Book of Hebrews See Textbook: “Hebrews”, pp

2 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 ; - it does not contain the phrase “to the Hebrews”; - thus, it is difficult to say for whom it was intended.

3 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);

4 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.

5 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.

6 Roman Empire in Second Century CE.

7 Date: - estimates range from ca. 65 to 100 CE;

8 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;

9 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.

10 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”.

11 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 ( ).

12 Outline: - Introduction (1.1-4); - Christ, the image of God, superior to all other human or heavenly beings ( ); - the Torah’s priestly regulations foreshadowing Jesus’ role as a priest-like figure/“according to the order of”, that is, “like” Melchizedek ( ); see Genesis ; Psalm110.4; - the need for believers to act on faith in unseen realities, emulating biblical figures of old ( ); - originally part of another document ( ); ( reference to Timothy [see 1 Cor 4.17 and Acts ])

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

14 Christ as King-Priest: - the author’s use of the Torah story of Abraham and Melchizedek (Gen ); - 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;

15 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 ( ); - 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).

16 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 ( ); - 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;

17 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;

18 Christ as King-Priest: - it follows that those who benefit from Christ’s everlasting sacrifice can hope, like him, to enter the heavenly sanctuary ( ); - thus, Christians should adhere to the true religion because the Day of Judgment is near; - but a difficulty ( ; see also 6.4-9).

19 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 – Abraham and Melchizedek);

20 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 ( ); - from Abel to the prophets;

21 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 ( );

22 Discourse on Faith: - how the Israelite Torah was introduced ( ); - Christians witness a more holy covenant ( ); - thus, they are to keep the faith in the new dispensation ( ).

23 Practical Instructions to the Community and Greetings ( ): : the sermon concludes with specific ethical exhortations; : greetings, blessings, and postscript. PEACE/SHALOM/SALEM!