Bible Study 101:
23. Outline of Hebrews, Complete
This will be “Bible Study 101: 23 Outline of Hebrews, Complete.”
Chapter 1, Old Testament evidence of deity of the Messiah
1–4: The simple assertion
5–14: Proof from Old Testament that Messiah is God . . . as Son
Chapter 2, evidence of fulfillment of prophecy in Jesus Christ
1–8: Eyewitness testimony of Christ’s ministry, signs, wonders, and miracles during His life; gifts of the Holy Ghost after ascension
9–18: Christ’s fulfillment of Old Testament requirements to provide the sacrifice for sin, redeem mankind, serve as high priest at the right hand of God
His identification in His incarnation, where He faced temptation, yet without sin, made possible His substitution as the spotless sacrifice in physical death on the cross to atone for our sins
For these reasons, He can now stand before the Father, a faithful and merciful High Priest, interceding for us
Chapter 3, answering Jewish concern about Jesus and the law
1–6: Jesus supersedes Moses: He is Son over His own house, while Moses was only a servant over someone else’s house
Therefore He could correctly bring forth the true spirit of the law, instead of the mere letter brought forth by the Jewish leaders
7–18: Meaning of Sabbath even in Old Testament: rest from works
Warning Christians not to follow example of unbelief set by Jews
Chapter 4, meaning of Sabbath for believers
1–11: Sabbath is rest from trying to be saved by works; believers in Christ are not under the law; live on basis of principle of love
12–16: Do not judge or condemn based on the letter of the law
God’s Word alone judges; does so by convicting hearers
God’s throne is a throne of grace, where we obtain mercy
Chapter 5, Jesus as high priest after the order of Melchisidec
Melchisidec was pre-incarnation manifestation of God as Son
1–10: Old Testament high priests required to offer sacrifice for their own sins, as well as the sins of others
Because Jesus did not need to offer sacrifice for His own sins, He was qualified to provide eternal salvation for others
11–14: warning that spiritual immaturity prevents understanding of deeper things in the Word
Chapter 6, moving beyond rudiments to advanced principles
1–8: If we fall away, we have no promise of being restored
9–12: Writer sees evidence of “better things,” but urges diligence
13–20: God’s promise in the first place, and His oath to confirm it, two immutable things as an anchor for our souls.
Chapter 7, justification and superiority of Christ’s priesthood
1–10: Character of Melchisidec as eternal, therefore divine; greater than Abraham, therefore greater than Levi; a priest continually
11–22: Christ’s priesthood, based on His endless life, by the decree and oath of God, supersedes the law that priests must be of the tribe of Levi; it is, therefore, a superior priesthood, and it ministers a superior testament
23–28: The limited life span of priests, together with their own sins, necessitated the consecration of a greater High Priest, based on His endless and sinless life, unto this eternal and unchangeable priesthood, by which He can save to uttermost
Chapter 8, Old Testament support for new testament replacing old
1–6: Old Testament was only an example and foreshadow of what were far greater heavenly realities
7–13: Old testament was inferior; new makes the previous old; law written on hearts better than law on tables of stone; old is ready to vanish away (Pauline theme: law done away)
Chapter 9, comparison of types and foreshadows to the reality
1–10: Description of old testament foreshadows: objects and rituals
11–14: Superiority of the reality: Christ’s offering and its effects
15–17: Principle: testament not in force without death of testator
18–22: Foreshadow: first testament in force by blood of sacrifices
23–28: Fulfillment/reality: better testament by blood of Christ, once for all, to bear away the sins of many
Chapter 10, repetition of sacrifices evidence of inferiority of types
1–4: If sacrifices themselves actually took away sins, they wouldn’t need to have been repeated year after year
5–9: Prophecies of Messiah reveal sacrificial purpose of His coming
10–14: Christ fulfilled the prophecies by one sacrifice for all time
15–18: Effect of Christ’s offering: sins removed; God’s laws written into hearts and minds; no more offering for sin
19–25: Our response: boldness, assurance, forgiveness, endurance, life as body of Christ, anticipation of Christ’s return
26–31: Seriousness of falling away: no more sacrifice for sins, thus, no promise or assurance of restoration of apostates
32–34: Recollection of past deeds indicating true conversion
35–39: Don’t rest on past laurels; endure to the end; Jesus soon to come; live by faith and don’t draw back; faith unto salvation is faith that endures to the end.
Chapter 11, meaning, effect, power, necessity, examples of faith
1: Meaning of faith: operates in invisible realm
2: Effect of faith: testimony
3: Power of faith: creation, visible from invisible
4–5: Examples of faith: Abel, Enoch
6: Necessity of faith: cannot please God without faith
7–12: Examples of faith: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah
13–16: Effect of faith: received promises, though invisible, God not ashamed to be called their God
17–38: Examples of faith: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses’ parents, Moses, children of Israel, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, even Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets, others whose experiences, but not their names, are given
39–40: Effect of faith: testimony
Notice: all the exploits of faith in this chapter do not represent the promise toward which they were looking, which was Christ’s coming and providing of the final sacrifice for sin
We must therefore beware that we not make more of little things, things of only temporal significance, instead of eternal things
{Luke 10:19–20} Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Chapter 12, our walk in light of those who have gone before
1–4: Need to give our all to run the race, not think we’ve arrived
5–13: Chastening for our good; do not resist, nor be discouraged
14–17: The true path: peace and holiness; beware of fleshly pitfalls
18–29: Danger of being careless: judgment of God; call to heed
Chapter 13, practical admonitions concerning Christian walk
1–6: Care for one another as Christians
7–9: Consider leaders; don’t follow strange doctrine (Ephesians 4)
10–16: Illustration from Old Testament to bear reproach of Christ, offer sacrifice of praise, doing good, communicating (sharing)
17: Reason to obey, submit to leaders: they must give account
18–25: Closing admonitions
18–19: Pray that he (writer, Paul) be restored to them sooner
20–21: Benediction
22: Plea to receive the exhortation (the whole letter)
23–25: Closing comments (reveal letter was written from Rome)