Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever – Hebrews 13:8
The apostle Paul in his letter to the Hebrews wrote these words:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
He is saying that Jesus Christ is the same today as yesterday – and will remain so forever.
There are three time periods spoken about here: there is the past “yesterday”, there is the current time “today” and there is the future “forever”. He is the same in all those time periods.
Yesterday he “learned obedience by the things which he suffered” (5:8);
today “he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near to God through him” (7:25);
for ever is his throne (1:8) and his priesthood (6:20 etc.).
Imitate their faith
If we consider the verse that precedes this statement we can get a deeper understanding as to what Paul Is saying. This is what Paul says in verse 7 and 8:
(verse 7) Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. (verse 8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Paul is talking about their leaders and teachers. The word of God had come to these teachers and the faith in God they learnt, as a result, was reflected in their manner of life. People who observed these teachers could see that they were driven daily by faith in God. These teachers and leaders were examples of faith for them to imitate.
When we look at verse seven it seems to have no connection with the next verse (verse 8). Verse 8 is looking backward and forward. It was for Jesus Christ—the Anointed Saviour—that their teachers had died. But Jesus lived, and he was able to strengthen them in their trials; not only so, he was alive for ever, and so could give to them eternal life if they were faithful.
The Hebrew believers must now recognise that it is in Jesus that their faith rests; through him they have salvation and access to God.
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25
This is further confirmed in the following verse from Hebrews:
But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” Hebrews 1:12
Therefore, Paul made this statement about Jesus being “the same yesterday and today and forever” to emphasise the total security and stability to be found in Christ. In chapter 6 he had spoken of “the immutability of God’s counsel”, of the hope we have “as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (6:17–19). The Gospel should have given the people boldness and confidence, yet they were still in danger of being “led away by diverse and strange teachings” (verse 9). What final appeal can Paul make so that his readers might embrace the privilege offered to them through the blood of Jesus?
The Good Shepherd
Psalms 22 to 24 refer to the good shepherd and they do it in terms of the past, present and future. They tie in with the words of Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 8. Why do they tie in? The Good Shepherd represents the Lord Jesus Christ and his sheep are the believers.
It is helpful to think of Psalms 22, 23 and 24 as a little group of Psalms which have a complete theme:
| Psalm 22 | A generation born |
| Psalm 23 | A generation pastured |
| Psalm 24 | A generation perfected |
They are stating the past, present and future aspects of the shepherd as seen again in the following New Testament verses:
The good shepherd who gave his life for the sheep (John 10:11)
The great shepherd brought again from the dead (Hebrews 13:20)
The chief shepherd who shall appear (1 Peter 5:4)
When we take these verses along with Psalm 22 to 24, they are brought together and expressed in the words “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” (Heb. 13:8).[1]
Everything Revolves round Jesus
The Christian calling is to be followers of this “man for all seasons”, who is the only real answer to all our needs. Jesus has given us a invitation:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:18
We should be aware that he does not offer us a life where we are idle and lazy. Rather it is a life where we are at peace with God, a truly happy and successful life. To those who follow him they will find strength in times of trial and forgiveness when they fail. There will be comfort when they sorrow. There will be hope in bereavement where life can come from death. He offers order when there is chaos. He also offers an inheritance of a future world which will be filled with joy and love, because it will reflect the glory of God, its Creator.
What is clear from all of this is that everything revolves round Jesus. If we want these blessings we need him above all else. We need him today, in our day to day lives where there is light and shade, the sorrows and joys, the successes and failures that make up life. For he is our man for all seasons, he is the Son of God:
but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:7-8
He did this so that he would be our Prince and Saviour. He is Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.
Love to the uttermost
John writes at the very commencement of his account of the last night Jesus spent with his disciples in the time before his crucifixion:
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. John 13:1
Jesus loved his disciples to the end or “the uttermost” (R.V. margin). The New English Bible expresses it this way: “He had always loved his own who were in the world, and now he was to show the full extent of his love.” This is more of a paraphrase than a translation, yet it brings out the real significance of all that Jesus said and did in the night in which he was betrayed.
John remembers with gratitude Jesus’ care for them at the very moment of his arrest:
Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” John 18:8,9
John is telling us that the words of the prayer were no mere words: Jesus acted on them, he kept the utmost faith, even with his Father, and he gave his life for the sheep. Then for our comfort we have the words in the epistle to the Hebrews which we are considering in this article:
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
If we know “Jesus Christ whom God hath sent”, we have full assurance because he cannot change. Even angels bear witness that “this same Jesus” will come again to you.
The true heart
The King James Version has only one reference to a true heart, found in the exhortation to draw near to God through Christ our High Priest “with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22). What is a true heart? It is one which is sincere or has sincerity. A true heart is perhaps best described as one which is real and genuine and without duplicity.
The Hebrew equivalent of a true heart is integrity of mind and sincerity. It is an appropriate description of the attitude which God required of Israel in response to His love which had led them to the Promised Land:
“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Joshua 24:14
In 1 Samuel 12:24, sincerity of heart is the required response to God’s bounty:
Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.
David saw it as being a guarantee of the continuing enjoyment of God’s loving care for His people, as is apparent from the way he urges Solomon to keep God’s laws and walk in His ways:
that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ 1 Kings 2:4
The true heart is steady and stable. In Isaiah 33:6 the true heart indicates “stability” which Israel would enjoy under God’s rule.
and he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is Zion's treasure.
These things point to the true heart as being one which is rock-steady, unchangeable and which imitates both our Heavenly Father, “with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17) and His Son, “the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).
Friends
As we go through life, some of our friends may move away from immediate contact but their love and sympathy remain unchanged: they have left but not forsaken us. But it may sadly happen that a close friend loses the love of the most precious things we have shared with them, while still living close to us: this is forsaking but not leaving us.
But God neither leaves nor forsakes: He is always with us and for us. The Lord is our helper. What can man do against us?
Paul asks the question:
Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Romans 8:33-35
Paul answers that nothing can, not even life or death: for Christ ever lives and his love never fails. The Lord Jesus Christ belongs to the abiding, permanent things.
The Hebrews were reminded of this: “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever”. He is “the same” today as when he laid down his life for us: and he will so remain for ever. Other friends may come and pass away: he lives forever. The power of others to help us may fail: but he can save to the uttermost. In Jesus the Hebrews had a greater than Joshua; one greater than Aaron: one greater than the prophets; greater even than Moses, as a son is greater than a servant. Moses’ hands grew weary as he lifted them up in intercession; Aaron’s priesthood passed to others; but Jesus never wearies, never faints, and by the word of God’s oath he abides a priest continually. He is divinely enduring.
