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When Jesus was executed outside the city walls of Jerusalem (John 19:17-20), it symbolized how the old covenant elements, such as the temple and sacrifices, pointed to Christ’s true sacrifice (Hebrews 9:23-24) and the idea of being rejected. Jesus died to sanctify believers. His being “cast out” represents something undesirable. Yet, He endured this for our sake (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus, God’s Son, shed His blood for our sins.

Main Text: Hebrews 13:10-12 (ESV)

The new covenant is not a “plan B” but part of God’s original plan. Jesus Christ and His gospel have always delivered the same message throughout history, as seen in the faith heroes of chapter 11 and other spiritual leaders.

Main Text: Hebrews 13:7-9 (ESV)

The author encourages Christians to trust in God rather than feeling dissatisfied with their circumstances. Although this idea is logical, it can be difficult during crises. With God, the Creator, assuring us of His care (1 Peter 5:7) and His work of turning our lives for good (Romans 8:28), we have no reason to fear.

Jesus taught that our words and actions are examined by God (Matthew 12:36) and that how we treat others reflects our love for Him (Matthew 10:40-42). He linked good deeds to caring for those in need, strangers, and prisoners (Matthew 25:34-40), like the audience in Hebrews who are fellow believers, strangers, and prisoners (Hebrews 13:3). The idea that actions toward strangers could involve angels points to times in Scripture when people met angels without knowing it (Genesis 18:1-3; 19:1-3).

Main Text: Hebrews 13:1-3 (ESV)

Remarkably, one can be despised by the world yet feel such joy. God’s joy is not merely the absence of hardship. God’s Joy is the presence of Jesus. Moreover, God’s joy might be the most reliable indicator of Jesus’ presence in the life of a born-again believer. 

Are you willing to approach God feeling poor in spirit? Are you willing to acknowledge emptiness? I have nothing. I recognize who I truly am. I’m a destitute sinner in the eyes of God, and I lament over that. I feel sorrowful. All I want is for God to forgive me and to show me His mercy. That is the way to enter the kingdom. That’s how you arrive there. Being poor in spirit and mourning—He will welcome you. God will place within you a joy that cannot be found anywhere else.

Key points

1. Jesus Gives Us Mercy:  Now, we find ourselves at this next beatitude of mercy, where Jesus addresses us, saying, “My children, I cherish you with an everlasting love and have shown you a form of mercy that surpasses anything you can fathom. You cannot fully comprehend how much you have offended Me or how serious your sins have been against My Father, yet I have completely erased your sins from your record—past, present, and future; I have treated you as if they no longer exist.

2. God Desires Us to Give What We Are Given: Peter asks Jesus, if he should I only forgive my brother seven times? Jesus said that He expected Peter to forgive as often as Peter himself had been forgiven by Jesus—endlessly.

3. What Will You Do with God’s Mercy: God gave David two separate opportunities to kill Saul on different occasions. Both times, David chose to show Saul great mercy. We will consider the second occasion found in 1 Samuel 26:23-24.

Main Text 

Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)

The original Greek contains details lost in English translations. The English focus only on gratitude, the Greek appears to connect our reception of God’s kingdom with the concept of grace; this aligns with the broader biblical perspective on salvation, which is depicted as accessible solely through God’s grace (Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). We receive membership in this unshakeable kingdom by grace, and through that same grace, we are enabled to present eternally acceptable sacrifices (Hebrews 10:14; Romans 12:1). The Greek term referring to “sacrifice” is associated with both service and worship.

Main Text: Hebrews 12:27-29 (ESV)

This letter is addressed to Jewish Christians who are experiencing a certain degree of persecution. The challenge they encounter is the temptation to revert to a religion that is more socially acceptable; this reinforces the same idea as the rest of the letter: that God will exchange something transient for something everlasting. Just as the old covenant was succeeded by the new, the old creation will give way to the new heavens and the new earth.

Main Text: Hebrews 12:24-26 (ESV)

The phrase “the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” is somewhat unclear. The word translated as “assembly” here is commonly translated as “church.” Since these are individuals in heaven, the term “firstborn” appears to align with verses like 2 Thessalonians 2:13 and James 1:18, where redeemed Christians are described as the “first fruits” of God—while an earthly family has only one “firstborn,” all Christians partake in this distinction as children of God. Similarly, the notion of being “enrolled” hints at the Book of Life referenced in Revelation 3:5, Luke 10:20, and Daniel 12:1. Hence, the “spirits of the righteous made perfect” likely refers to the congregation of saved souls who await those who will accept Christ.

Main Text: Hebrews 12:21-23 (ESV)

In the Old Testament, when God gave the written laws to Moses, it was accompanied by fire, sounds, and a sacred mountain that neither humans nor animals could approach (Exodus 19:9–20). These miraculous occurrences evoked a very understandable fear in the Children of Israel. As clarified earlier in the book of Hebrews, the purpose of the old covenant was for humanity to acknowledge their sinfulness and turn to God accordingly (Hebrews 9:8-12; Galatians 3:23-24).

Main Text: Hebrews 12:18-20 (ESV)

Esau came to realize that he could not disregard his blessings and then anticipate receiving them. When the moment arrived to claim his full inheritance, Esau discovered it had been bestowed upon another (Genesis 27:34–35). The takeaway is that Christians should not approach their relationship with Christ carelessly without facing repercussions. 

Main Text: Hebrews 12:15-17 (ESV)