Biblical Theology LIV: Hebrews

Hebrews is historically thought have been written by Paul, but scholars today believe it is written by someone else. Hence, when referring the author of Hebrews, they merely use the Latin word for author “Auctor.” Hebrews begins the section of the New Testament called the “General/Catholic Epistles.” 

Theology: Auctor is arguing against the idea that Jewish Christians should just return to Judaism, as 

it is the first revelation from God, and Christianity is something new. He argues that the Hebrew Bible is insufficient unless fulfilled in the Messiah, and he argues that Jesus is that Messiah. In fact, he argues that, according to the Hebrew Bible, He is God Himself who has humbled Himself and become man so that He could identify with them, and become both their sacrifice and their High Priest. His resurrection and ascension allow Him full access to God as their intercessor. 

Hence, Jesus is the fulfillment of typological pictures in the Hebrew Bible that were never meant to function sufficiently in and of themselves. Neither angels nor Moses, nor Aaron and his priesthood were ever adequate mediators, as they cannot identify with God; nor are they perfect humans, and so they fail to be able to plead man’s case before God, since they are in need of atonement for themselves as well in order to be pleasing enough to God to be heard. Only Jesus is both God and perfect man, fully identifying with both, and able to become both the accepted sacrifice and Mediator that man needs to be reconciled to God. The promises of forgiveness and resurrection are only found, therefore, in Him.

Ethics: Therefore, the Jewish Christians who are being pressured to reject Christ need to stay and endure any persecution they receive for following Christ, since He alone is the means to their redemption. He makes this clear with a series of warning passages that argue that those who turn away from Christ and His church will not be saved. There is a strong teaching of God’s sovereignty that authors and perfects His people’s salvation, and yet, they must choose to remain in the faith on a human level, as the means through which God accomplishes His goal of perfecting their salvation. 

Furthermore, these Jewish Christians are simply doing what everyone in the Hebrew Bible has done when given promises from God, i.e., they are having faith in God by expecting that He will give them the fulfillment of His promises in due time. 

Hence, in the meantime, they are to live in a way that is pleasing to God, waiting for their full redemption and deliverance from persecution. He makes it clear that because Jesus fulfilled the law does not mean that they do not have to observe the morality of the law. Therefore, they are to live as Christians by loving one another, which means doing good to one another and refraining from doing any evil to one another. They are to obey their leaders, and trust in God that He will strengthen them through solid teaching. Their sacrifices now are the praise God receives from their lips and their taking care of fellow Christians in need. Finally, he reminds them that Christ suffered outside the camp, and therefore, they should also by being excluded from the community suffer in shame with Him. He comforts them by blessing them with the blessing that God will equip them for every good work in the world.