Hebreus 13:8

Jesus Christ is the content of the message that the leaders had preached to these hearers (cf. Hebrews 13:7). [Note: Philip E. Hughes, A Commentary . . ., pp. 570-71.] That message and its hero is what this writer had urged his readers not to abandon. The leaders had preached the Word of God to these readers, and that preaching culminated in Jesus Christ.

"Jesus is not the object of faith [in this verse or in Hebrews, according to this writer], but the supreme model of it." [Note: G. W. MacRae, "Heavenly Temple and Eschatology in the Letter to the Hebrews," Semeia 12 (1978):194.]

"’Yesterday’ the original leaders preached Jesus Christ, even as the writer does now; the present time can tolerate no other approach to the grace of God (Hebrews 2:9). ’Forever’ recalls the quality of the redemption secured by Jesus Christ (Hebrews 5:9; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 9:14-15; Hebrews 13:20) and of the priesthood of Christ (Hebrews 7:24-25): it is ’eternal.’" [Note: Lane, Hebrews 9-13, p. 530.]

Another less probable interpretation of this verse sees Jesus as the leader who is perpetually available in contrast to the leaders who had preached to these readers but who were now dead. [Note: Bruce, The Epistle . . ., p. 395.] Jesus had also died and gone to heaven (cf. Hebrews 12:2). His example of faithfulness, as expounded in this epistle, should be a continuing encouragement to all believers. He is as faithful to His promises now as He ever was, and He always will be faithful to them.