Index of Outlines
This outline reflects my understanding of the book of Hebrews which places the first several verses of chapter 6 at the very center of the book. I see the theme as the need for endurance and the possibility of failure--stick to the course. This outline is used in my study guide Hebrews: A Participatory Study Guide.
I. Introduction (Hebrews 1:1 - 4)
II. Who is Jesus? (Hebrews 1:5 - 5:10)
A. Jesus is Greater than the Angels (Hebrews 1:5 - 2:18)
1. Evidences Jesus is Greater than Angels (Hebrews 1:5 - 7)
a. Jesus is called "Son" (Hebrews 1:5)
b. Jesus receives worship (Hebrews 1:6 - 7)
2. Jesus is eternal and creator (Hebrews 1:8 - 12)
a. Eternal throne (Hebrews 1:8)
b. Anointed (Hebrews 1:9)
c. Creator (Hebrews 1:10)
d. Distinct from creation (Hebrews 1:11 - 12)
e. Ruler over all (Hebrews 1:13)
f. Angels are ministering spirits for us (Hebrews 1:14)
3. Greater message needs greater heed (Hebrews 2:1 - 4)
4. World subjected to Jesus (Hebrews 2:5 - 9)
a. Not everything is now subject (Hebrews 2:8)
b. Necessity of redemption (Hebrews 2:9)
c. Defeat of death (Hebrews 2:9)
5. Jesus claims a place among people (Hebrews 2:10 - 13)
6. Jesus is a merciful and faithful high priest (Hebrews 2:14 - 18)
a. Shares flesh and blood with people (Hebrews 2:14)
b. Through death conquers death (Hebrews 2:15)
c. Redemption for humans, not angels (Hebrews 2:16)
d. Must be like people in all ways to minister to them (Hebrews 2:17 - 18)
B. Jesus is Faithful to his Calling as was Moses (Hebrews 3:1 - 6)
1. Comparison (Hebrews 3:1 - 6)
a. Completely faithful (Hebrews 3:1 - 2)
b. Worthy of much greater glory (Hebrews 3:3)
c. Rules as Son rather than as servant (Hebrews 3:4 - 6)
C. Faithfulness Needed to Enter God's Rest (Hebrews 3:7 - 4:13)
1. Comparison of Exodus generation with Christians (Hebrews 3:7 - 15)
a. Don't harden hearts (Hebrews 3:7 - 8)
b. Saw God's works (Hebrews 3:9 - 10)
c. God's anger follows rejection (Hebrews 3:11)
d. Hold fast (Hebrews 3:12 - 15)
2. Entering the rest (Hebrews 3:16 - 4:13)
a. Moses' generation did not enter due to unfaithfulness (Hebrews 3:16 - 19)
b. Those who believe must enter rest (Hebrews 4:1 - 3)
c. This rest is for people (Hebrews 4:4 - 7)
d. The Israelites didn't enter it (Hebrews 4:8)
e. The rest still remains! Don't be disobedient! (Hebrews 4:9 - 11)
f. Don't fake it - God knows! (Hebrews 4:12 - 13)
D. Jesus, the High Priest (Hebrews 4:14 - 5:10)
1. Character of the heavenly priest (Hebrews 4:14 - 16)
a. Passed through heavens (Hebrews 4:14)
b. Sympathizes with weakness (Hebrews 4:15)
c. Approach boldly (Hebrews 4:16)
2. Appointment as a Priest (Hebrews 5:1 - 11)
a. Earthly priests have weaknesses like other humans (Hebrews 5:1 - 4)
b. God glorified Jesus (Hebrews 5:5 - 6)
c. Learned obedience as a son (Hebrews 5:7 - 10)
d. Introduce priestly order of Melchisedek (Hebrews 5:10)
III. Warning Against Apostasy (Hebrews 5:11 - 6:12)
A. Readers not Ready for Solid Food (Hebrews 5:11 - 14)
B. Going on Toward Perfection (Hebrews 6:1 - 12)
1. We're going on anyhow! (Hebrews 6:1 - 3)
a. Press on to maturity (Hebrews 6:1)
b. Leave aside basic teachings (Hebrews 6:2 - 3)
2. Enlightened can't fall and then repent (Hebrews 6:4 - 8)
a. Falls from the faith (Hebrews 6:4 - 6)
b. Illustration from the hard ground (Hebrews 6:7 - 8)
3. Readers are in a better state (Hebrews 6:9 - 12)
a. God won't forget former works (Hebrews 6:9 - 10)
b. Show zeal up to the fulfillment of your hope (Hebrews 6:11)
c. Don't become dull (Hebrews 6:12)
IV. The Better and More Permanent Covenant (Hebrews 6:13 - 10:18)
A. God's Sure Promise Confirmed by an Oath (Hebrews 6:13 - 20)
B. Permanent Priestly Order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1 - 25)
C. Our Great and Appropriate High Priest (Hebrews 7:26 - 8:13)
1. Summary of our High Priest from the divine side (Hebrews 7:26 - 28)
a. Our high priest is pure and set aside (Hebrews 7:26)
b. He does not need constant sacrifice (Hebrews 7:27)
c. He is a son rather than a priest (Hebrews 7:28)
2. He mediates a new and better covenant (Hebrews 8:1 - 13)
a. His service is in a heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 8:1 - 6)
b. His service us under a new covenant (Hebrews 8:7 - 13)
D. Sacrifice and Priesthood of Jesus (Hebrews 9:1 - 10:18)
1. Comparing the earthly and heavenly sanctuaries (Hebrews 9:1 - 10:18)
a. Description of earthly tabernacle (Hebrews 9:1 - 5)
b. The earthly service is temporary, not perfection (Hebrews 9:6 - 10)
c. Jesus provides permanent service that brings cleansing (Hebrews 9:11 - 14)
d. Jesus' sacrificial death necessary for cleansing (Hebrews 9:15 - 22)
e. Jesus once and for all death carried away sins (Hebrews 9:23 - 28)
2. Sacrifice of Jesus cleanses conscience fully (Hebrews 10:1 - 18)
a. Old sacrifices were repeated, not permanent (Hebrews 10:1 - 4)
b. Rather than animal sacrifices obedience is desired (Hebrews 10:5 - 10)
c. Jesus' sacrifice perfected everyone in one sacrifice (Hebrews 10:11 - 14)
d. Total forgiveness eliminates need for sacrifice (Hebrews 10:15 - 18)
V. Steadfast Faith in a Steady Covenant (Hebrews 10:19 - 13:17)
A. Assurance gives boldness (Hebrews 10:19 - 39)
1. Full assurance and trust (Hebrews 10:19 - 25)
a. Way opened through the curtain (Hebrews 10:19 - 20)
b. Great high priest (Hebrews 10:21)
c. Washed with water (Hebrews 10:22 - 23)
d. Arouse and encourage one another (Hebrews 10:24 - 25)
2. No more sacrifice if we deliberately persist in sin (Hebrews 10:26 - 31)
a. Terrifying expectation of judgment (Hebrews 10:26 - 28)
b. Greater penalty for trampling Son of God (Hebrews 10:29)
c. Judgment belongs to living God (Hebrews 10:30 - 31)
3. Remember previous experience and endure (Hebrews 10:32 - 39)
a. Cheerfully endured (Hebrews 10:32 - 34)
b. Keep confidence (Hebrews 10:35)
c. Endure (Hebrews 10:36)
d. Delay will end (Hebrews 10:37)
e. God's pleasure comes with not shrinking (Hebrews 10:38)
f. Who are among faithful (Hebrews 10:39)
B. Past Witnesses (Hebrews 11:1 - 40)
1. Faith is substance of hopes (Hebrews 11:1 - 40)
2. Faithful people through Abraham (Hebrews 11:4 - 12)
a. Abel (Hebrews 11:4)
b. Enoch (Hebrews 11:5 - 6)
c. Noah (Hebrews 11:7)
d. Abraham (Hebrews 11:8 - 10)
e. Sarah (Hebrews 11:11 - 12)
3. Faithful even though promises were far ahead (Hebrews 11:13 - 16)
a. Don't hold to past or present (Hebrews 11:13 - 15)
b. Look for heavenly country (Hebrews 11:16)
4. Abraham and onward (Hebrews 11:17 - 31)
a. Abraham offering Isaac (Hebrews 11:17 - 19)
b. Isaac and Jacob (Hebrews 11:20 - 21)
c. Joseph (Hebrews 11:22)
d. Moses (Hebrews 11:23 - 29)
e. Joshua, Rahab and others (Hebrews 11:30 - 31)
5. Too many to tell (Hebrews 11:32 - 40)
a. Judges, kings, and prophets (Hebrews 11:32)
b. Miraculous signs (Hebrews 11:33 - 35)
c. Persecution (Hebrews 11:35 - 38)
d. Won approval but not fulfillment (Hebrews 11:39 - 40)
C. Hardship and the Holy Life (Hebrews 12:1 - 13:17)
1. Response of faith to hardship (Hebrews 12:1 - 13)
a. Cloud of witnesses behind (Hebrews 12:1 - 2)
b. Submission of Christ (Hebrews 12:3)
c. God's discipline (Hebrews 12:4 - 11)
d. Buck up! (Hebrews 12:12 - 13)
2. Sinai and Zion (Hebrews 12:18 - 24)
a. Sinai (Hebrews 12:18 - 21)
b. Zion (Hebrews 12:22 - 24)
D. Fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:14 - 13:17)
1. Holy life - holy community (Hebrews 12:14 - 24)
2. Hearing the voice (Hebrews 12:25 - 29)
a. Speaks from heaven (Hebrews 12:25)
b. Voice shakes earth (Hebrews 12:26 - 27)
c. Kingdom unshakable (Hebrews 12:28)
d. Worship with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12:28 - 29)
3. Admonition to righteous living (Hebrews 13:1 - 17)
a. Love and hospitality (Hebrews 13:1 - 3)
b. Marriage (Hebrews 13:4)
c. Depend on God, not money (Hebrews 13:5)
d. Follow examples (Hebrews 13:6 - 9)
e. The new altar/sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:10 - 16)
f. Obedience to leaders (Hebrews 13:17)
VI. Conclusion (Hebrews 13:18 - 25)
Energion.com Description: I'm the author of this book -- HN. My intention in writing this book was to provide an outline for study that would work for individuals or small groups and would allow each person to decide how much time to put into the study. This is not a five minute a day book, but it is also not a college text. It is not a commentary; it is a guide to help you find your own understanding of the book of Hebrews. It is built around the participatory method of Bible study. There is space in the book for your own notes.
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