The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews — Background and Themes

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Authors: Nicoll, W. Robertson (William Robertson), Sir, 1851-1923 [Editor], Edwards, Thomas Charles, 1837-1900 Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2010 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Bible. Hebrews -- Criticism, interpretation, etc. Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

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Words 80,677

Reading time 351 min

Text sections 12

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Edwards traces the Epistle to the Hebrews' argument through its structure, showing how the author moves from Christ's divine sonship to his eternal priesthood, using recurring images of priesthood, covenant, and sanctuary to unify exhortation and doctrine.

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CHAPTER II. THE SON AND THE ANGELS 21

CHAPTER III. FUNDAMENTAL ONENESS OF THE DISPENSATIONS 51

CHAPTER IV. THE GREAT HIGH-PRIEST 69

CHAPTER V. THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF RENEWAL 83

CHAPTER VI. THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF FAILURE 99

CHAPTER VII. THE ALLEGORY OF MELCHIZEDEK 113

CHAPTER VIII. THE NEW COVENANT 133

CHAPTER IX. AN ADVANCE IN THE EXHORTATION 183

CHAPTER X. FAITH AN ASSURANCE AND A PROOF 199

CHAPTER XI. THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM 213

CHAPTER XII. THE FAITH OF MOSES 233

CHAPTER XIII. A CLOUD OF WITNESSES 259

CHAPTER XIV. CONFLICT 273

CHAPTER XV. MOUNT ZION 293

CHAPTER XVI. SUNDRY EXHORTATIONS 315

I. THE REVELATION IN A SON: i. 1–3.

1. The previous revelation was in portions; this is a Son, Who is the Heir and the Creator.

2. The previous revelation was in divers manners; this in a Son, Who is (1) the effulgence of God’s glory; (2) the image of His substance; (3) the Sustainer of all things; (4) the eternal Priest-King.

II. THE SON AND THE ANGELS: i. 4–ii. 18.

1. The Revealer of God Son of God: i. 4–ii. 4.

2. The Son the Representative of man: ii. 5–18. (1) He is crowned with glory as Son, that His propitiation may prove effectual, and His humiliation involves a propitiatory death. (2) His glory consists in being Leader of His people, and His humiliation fitted Him for leadership. (3) His glory consists in power to consecrate men to God, and His humiliation endowed Him with this power. (4) His glory consists in the destruction of Satan, and Satan is destroyed through the Son’s humiliation.

III. FUNDAMENTAL ONENESS OF THE DISPENSATIONS: iii. i-iv. 13.

1. Moses and Christ are equally God’s stewards.

2. The threatenings of God under the Old Testament are in force in reference to apostasy from Christ.

3. The promises of God are still in force.

IV. THE GREAT HIGH-PRIEST: iv. 4–v. 10.

V. (A DIGRESSION) THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF RENEWAL IN THE CASE OF SCOFFERS: v. 11–vi. 8.

Their renewal is impossible (1) because the doctrine of Christianity is practical, and (2) because God’s punishment of cynicism is the destruction of the spiritual faculty.

VI. (CONTINUATION OF THE DIGRESSION.) THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF FAILURE: vi. 9–20.

VII. THE ALLEGORY OF MELCHIZEDEK: vii. 1–28.

1. Melchizedek foreshadows the kingship of Christ.

2. Melchizedek foreshadows the personal greatness of Christ.

3. The allegory teaches the existence of a priesthood other than that of Aaron, viz., the priesthood founded on an oath.

4. The allegory sets forth the eternal duration of Christ’s priesthood.

VIII. THE NEW COVENANT: viii. 1.

1. A new covenant promised through Jeremiah: viii. 1–13. The new covenant would excel (1) in respect of the moral law; (2) in respect of knowledge of God; (3) in respect of forgiveness of sins.

2. A new covenant symbolized in the tabernacle: ix. 1–14.

3. A new covenant ratified in the death of Christ: ix. 15–x. 18.

IX. AN ADVANCE IN THE EXHORTATION: x. 19–39.

X. FAITH AN ASSURANCE AND A PROOF: xi. 1–3.

XI. THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM: xi. 8–19.

1. His faith compared with the faith of Noah.

2. His faith compared with the faith of Enoch.

3. His faith compared with the faith of Abel.

XII. THE FAITH OF MOSES: xi. 23–28.

1. Faith groping for the work of life.

2. Faith chooses the work of life.

3. Faith a discipline for the work of life.

4. Faith renders the man’s life and work sacramental.

XIII. A CLOUD OF WITNESSES: xi. 20–xii. 1.

XIV. CONFLICT: xii. 2–17. Faith as a hope of the future endures the present conflict against men.

1. The preparatory training for the conflict consists in putting away (1) our own grossness; (2) the sin that besets us.

2. The contest is successfully maintained if we look unto Jesus (1) as Leader and Perfecter of our faith; (2) as an example of faith.

3. The contest is necessary as a discipline in dealing with (1) the weaker brethren, (2) the enemy at the gate, and (3) the secular spirit.

XV. MOUNT ZION: xii. 18–29. The revelation on Sinai preceded the sacrifices of the tabernacle; the revelation on Zion follows the sacrifice of the Cross. Hence—

1. Sinai revealed the terrible side of God’s character, Zion the peaceful tenderness of His love.

2. The revelation on Sinai was earthly; that on Zion is spiritual.

XVI. SUNDRY EXHORTATIONS: xiii. 1–25.

_THE REVELATION IN A SON._

“God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in His Son, Whom He appointed Heir of all things, through Whom also He made the worlds; Who being the effulgence of His glory, and the very image of His substance, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”—HEB. i. 1–3 (R.V.).

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Thomas Charles Edwards, writing for lay readers without Greek, structures his exposition around the Epistle to the Hebrews' own movement between doctrinal argument and practical exhortation. He observes that the author 'plunged into the midst of his subject' by first establishing Christ as Son of God and representative Man, then building toward the high-priestly theme. Edwards repeatedly notes how the epistle alternates between 'the big wave' of theological reasoning and the 'hesitation to face it'—a rhythmic pattern that shapes the reader's engagement.

The Argument's Architecture

Edwards identifies a deliberate structure: the epistle opens with Christ's superiority to angels, then moves to his faithfulness as a Son over God's house, and finally to his eternal priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. He notes that the author 'plunged into the midst of his subject' without preamble, a technique that immediately confronts the reader with the central claim. The argument proceeds not linearly but through cycles of assertion and recapitulation, each wave of reasoning building on the previous one. Edwards traces how the author returns to the same themes—priesthood, covenant, sanctuary—each time with greater depth, as if 'the argument triumphs and advances' by revisiting and expanding earlier points.

Recurring Images of Priesthood and Sanctuary

The imagery of the high priest entering the holiest place pervades the epistle, and Edwards highlights how this image governs both doctrine and exhortation. Christ 'has entered into the true holiest place and enthroned Himself on the mercy-seat,' a spatial metaphor that transforms the reader's understanding of access to God. Edwards points out that the author contrasts the old covenant's exclusive entry by the high priest with the new covenant's open invitation: believers now 'enter themselves into the holiest' through Christ's blood. This movement from outer court to inner sanctuary becomes a structural motif, mirroring the epistle's own progression from argument to application.

The Rhythm of Exhortation and Warning

Edwards observes that the epistle's exhortations are not appended to the argument but emerge from its logic. After establishing Christ's eternal priesthood, the author 'no longer urges his readers to be confident' but instead 'appeals to them as having confidence.' This shift from conditional to indicative marks a turning point. The warnings—such as the 'fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God'—are placed precisely where the argument has reached its climax, creating a tension between assurance and accountability. Edwards notes how the author 'desires to confirm the Hebrew Christians in their allegiance to Christ' by alternating between doctrinal foundation and practical appeal, a rhythm that keeps the reader engaged without losing sight of the central message.

Movement Between Old and New Covenants

A key structural feature Edwards emphasizes is the epistle's constant movement between the old covenant and the new. The author 'compares the old covenant and the new' through the allegory of Melchizedek and the prophecy of Jeremiah, showing how the new surpasses the old not by abolishing it but by fulfilling it. Edwards traces how this comparison is not merely illustrative but foundational: the argument that Christ's priesthood is eternal 'involves the setting aside of every other priesthood.' The reader is led from the shadows of the law to the reality of Christ, a journey that mirrors the epistle's own progression from the earthly sanctuary to the heavenly one. This movement is both theological and experiential, as the author repeatedly calls his readers to 'call to remembrance the former days' while pressing forward toward the promised reward.

Edwards' commentary is best read alongside the biblical text, as he assumes the reader has the epistle open. His focus on structure and recurring imagery provides a framework for following the author's argument without getting lost in its complexity. The volume is particularly useful for those who want to see how the epistle's doctrinal passages connect to its exhortations, and how the author weaves together Old Testament quotations and allusions to build a coherent case for Christ's supremacy.

There’s a particular comfort in how Edwards traces the priesthood through Hebrews, that sense of something ancient holding steady. It reminded me of another old friend, The Gospel Day; Or, the Light of Christianity — Text and Context, where the same light seems to fall a little differently, softer somehow. Both feel like quiet company on a long afternoon.