Now that the author of Hebrews has got the weighty matters down, it’s as if he gets to other things they need to hear before the letter is ended. The final remarks of the writer might almost seem amusing (v 22 – really!) and are encouraging. They bring good news and greetings (vs 23,24) and connect with verses 17 to 19.

The sincere prayer of blessing the writer gives his readers (vs 20,21) sums up much of what we’ve been considering in the past couple of weeks: look at what has been accomplished by God in and through the new covenant established through Jesus Christ; and may the same God give you all you need to live and work for him. You can imagine the writer typing these words in bold, in italics and underlining them! 

This blessing reminds the readers again that at the heart of everything, and overarching everything, is Jesus. In the very final sentence, we hear the writer offering all that God wants us to know and to have in and through all that Jesus has done: grace (v 25). How fitting a conclusion.

Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, I ascribe glory and honour to you today.

These verses give some tantalising hints about the background of Hebrews. ‘Pray for us … so that I may be restored to you soon’ (vs 18,19) may imply that more than one person was behind Hebrews; that they were absent but one of them hoped to join them soon. Who they were ‘only God knows’, said the church father Origen.¹ Writer and readers were acquainted with Timothy (v 23) and had a connection with some who were from Italy (v 24), although we don’t know whether they were there at the time.

Two other things stand out. First, Hebrews is a ‘word of exhortation’ (v 22), and we have seen that exhortation and encouragement are important. Here the writer encourages them to have confidence in their leaders and submit to their authority, so that their work will be a joy rather than a burden. The words ‘to their authority’ (v 17) are absent from the Greek text, and the word for ‘submit’ only appears here in the Bible. I think The Message conveys the idea well, with ‘Listen to their counsel’. We are called to listen carefully to those God has placed as leaders in his church. The verse says something about the way leaders lead as well as about how we follow.

Second, note the beautiful benediction in verses 20 and 21, where the writer prays for his people. The resurrection of Jesus is implied by the references to his exaltation to God’s right hand (so important in Hebrews), but it is specifically mentioned only here. He asks God, who brought Jesus back from the dead, to equip them with everything good, enabling them to do God’s will and live lives pleasing to God. If God raised Jesus from the dead, he can surely equip us to live for him. 

Personalise the prayer in verses 20 and 21, asking God to enable you to live a life pleasing to him in every way. And may grace be with you all.

¹ Origen speculated they might have been Paul (whose thought was behind Hebrews) and Luke (who did the actual writing)