The Hall of Faith
Throughout the entirety of the Book of Hebrews, we have honed in on the theme that “Jesus is Better”. In the last few chapters of the book, the author of Hebrews drives the point home that Jesus is better than everyone! One of the most well-known passages in the book of Hebrews is known as the Hall of Faith in Chapter 11. Nearly two dozen Old Testament saints are mentioned, highlighting their lives lived by faith. However, when looking at the riches of Chapter 11, you would be remiss not to also look at the surrounding chapters to give more insight into what the author’s purpose through the Hall of Faith.
The Righteous Shall Live By Faith
Pulling from Habakkuk 2:4, Hebrews 10 emphasizes the importance of endurance in the Christian walk through faith. The audience of Hebrews, Jewish Christians, had professed faith in Jesus but were in need of endurance to finish the race. While Paul, in his epistles, emphasizes the need for faith to begin the race, the author of Hebrews focuses on the importance of faith to finish the race. In Hebrews 11, each Old Testament figure endured by faith.
The Ultimate Example
In Hebrews 12, Jesus is introduced as the crowning member of the Hall of Faith. In order to run our own race with endurance, we can find our strength to do so by looking to Jesus first and foremost. As the Author and Perfecter of our Faith, Jesus is the greatest example of faith in the book of Hebrews. We often overlook the fact that Jesus needed faith as well to finish His race. By keeping our eyes fixed on Christ and those who endured by faith before us, the LORD gives us strength and grace, enabling our faith to endure. It serves as a great comfort and refreshment to know that through Christ Jesus, we have the ability to endure to the end and finish our race well.
Thank you so much for joining us on our journey through the book of Hebrews, diving into the theme “Jesus is Better”! This blog post captures the essence of Dr. William Varner’s study series on Hebrews. You may click on the video above to hear more insightful details about the preeminence of Christ in Hebrews. Dr. Varner is the chair of TMU Online Master of Arts in Biblical Studies and professor of Biblical Languages and Bible Exposition for The Master’s University traditional on-campus program.
