The book of Hebrews builds its central argument through a series of powerful comparisons. The author systematically places Jesus alongside the most significant figures, institutions, and covenants from Israel's history—angels, prophets, priests, and the law itself.
The primary goal of this method is to demonstrate in every possible way that Jesus is superior and represents the complete fulfillment of everything that came before. For us, understanding these key comparisons is the essential first step to unlocking the profound message of this letter.
Through these comparisons, the author creates a comprehensive argument for why followers of Jesus should remain faithful to Him, even in the face of persecution or temptation to return to old religious systems.
Jesus is the undeniable central figure of the entire letter, the one to whom all others are compared. The author presents him through a variety of majestic titles that build a cumulative case for his supreme identity and work.
The author of Hebrews presents Jesus as the final and perfect sacrifice for sin, who offered himself once for all to put away sin (Hebrews 9:26, 10:12).
Learning Narrative: To establish Jesus's supreme greatness, the author begins by comparing him to the most powerful beings in the heavenly realm: the angels.
Angels are described as "ministering spirits" (Hebrews 1:14) sent by God to serve and who, in the past, were responsible for delivering God's word (Hebrews 2:2).
The author draws a sharp contrast between the nature of angels and the nature of the Son, illustrating Jesus's superiority with a series of direct comparisons.
| Angels (The Servants) | Jesus (The Son) |
|---|---|
| They are "ministering spirits" sent to serve. (Heb. 1:14) | He is the Son with an eternal throne. (Heb. 1:8) |
| They are commanded to worship the Son. (Heb. 1:6) | He has a "more excellent name" than they do. (Heb. 1:4) |
| The future world is not subject to them. (Heb. 2:5) | All things are put in subjection under his feet. (Heb. 2:8) |
The practical point of this comparison is a solemn warning. If the message delivered by angels was binding and brought just punishment for disobedience, then the salvation announced by the far superior Son is critically important and must not be neglected (Hebrews 2:1-3).
Learning Narrative: After establishing Jesus's superiority over angels, the author turns to one of the most revered human figures in Israel's history: Moses.
Moses is identified as the foundational leader of Israel. He was recognized as being faithful in all of God's house (Hebrews 3:2) and was the one who delivered God's law and the pattern for building the earthly tabernacle (Hebrews 8:5).
Notice how the author honors Moses's faithfulness but uses it to highlight the greater glory of Jesus through a brilliant analogy.
This comparison elevates Jesus from the category of a faithful servant to the divine owner. The author's logic is that while Moses was a crucial part of the house, Jesus is its builder—and as Hebrews 3:4 states, "he that built all things is God." The implication is profound: Moses served God, but Jesus is God, making his authority fundamentally and eternally greater.
Learning Narrative: Just as Jesus is superior to the law-giver Moses, his work is also the fulfillment of the promises made to the father of the nation, Abraham.
Abraham is presented as the great patriarch of the nation of Israel and the primary example of a person who lived by faith. He trusted in God's promises even when they seemed impossible, obeying God's call and believing in his power to raise the dead (Hebrews 11:8-19).
Abraham is presented in two significant ways in Hebrews:
Abraham's story demonstrates that true faith has always been about trusting in a future reality—a "better country, that is, an heavenly" one (Hebrews 11:16)—which is the very reality that Jesus ultimately secures for all believers.
Learning Narrative: The author's most complex argument for Jesus's superiority involves a little-known figure who received honor from Abraham himself: Melchizedek.
Melchizedek is introduced as a "priest of the most high God" and a king who appears only briefly in the story of Abraham (Hebrews 7:1). The author highlights his mysterious description in Scripture, noting he is presented "without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life" (Hebrews 7:3).
The author uses Melchizedek to construct a careful argument for why Jesus's priesthood is superior to the traditional Levitical priesthood. The logic unfolds in three steps:
The ultimate point of this intricate argument is to prove that the old system of priests and sacrifices was temporary and imperfect, limited by the mortality of its priests (Hebrews 7:23) and the ineffectiveness of its sacrifices (Hebrews 10:4). By establishing Jesus's priesthood in the eternal order of Melchizedek, the author demonstrates that Jesus provides a perfect, permanent, and far superior way for people to draw near to God (Hebrews 7:19, 7:24-25).
The argument of Hebrews is a cumulative one, with each comparison building upon the last to present an undeniable portrait of Christ's supremacy. As the table below summarizes, he is superior to angels, Moses, Abraham, and the entire priestly system.
| Figure | Their Role (Old Way) | How Jesus is Better (New Way) |
|---|---|---|
| Angels | Messengers of God's Word | He is God's Son, whom they worship. |
| Moses | Faithful servant in God's house | He is the Son over God's house; its builder. |
| Abraham | Father of faith who received a promise | He is the fulfillment of the promise and the source of faith. |
| Melchizedek | A model of an eternal priest | He is the eternal High Priest of Melchizedek's order. |
The author's goal is not simply to win a theological argument, but to inspire unwavering confidence in his readers. Because Jesus is the ultimate reality to which all others pointed, we are called to "hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)" (Hebrews 10:23).