Book of Hebrews

See Textbook: “Hebrews”, pp. 506-508.

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Introduction:

- the Book of Hebrews/Epistle to the Hebrews has been traditionally ascribed to Paul;

- however, this tradition is generally not accepted;

- the reasons:

- difference in vocabulary and style;

- moreover, teachings on faith, justification, reconciliation, and union with Christ do not reflect Paul’s thought;

- the book reads more like a sermon than a letter, e.g. 13.17;

- it does not contain the phrase “to the Hebrews”;

- thus, it is difficult to say for whom it was intended.

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Introduction:

- - the book argues that Jesus was both a kingly and priestly Messiah;

- Jesus is depicted as the complete revelation of God’s purpose, the one who now serves in heaven as the eternal high priest, and the mediator for humanity (1.1-4);

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Authorship:

- some have attributed the work to Barnabas, a companion of Paul;

- others have attributed the work to Priscilla (see Rom 16.3;

1 Cor 16.19; 2 Tim 4.19) or Apollos;

- most scholars hold that the work was written by an anonymous Christian scholar;

- this scholar was equally well acquainted with Greek versions of the Hebrew Bible, that is, the Septuagint, and with Greek philosophical concepts.

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Place of Writing:

- Heb 13.24: “Those from Italy send you greetings”;

- thus, this suggests that it was written in Italy, perhaps in Rome;

- some scholars, however, argue that it was written in Alexandria in Egypt, or in Palestine.

6Roman Empire in Second Century CE.

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Date:

- estimates range from ca. 65 to 100 CE;

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Dualistic View:

- a view of the universe in which earthly events and human institutions are seen as reflections of invisible heavenly realities (see Figure 15.1, p. 508 in Textbook);

- the writer assumes the existence of two parallel worlds:

- the eternal and perfect realm of the spirit above; and

- the inferior, constantly-changing world below;

(a form of Platonic thought? See Textbook, G-37)

- the author attempts to show how Christ’s sacrificial death links the two opposing realms of perishable matter and eternal spirit;

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Dualistic View:

- The author alone, of all NT writers, presents Jesus as a heavenly priest who serves as an everlasting mediator between God and humanity.

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Method of Biblical Interpretation:

- author’s biblical interpretation is like that of Philo Judaeus, a Hellenistic Jewish scholar of Alexandria in Egypt;

- according to this method of interpretation, the Hebrew Scripture is not merely a record of Israel’s history;

-it is an allegory in which earthly events symbolize heavenly realities.

- See Textbook, G-2 on “allegory”.

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The Main Theological Argument of Hebrews:

-Christ is the final and complete revelation of God’s will

(1.1-4);

- thus, the readers must hold fast to their faith or risk destruction;

- practice is, thus, based on faith;

- the recipients are exhorted to remember their former loyalty during persecution;

- they are to avoid apathy and indifference (10.32-34).

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Outline:

- Introduction (1.1-4);

- Christ, the image of God, superior to all other human or heavenly beings (1.5-4.16);

- the Torah’s priestly regulations foreshadowing Jesus’ role as a priest-like figure/“according to the order of”, that is, “like” Melchizedek (5.1-10.39); see Genesis 14.17-24; Psalm110.4;

- the need for believers to act on faith in unseen realities, emulating biblical figures of old (11.1-13.16);

- originally part of another document (13.18-25);

(13.23 - reference to Timothy [see 1 Cor 4.17 and Acts 16.1-3])

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Christ’s Superiority to all other Beings:

- Christ is the perfect “image of God”/”the exact imprint of God’s very being”(1.3);

- thus, he is superior to all biblical sages, prophets, and angels;

- he is also superior to the priesthood of the Mosaic Torah (4.44-7.28);

- Jesus is not only a Davidic, Messiah king but an eternal High Priest as well.

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Christ as King-Priest:

- the author’s use of the Torah story of Abraham and Melchizedek (Gen 14.17-20);

- Abraham paid Melchizedek a tenth of his spoils from a successful war;

- the author concludes that Melchizedek’s priesthood is without beginning or end;

- Melchizedek, as king of righteousness and peace and an “eternal priest,” is a prototype of Christ;

- he is superior not only to Abraham but to Abraham’s Levitical descendants, i.e., the Jewish priests;

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Christ as King-Priest:

- Christ’s priesthood is: sinless, deathless, and confirmed by divine oath;

- it endures forever (7.3, 21-28);

- Christ’s priesthood surpasses that of the Levites (8.1-10.39);

- Hebrews envisions Israel’s earthly sacrifices and worship as reflections or copies of invisible heavenly realities (8.5) [thus, a form of Platonic dualism];

- see Figure 15.1, p. 508 in Textbook;

- an allegorical interpretation of priestly rituals on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

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Christ as King-Priest:

- see Leviticus 16: the High Priest enters the Temple’s Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement to make a sacrifice;

- this is an imperfect sacrifice;

- it has to be done annually;

- Christ, on the other hand, has entered the heavenly Temple (9.11-14);

- he has made the one sacrifice, i.e., the sacrifice of his life, that is for all time;

- there is, thus, no need for further sacrifices in the earthly sanctuary;

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Christ as King-Priest:

- Christianity is, thus, the only true religion;

- it is the fulfillment of Judaism;

- Christ’s sacrifice is also superior to the sacrifices of the Levitical priesthood because it inaugurates a new covenant (9.15);

- Christ’s sacrifice is ratified by his blood (like the sacrifices of the Mosaic Law) that was poured out at his crucifixion;

- the old law demands repeated animal sacrifices;

- the new law has but one sacrifice, namely, Christ’s;

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Christ as King-Priest:

- it follows that those who benefit from Christ’s everlasting sacrifice can hope, like him, to enter the heavenly sanctuary (10.5-19);

- thus, Christians should adhere to the true religion because the Day of Judgment is near;

- but a difficulty (10.20-31; see also 6.4-9).

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Christ as King-Priest:

- the author also makes a reference to Israel’s kings as “according to the order of Melchizedek”/“like Melchizedek” (Ps 110.4; see Gen 14.17-20 – Abraham and Melchizedek);

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Discourse on Faith (Hebrews 11):

- the readers are to accept God’s ultimate revelation in the Son through faith (11.1);

- faith: perception of an unseen universe transcending the material world (11.1-3);

- the author presents a survey of Hebrew Bible figures who lived by faith (11.2-40);

- from Abel to the prophets;

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Discourse on Faith:

- the author urges the readers to strive likewise for eternal life (12.1-2);

- the biblical figures had only a glimpse of what was to come;

- Christians have the reality;

- thus, they must stand firm (12.3-13);

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Discourse on Faith:

- how the Israelite Torah was introduced (12.18-21);

- Christians witness a more holy covenant (12.22-29);

- thus, they are to keep the faith in the new dispensation (12.28-29).

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Practical Instructions to the Community and Greetings (13.1-25):

- 13.1-17: the sermon concludes with specific ethical exhortations;

- 13.18-25: greetings, blessings, and postscript.

PEACE/SHALOM/SALEM!