Further study of our writer's teaching on the perfecting of Christ requires me to examine in some detail the whole section from 4: 14 to 5: 10. It is true that the subject with which I am concerned is only explicitly dealt with in 5: 7–10, but the relationship between these verses and the preceding section (4: 14 – 5: 6) is such as to demand careful exegesis of the whole.

The significance and structure of 4: 14 – 5: 10

Vanhoye's criteria for establishing the structure of Hebrews lead him to propose that the second main section of the argument (‘Grand-prêtre fidèle et miséricordieux’) begins at 3: 1 and proceeds to 5: 10 as follows: the theme of Jesus as ‘faithful’ is developed in 3: 1 – 4: 14 and that of Jesus as ‘merciful high priest’ in 4: 1 5 – 5 : 10. The former section involves an exposition of the fidelity of Moses and the fidelity of Jesus (3: 1 –6) and parenesis based on Psalm 95 (3: 7 – 4: 14) to encourage the readers to imitate the faithfulness of Jesus and thus reach their heavenly destination. Here, as elsewhere, it may be argued that Vanhoye's distinction between ‘exposé’ and ‘parénèse’ is too precise and artificial since the whole of chapters 3–4 involves an intricate combination of both. The presentation of the theme of Christ the merciful high priest is said to begin with parenesis (4: 15–16) and proceed to exposition (5: 1–10).