Preaching is central in God’s plan to save and transform lives (1 Cor. 1:21; 2 Tim. 4:2). All of God’s people should have great interest in preaching because it is one of the foremost means God has chosen to form them spiritually. In this article, I have two groups in mind. First, I am writing to preachers, the ones who have the privilege of preaching God’s Word to local churches. Second, I am writing to church members, the ones who gather every Sunday to hear the preaching of God’s Word. In the end, I hope to encourage both groups about the importance of indicatives and imperatives in preaching.
What are Indicatives and Imperatives?
From a grammatical perspective, the words indicative and imperative refer to verbal moods. William D. Mounce writes, “Mood refers to the relationship between the verb and reality.”[1] The indicative mood “describes something that is” whereas the imperative mood expresses a command.[2] Brandon D. Crowe states, “The indicative refers to the saving work of God in Christ on our behalf. The imperative assumes and logically follows the indicative, and entails commands for how to live.”[3] Simply put, the indicatives of Scripture are statements of reality and imperatives are commands to be obeyed.
The Problem of Imbalance
The Bible is filled with both indicatives and imperatives, and both are necessary for God’s people. However, we tend to gravitate more naturally towards one and neglect the other. Depending on our experiences or disposition, we may lean more in one direction or the other.
I believe that most preachers (including the one writing this article!) are inclined to be either an indicative-heavy preacher or an imperative-heavy preacher. It is a challenge to give both indicatives and imperatives the attention that they deserve. Expositional preaching is a tremendous aid in this regard because the person preaching an expositional sermon presumably intends for the text to dictate the emphasis. Some passages are indicative-heavy (see Eph. 1:3–14) while others are imperative-heavy (1 Thess. 5:12–22). Nevertheless, preachers can still be tempted to overemphasize one aspect and deemphasize the other.
In addition, most church members seem to have a natural inclination towards either indicative-heavy preaching or imperative-heavy preaching. Based on one’s inclination or disposition, he or she can be tempted to think that only a sermon which focuses heavily on imperatives is “good preaching.” On the other hand, those who are averse to hearing such sermons may demur that such preaching is legalistic. Thankfully, Scripture provides a wonderful balance and pattern for what believers need in relation to indicatives and imperatives, and the book of Hebrews can serve as a helpful example.[4]
The Author of Hebrews as a Pattern for Preaching
Scholars have widely understood the book of Hebrews to be a sermon.[5] Consequently, observing the author’s approach to preaching can be instructive for preachers and church members alike. George H. Guthrie suggests that the apparent strategy of the author of Hebrews is to alternate “between exposition and exhortation.”[6] This movement from exposition to exhortation reflects a healthy balance between indicatives and imperatives. The expositional passages in Hebrews expound on the person and work of Jesus Christ, and they are designed to fix the eyes of the Hebrew audience on “the founder and perfecter” of their faith (12:2). These expositional sections are indicative-heavy.
One of the distinctive theological contributions that Hebrews makes to the canon of Scripture is its teachings on the high priestly ministry of Jesus (2:17; 3:1; 4:14–15; 5:5, 10; 6:20; 7:26, 28; 8:1; 9:11). Apparently, the author of Hebrews viewed this motif as an especially encouraging truth for the faith of his audience. These expositional texts that highlight the ministry of Jesus as high priest provide motivation and support for the recipients of Hebrews in their time of need (4:14–16). By fixing their attention on the high priest of their confession (3:1), the Hebrew audience would have a better grasp of the greatness of the gospel of Jesus.
Throughout Hebrews, the expositional sections are followed by exhortation passages that are imperative-heavy. The author of Hebrews begins with exposition, where the focus is on who Jesus Christ is and what He has accomplished, yet “each exposition turns to exhortation.”[7] The warning passages carry the thrust of the imperatives in the book of Hebrews, and they are based upon and proceed from the expositions.
A Necessary Order: Indicative-Imperative
Crowe highlights the “indicative-imperative theological structure” found throughout the Bible where “the imperative assumes and logically follows the indicative.”[8] Edmund Clowney adds, “The indicative of what God had done for us (and in us) precedes the imperative of what we are called to do for him.”[9] The biblical emphasis on both the indicatives and imperatives is essential and inseparable; however, “the order of the two cannot be switched: the indicative must precede the imperative.”[10]
The pattern laid out in Hebrews reminds modern-day preachers and teachers that both indicatives and imperatives are essential to faithful ministry. Nevertheless, the indicatives of Who Jesus is and what He has done must precede the imperatives regarding how God’s people must live. To confuse or reverse this order undoubtedly weakens the faith of believers, causing them to look inwardly for the strength to persevere rather than looking to God in Christ.
Beholding Jesus and Holding to Jesus: Indicatives and Imperatives
Overall, the book of Hebrews functions as a stellar example of balancing indicatives and imperatives. The enduring message of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus is superior to everything and everyone to which He can be compared (1:4; 6:9, 13, 16; 7:7, 19, 22; 8:6; 9:11, 23; 10:34; 11:16, 26, 35, 40; 12:24); therefore, believers should ever be beholding Him and holding fast to Him. The expositional portions of Hebrews are a call to behold Jesus. The faith of believers will be nurtured as they continually look unto Jesus, the founder and perfecter of their faith (12:1).
By considering Jesus (3:1), believers will behold the one Who is the radiance of the glory of God (1:2), God’s unique and divine Son (1:5–8), and the faithful high priest (2:17; 4:14–15; 5:6, 10; 7:26; 8:1; 9:11). Moreover, He is the sure and steadfast anchor of the soul (6:18–20), the mediator of a new and better covenant (8:6), the atoning sacrifice for sins (9:26–28; 10:10–14), and the great shepherd of the sheep (13:20). Jesus is the immutable Lord Who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (13:8), and He always lives to make intercession for His people (7:25). On the basis of these unshakeable truths (12:28), believers should keep their eyes fixed on Jesus. Through a host of indicatives, the author of Hebrews helps his audience to behold Jesus.
The timeless message of Hebrews is also a summons to perseverance. The exhortation passages urge believers to hold fast to Christ (3:6, 14; 4:14; 6:18; 10:23). Looking to Jesus (12:1) does not negate the believer’s responsibility to cling to Christ in persevering faith. Beholding Jesus should not produce a passive posture but rather an active posture that holds to Jesus firm to the end (3:14). An initial confession of faith in Christ is vital, but this confession must be held firmly throughout one’s life (4:14). Through the imperatives and warnings, the author of Hebrews helps his audience to hold fast to Jesus. The combination of beholding and holding converges in Hebrews 10:23 as the author of Hebrews proclaims, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” May this sentiment be true of all who read this work.
[1] William D. Mounce, Basics of Biblical Greek, 4th ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019), 153.
[2] Ibid., 153, 380
[3] Brandon D. Crowe, The Message of the General Epistles in the History of Redemption: Wisdom from James, Peter, John, and Jude (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2015), xvii.
[4] The book of Hebrews is not the only New Testament book that exemplifies the relationship between indicatives and imperatives. This emphasis is found throughout the Pauline Epistles and the General Epistles. For a more detailed study, see Crowe’s book The Message of the General Epistles in the History of Redemption.
[5] William Lane, Hebrews 1–8, Word Biblical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1991), lxxiv; David F. Moffitt, “The Epistle to the Hebrews,” in The State of New Testament Studies: A Survey of Recent Research, ed. Scot McKnight and Nijay K. Gupta (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2019), 324; David L. Allen, Hebrews, New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2010), 24.
[6] George H. Guthrie, The Structure of Hebrews: A Text-Linguistic Analysis (New York, NY: E.J. Brill, 1994), 9.
[7] Luke Timothy Johnson, Hebrews: A Commentary, The New Testament Library (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006), 13.
[8] Crowe, The Message of the General Epistles, xvii.
[9] Edmund P. Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter: The Way of the Cross (Leicester, EN: InterVarsity Press. 1988), 61.
[10] Crowe, The Message of the General Epistles, xvii.
April 2, 2026
Great article!!!
April 2, 2026
This an excellent guide on applying the message of Hebrews. Yet, we must always remember that good exposition is rooted in sound exegesis.