talking about what God did to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings, it uses sons to describe the saved who are supposed to have express the image of God's Son just as He expresses the image of God. In John 1:12-13 we read But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. In our current verse, and in John, we see that saved are to become sons of God. We also see that it requires the power of God to convert us (Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God). We also see that this happens after (to become is future-tense) we are saved (as many as received him is past-tense). The Son of God brings many sons unto glory by changing our sinful nature to have the nature of God and He does this through our ongoing personal relationship that we have after our initial profession.

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Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Please see the note for 3:6 under Christ.

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Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Please see the note for 4:14 under Jesus.

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Hebrews 5:5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

Please see the note for 5:5 under Christ. There it is explained that the Son of God is our high priest. Within His roles as Jesus and our high priest, He represents us before God the Father.

Within His roles as Christ and our high priest, He represents God the Father to us. Within His representing God the Father to us, He acts like God's Son, which means (according the Bible usage), He has the same character as God the Father. (See Psalms 2, especially 2:7.) Other people may claim to be priests and represent God the Father, but they do not have the character of God the Father like God's Son does. God's Son glorified not himself to be made an high priest (here and John 8:54), like lying priests do today. Since God made His Son to be our high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec, He is not using any other priesthood and the proof is the fact that He has let the Temple be destroyed. God's only other accepted priesthood can no longer do the services of their office. Therefore, we do not want any priest other than God's Son because no other will be as true a representative of God the Father to us.

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Hebrews 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Hebrews 5:7-10 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews.

Now there is much that I could get into about how this sentence disagrees with various doctrines, but the only thing that I will deal with is the use of Son in this sentence. God's Son could not fulfill the requirements of being the great high priest for weak men without experiencing all of the weaknesses of the flesh. Therefore, as this sentence tells us, even though He was God's Son, He still had to pay the price required (suffering) in order to take the position as our great high priest. If God made His Son pay the price, then He is going to make everyone pay the price. Anyone who claims a position without paying the price did not receive their position from the God of the Bible.

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Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Hebrews 6:4-6 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews.

This verse starts with For, which means it gives the reason for what was said in 6:1-3. In addition, the next sentence also starts with For, which means it gives a reason for what is said here. Verses 6:1 through 6:8 need to be considered together in order to understand this sentence. (Please see the note for 6:1 under Christ.)

In addition, to the contextual considerations, many of the people that want to argue about this verse / sentence use bad definitions for words involved, or deny what it is literally saying based upon bad doctrine or want someone else to explain it so they can tell the other person how wrong they are without providing an explanation of their own. This sentence clearly says For it is impossible for those who ('meet certain conditions') to renew them again unto repentance... This goes against their basic doctrine that anyone can repent at any time. However, the same people have trouble with every verse that calls men reprobate (Jeremiah 6:30; Romans 1:28; 2Timothy 3:8; Titus 1:16) and with Luke 9:51-62) as well with other places where the Bible teaches similar doctrines. Therefore, any criticism, of the doctrine presented here, that is not based upon properly interpreted scripture is to be ignored.

In 6:1-3 the author said that he was leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ (basic doctrines) and going on unto perfection (spiritual maturity that includes backing your mouth with your actions), And this will we do, if God permit. Then in 6:7-8 we read For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. Anyone who has seriously tried growing a garden or raising a crop knows their personal reaction to thorns and briers in the middle of the garden / crop. The scratches and other things are bad enough but thorns and briers always grow faster than the crops and choke out the crops. Therefore, thorns and briers need to be ripped out fast or they will destroy the crop. So now we need to understand that these people that the author says it is impossible for those who meet certain conditions to renew them again unto repentance.. have been equated to thorns and briers in God's crop, which is the church. We also need to remember that this is a spiritual work done by God and not a religious work. So just because someone says some prayer, that doesn't mean that a spiritual work has been done. Remember the Pharisee of Luke 18.

I will not go through all of the conditions mentioned by the author in this sentence but will make a couple of simple observations. The author said that these people ...were once enlightened, and have tasted of the Heavenly gift...And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come... Most of the people that I know of who are in and out, up and down and that claim to repeatedly backslide and repent do not really read nor understand the word of God. In truth, they backslide and repent from religious rules and not from a true spiritually mature relationship with the Son of God. From what I have seen, they have not truly tasted of the Heavenly gift nor have they truly experienced the powers of the world to come. In other words, most people who are claimed to fit this sentence do not really meet the qualifications, as well as I have been able to determine. This verse clearly says that there are some people who do meet the qualifications. There are also some people who spend a lot of time and energy arguing that someone they know truly meets these qualifications and they did or can truly be renewed again unto repentance. All that I have to say is good luck when you personally stand before the creator of the universe and answer for calling His Word a lie, because the Spirit of God will not be there to defend you!!! This is one of those things that people have to accept because the God of the Bible had it written for us. If someone is doing as the author says and crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame, I (personally) am not taking their side and suffering the consequences that the God of the universe will bring on them. I personally recommend that others warn their friends to never get into this condition and to avoid these thorns and briers. If you and your friends aren't in this condition, you don't need to worry about what happens to these people. If one of your friends thinks they are in this condition, help them to study what the Bible truly says about the requirements to be someone who can not be renewed again unto repentance. I believe that most people will find that they do not meet the true qualifications of this sentence because anyone who truly meets these qualifications (I believe) will not seek true repentance. Therefore, I truly believe that this verse causes problems for those who are too busy arguing about the Bible to be bother obeying it and those who truly obey the Bible won't have time for this argument that does gender strifes (Romans 16:17; 2Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9).

This verse uses Son of God because these people crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame in each and every role that he uses. This sentence also uses Son of God because the Son shows us the character of the Father and helps the truly saved to have the character of the Father. As the Son of God, Jesus said for I do always those things that please him (God the Father) John 8:28-29. These people who claim to lost their salvation and get resaved do not do always those things that please him (God the Father). They have refused the character of the Son of God and have refused to become the sons of God (John 1:12). Therefore, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance because they did not truly repent the first time and we know this because they refused to become true sons of God.

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Hebrews 7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

Hebrews 7:1-3 is a single sentence which is divided by punctuation within the Book Study on Hebrews.

There is a lot of opinion about Melchisedec and this chapter in Hebrews and a lot of people get extremely insulted when they are told that their opinion is unsupported, even though there is no Bible to support any of the hotly contested opinions. I personally believe that God puts some things in the Bible just to remind us of our limited knowledge. Here we are literally told that He was made like unto the Son of God. Thus, He displayed the character of God. John 12 tells us that we also can become the sons of God. So regardless of any other non-supported doctrinal argument that someone might want to make, what we see here is clear. Melchisedec displayed the character of the Son of God.

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Hebrews 7:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

Please see the notes for all of this chapter within this Study and within the Book Study on Hebrews as this entire chapter is dealing with a single subject. Therefore, all must be considered together in order to keep parts of this chapter within proper context. That is important because this verse and sentence is part of the contested parts of this chapter. The people who contest the truth of this chapter can not support their opinion from the Bible. That said, the phrase sons of Levi identifies the only Jews who were allowed to serve God in the Temple. Even within that group, only some of them were allowed to be priests. Thus, this sentence means more than just the priests when it says the sons of Levi.

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Hebrews 7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

7:28 tells us that the Son was made a high priest by the word of the oath, which was since the law and because of that He is consecrated for evermore (stays our high priest evermore as opposed to other priests who die). All of this is explained in the note for 7:22 under Jesus (please see that note). This verse uses Son because He is our high priest in each and every role of His (as Lord and as Jesus and as Christ).

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Hebrews 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Hebrews 10:28-29 form a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews.

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Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Hebrews 11:17-19 form a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews.

This verse uses son to show the relationship between Abraham and Isaac (willing to die, etc) that is a figure of the relationship between God the Father and God the Son. We know that this sentence is Isaac as a type because of the use of the phrase his only begotten son. We also know it because the sentence literally says that Abraham received him in a figure.

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Hebrews 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

I have not studied Joseph and his two sons but, given the consistent use of son in the Bible, the two sons of Joseph should reflect the character of Joseph. This verse combines two different events, one from Genesis 47:31 and one from Genesis 48:5-22. Since Joseph is a type of Christ, their character should also reflect the character of Christ, which makes them a type of what a of Christian should be today.

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Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

Hebrews 11:24-26 form a single sentence which is divided by punctuation within the Book Study on Hebrews. Please also see the note for 11:26 under Christ as it is dealing with the same sentence.

The sentence that this verse is part of has three Equivalent Sections with the First Equivalent Section having two Steps and this verse is the First Step. Our sentence uses Moses as an example and the three Equivalent Sections tells us the proof, the motivation and the reward of walking by faith. The proof of walking by faith has two Steps with the First Step being refusing to do wrong and the Second Step being doing right. As the First Step, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Since a son receives the character of their parent, Moses refused to receive the character of Pharaoh's daughter. When he did that he refused to be the heir who was to become richest and most powerful man in the known world at that time. Matthew 16:26 and Mark 8:36 say For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?. Moses chose the spiritually correct thing to be.

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Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Hebrews 12:5-6 form a single sentence which is divided by punctuation in the Book Study on Hebrews. That note explains the context and explains why everything from 12:1 through 12:13 needs to be considered together as a single unit of logic. In addition, there is a separate note for 12:5 under Lord. That note deals with the chastening of the Lord, this note deals with our position as God's children.

This sentence deals with our position as God's children, and in that regard it relates directly to the truth of 1John 1:8 added to 1John 3:9. The proper understanding of how our position as God's children is required to separate true doctrine from false when people are trying to understand the reason for the chastening of the Lord. This truth about chastisement causes a lot of confusion among the saved and most of that confusion is because they do not understand a basic concept of Law and read their Bible in verses and other partial sentences that are taken out of context.

1John 3:4 says Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. A basic concept of Law is that a transgression of the law requires two elements: the act and a charge brought in the legal system. A person who has diplomatic immunity can do the deed and still not break the law because they will not be charged in the legal system. The true children of God (John 1:12) have the seed of God (1John 3:9). 1John 3:9 has a colon in it which makes the two parts of the sentence equivalent. Both say essentially the same thing but say it two different ways. This not only allows people who can't understand one way to understand the other, but by saying it twice we have doctrine that is established by God (Genesis 41:32).

In 1John 3:9 we are told Whosoever is born of God [doth not/cannot] commit sin[for/because] [he is born of God/his seed remaineth in him]. Notice that the reason for no sin. It has nothing to do with the actions of the person and everything to do with his spiritual position given by God (his seed (God's spiritual life) remaineth in him). Basically, God gives His true children diplomatic immunity for sins and refuses to charge them in His criminal court of Law (great white throne judgment), no matter what they do. However, even though we can do nothing to force God to bring legal charges against us (1John 3:9), 1John 1:8 tells us that we can't lie about it and say that we never did the deeds of sin. If we don't confess and forsake the deeds of sin, God will punish us and that punishment can include death (Romans 6:16; 1John 5:16).

There is nothing in the Bible that teaches that any particular action of sin is beyond a saved person. That brings us back to our original sentence in Hebrews. Hebrews 12:4-5 tells us that we haven't been fighting the actions of sin in our lives to the point that it has killed us (Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin). In most cases, what actually happened was that God was trying to correct us and get us to stop sinning while we thought we were suffering from the world because we were doing right. That is, we are children of God, and God has exhorted us as children and we didn't listen enough to remember the exhortation. Now, the Lord is going to chasten and rebuke us as with sons. (See Leviticus 26:39-42; 2Samuel 6:7-10; 7:14; 13:13-14; Job 5:17-18; 13:15; 34:31-32; Psalms 89:30-5; 94:12-13; 118:18; 119:75; Proverbs 3:11-12; 13:24; 19:18; 23:13; Isaiah 42:16; 48:10; Jeremiah 31:18; Micah 7:9; Acts 14:22; 1Corinthians 11:32; 2Corinthians 6:9; James 1:12; Revelation 3:19.)

When people forget what the Lord says for us to do, and they commit sins, the Lord deals with them two different ways. His children he chastens and rebukes. The children of the devil the Lord records their sins for condemnation when they show up in His court. The basic message of Revelation is that Jesus Christ is Lord and as Lord He deals with the lost and the saved two different ways. We see the saved in this sentence says the same thing and if you find yourself treated as the Lord treats the lost then you're in trouble no matter what profession or religious deeds that you claim. Lord is used in this verse because it is through His role as Lord that the Son of God changes our legal status from being a son of Satan to being a son of God.

In addition, this sentence uses Lord because that is the role that the Son of God uses to judge His children. While our entrance into Heaven is secure because of our salvation at our initial profession (Romans 3:26), our reward or punishment in Heaven is directly related to how we build our personal relationship with God the Son after our initial profession. Since we receive rewards, and decrease punishment, in direct relationship to how much we become like Him through our spiritual maturity, He chastises us here in the flesh so that we will become more like Him and receive greater eternal rewards. A little pain here for great eternal rewards there is true love.

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Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 5- 6 is a single sentence. Please see the note for 12:5 under Lord and the other note for 12:5 under Son. The note under Lord deals with the chastening of the Lord. The note under Son deals with our position as God's children.

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Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Hebrews 12:7 starts with If and gives one of the possible conditional outcomes of chastening. This is explained in the notes for 12:5. Please see the note for 12:5 under Lord and the other note for 12:5 under Son. The note under Lord deals with the chastening of the Lord. The note under Son deals with our position as God's children.

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Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Hebrews 12:8 starts with But if and gives another of the possible conditional outcomes of chastening. This is explained in the notes for 12:5. Please see the note for 12:5 under Lord and the other note for 12:5 under Son. The note under Lord deals with the chastening of the Lord. The note under Son deals with our position as God's children.

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Verses within this Study.

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