God needs to take no oaths since His words are always reliable. So when He chooses to take one, it’s clearly a moment in history in which He wants us to know with absolute certainty that He will do what He’s said.
God’s oath
A change in the law
Hebrews continues to emphasise the need for a finer priest if we are to know God. God’s law, and the priests appointed under it, were a blessing to Israel. But they were weak, unable to save people
Don’t go back to basics
Hebrews was written to exhort Jewish Christians living in first century Jerusalem not to let their faith in Christ be overtaken by their native Judaism.
Freedom!
The Lord has a charge to bring against Judah for breaking her covenant with Him, expressing the charge in varied language to show how horrible Judah’s behaviour has been.
Greater than Moses
Moses was a remarkable leader and an unmatched prophet in Israel, until Jesus who stands far above him.
The triumph of mercy
James is correcting the worldly thinking which is influencing his distant Christian friends. They are living in Jewish communities where too much respect is paid to the rich and the poor are too easily dismissed.