For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Introductory thoughts

• The Hebrew writer (c.66-68 AD) urges his readers not to be drawn away from Christ to Judaism.
• To this end, the writer makes an extended comparison -- the new is better than the old; Christianity is better than Judaism.
• The Hebrew writer thinks many Christians can't handle meaty teaching; for them, it's all milk (Heb 5:11-14). Which kind of Bible student am I going to be? Which word describes the maturity of my faith and teaching, meaty or milky?
• Consider the Latin adjectives super, superior, supremus (positive, comparative, and superlative forms). Nothing is higher than supreme.

Christ is superior in many ways:

• Prophets
• Angels
• Moses
• Joshua
• Sabbath
• High priest
• Covenant
• Tabernacle
• Sacrifices

Yet Christ is beyond superior; he's supreme!

• Eternal (1:2, 7:18, etc -- present at creation, and remains forever).
• Divine ruler (1:3, 12:2 -- as he sits at the right hand of the Father).
• Above the angels -- divine (1:6 -- if he's worshiped by the angels, then he's above their level; he's not a mere man, nor an angel, but God).
• God (1:8 -- Christ is addressed "Your throne, O God...").
• Incarnate God (2:14 -- he came to share in our humanity [the incarnation], which means he was no mere enlightened human teacher, but divine).
• Great Shepherd (13:20 -- but the Lord is our Shepherd, as in Psalm 23, hence Jesus Christ is God).
• To Him be glory forever (13:21 -- again, suggesting his deity).

Supremacy: illustrations

• Einstein superior to Newton, who was superior to the ancient Greeks... but only God is supreme.
• An athlete batting 400 is superior the one batting 200, but who bats 1000? No one could possibly be better.
• A trillion (1,000,000,000,000) is much greater than a million (1,000,000), but ∞ (100000000000...0000 ad infinitum) is supreme!

Conclusion

• Christ is not only superior; he is supreme.
• He is supreme because he is God.
• And since he is God, he deserves our worship.
• May this insight inspire us today!

Further study

• Back from the Edge: A Study of Hebrews (10 lessons, audio).
• Perseverance: Hanging on to Jesus Through Hebrews (John Oakes, 8 hours audio with 44 pages of notes + PowerPoint)
• AIM Exposition of Hebrews (12 lessons, DVD), to be published Spring 2014 by IPI.

Next up: 1-2 Peter -- In His Steps.