The theme of Hebrews is the legitimacy and sufficiency of Jesus as the Christ, the only hope of salvation. To drive this home, the writer begins by showcasing Jesus as the Son of God, the agent of creation and of redemption. From there, he will explain Jesus as better than the angels, better than human mediators, holding a better priesthood, mediator of a better covenant, and author of a better life.

“Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame’.” (1 Peter 2:6, NKJV) 

On a trip to London, I had opportunity to visit the British museum. Something I was particularly eager to see was the Rosetta stone. It dates to the second century B. C. and features a decree published in two languages, Egyptian and Greek, and three writing systems. It aided in the translation of Egyptian hieroglyphics. 

The New Testament book of Hebrews can be seen to function as the Rosetta stone of the Bible. The writer of the book is unidentified and the book itself is difficult to classify, bearing hallmarks of an epistle, a sermon, and a theological treatise. 

One thing Hebrews makes clear – the whole of Bible has to do with Jesus Christ. He is the interpretive key. He is the ultimate expression of the promises, prophesies, and previews contained throughout the Old Testament. The sacrificial system that lies at the heart of Old Testament intercourse with God is seen as a shadow cast by the reality of the Messiah to come.

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