When God made the promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, “he swore by himself,” 14 and said, “I will indeed bless you and multiply” you. 15 And so, after patient waiting, he obtained the promise. 16 Human beings swear by someone greater than themselves; for them an oath serves as a guarantee and puts an end to all argument. 17 So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise an even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose, he intervened with an oath, 18 so that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us. 19 This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner, becoming high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Verse 13 recalls God’s promise to Abraham, referencing Genesis 22:16-17, where God, after Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac, swears by Himself, confirming the promise to multiply Abraham’s descendants “as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore”. Human beings typically swear by something greater to affirm truth, but God swears by His own divine nature since there is no higher authority than God. Abraham did not receive the full realization of God’s promise in his lifetime but saw partial fulfillment (the birth of Isaac) as a pledge of the greater promises to come. The author of Hebrews encourages the readers to remain steadfast in their hope and faith, following Abraham's example.
In the ancient world, as in many modern cultures, an oath was used to guarantee the truthfulness or reliability of a person’s statement or commitment. The swearing of an oath invoked something greater than oneself—such as a deity, sacred object, or authority figure—as a witness and enforcer of the oath. This acted as a final confirmation to settle disputes or doubts (cf. Ex. 22:11). God’s covenant with His people is marked by His divine swearing, which carries irrefutable force and is meant to assure His people of His immutable purpose. The heirs of God’s promise were not only Abraham’s physical descendants but also his spiritual descendants—those who believe in Christ are heirs of Abraham through faith (cf. Rom. 4:16-17).
Since God cannot lie (cf. Num. 23:19; Titus 1:2), His unbreakable promise and oath serve as a source of strength for those who take refuge in Him for salvation. They should hold fast to the hope offered through Christ, especially in the face of persecution or suffering. Just as an anchor stabilizes a ship, hope in Christ gives stability to the believer’s soul amid life’s uncertainties and trials. The reference to "the interior behind the veil" points to the Holy of Holies, the innermost sanctuary of the Temple where God’s presence dwelt (cf. Ex. 26:33-34). Just as the high priest entered the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement (cf. Lev. 16:2-34), through his death and resurrection, Jesus has entered the heavenly sanctuary on behalf of believers (cf. Heb. 9:11-12), securing their access to God (cf. Heb. 9:24). Jesus, the forerunner, was the first to enter heaven after his resurrection, opening the path for believers to follow.
The author also links Jesus’ priesthood to Melchizedek (cf. Gen. 14:18; Ps. 110:4), who is both king and priest, prefiguring Christ’s eternal and unique priesthood. Unlike the Levitical priesthood, Christ’s priesthood is eternal and perfect, providing the ultimate atonement for sin.
Almighty God, You are faithful and unchanging, and Your promises are sure. Just as You swore by Yourself to Abraham, we trust in the hope secured by Your Son, our High Priest, who entered the heavenly sanctuary on our behalf. Strengthen our faith, anchor our souls in Christ, and help us hold fast to the hope that leads us to eternal life in You. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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