Hebrews 1:1-3 - An Introduction to the Book of Hebrews
Welcome to the Letter to the Hebrews
If we have not met yet, my name is Brad, and I get the privilege of being with us this week. Welcome, of course, to those joining us in this venue and to everyone joining across any of our campuses, gatherings, and venues throughout our city. We are so grateful to share this time with you.
If you have your Bibles, go ahead and turn to the letter to the Hebrews. While you are turning there, I want to draw your attention to something we put together for you. In your seat back, you will find a welcome card with a QR code at the top. We created an overview chart for the letter to the Hebrews. If you want to follow along, you can access that chart through the QR code. We will refer to it today as we walk through an overview of the book, and you can keep it handy on your phone or bring it with you throughout this series.
As you turn to Hebrews, let me set the stage. If you are new to the Bible, you need to know that you hold a fascinating collection of writings in your hands. It is not just a single book that reads straight from page one to the end. It is a compilation of sixty-six different books written by forty different authors over a period of fifteen hundred years. It was composed across three continents in three different languages, yet miraculously, it shares one central theme: the glory of God through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
There is simply no human way that sixty-six books could be assembled under those conditions and share the exact same centralized theme. The Bible explains this by telling us that men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. That is the only logical explanation for such perfect continuity. The Scriptures also tell us that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the person of God may be fully equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB)
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
We have a profound gift in having the Word of God today. Through it, we discover who God is, we learn who we are called to be, and our hearts are drawn deeper into knowing Him. It is an extraordinary piece of literature. As the psalmist tells us, the law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psalms 19:7-8 (NASB)
The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
If you have never really explored your Bible, you are in for a wonderful journey as we learn God’s Word together.
Your Bible is divided into two primary sections: thirty-nine books in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New Testament. Through the years here at The Well Community Church, we have taught through forty-one books of the Bible. Our goal is to eventually teach all sixty-six. We have taught all but twenty-four books of the Old Testament—Ezekiel still intimidates us a bit, and Isaiah frightens us, but we will get there! In the New Testament, we have taught through every single book except one: the letter to the Hebrews.
Over the years, whenever we would wrap up a preaching series, someone would inevitably suggest, “Hey, what do you think about teaching the book of Hebrews?” And like a pitcher on the mound, I would shake my head and say, “No, I don’t want to throw that pitch. Anything but Hebrews!” I say that with all the theological humility I can muster, because frankly, it is a very difficult book. Many people reading through their Bibles hit Hebrews and think, I have no idea what is going on here. Because of that, people tend to rush through it. Yet it is an absolute gem of Scripture, and I hope we will enjoy digging into it together.
The Puzzle and Canonization of Hebrews
Here is how one scholar described the unique challenge of this book:
“Hebrews is a delight to the person who enjoys puzzles. Its form is unusual, its setting in life is uncertain, and its argument is unfamiliar. It invites engagement in the task of defining the undefined. Undefined are the identity of the writer, his conceptual background, the character and location of the community addressed, the circumstances and date of composition, the setting in life, the nature of the crisis to which the document is in response… these things have been addressed and debated vigorously through the years, and yet there is no consensus to be reached.”
Hebrews is deeply intriguing primarily because of two major unknowns: we have no clear idea who wrote it, and we do not know with certainty who it was originally written to.
That reality created significant debates regarding its place in the biblical canon. For a New Testament writing to be recognized as Scripture, the primary requirement was apostolic authorship. It had to be written by one of the apostles. When you read the Gospel of John, there is no issue; we know John wrote it. Other books were accepted because of their close proximity to the apostles. Mark was not an apostle, but his gospel reflects the eyewitness testimony of Peter. Luke was not an apostle, but he thoroughly investigated the eyewitness accounts to write the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts.
With Hebrews, we simply do not know the author, and the historical church never reached a consensus on who penned it. Thankfully, the early church evaluated two other critical criteria for canonization: timeliness (it had to be written in the first century) and theological consistency.
This is where Hebrews truly shines. Even without knowing the author or original recipients, early church records show the letter was circulated, read, and treasured by early first- and second-century congregations. It was recognized as thoroughly sound for two main reasons. First, it constantly bridges back into the Old Testament, drawing rich Christological principles out of the ancient context. Second, its view of Christ is breathtakingly glorious. Because it was so rich and theologically profound, it was preserved, copied, and embraced.
It was not officially ratified across the entire Western church until the late fourth century. When Emperor Constantine moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium—renaming it Constantinople—the empire and the church began to divide between East and West. The Eastern Orthodox church affirmed Pauline authorship of Hebrews early on, so they accepted it readily. The Western church in Rome was more hesitant because they doubted Paul wrote it. It was not until the Council of Carthage in 397 AD that the Western church officially confirmed Hebrews as part of the twenty-seven books of our New Testament canon.
Literary Devices in Hebrews
Even though the human author remains anonymous, the text reveals several clear characteristics about who wrote it.
First, whoever wrote Hebrews was a linguistic genius. While letters like 1 and 2 Peter are written in relatively rough Greek, the letter to the Hebrews is a literary masterpiece. It reads like a polished, eloquent sermon in written form.
Second, the author possessed an exhaustive, intimate knowledge of the Old Testament. This is one reason modern readers find Hebrews difficult; we often lack the depth of Old Testament familiarity that the author assumed his readers had. The author employs three major literary devices throughout the book to connect the Old Testament to Jesus.
The first device is shadow. The author uses shadows to show that Old Testament institutions were previews of greater realities fulfilled in Christ.
Hebrews 10:1 (NASB)
For the Law, since it has [only] a shadow of the good things to come [and] not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.
You will see this concept repeatedly: the Old Testament system was a real shadow pointing toward the ultimate substance found in Christ.
The second device is allusion. The writer frequently alludes to Old Testament events without explicitly quoting chapter and verse.
Hebrews 12:24 (NASB)
and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than [the blood] of Abel.
That verse is a direct allusion to Genesis 4, where Cain murdered Abel. The author expects us to recognize Abel’s blood crying out from the ground, showing that Jesus’ sprinkled blood speaks a better word of redemption.
The third device is an Old Testament type. A type is an Old Testament person, event, or institution designed by God to prefigure a gospel reality. For example, Adam is a type of Jesus, who is the last Adam. The Passover lamb is a type of Christ, our sacrificial Lamb. The manna in the wilderness prefigures Jesus as the Bread of Life. In Hebrews 7, the author highlights a mysterious figure named Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:17 (NASB)
For it is attested [of Him], ‘YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.’
Melchizedek appears briefly in Genesis 14. He has no recorded genealogy, serves as both king and priest, and Abraham offers him a tithe. The Levitical priesthood came through Levi, but Jesus belongs to a different, superior, eternal priestly order prefigured by Melchizedek.
Third, the author clearly had a close, personal relationship with his audience.
Hebrews 13:19 (NASB)
And I urge [you] all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Notice how the author offers no background explanation of his circumstances. He simply says, “so that I may be restored to you sooner.” The recipients already knew where he was and what he was facing. Furthermore, the author had close ties to the apostle Paul’s inner circle.
Hebrews 13:23 (NASB)
Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you.
Timothy was Paul’s close disciple and pastor in Ephesus. The author knew Timothy well. People have speculated that Hebrews was written by Apollos, Luke, Paul, Barnabas, or Clement of Rome. If God wanted us to know the author’s name, He would have told us. Instead, God invites us to set aside speculation and simply enjoy the theological beauty of the text.
What matters most is the author’s supreme view of Jesus Christ. Hebrews exists to exalt Jesus above everything else. Look at how the book opens by describing the Son:
Hebrews 1:3 (NASB)
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Jesus is not a mere reflection like the moon reflecting the sun, nor an emanation or prophet. He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His divine nature. The author firmly articulates what theology calls the hypostatic union—that Jesus is fully God and fully man.
Understanding the Audience and Context
What can we learn about the original audience?
First, they were deeply grounded in Judaism. The author mentions Abraham, Moses, the Exodus, Mount Sinai, the Old Covenant, the Sabbath rest, the Tabernacle, and the Levitical priesthood without pausing to give a background lesson. In Hebrews 11, he provides a rapid-fire list of Old Testament figures, expecting his readers to know their stories intimately. As we walk through this book, we will dust off those Old Testament pages to understand how they point us straight to Christ.
Second, the original audience was enduring intense persecution.
Hebrews 10:32-34 (NASB)
But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.
These Jewish Christians had endured public ridicule, imprisonment, and the seizure of their property. Under the pressure of persecution from the Roman world and rejection by their Jewish communities, they were sorely tempted to abandon their confession of Christ, retreat to the safety of the old sacrificial system, and blend back in.
This historical setting helps us date the letter. The author never mentions the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD. In fact, he speaks of the priests offering daily sacrifices as an ongoing practice. This means the letter was almost certainly written prior to 70 AD, likely during the reign of Emperor Nero between 64 and 69 AD, when Christians were being systematically targeted and martyred.
Because of this immense pressure, the believers were in danger of drifting away.
Hebrews 2:1 (NASB)
For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away [from it].
That warning captures the heartbeat of the entire letter: Jesus is superior to everything you left behind. Hold fast to Him, endure the storm, and do not drift away.
The Central Theme: Jesus Is Better
The title “Hebrews” comes from a root word meaning “to cross over” or “to go beyond.” It was used of Abraham and his descendants who crossed over the Euphrates to the Promised Land, becoming a designation for the Jewish people.
The unifying theme of the entire book can be stated in three simple words: Jesus is better.
Throughout the letter, the author proves systematically that Jesus is better than anything that came before Him. Jesus is better than the prophets, better than the angels, better than Moses, better than Joshua, better than Aaron, better than Melchizedek, and better than the entire Levitical sacrificial system.
The book can be divided into three major themes:
- Jesus is better in His personhood.
- Jesus is better in His priesthood.
- Jesus is better in His promises.
Structurally, the first ten chapters focus heavily on doctrinal instruction, establishing who Christ is and how the Old Covenant pointed to Him. Beginning in chapter 11, the tone shifts decidedly toward pastoral exhortation, urging believers to live out their faith courageously in light of these truths.
Hebrews 13:22 (NASB)
But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.
Hebrews highlights the three classical offices of Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King.
He is the ultimate Prophet.
Hebrews 1:1-2 (NASB)
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
He is our great High Priest, who did not need to offer repeated animal sacrifices for His own sins, but offered Himself once for all on the cross, taking His seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
He is our eternal King, whose righteous throne will never end.
He is the Eternal Son who created all things, the Perfect Savior whose sacrifice is completely finished, and the Good Shepherd who leads us safely home. Along the way, the author weaves six solemn warning passages, cautioning us against drifting from truth, disbelieving the gospel, delaying spiritual maturity, deliberately sinning, despising God’s discipline, and denying His voice.
Three Invitations for Our Journey
As we embark on this study of Hebrews together, I believe God has three specific invitations for our church family.
First, this book will force us to grow spiritually.
The gospel is fundamentally opposed to earning, but it is not opposed to effort. We are saved entirely by grace through faith, not by works. Yet Christian growth requires intentionality. We cannot simply coast into spiritual maturity.
Hebrews 5:12-14 (NASB)
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes [only] of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
At The Well, we want to continually raise the bar of spiritual depth. Let us not be content with spiritual infancy, surviving solely on baby formula. This book contains solid spiritual meat. Digging into it will require you to open your Bible, take notes, engage in your life groups, ask tough questions, and wrestle with rich doctrine. We are walking this road together as a community of faith.
Second, this book will raise our sights to see Christ afresh.
Hebrews 12:1-3 (NASB)
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Our view of Jesus is often far too small. If asked to describe our Christology, many of us might exhaust our understanding in just a couple of minutes. But Christology is like a brilliant, multi-faceted diamond. As we slowly turn this book, we will see new angles of His glory, majesty, supremacy, and sufficiency that will anchor our souls.
Third, this book invites us to draw near to our Savior.
Our greatest need is not merely more data or intellectual information. Our profound need is genuine intimacy with the living God. Hebrews does not merely educate our minds; it bids our hearts to come close.
Hebrews 4:16 (NASB)
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The goal of theology is doxology and relationship. As we see how great our High Priest is, we are invited to approach the throne of grace with holy boldness, receiving mercy and finding grace in our time of need.
Buckle your seatbelts as we journey through Hebrews together. Let us take it one step at a time, fixing our eyes on Jesus, who alone is worthy.
Let’s pray.
Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You that we can study, practice, and apply Your truth so that our lives bring You glory. Thank You for the letter to the Hebrews. Despite the questions surrounding its background, we thank You for the absolute clarity it provides regarding the supremacy of Your Son. Teach us, stretch us, and draw us closer to Jesus throughout this study. We pray all this in His mighty name. Amen.