“Hebrews 1–6,” New Testament Institute Teacher Manual (2025)
Hebrews 1–6
In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul emphasized that the Savior is the Creator of this world and the heir of all that Heavenly Father has. Because Jesus Christ experienced trials and temptations through His Atonement, He can succor us in our struggles. Paul also taught that as we endure in faith like Abraham, we can have hope in the promised blessings that come from honoring our covenants.
Additional Resources
Scripture Helps: New Testament, “Hebrews 1–6”
Note: The “Introduction to the Course” provides guidance on how to use the four standard lesson elements that follow.
Encouraging Personal Study
Before class, consider sending students one or more of the following messages or some of your own:
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How can you feel greater confidence in Jesus Christ? Study the following passages and pay attention to what they help you learn about the Savior: Hebrews 1:1–3, 10–12; 2:8–11, 17; 5:8–9.
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To succor means to give relief or aid. As you read Hebrews 2:13–18; 4:14–16, think of an experience when the Savior succored you.
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Do you sometimes feel overburdened or exhausted with the challenges of life? As you study Hebrews 3:7–19, look for what you can do to experience the Lord’s rest.
Questions and Sharing
Provide time for students to ask questions and share insights and truths they discovered in their personal study of Hebrews 1–6.
Skill Training
Hebrews 1–6 might be a helpful place to use the skills “Linking Scriptures,” “Adding Notes to Scriptures,” or “Searching in the Scriptures and in Gospel Library” in Scripture Study Skills.
Learning Activity Options
Multiple learning options are provided for you and your students. Prayerfully choose which option or options will be most meaningful for your class.
Improving Our Teaching and Learning
Always be ready to respond to spiritual promptings about the needs of learners. Prepare yourself to be open to spiritual promptings. Have a continual prayer in your heart that you will be able to discern the needs of those you teach. As you invite questions about the scriptures, be willing to spend time addressing worries or concerns that relate to students’ lives. Have confidence that the Holy Ghost “will show unto you all things what ye should do” (2 Nephi 32:5).
How can I increase my faith in Jesus Christ?
Consider displaying a picture of an event from the Savior’s life, like the one at the beginning of this lesson. Invite students to briefly review the event depicted. Then ask:
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What can we learn about the attributes of Jesus Christ from this event?
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How can learning more about the roles, titles, and attributes of Jesus Christ strengthen our faith in Him?
Explain that in his letter to the Hebrews, Paul described many titles and roles of the Savior. Consider inviting students to create a list of the Savior’s roles, titles, and attributes they identify in this learning activity. Invite students to pay attention to what the Holy Ghost teaches them about Jesus Christ as they study.
To help students in their study, you could display the following instructions:
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Study a few of the following verses, looking for titles, roles, and attributes of Jesus Christ: Hebrews 1:1–6, 9–12; 2:7–10, 17–18; 3:1–2; 5:8–10.
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Look for ways you might complete the following phrase: “I can have faith in Jesus Christ because …” (For example, I can have faith in Jesus Christ because He upholds all things by the power of His word [see Hebrews 1:3].)
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Choose one or two roles, titles, or attributes of the Savior to study more deeply. Use footnotes, the Guide to the Scriptures, or the search feature in Gospel Library to find scripture passages, teachings of Church leaders, and other helpful content.
Invite students to share what they learned about the Savior with a partner or small group. You could also invite them to discuss the following questions:
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How can understanding this role, title, or attribute strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ?
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What does this title, role, or attribute suggest about how the Savior can help you?
Conclude the learning activity by sharing your testimony of Jesus Christ. You could also invite a few students to share their testimonies. Encourage students to continue looking during their personal study for what the scriptures teach about the Savior.
How can the Savior help me with my challenges?
Consider beginning this learning activity by discussing the following questions together as a class.
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What are some of the most common challenges young adults face? (You could write students’ answers on the board.)
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Where do people turn as they try to deal with these challenges?
Invite a student to read the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson:
Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about His Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him! Follow Him! (“The Answer Is Always Jesus Christ,” Liahona, May 2023, 127)
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Why do you think the answers to our challenges or questions can always be found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ?
Invite students to reflect on how often they turn to the Savior when they face challenges or questions. Encourage them as they study to pay attention to spiritual promptings that can help them have greater faith in Jesus Christ.
Invite students to study Hebrews 2:7–18; 4:14–16, looking for teachings about the Savior that can increase our desire to turn to Him. (To help students better understand the context related to these teachings, consider inviting them to also read “Hebrews 1:4–2:10. Why was Jesus Christ compared to angels?” in Scripture Helps: New Testament.)
Consider displaying the following questions. Invite students to discuss them with a partner or small group.
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What teachings from these verses did you find most meaningful? Why?
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How can understanding these teachings impact our desire to turn to Jesus Christ when we face challenges?
After students finish their discussion, invite a few of them to share their insights with the class. If students do not mention teachings from Hebrews 2:18, consider drawing their attention to that verse and asking the following question:
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What do you think it means that Jesus Christ “is able to succour them that are tempted”? (If helpful, read together “Hebrews 2:18. How is Jesus Christ able to succor us when we are tempted?” in Scripture Helps: New Testament.)
Invite students to share a truth they learn about Jesus Christ from verse 18. They might share something like the following: Because Jesus Christ suffered and was tempted in all things, He can succor us in times of need. (The prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon also taught this truth. You could invite students to read Alma 7:11–12 and, if using digital scriptures, link it to Hebrews 2:18.)
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How can understanding this truth help you trust the Savior? (As part of your discussion of this question, you could share the following statement by Elder Ulisses Soares.)
The Savior offers us relief and comfort as we face our afflictions, temptations, and weaknesses of mortal life. … I can assure you that Christ is ever aware of the adversities we experience in mortality. He understands all of the bitterness, agony, and physical pain as well as the emotional and spiritual challenges we face. The Savior’s bowels are filled with mercy, and He is always ready to succor us. This is possible because He personally experienced and took upon Himself in the flesh the pain of our weakness and infirmities. (“Jesus Christ: The Caregiver of Our Soul,” Liahona, May 2021, 83)
Invite students to think about and share examples that illustrate the Savior’s ability to succor His people. These could be examples from their own life, the lives of people they know, or people in the scriptures. If students need help thinking of examples, they could study John 11:21–27, 32–36; Mosiah 24:11–15; or Doctrine and Covenants 122:5–9.
Invite students to reflect on what they learned and felt during this study activity. Encourage them to consider and record actions the Holy Ghost has prompted them to take. Testify of the Savior’s love for us and His ability to succor us.
How does the Lord give His followers rest?
Consider beginning this learning activity by discussing the following scenario:
Jeremy has been a member of the Church for a couple of years. Recently, he has been thinking of returning to his former way of living because he feels that being a member of the Church requires too much.
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What thoughts do you have about this scenario?
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Why might people find it challenging to be members of the Savior’s Church?
Invite students to consider whether they know people in a situation like the one described in the scenario. You could also invite students to think of other situations they face that cause them to feel overburdened or exhausted. Encourage students as they study to look for truths that could help them in these situations.
To prepare students to study Hebrews 3–4, explain that during Paul’s time, Jewish Christians experienced persecution for their beliefs. Many considered returning to their former ways of life to avoid further persecution. One of Paul’s objectives in writing the book of Hebrews was to help these people remain steadfast in their commitment to Jesus Christ. (For more information, see “To whom was the book of Hebrews written and why?” in Scripture Helps: New Testament.)
Paul shared the account of Moses and the children of Israel to help the Jewish Christians understand the danger of returning to a lifestyle of rebellion and unbelief. Invite students to study Hebrews 3:7–19 and to identify Paul’s message.
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What teachings did you find that may have helped the Jewish Christians who were considering abandoning their beliefs?
Point out that one of the consequences the Israelites faced was that they were not allowed to enter into the promised land or the rest of the Lord (see Hebrews 3:11, 18). Invite students to read Hebrews 4:11, looking for Paul’s invitation to the Jewish Christians.
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What do you think it means to enter into the rest of the Lord? (To help students better understand this phrase, you could invite them to read “Hebrews 3:7–4:16. What does it mean to enter into the rest of the Lord?” in Scripture Helps: New Testament.)
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What do you learn from Paul’s teachings about how we can enter into the rest of the Lord? (Help students identify a truth like the following: If we remain faithful to the Savior and do not harden our hearts, we will enter into the rest of the Lord [see also Alma 12:34–37].)
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Why do you think the Lord’s rest is a blessing worth pursuing?
As part of your discussion of these questions, consider sharing the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson:
Dear brothers and sisters, I grieve for those who leave the Church because they feel membership requires too much of them. They have not yet discovered that making and keeping covenants actually makes life easier! Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ. Please ponder that stunning truth!
The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power—power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way. Those who live the higher laws of Jesus Christ have access to His higher power. Thus, covenant keepers are entitled to a special kind of rest that comes to them through their covenantal relationship with God. …
… Despite the distractions and distortions that swirl around us, you can find true rest—meaning relief and peace—even amid your most vexing problems. (“Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 96)
Invite students to ponder how they have experienced the Lord’s rest and what specific actions they have taken that helped them experience the Lord’s rest. You could invite a few students to share their experiences. You might consider sharing your own experience as well.
Encourage students to consider what they could do to experience more of the Lord’s rest in their lives. Invite them to record spiritual impressions they receive from the Holy Ghost. Testify of the truths you have discussed today.