Category: Hebrews

Part Five No Continuing City: The Eschatology of Hebrews           The opening verses of the book of Hebrews include the line ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων which literally translated is “at the end of these days” (Heb. 1:2).  The phrase is translated by Lane and by Attridge as “in these final days.”[1]  Lane has a note claiming it is “a common Septuagintal idiom.”[2]  The phrase likely refers to the times after the ascension of Christ to the second advent.[3]  I …

Part Four The New High Priest           Jesus then is the High Priest who replaces the Aaronic-Levitical High Priest.  This high-profile replacement of a cultic officiant was absolutely necessary, otherwise Christ’s mediatorial work could not have gone forward.  It would not be in the character of God nor patterned after the divine economy with men for Christ to bullishly take up the Davidic throne in Jerusalem and by simple irresistible fiat make Himself the High Priest.  But also, as Hebrews …

Part Three God’s Oath is an Anchor for the Soul            In the middle of Hebrews 6 there is an important section where God’s covenant with Abraham is brought to the fore and the concept of covenant, and in particular the covenant oath, is brought out.  For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself… For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an …

Part Two The Next Warnings           This is where the author begins to introduce the High Priesthood of Christ.  Since this takes us into closer proximity to the New covenant, I shall look at it separately.  Our concern just now is the theme of “the world to come” (Heb. 2:5).  This phrase pops up again in the middle of the famous warning in Hebrews 6 (i.e., Heb. 6:5), although the noun is different.  Hebrews 5:12 – 6:8 is the next …

Part One “The World to Come” It is crucial to read Hebrews 2:5 very carefully.  In it the writer states, “For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.” The angels right now minister to the heirs of salvation” (Heb. 1:14 cf. 1:7).  In “the world to come” (Heb. 2:5); of which the Son is the heir (Heb. 1:2), in seems as though the Son will be much more prominent, the coming …

This alternative reading of the Book of Hebrews comes about largely through a determined attempt (easier said than done) to read the work independently of the voice of Paul.  Just as say Romans or Ephesians requires us to read it for what it is without drawing in assumptions from the Gospels, so Hebrews demands that we temporarily set the great apostle to one side as we take it up.  Hebrews deserves to be read apart from Paul just as much …

Part Three A Premillennial Reading of Hebrews (3) Christ’s Body a Covenant Sacrifice           The author of Hebrews chose as his go-to text the “Old Greek” of the OT, but not exactly what scholars mean when they say “LXX.”[1]   His singular use of Psalm 40:6-8, especially its translation of Psalm 40:6 as “a body you have prepared for me.”  As Thomas Constable notes, Psalm 40:6 reads: “You have opened [i.e., cleaned out] my ears,” whereas Hebrews 10:5 says: “You have …

Part Two A Premillennial Reading of Hebrews (2) A New Covenant           After quoting Jeremiah 31 the author is careful to refer to “a new covenant” (Heb. 8:13), but nobody doubts that the definite article is required in its other mentions in the book (Heb. 9:15; 12:23).  Those interpreters who insist that the New covenant is not made with the Church, or that the Church is only tangentially related to the New covenant are, to my mind, once more in …