Hebrews Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. The author compares staying faithful to running a race. How does this metaphor for endurance fit the situation?
  2. Why do you think it was important for the early Christians to reimagine the crucifixion as a happy event?
  3. Do you think the author's metaphor of Jesus as a high priest makes sense? Is this a good explanation for Jesus' death?
  4. If people still sin, is the new covenant as ineffective as the old one?
  5. Who do you think wrote Hebrews? Why?
  6. Why does this author go out of his way to diss angels? How is Jesus better than angels? Why are angels forced to serve everyone?
  7. Some folks think that God was super harsh in the days of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and that he lightened up quite a bit in the New Testament. How does Hebrews support that view? And oppose it?
  8. Why does the author make parallels between Melchizedek and Jesus? Do you think this comparison works?
  9. The book says that Jesus destroyed "the power of death"? But people still die. So what exactly did he destroy?
  10. Who do you think this book was addressed to? All Christians? Or a specific group of folks?
  11. Why do you think the author wrote this book?
  12. Why does the author use the Hebrew Bible so much to talk about Jesus? Do you think his quotes and thoughts are convincing? Or do you think he's stretching to find verses that support his ideas?
  13. Do you think an empathetic God is more attractive to believers than a judgmental God? Why or why not?
  14. Does the fact that the author of this book is anonymous make it a less reliable source for Christian wisdom? Or does the author not matter as long as the faithful think it's valuable?
  15. Do you think this book is closer to being a letter or a sermon? Or is it something else all together?
  16. What do you think Hebrews is saying about the divine nature of Jesus? What about his human nature?