1. HEBREWS THE SUPERIORITY OF JESUS CHRIST

2. WHO WROTE HEBREWS?  Traditional View: Paul (see heading in KJV). Not likely  Letter itself is anonymous  Other suggestions: Barnabas, Luke, Apollos, Priscilla  Origen (4 th Century): “Only God knows”

3. IS HEBREWS A LETTER?  Ends like other NT letters (13:18-25)  But doesn’t begin like other letters (no address, greeting, etc.)  Some indications it may have originally been an oral presentation:  5:11 – “I have much to say....”  11:32 – “Time would fail me to tell of....”  13:22 – “Bear with my word of exhortation”  Possibly an early Christian sermon, later put in letter form

4. PURPOSE  Recipients apparently Jewish Christians whose faith was tired  Possibly experiencing persecution, also longing for their former religion  Argues against a return to Judaism by showing that Jesus is far superior  Gives repeated warnings against sin of “apostasy” (turning back from Christ) & its consequences

5. IMPORTANT THEMES  Jesus as God’s last & greatest revelation of His will  Jesus as our great High Priest  Jesus as the bringer of a New Covenant, superior to the Old  Examples of Faithful Endurance

6. LESSONS FOR TODAY 1. Our New Covenant faith springs from the _______ Covenant, & the Old helps us ___________ the New. 2. Religious ___________ is no substitute for _____________ reality. 3. In a world of competing religious views, Christ is still the “______________” (& only) way. 4. ______________ is a terrible reality, & the warnings of Hebrews apply to _____ today.

7. KEY VERSE “Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” Hebrews 9:15