In a previous article on the introduction of Jesus in the book of Hebrews, I said “It presents Him as above angels, as the ultimate High Priest, as better than Moses, as the source of a new-and-improved covenant, as the perfect Sacrifice presented in the heavenly Temple, as the “author and perfecter of faith”, as the unchanging Lord of a kingdom that cannot be shaken.” I then said that each of those phrases deserved its own article (or its own books!) I considered doing just that, an article per phrase. But I’ll try to squeeze them all down into a single article. We’ll see!
Above Angels
…When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
Hebrews 1:3-4
First, chapter 1 says that Jesus is above the angels. That may seem like “Duh, thanks, Captain Obvious!” But consider how much credit and power people have always ascribed to angelic beings. The author quotes several Old Testament passages indicating that the Son is greater. The chapter ends with describing angels’ true place in the heavenly hierarchy: They are here to serve us, as God’s children! (Hebrews 1:14)
Note: You can read more about angels in this article.
Chapter 2 goes on to say that Jesus voluntarily — and temporarily! — became “a little lower than the angels” (Hebrews 2:9) so that He could identify with humanity. He was tempted like we are, so He knows what it’s like. He died like we do, so that He could defeat death and disarm its power over us. He did all that for us, for human beings; He doesn’t provide that kind of redemption to angels.
This leads in to a teaser in Hebrews 2:17 that this experience makes Jesus perfect as a High Priest on our behalf. More on that later….
Better Than Moses
Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house.
Hebrews 3:5-6a (for more, see Hebrews 3:2-6)
Here, the writer is putting Jesus above Moses, the most revered person in Biblical history. Moses was the leader of the Exodus, the giver of the Law, and the first intercessor between the fledgling nation and their God. But now, we’re told that he was only great as a servant in God’s house. Jesus, however, is not a servant 1. He’s the Son, and the builder of that house. Christians don’t call ourselves the “household of faith” (1 Peter 2:4-5) for nothing!
The rest of chapter 3 and most of chapter 4 are a side trip warning the Jewish-Christian readers not to be as obstinate as Moses’ people were. That passage already has its own article, called “Entering God’s Rest“, so I won’t repeat that information here.
Ultimate High Priest
And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 5:9-10 (For more context, see Hebrews 5:1-10.)
The end of chapter 4 and all the way through the first half of chapter 10 compares the priesthood ministry of Jesus to that of His predecessors. (An exception is the “Falling Away” warning in chapter 6, telling readers that since Jesus is so superior, a choice to reject Him leaves nowhere else to turn.) The argument is built in stages: that Jesus is an eternal priest rather than a limited one, that He is the priest of a new covenant superseding the old one, that He serves in a higher Temple of which the earthly one is only a copy, and that He offers a better sacrifice than the Levitical priests could do.
Eternal Priest
Begun in chapter 5 and then elaborated in chapter 7, the author describes Jesus as a priest “according to the order of Melchizedek”. Who?
The reference is to Genesis 14:17-20, where Abram (Abraham) encountered a mysterious otherwise-unknown priest/king after a military victory 2. The name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”. The man is said by the text to be the king of Salem, a word that means “peace”. This king of Righteousness who was also the king of Peace brought bread and wine to Abram, blessed him, and received from him a tithe of the spoils of battle. Nothing is said of Melchizedek’s lineage or anything else about his history. The only other mention of him in the Bible is hundreds of years later, in a Messianic prophecy by King David.
The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind,
Psalm 110
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 7:1-17 argues that, like Melchizedek, Jesus is a king of righteousness and peace with a priesthood that knows no beginning and no end. He will serve at intermediary between God and man forever (1 Timothy 2:5-6). Then Hebrews 7:23-28 contends that Jesus is superior to the Levitical priests because, since He will never die as they do, His service and the sacrifice He offers will remain in effect forever.
New-and-Improved Covenant
But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.
Hebrews 8:6
Chapter 8 and the beginning of chapter 9 go on to describe Jesus-the-High-Priest’s ministry as mediator of a long-promised new Covenant between God and man. This covenant supersedes the one established through Moses at Mt. Sinai.
That Mosaic Covenant was central to all of Jewish life and faith. But the Hebrews author reminds readers that it must not have been perfect, because God had the prophet Jeremiah foretell a coming replacement: “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
Jesus initiated that new covenant. He is the One who makes it possible, and the One who will forever stand as the High Priest who implements it.
Higher Temple
For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
Hebrews 9:24
The next point of superiority is that Jesus does not offer His sacrifice in the earthly Temple. That one was only a copy of the true seat of God’s power in Heaven. Exodus 25:40, in the midst of three chapters giving detailed instructions for the Tabernacle to be built, shows God re-iterating to Moses that he was to build it as an exact copy of what he had been shown: “See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.“
The human High Priests took an annual sacrifice into the Most Holy Place within the Tabernacle/Temple. Jesus took His sacrifice directly to the throne of God!
Perfect Sacrifice
For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrews 9:13-14
Finally, the writer comes to the ultimate superiority of Jesus: the sacrifice He offers on our behalf. Whereas the priests offered animal sacrifices, Jesus gave Himself. While their sacrifices had to be repeated continually, “He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD…For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:11-14)
Note: Another article discussing Jesus as the ultimate High Priest can be found here.
Author and Perfecter of Faith, Lord of an Unshakable Kingdom
Chapter 10 ends with a third warning not to fall back into old habits, depending on Jewish ritual law instead of Jesus and His sacrifice. That warning is further discussed in the article “A Terrifying God“.
Chapter 11 is a famous “roll call of faith” listing heroes who spent their lives trusting in God even during difficult times.
Chapter 12 then encourages the readers to continue in that tradition “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2), the One who “is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). The Greek for “author”, archēgos, means more than simply “writer”; it means “chief” or “prince” or “leader”. Similarly, “perfecter” (Greek teleiōtēs) means “completer” or “consummator”. Jesus is the ultimate end of all the history that He began 3.
Even in the most difficult of circumstances, we can endure God’s loving discipline (Hebrews 12:7-11), encourage one another, and look forward to our future in Christ’s kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28).
Bottom Line
This wonderful book teaches what high Hope we have in Jesus, and why. The more I read it, the more I’m impressed by its depth. Beyond that, and as the writer intended, I come away even more impressed with Jesus!
He is above every other option, whether angels or Moses, the Jewish law and priestly sacrifices, or any other method ever considered as a way of being “right with God”.
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:19-22
Note: Another article on this site that explains Jesus’ unique superiority is “Jesus, Only Jesus“.
Footnotes and Scripture References
- Although He became a Servant for our sake.
- His nephew Lot had been caught up in a war between several area kings, and had been captured. Abram and his men pursued and defeated the captors and rescued Lot. The story can be found in Genesis 14.
- In other places, the Bible uses the term “Alpha and Omega” to convey this same idea.