by Bonnie Calhoun

Today let's explore the theme of the book of Hebrews.

It deals with the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as revealer and as mediator of God's grace. The prologue (1:1-4) presents Christ as God's full and final revelation and it states that Jesus Christ is superior in every respect to the Law. In other words...there would be no others that would surpass the message that Jesus had for the world.

He also far surpassed the limited preliminary revelation given in the Old Testament. The prophecies and promises of the Old Testament are fulfilled in the "new covenant" (or "new testament"), of which Christ is the mediator.

From the Old Testament itself, Christ is shown to be superior to the ancient prophets, to angels, to Moses (the mediator of the former covenant) and to Aaron and the priestly succession descended from him. Hebrews could be called "the book of better things" since the two Greek words for "better" and "superior" occur 15 times in the letter!

Practical applications of this theme are given throughout the book. The readers are told that there can be no turning back to or continuation in the old Jewish system of sacrifices or regulations, which has been superseded by the unique priesthood of Christ. Some have suggested that these professing Jewish Christians were thinking of merging with a Jewish sect, such as the one at Qumran near the Dead Sea. It has also been suggested that the recipients were from the "large number of priests who became obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7).

The point was that God's people now must look only to him, whose atoning death, resurrection and ascension have opened the way into the true, heavenly sanctuary of God's presence. Resisting temptations to give up the struggle, believers must presevere in the spiritual contest to which they have committed themselves.

Otherwise they may meet with judgment as did the rebellious generation of Israelites in the desert!