The writer regarded Jesus' priesthood as the marrow of the Christian's confession, and this explains his focus on Melchizedek. For Melchizedek as God's priest-king illumines Jesus' priesthood and how it transcends the Levitical counterpart. Thus the author moved from his brief biographical sketch of Melchizedek to his greatness in relation to Abraham and Levi. That consideration, in turn, anticipated his larger goal, which was to demonstrate the supremacy of Melchizedek's priesthood as fulfilled in Jesus, and so the covenant associated with it.

The writer introduced Melchizedek, and then rebuked and exhorted his readers out of concern that they wouldn't be able to grasp the things he wanted to convey to them. But having done so, and hopeful that they'd heed his exhortation, he returned to the topic of Melchizedek, first providing a biographical sketch of him from the one passage in the Scripture where he appears.

In spite of his rebuke and warning, the writer was convinced of his readers' salvation. He perceived in their ministry to one another God's work in them, and so assured them that He would keep them in remembrance against a future day of completion and glory. Thus he closed this parenthesis as he began it, with a charge to press on toward maturity. But they were to do so in the patient assurance of hope, knowing that their High Priest has entered within the veil as their forerunner.

After warning his readers about the danger, significance and consequence of falling away from Jesus as God's Messiah, the writer quickly affirmed to them that he was convinced of better things concerning them, things that demonstrated their saving faith in the Messiah. Notably, it wasn't their understanding or convictions that persuaded him, but their tangible, abiding love for God demonstrated in their loving ministry to His holy children.

The context for this exhortation-warning is the readers' Jewish background and the transformation in Jesus of everything pertaining to Israel's identity, history and covenant relationship with Yahweh. Thus these Hebrews had rethought everything they believed and hoped in in order to embrace Jesus as their Messiah. Now they faced pressure to retreat from that rethinking and return, in some measure, to their former convictions and practice. But to do so was to forsake God and His truth in the Messiah and attempt to return to what no longer existed - things that were merely a shadow, and had found their substance in Jesus -8-1-9-15-.

The Hebrews writer interrupted his instruction on Jesus' priesthood to directly confront his readers. He had much to say on this topic, but feared that their self-inflicted immaturity would keep them from understanding him. Thus he exhorted them to press forward in their growth in Christ, while also warning them about the threat their regression posed, should it remain unaddressed. This message examines the context for the writer's exhortation and warning, showing that it must be read from its Jewish vantage point.

The Hebrews writer recognized Jesus' high priesthood as the marrow of the Christian's confession, and so went to great effort to unfold it for his readers. But he also recognized an impediment to their hearing and benefit from his instruction, namely their self-inflicted immaturity. Thus he interrupted his treatment of Jesus' priesthood to confront and rebuke their -dullness.-

This message completes the consideration of verses 7-10 of chapter 5. In this passage the writer shifts his focus from the divine origin of Jesus' priesthood to the human means by which He was fitted for it. Again, the writer's overall concern was to underscore the human quality of that priestly ministration, which began with the incarnation, reached its climax at Calvary, and culminated with Jesus' enthronement as the glorified Image-Son, the first-born among many brethren.