Study Desk

God, having spoken in former times in fragmentary and varied fashion to our forefathers by the prophets,[xr]

has in these last days spoken to us by a Son whom he appointed to be the heir of everything and through whom he also made the universe.[xr]

He is the reflection[fn] of God's glory and the exact likeness of his being, and he holds everything together by his powerful word. After he had provided a cleansing from sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Highest Majesty[xr]

and became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is better than theirs.[xr]

For to which of the angels did God[fn] ever say, "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father"?[fn] Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"?[fn][xr]

And again, when he brings[fn] his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."[fn][xr]

Now about the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire."[fn][xr]

But about the Son he says,[xr] "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is a righteous scepter.

You have loved righteousness[xr] and hated wickedness. That is why God, your God, anointed you rather than your companions with the oil of gladness."[fn]

And,[xr] "In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

They will come to an end,[xr] but you will remain forever. They will all wear out like clothes.

You will roll them up like a robe, and they will be changed like clothes. But you remain the same, and your years will never end."[fn]

But to which of the angels did he ever say,[xr] "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"?[fn]

All of them are spirits on a divine mission, sent to serve those who are about to inherit salvation, aren't they?[xr]

For this reason we must pay closer attention to the things we have heard, or we may drift away.

For if the message spoken by angels was reliable, and every violation and act of disobedience received its just punishment,Numbers 15:30-31; Deuteronomy 4:3; 27:26; 33:2; Psalm 68:17; Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19;">[xr]

how will we escape if we neglect a salvation as great as this? It was first proclaimed by the Lord himself, and then it was confirmed to us by those who heard him,Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:14; Luke 1:2; Hebrews 1:2; 10:28-29; 12:25;">[xr]

while God added his testimony through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.Mark 16:20; Acts 2:22,43; 14:3; 19:11; Romans 15:18-19; 1 Corinthians 2:4; Ephesians 1:5,9;">[xr]

For he did not put the coming world we are talking about under the control of angels.Hebrews 6:5; 2 Peter 3:13;">[xr]

Instead, someone has declared somewhere,Job 1:7:17; Psalm 8:4; 144:3;">[xr] "What is man that you should remember him, or the son of man that you should care for him?

You made him a little lower than the angels, yet you crowned him with glory and honor

and put everything under his feet."Psalm 8:5-7 (LXX)">[fn]Matthew 28:18; 1 Corinthians 15:25,27; Ephesians 1:22; Hebrews 1:13;">[xr] Now when Godhe">[fn] put everything under him, he left nothing outside his control. However, at the present time we do not yet see everything put under him.

But we do see someone who was made a little lower than the angels. He is Jesus, who is crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace ofso that apart from">[fn] God he might experiencetaste">[fn] death for everyone.John 3:16; 12:32; Acts 2:33; Romans 5:18; 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Philippians 2:7-9; 1 Timothy 2:6; 1 John 2:2; Revelation 5:9;">[xr]

In bringing many children to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering.Luke 13:32; 24:46; Acts 3:15; 5:31; Romans 11:36; Hebrews 5:9; 12:2;">[xr]

For both the one who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified all have the same Father.are all of one">[fn] That is why Jesushe">[fn] is not ashamed to call them brothersMatthew 28:10; John 20:17; Acts 17:26; Romans 8:29; Hebrews 10:10,14;">[xr]

when he says, "I will announce your name to my brothers. I will praise you within the congregation."Psalm 22:22">[fn]Psalm 22:22,25;">[xr]

And again, "I will trust him."Isaiah 8:17 (LXX)">[fn] And again, "I am here with the children God has given me."Isaiah 8:18">[fn]Psalm 18:2; Isaiah 8:18; 12:2; John 17:6,9, 11-12; 20:29;">[xr]

Therefore, since the children have flesh and blood, he himself also shared the same things, so that by his death he might destroy the one who has the power of death (that is, the devil)John 1:14; Romans 8:3; 1 Corinthians 15:54-55; Philippians 2:7; Colossians 2:15; 2 Timothy 1:10;">[xr]

and might free those who were slaves all their lives because they were terrified by death.Luke 1:74; Romans 8:15; 2 Timothy 1:7;">[xr]

For it is clear that he did not come to help angels. No, he came to help Abraham's descendants.

Thus he had to become like his brothers in every way, so that he could be a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God and could atone for the people's sins.Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 4:15; 5:1-2;">[xr]

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.Hebrews 4:15-16; 5:2; 7:25;">[xr]

Therefore, holy brothers, partners in a heavenly calling, keep your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.Romans 1:7; 15:8; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 3:14; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 2:17; 4:14; 5:5; 6:20; 8:1; 9:11; 10:21; 2 Peter 1:10;">[xr]

He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was in all God'shis">[fn] household.Numbers 12:7; Hebrews 12:5;">[xr]

For he is worthy of greater glory than Moses in the same way that the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.Zechariah 6:12; Matthew 16:18;">[xr]

After all, every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.Ephesians 2:10; 3:9; Hebrews 1:2;">[xr]

Moses was faithful in all God'shis">[fn] household as a servant who was to testify to what would be said later,Exodus 14:31; Numbers 12:7; Deuteronomy 3:24; Joshua 1:2; 8:31; Hebrews 3:2;">[xr]

but Christ was faithfulwas faithful">[fn] as the Son in charge of God'shis">[fn] household, and we are his household if we hold on to our courage and the hope that we boast about.the boast of our hope">[fn]Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Romans 5:2; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:21-22; Colossians 1:23; 1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 1:2; 2:14; 6:11; 10:35; 1 Peter 2:5;">[xr]

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,2 Samuel 23:2; Psalm 95:7; Acts 1:16; Hebrews 3:15;">[xr] "Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your heartsas they did when they provoked meduring the time of testing in the wilderness.

There your ancestors tested me, even though they had seen my works

for forty years. That is why I was indignant with that generation and said, 'They are always going astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.'

So in my anger I swore a solemn oaththat they would never enter my rest."Psalm 95:7-11">[fn]

See to it, my brothers, that no evil, unbelieving heart is found in any of you, as shown by your turning away from the living God.

Instead, continue to encourage one another every day, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

For we are Christ's partners only if we hold on to our original confidence to the end.to the end">[fn]Hebrews 3:6;">[xr]

As it is said,Hebrews 3:7;">[xr] "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as they did when they provoked me."Psalm 95:7-8">[fn]

Now who heard him and provoked him? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt ledled">[fn] by Moses?Numbers 14:2,4, 11,24, 30; Deuteronomy 1:34,36, 38,11, 24,30;">[xr]

And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned and whose bodies fell in the wilderness?Numbers 14:22,29; 26:65; Psalm 106:26; 1 Corinthians 10:5; Jude 1:5;">[xr]

And to whom did he swear that they would never enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed him?Numbers 14:30; Deuteronomy 1:34-35;">[xr]

So we see that they were unable to enter because of their unbelief.Hebrews 4:6;">[xr]

Therefore, as long as the promise of entering his rest remains valid, let us be afraid lest someone among you fails to reach it.Hebrews 12:15;">[xr]

For we have had the good news told to us as well as to them, but the message they heard did not help them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened to it.

For we who have believed are entering that rest, just as he has said,Psalm 95:11; Hebrews 3:11,14;">[xr] "So in my anger I swore a solemn oaththat they would never enter my rest,"Psalm 95:11">[fn] even though his works had been finished since the foundation of the world.

For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day as follows: "On the seventh day God rested from all his works,"Genesis 2:2">[fn]Genesis 2:2; Exodus 20:11; 31:17;">[xr]

and again in this place, "They will never enter my rest."Psalm 95:11">[fn]

Therefore, since it is still true that some will enter it, and since those who once heard the good news failed to enter it because of their disobedience,Hebrews 3:19;">[xr]

he again fixes a definite day - "Today" - saying long afterward through David, as already quoted,Psalm 95:7; Hebrews 3:7;">[xr] "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."Psalm 95:7-8">[fn]

For if JoshuaJesus) appears to be a word play on the name Joshua.">[fn] had given them rest, he would not have spoken later about another day.

There remains, therefore, a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

For the one who enters God'shis">[fn] rest has himself rested from his own works, just as God diddid">[fn] from his.

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fail by following their example of disobedience.Hebrews 3:12,18-19;">[xr]

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow, as it judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart.Proverbs 5:4; Isaiah 49:2; Jeremiah 23:29; 1 Corinthians 14:24-25; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5; Ephesians 6:17; 1 Peter 1:23; Revelation 1:16; 2:16;">[xr]

No creature can hide from him, but all are naked and helpless before the eyes of the one to whom we must give a word of explanation.Job 1:26:6; 34:21; Psalm 33:13-14; 90:8; 139:11-12; Proverbs 15:11;">[xr]

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us continue to hold on to our confession.Hebrews 3:1; 7:26; 10:23;">[xr]

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.Isaiah 53:3; Luke 22:28; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 2:18; 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5;">[xr]

So let us keep on coming with boldness to the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.Ephesians 2:18; 3:12; Hebrews 10:19,21-22;">[xr]