From a message by John Piper
I say that all the pictures of the supremacy of Jesus in the book of Hebrews are pictures not only of the perfection of the all-sufficient means of our salvation, but also of the all-satisfying goal or end of our salvation, namely the supremacy of Christ himself experienced with all-satisfying joy. He is the Great Reward. He is the one we know in the “better resurrection.” He is the light of the city to that is to come.
Therefore everything this epistle says about him intensifies our love for him now as our Treasure, and our desire for him later as our final Reward.
He is
- God’s final revelation (1:2).
- The heir of all things (1:2).
- The creator of the world (1:2).
- The radiance of God’s glory (1:3).
- The exact imprint of God’s nature (1:3).
- He upholds the universe by the word of his power (1:3).
- He made purification for sins (1:3).
- He sits at the right hand of the Majesty on High (1:4).
- He is God, enthroned forever, with a scepter of uprightness (1:8).
- He is worshipped by angels (1:6).
- His rule will have no end (1:8).
- His joy is above all other beings in the universe (1:9).
- He took on human flesh (2:14).
- He was crowned with glory and honor because of his suffering (2:9).
- He was the founder of our salvation (2:10).
- He was made perfect in all his obedience by his suffering (2:10).
- He destroyed the one who has the power of death, the devil (2:15).
- He delivered us from the bondage of fear (2:15).
- He is a merciful and faithful high priest (2:17)
- He made propitiation for sins (2:17).
- He is sympathetic because of his own trials (4:15).
- He never sinned (4:15).
- He offered up loud cries and tears with reverent fear, and God heard him (5:7).
- He became the source of eternal salvation (5:8)
- He holds his priesthood by virtue of an indestructible life (7:16).
- He appears in the presence of God on our behalf (9:24).
- He will come a second time to save us who are eagerly waiting for him (9:28).
- He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (13:8)
All of this supremacy of Christ is poured into the word “him” in Hebrews 13:13: “Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.” To him!