Book of Hebrews Quiz: Part 1

1. How does the book of Hebrews open, contrasting how God spoke in the past with how he has now spoken?

1. 'Grace and peace to you — I, Paul, write to you who have been called to endure...'
2. 'Hear, O Israel — the God of our fathers has now spoken his final word through the Son of David'
3. 'In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son'
4. 'The word of God is living and active — sharper than any two-edged sword and the one who speaks it is the Son of God'

2. Hebrews 1:3 gives a dense description of who Jesus is in relation to God. What four things does this verse say about him?

1. He is the Alpha and Omega, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the church and the judge of the living and dead
2. He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word, and after providing purification for sins sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven
3. He is the Son of God, born of a virgin, raised from the dead and seated at God's right hand
4. He is the Word who was with God and was God, the light of the world, the lamb of God and the resurrection and the life

3. Hebrews chapters 1-2 argue that Jesus is superior to the angels. What Old Testament quote does the author use that no angel was ever given?

1. 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty'
2. 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet'
3. 'You are my beloved — in you I am well pleased'
4. 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father'

4. Hebrews 2:9 explains why Jesus, who is greater than the angels, briefly became lower than the angels. What reason does it give?

1. 'Because only a human being could truly atone for human sin — divinity alone was insufficient'
2. 'So that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone'
3. 'To show that God values humility above power and that the servant is greatest in the kingdom'
4. So he could identify with human weakness and teach us how to overcome temptation by example

5. Hebrews 2:14-15 describes why Jesus took on flesh and blood. What specific power did he destroy, and what did he free people from?

1. He became fully human so he could be tempted in every way and demonstrate it is possible to live without sin
2. He destroyed the power of sin and freed people from the necessity of religious sacrifice
3. He shared in humanity so that by his death he might break the power of the devil and free those who were held in slavery by their fear of death
4. He took on a body to prove that physical matter is not evil and to redeem creation through his resurrection

6. Hebrews 3:1-6 compares Jesus with Moses. What conclusion does the author reach about who is greater?

1. Jesus is greater because Moses died but Jesus rose — death is the final measure of greatness
2. Jesus is worthy of greater honour than Moses in the same way that the builder of a house has greater honour than the house itself — Moses was faithful as a servant in God's house; Christ is faithful as a Son over God's house
3. Jesus surpasses Moses because he brought a new law while Moses only brought the old one
4. Moses and Jesus are equal in honour — Moses founded the house and Jesus perfects it

7. Hebrews 3-4 uses Israel's wilderness rebellion as a warning. What Psalm does the author quote repeatedly, and what is the key phrase that serves as the warning?

1. Psalm 22 — 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'
2. Psalm 23 — 'The Lord is my shepherd'
3. Psalm 46 — 'God is our refuge and strength'
4. Psalm 95 — 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion'

8. Hebrews 4:12 contains a famous description of the word of God. What does it say?

1. 'For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart'
2. 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away'
3. 'The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever — and this is the word proclaimed to you'
4. 'The word of God is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path — it guides and protects those who walk in it'

9. Hebrews 4:14-16 introduces the theme of Jesus as High Priest and encourages boldness. What does the author say believers can do because of Jesus?

1. 'Draw near to God and he will draw near to you — wash your hands, you sinners'
2. 'Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need'
3. Boldly proclaim the gospel knowing that Christ's sacrifice has disarmed the powers of darkness
4. Enter the holy of holies directly through the curtain without fear of God's consuming holiness

10. Hebrews 5:5-6 establishes Jesus as High Priest through two Psalm quotations. What are the two key Psalms quoted?

1. Psalm 118:22 and Psalm 110:4 — 'The stone the builders rejected' and 'You are a priest forever'
2. Psalm 2:7 and Psalm 110:4 — 'You are my Son' and 'You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek'
3. Psalm 22:1 and Psalm 110:1 — 'My God, why have you forsaken me?' and 'Sit at my right hand'
4. Psalm 40:6-8 and Psalm 45:7 — 'I desire to do your will' and 'Your God has set you above your companions'

11. Hebrews 5:8-9 says something remarkable about Jesus that challenges the idea that he was always perfectly comfortable in his divine nature. What does it say?

1. 'Although he was the Son of God, he submitted to the will of his Father even when it was painful'
2. 'He suffered on our behalf so that we would not have to suffer — bearing our griefs and carrying our sorrows'
3. 'He was tested in every way we are tested, and by enduring he proved that God's commands are possible to keep'
4. 'Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him'

12. Hebrews 6:1-2 lists what the author calls 'elementary teachings' or 'the basics of the Christian message.' Which of these is NOT in that list?

1. Faith in God
2. Instruction about baptisms and the laying on of hands
3. Repentance from acts that lead to death
4. The doctrine of predestination and God's sovereign election

13. Hebrews 6:19-20 uses a nautical metaphor for Christian hope. What is the metaphor?

1. Faith is the ship that carries us and hope is the sail that drives it — together they bring us safely to the harbour of salvation
2. Hope is like a compass that keeps us on course when the seas of doubt would turn us aside
3. Our hope is like the star that guides sailors home — it is fixed, permanent and guides through the darkest night
4. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure — it enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain where Jesus has gone as our forerunner

14. Hebrews 7 explains who Melchizedek was and why Jesus' priesthood in his order is superior to the Levitical priesthood. What three things does Hebrews say Melchizedek was 'without'?

1. Without beginning of days, without end of life, and without any record of father or mother — resembling the Son of God he remains a priest forever
2. Without land, without nation, without law — he was a universal priest not tied to any particular people
3. Without mother, without father, and without family history — he appeared and disappeared with no genealogical record
4. Without sin, without death and without the need for offering sacrifices — unlike the Levitical priests who had all these

15. Why was a change in the priesthood necessary according to Hebrews 7:11-19?

1. Because perfection was not attainable through the Levitical priesthood — if it were, there would have been no need for another priest in the order of Melchizedek
2. Because the Levitical priesthood was temporary by design — it always pointed forward to a greater fulfilment
3. Because the Levitical priests were corrupt and God needed a more reliable system
4. Because the number of Levitical priests was insufficient to handle all the sacrifices required by an expanding Israel

16. Hebrews 7:25 contains a wonderful promise about Jesus' ongoing ministry as High Priest. What does it say he is doing right now?

1. 'He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them'
2. He is pouring out the Holy Spirit on all who call on his name in every generation until he returns
3. He is preparing a place for his people in his Father's house so that where he is they may also be
4. He is ruling the nations with a rod of iron until all enemies are made his footstool

17. Hebrews 7:26-27 describes what kind of high priest was fitting for us. What qualities does it list?

1. Anointed, authorised, eternal, sinless and omniscient — everything the law's priesthood lacked
2. Holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens — who does not need to offer sacrifices daily for his own sins
3. Patient, compassionate, understanding, faithful and strong — qualities that make him the perfect mediator
4. Powerful, all-knowing, ever-present and incorruptible — qualities no human priest could possess

18. The first major warning passage in Hebrews (2:1-4) warns against neglecting salvation. What does it say about those who ignore such a great salvation?

1. 'How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him'
2. 'It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God — he is a consuming fire'
3. 'Those who reject the Son reject the Father — there is no sacrifice for sins remaining for those who turn away'
4. They are like those who build on sand — when the storm comes, the building falls

19. Hebrews 4:1-11 discusses the concept of God's 'rest.' What three kinds of rest does the author weave together in this passage?

1. God's own rest after creation (Genesis 2), the rest in the Promised Land that Israel sought (Joshua), and the eschatological Sabbath rest still available to God's people
2. Physical rest on the Sabbath, emotional rest from anxiety, and spiritual rest from striving to earn salvation
3. Sabbath rest in the law, Jubilee rest in the land, and eternal rest in the presence of God
4. The rest of the grave, the rest of believers who have died in Christ, and the final rest of the new creation

20. Hebrews was written to a community facing a particular temptation. What was it, and what is the letter's primary appeal?

1. The temptation to compromise with Gnostic teaching; the appeal is to trust the physical resurrection
2. The temptation to prioritise wealth and comfort over sacrifice; the appeal is to give generously as Christ gave himself
3. The temptation to revert to Judaism and the Mosaic covenant; the appeal is to hold fast to faith in Christ who surpasses everything in the old covenant
4. The temptation to submit to Roman emperor worship; the appeal is to die for Christ rather than deny him