Verses 7-10 continue the theme of Jesus' high priesthood, but with the writer shifting his focus from the divine initiative and ordination behind it to the way in which Jesus became fitted for executing it. And what he emphasizes, consistent with the surrounding context, is that Jesus' priesthood is a human phenomenon from first to last, and not simply with respect to His self-offering at Calvary. Beginning with His incarnation and culminating with His enthronement as King-Priest, Jesus the Messiah mediates the relationship between God and His creation -with man at the center- as man, the image-son.

The Church's great challenge in every generation - and its great failure - concerns its authenticity- its obligation to discern, own and live out the truth of its identity and vocation. And because Christ's Church is a human community and not an institution or organization, its authenticity depends on the authenticity of those who comprise it. The Church will deviate and fall short in its life and mission so long as individual Christians fail to understand and live out their own identity and calling. And there can be no authentic Christian life except as it is the life of Christ's body.

The writer set Jesus at the center of his instruction regarding faithfulness and entrance into God's rest, specifically as He is the enthroned High Priest. Like everything else in the divine purpose, man's attainment of God's rest is -yes and amen- in the Messiah. Human beings attain their regal and priestly destiny as image-children by sharing in the life and likeness of the unique King-Priest who is true Man. Jesus' high priesthood, then, is the next topic in the writer's consideration, and he shows its supremacy by setting it in contrast with Aaron and the priesthood associated with him.

The writer's exhortation in verse 11 brings together his previous warnings in verses 3-12 and 4-1, and also looks toward his assertions about God and His word in verses 12-13. These statements must not be treated in isolation, but as they contribute to the writer's wider argument, and especially his climactic words of encouragement drawing upon Jesus' high priesthood.

The writer's thesis in this section is that Jesus is superior to Moses as the Son who builds and presides over God's house, whereas Moses was a servant in the house. In making his argument, the writer compared and contrasted Israel's covenant history as God's -house- with the fulfillment and true covenant -house- that have come in Jesus. And though he could have taken many paths in making his point, he chose to focus on the core matters of hearing, faith and God's rest. This approach wasn't arbitrary, but was driven by the problem he was confronting, namely his readers' wavering in their faith in the Messiah and their solidarity with Him.

Chapter 4 is widely recognized to be one of the more difficult passages in the Hebrews epistle. Not surprisingly, then, it has been variously interpreted - certainly in its details, if not in its general instruction. With the difficulties in mind, this message examines some interpretive issues and attempts to establish a framework for understanding the writer's argument.

This second part of the excursus considers how the theme of rest is developed in the Old Testament scriptures from the point of the fall until the coming of Jesus the Messiah, and how that understanding provides the necessary foundation for the Hebrews writer's argumentation in chapters 3-4.

Rest is a key theme in the Hebrews epistle, and must be rightly understood in order to grasp the writer's meaning in chapters 3-4. This excursus examines the concept of rest as the Scriptures present and develop it toward its consummate realization in Jesus the Messiah and His work of new creation.

The writer explained Jesus' superiority to Moses in terms of their respective relation to God's house, which is to say God's covenant household. Moses served that household in its preparatory form, whereas Jesus is building God's ultimate household in and upon Himself. So the writer reminded his readers that they are part of that everlasting house, but only as they are truly joined to the builder. And they would prove that to be the case by their enduring faithfulness.