A book I studied in Greek and kept preaching: Christ the better high priest, and why that is the reason not to quit.
Most of this comes out of one seminary year on Hebrews and the preaching that came with it—an overview of the whole letter, then its great pastoral passages: the throne of grace, the warning to press on, the roll call of faith, and the race set before us. The word study and the blog post go at the same theme from underneath: what it means that Christ was “made perfect.” The Christology paper sets his priesthood in the larger frame of prophet, priest, and king.
Preaching Hebrews 7
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Christ: The Reason for Perseverance in the Faith (Hebrews)
Message · 2001
The whole letter in one sitting: Hebrews sets Christ before people whose faith is wavering, because Christ is the reason to persevere.
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Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King (Hebrews 1:1–4)
Message · c. 2000
Four verses on the Son who speaks, purifies, and sits down—Hebrews 1 read for what it says about Christ as mediator.
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Christ Our High Priest: The Reason for Continued Faith (Hebrews 4:14–16)
Message · 2000
Hebrews 4:14–16: a high priest who has been where you are, and a throne you may actually approach.
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The Confident Christian Experience (Hebrews 10:19–25)
Sermon · 2001
Hebrews 10:19–25, written for the Greek class: the person and work of Christ as the basis of a confident Christian life.
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Progressing in Your Christian Experience (Hebrews 10:19–25)
Sermon · 2002
The same passage a year later, turned toward progress: draw near, hold fast, stir one another up—or risk drifting.
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Message · 1999
Hebrews 11: faith described and then demonstrated, person by person—confidence about promises you cannot yet see.
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Faith Perseveres (Hebrews 12:1–3)
Message · 1999
Hebrews 12:1–3, preached the same day: lay aside the weights, and look at the one who didn’t quit.
Closer Study 3
What the letter means by “made perfect.”
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Word Study on the Τελει- Word Group in Hebrews
Word Study · 2001
The τελει- group—five words, fourteen occurrences—and what “perfect” means when Hebrews uses it of Christ and of us.
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Did the Incarnation Improve God?
Post · August 2011
Hebrews 2 and 4 say the Son was made perfect and learned sympathy. Did the incarnation improve God? A functional answer, not an essential one.
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The Offices of Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King
Paper · 2004
The threefold office worked out from the problem Genesis 3 creates—with the priestly office, and Hebrews, carrying most of the weight.