Epistle to the Hebrews

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The Letter to the Hebrews is a book of the New Testament, it is divided into 13 chapters since the Middle Ages. Although more than any of the literary-historical questions about the author, the audience, a dating or even the literary genre of the titled with Πρὸς Έβραίους font even remotely a scientific consensus, historical probabilities but can weigh and give reasons for the various hypotheses.

Author

Because the oldest manuscripts ( Papyrus 46, Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus ) einordneten Hebrews among the Pauline letters, counting the early Eastern Church tradition to Scripture to Paul. However, as Origen and Clement of Alexandria noted, this is because of the completely different style - such as a vocabulary of 1,000 different words with 3000 words version compared to the more limited of Paul - very unlikely. Nevertheless, it was assumed during the Middle Ages and in the Catholic Church until 1914, letter to the Hebrews was the Greek translation of a Hebrew original St. Paul's epistles. Because of the different nature of theology and the various historical situation ( for example, Paul is in Galatians 1:12 on his own direct experience of revelation, while the author ad Hebraios describes itself as a listener in Heb 2.3 of the disciples of Jesus ), the excluded today. Possible authors have therefore proposed: Apollos, Priscilla, Luke or Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Peter, Philip, Judas, Aristion, Timothy. But since neither of those named (if they ever works have survived ), nor any other Hebrews equivalent document is received, so it stands completely unique in form as well as, and in the letter itself about the author, nothing is said, none of these hypotheses to be verified. Given the excellent Greek style, the extensive vocabulary and deep knowledge of the Old Testament in the form of the Septuagint as the author of a Greek -educated Jews to accept Christ, who belonged to the Hellenistic wing. It is in the letter not to pseudepigraphy because no ostensible author is cited, even if the mention of Timothy ( Heb 13.23 ) may want to suggest the perimeter of Paul as the sender.

Receiver

Whether the title "To the Hebrews " the original recipient thinks is controversial. While all manuscripts and since Tertullian, this title has survived, but it could therefore also a very early general belief as to the determination of the letter expressed because of the " Hebrew " content to be .. Because of the warning of the relapse the addressee could not be a Jew, that have yet to be converted. The most widespread is the adoption of a Jewish Christian addressees, less because of the familiarity with the details of the temple cult, which may have been known Gentile Christians, as because of the always presupposed recognition Jewish premises, such as the existence of the Levitical Priestertumes whose appointment by Moses the recipients felt they were sufficient, whereas the need to create a Priestertumes after the order of Melchizedek had to be proved to them with Scripture quotations (Heb 7:14). There are also the interpretation of the book of Hebrews was ever written for any specific community and situation, but generally to Christians who have lost their initial enthusiasm and lived in the second, third generation. A relationship to the discovered at Qumran writings will no longer be accepted. Because of the sentence (Heb 13:24) " There the brothers from Italy greet you " in the letter closing - provided that he has not been added by another hand because of the style break - is commonly believed that the author had dwelt in Italy ( Rome) and the letter sent to außeritalische abroad. But contradicted by the fact that the writer of a letter ( the brothers as an author collective are hard to imagine ), to even something more to say to his place, would have to call his current real location and not a whole country, so that the countries giving only the origin of the author or individual members of his congregation, the only mitschickten Greetings, designated. Ultimately, there is a proof for any of the Absendungs ​​- as mentioned as a destination city list.

Dating

Because the written around the year 96 AD first Epistle of Clement to the Hebrews quoted extensively and contains allusions to him, the terminus ante quem are considered safer. A more precise dating depends on how the portrayal of the Jewish Temple worship is assessed. When the Hebrews namely would refer any outstanding facilities and customs of the Herodian temple, he would have before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Romans to have been written; conversely, if still valid through the book of Leviticus victims customs were meant, which are summarized in the typological mention of the Old Testament tabernacle, that date would be inconsequential. The advocates of early dating assume that the cancellation of the Levitical system and Priestertumes to prove its final overcoming through Christ, Hebrews yes search, the letter would take its basis, because the reality would otherwise have overtaken him. Thus, they go from one dating between 60 and 70 AD from. Hebrews 10, 32 ff points to the persecution of Christians under Nero out (64 AD). This would suggest that the letter could be dated to the period 64-70 AD. The majority opinion goes but then, that the mention of the victims is based solely on the Old Testament worship, and that the speech of the continuation of the same up to the present the author mainly because of the specific content which does not permit explicit information, as a description of timeless ritual exercises is to be understood. The persecutions mentioned in the letter could be either local communities or the threats of persecution at the time of the Roman emperor Domitian ( 81-96 AD) mean. Thus, a writing between 80 and 90 AD would content speaks for the early dating that no names for the church offices are located, but in general superintendent (Heb 13,7.17 ) are mentioned. The strong expectation (Heb 9:26; 10,25.37 ) and the still of ear witnesses ( apostles ) of Jesus was first proclamation (Heb 2.3 ) tend to favor an early time.

Literary genre

The by name and position in the New Testament canon as a matter of course close down view of Hebrews as a letter, meaning as written written message from a sender to one or more specific recipients, is questionable. For only the last four verses (Heb. 13.22 to 25 ) can be fixed to make this shape, while all the rest carries no epistolary character. The genus of Hebrews is thus the art letter ( epistle ), ie a particular literary work to the public that wants to give the appearance of a formal letter (see Goethe's Sorrows of Young Werther ). If you follow the researchers concluded for a secondary infliction, whether by a later writer or even the author himself, declare as Verschicker and separate literary criticism, the Residual same one rhetorically sophisticated educational lecture or a sermon in which theological treatise and paraenetic prompt the listener alternated. Therefore it must be concluded in terms of the literary origin of a subsequently written down speech or any product intended for oral presentation piece.

Structure

The various subdivisions of the Hebrews into sections and thought processes can be simplified to two possible basic patterns traced. Some take on a concentrically ordered construction of the manner of a chiasmus ( ABCBA ), which is arranged in multiple nested shells around the center of Christ as High Priest symmetrical. The respective mutual relatedness of each piece is made by clamp words.

Outline Albert Vanhoyes

  • A Introduction ( 1:1-4 ) corresponding, respectively, for →
  • I. Another name than the angels ( 1.5 to 2.18 ) → V.
  • II A. Jesus, credible high priest ( 3.1 to 4.14 ) → IV B.
  • II B. Jesus, compassionate High Priest ( 4.15 to 5.10 ) → IV A.
  • II p. Introductory exhortation ( 5.11 to 6.20 ) → III. f
  • III. A. Jesus, high priest after the order of Melchizedek ( 7.1 to 28 ) → III. C.
  • III. As completion arrives ( 8.1 to 9.28 ) in mid-
  • III. C. author of eternal salvation ( 10:1-18 ) → III. A.
  • III. f Final Admonition ( 10.19 to 39 ) → III. p.
  • IV A. The belief of the ancients ( 11.1 to 40 ) → II B.
  • IV B. The necessary endurance ( 12.1 to 13 ) → II A.
  • V. straight paths ( 12.14 to 13.19 ) → I.
  • For closing ( 13.20 to 21 ) → a
  • ( 13.22-25 remains as a secondary consideration)

However, it is questionable with increasing refinement and going to the last detail parallelisms and cross-references to what extent the author of the text at all was so very durchkonstruieren, or whether this is an exaggerated analyzing and organizing addiction will bring contingencies in an artificial system. Expect the other with two major sections, the first from the development of a theological doctrine exists, and the second is treated from the previous beliefs to inferentially -conversion into the lives of the faithful in the form of a long exhortation.

Outline Donald Guthrie

  • I. The superiority of the Christian faith ( 1.1 to 10.18 ) A. God's revelation through the Son ( 1:1-4 )
  • B. The superiority of the Son over the angels ( 1.5 to 2.18 ) 1 Christ is higher in its nature ( 1.5 to 14 )
  • 2 A warning against apostasy ( 2:1-4 )
  • 3 humiliation and glory of Jesus ( 2:5-9 )
  • 4 His work for the benefit of humans ( 2.10 to 18 )
  • A. The current position of the believer ( 10.19 to 39 ) 1 The new and living way ( 10.19 to 25 )
  • 2 Another warning ( 10.26 to 31 )
  • 3 The value of past experience ( 10.32 to 39 )

Also, this division can not be fully considered, as in the exhortation again theological considerations are inserted, and vice versa. The question of the literary structure is of importance should be adopted as different depending on their goal and climax of writing. It makes a huge difference whether the encouragement of the reader in the exhortation is the main purpose for which the only theology forms the theoretical basis, or whether representing Christ-centered high priest considerations as an end in itself, the actual message of the writer. A middle path represents the position that both Doctrina and exhortation, in mutual supplement make up the content of the letter; namely to get from hearing the Word of God about the spiritual penetration and the commitment to follow-up and taken to heart in their own lives.

Use of Old Testament scripture quotes

Of all the New Testament books are in the book of Hebrews the most, that contain 23 direct quotations and allusions, mostly from Leviticus, the Psalms and the Prophets. The form of the text is that of the Septuagint, on the whole, although individual variations are not uncommon. Where the two traditional major variants ( Alexandrinus and Vaticanus ) are different, often Heb another version that matches receipts to the church fathers. This led to the hypothesis Hebrews had a more original form of the Septuagint used, as it is preserved in the manuscripts of the Bible. Adjustments to the Masoretic text seem to have been made ​​by chance than in conscious dependence; in any case it can not clarify whether the author ever of Hebrew was powerful the question. Quotes are always anonymous above, without providing the context and the location in the Old Testament. Even immediately consecutive sentences are quoted as if they were completely independent of each other, about Heb 2:13 by Jes 8,17.18 or Heb 10.30 after Deut 32,35.36. Either the author has therefore used common places him from memory, which is unlikely but because of the large total faithfulness to the text, or he used a Florilegium without knowing the original context itself in detail. Conscious changes resulting from himself, can be detected also; but they change throughout the meaning of the statement does not, but are a quotation grammatically better fit in the letter or the underscore at the selected point particularly important for the sake of clarity.

High Priest theology

The peculiarity of the theology of Hebrews from the rest of the New Testament canon is the singular use of the high priest title for Christ. Just as the High Priest of the Temple in Jerusalem on the Day of Atonement ( Yom Kippur ) the expiation of the people was offering the sin offering and entered the most holy place, Christ had the redemption and reconciliation of the people effected by God, by letting himself be crucified. But unlike in the temple cult, where the victims had to be carried out repeatedly and were therefore ineffective because they represented only images and shadow of heavenly things, similar to the Platonic doctrine of ideas, this offering may be unique and have a redeemed the sins for all time. Therefore, Christ and the new covenant mediated by him on rage the old covenant at Sinai and was constituted in the Torah Aaronic and Levitical priesthood, which are declared obsolete and outdated. Priesthood in the traditional Jewish sense could not be said, because he was from the tribe of Judah and not from the tribe of Levi from Jesus. That's why this high priest is not the Levitical order, but the order of Melchizedek, who was still on Abraham as a " priest of the Most High God " because he blessed him, and who accepted donations from him. The entry of the High Priest in the Holy of Holies is interpreted as placing ourselves before God, Christ, where he is now sitting as before his incarnation and in the creation caused by him to the right to the Parousia, as anticipated in strong expectation very soon.

Aftereffect

The canonicity of Hebrews was controversial not only because of its unknown author, but also because of a particular substantive content. The 10.26-31 as expressed in Hebrews impossibility of repentance for fallen after baptism Christians was considered by many as contrary to the Gospel. Especially in the Western Church, as part of the experience with the heretical Novatians who taught this very impossibility of repentance emphatically, the letter was long considered doubtful. The Opfertodspekulation of Hebrews was picked up in the middle ages by Anselm of Canterbury in Cur deus homo and was for many an important interpretive tradition in the Catholic understanding of the Eucharist. The motive of the High Priestertumes forms in the hymn "For the eternal High Priest ," the first verse on the Protestant side had, despite the appreciation of the letter by Luther and Calvin problems with the apparent overemphasis of worship, because this only works righteousness bar feed, and because the letter from the Pauline doctrine of justification but differed significantly. Therefore him, Martin Luther with him three other inferior writings appearing in an appendix of his German New Testament. In the Orthodox Church the letter, however, was accepted early; formulated here teaching of Christ as the eternal High Priest and the detailed mapping of Old Testament rites to Christian beliefs play a prominent role in the Eastern church, theology and mysticism.

People

  • Christ
  • Melchizedek
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