August 25, 2014 Hebrews Chapter 3

Hebrews Chapter 2

Originally posted Monday October 13, 2008

General Comment: As we read Hebrews we should keep in mind the historical circumstances of its writing. The community is predominately Jewish Christian. Those Gentiles who had been converted are well versed in Jewish traditions and history. Hebrews was written within ten to fifteen years of the destruction of the Temple and the loss of the priesthood and its sacrificial system. The community has struggled and suffered through various levels of persecution during the time of Claudius and more seriously that of Nero beginning in 64 CE during and after the great fire of Rome for which Christians were blamed. There was significant animosity shown by the Roman citizens against anything Jewish, often leading to violence and, of course, Jewish Christians were not immune. Two years after Nero's death the Temple and much of Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Romans and thousands of Palestinian Jews martyred or sold into slavery. The Roman General, Titus, son of the emperor Vespasian, would ride triumphantly into Rome bearing the great Menorah and other sacred Temple vessels as trophies. Hostility was a way of life. With the expectation of an early return of Christ to usher in the final salvation of the new age of God's kingdom being delayed, it is little wonder that many would begin to long for the security of the Law of Moses as a way to righteousness. We have read of the response to these longings in 1st Timothy and Titus which rail against the resurgence of study and teaching of Jewish myths, speculation and asceticism. It is in this religious environment that Hebrews stakes the claim of the superiority of Christ as the replacement of the priesthood, the one who is greater than the angels, who offers the sacrifice of atonement for all and who has nullified the Law of Moses as a path to righteousness. In this way the author hopes to steer the wayward Christians back to their singular devotion to Christ as the true path to the righteousness of God and the promise of eternal life.

Hebrews 2:1-4 Warning: Pay Attention - Exhortation

The author has established the pre-existence of the Son, his role in creation and heavenly status, "being the radiance of the glory and representation of the essence of [God]." Through the sacrifice of his death (as a priest at the altar) he "made purification for sins" (humiliation) and now sits at the right hand of "the Majesty on high" (exaltation). Such a status makes him "much more excellent" in essence and name than the angels who are but "winds and flames of fire,spirits in the divine service."

From the heavenly realm the author now moves to the earthly realm and the importance of Jesus' humanity. With "therefore [since the Son is far superior to angels]," he shifts to the divine imperative "must" as a warning to "pay far greater attention" to the word of salvation spoken by the Son "in these last days" (1:2). The implication is that the word of salvation spoken on behalf of God by the Son to humanity is far greater than the word (Mosaic Law on Sinai) spoken on behalf of God by the angels to the prophets. It is the definitive last word. The object of listening far more carefully to that which was spoken by the Son is in the exhortation, "so that we do not drift away from [the word.]"

The writer affirms that since (not if) the Law "declared by angels" (on Sinai) was valid as the code of righteousness it defined the broad extent of disobedience and transgression which "received a just penalty (from God). If the ancestors could not escape the penalty, how can those who ignore the word of "so great a salvation...declared (by God) through the Lord and given witness to by those who heard him" escape the same penalty? God added his own validation of what was spoken by the Lord with "signs, wonders and miracles" as well as the "gifts of the Holy Spirit."

Hebrews 2:5-18 Exaltation through Humiliation

We have been reading about the difference between the word spoken by angels (the Law of Moses on Sinai) and that spoken by the Lord. Both were meant to provide a path to righteousness (salvation). However, the Law, based on works of absolute, perfect obedience to the entire code, brought only penalty. The word spoken by the Lord, based on faith brought salvation. How is it that the latter succeeded where the former failed? 

Interpreting a Greek version of Psalm 8:4-6 the author affirms that it was the humanity and humility of Jesus that made the difference. He begins from the perspective of the age to come, the eschatological age, pointing out that God did not subject the new age (the "world" to come) to the angels. On the other hand God did subject all things under the feet of Human beings, of whom God is mindful and for whom God cares. God has made human beings lower than the angels "for a little while." Although God has put all things in this age under the control of human beings, ultimate subjection in the age to come - after "a little while," has not yet been realized by human beings.

But among them was one particular human being whom they saw, a man named Jesus, also for a little while, made lower than the angels just as they were. It was this one who suffered and tasted death on behalf of everyone (humiliation) whom God has "crowned with glory and honor" (exaltation). This human Jesus who will sanctify and bring "many children to glory" is the "pioneer, the first born of the age to come. He was not ashamed to proclaim and praise the name of God to everyone who would become the children of God.  

The author is quite clear that what Jesus could accomplish in death, in sharing in the flesh and blood of humanity, was to become like everyone else "in every respect." After all, he had not come as a spiritual being to speak to the angels but as a human being to speak to Abraham's descendents. Knowing and sharing in their many trials, testing's and sufferings he could help them as a "merciful and faithful high priest" who makes the sacrifice, the sin offering for all. The implication presented by the author is that Jesus, as one of us, a human being who suffered all things human, will share with the rest of humanity - those who believe, the "subjugation of all things" in the world to come.

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Note

While we may not think in the same heavenly categories as our author or relate to the notion of inheriting a share in the subjugation in the new world, we can benefit from his unique - almost Gospel-like, emphasis on Jesus as a human being. In the author's view, in order for Jesus to be a credible agent of God's salvation, he had to be devoid of heavenly powers and knowledge or any other attribute not available to human beings. Were he not limited he could not truly understand human frailty which tends toward temptations of all kinds. As a human being he can be a true "pioneer of [our] salvation" and engender our confidence that he has something important to say to life as we are called to live it. This certainly is at the heart of the universal interest in Jesus that has crossed all cultural, national, ethnic and religious boundaries. Jesus speaks to us because he was one of us. We are drawn to him because as a human being he was able to share his unique - perhaps instinctive or visionary, insight into the mind of God, to live it to its utmost and to teach us that we can do the same if we would dare to "believe."

Tuesday, October 14th, Hebrews, Chapter 3

Hebrews, Chapter 3:1-6 The Son is Superior to Moses

The author's premise is simple: in God's house the Son of the house is greater than the servant of the house. In this brief parable the house represents all human beings; Jesus is the Son of the house; Moses is the servant of the house and God is the builder. The author addresses the wavering believers as "holy partners" in a heavenly calling - that is, the calling of God to be God's people, the house of God. Jesus was the apostle - God's messenger, by whom God spoke to humanity. He also was the High Priest who heard their confession of faith, made intercession and offered the sacrifice for sin. The readers and hearers would have imagined the Temple priest standing before the Great Altar on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) making sacrifice and intersession for the people of Israel. In this case Jesus is both the High Priest and the sacrifice. The faithful whose confession of faith has been heard and who have been forgiven are the new Israel, the true house of God.

Both Moses and Jesus have been faithful to the one who appointed them (God). "Yet Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses" because he is the Son of the Father who is the builder. Moses has been the faithful servant bringing the Law which in later Jewish and early Christian understanding can consist of all Old Testament scripture. But this Law was a testimony to the future, "to the things that would be spoken later" (1:2). In other words, the Law which was spoken to Moses on Sinai speaks of what is to come, i.e. Jesus. As the author writes in summation, the house over which Christ was faithful consisted of believers (the "we" of 3:6). They are believers, at least as long as they "hold firm" to their "confidence" in the hope they have in what Jesus spoke rather than looking backward toward Moses.

Hebrews, Chapter 3:7-19 Warning against Unbelief

We see in the previous passage the not-so-subtle message being sent to those who are looking backward to the Law of Moses for their salvation. What Moses received from the angels (1:1,4) was the Law of salvation through works of righteousness, obedience to the letter of the Law which cannot be accomplished. To look back to the Law is to cease holding firm "the confidence and the boast that belong to hope." He specifically addresses those who are losing confidence, selectively citing Ps. 81:11f and Isa. 55:3. He characterizes their lapsing as a hardening of the heart and rebellion. He likens them to the Israelites in the wilderness who turned away from God for other gods, forgetting all that God had done for them during their forty years of wandering. They went "astray in their hearts," forgetting God's ways.

This "rebellion," born of an "evil, unbelieving heart," resulted in the pronouncement, "They will not enter my rest." To the Israelite such a judgment meant to lose the Promised Land, the promise of God's covenant with Abraham. As we know from the Exodus saga the generation that rebelled died in the wilderness - they did not enter into God's rest (vs. 17). The author's implication is clear. To rebel against and to turn aside from the hope obtained through faith is to forgo entering into the rest (peace) of eternal life - the word spoken by Christ. He encourages the believers - and those who are questioning their belief, not to follow the example of Exodus. Perhaps as a consideration of the approaching "last days" the author is urgent in his insistence that they should exhort each other "every day, as long as it is called 'today,'" as long as there is a today, and to the last moment. They are after all "partners with Christ in the new covenant but for how long depends on their steadfast faith, their "first confidence." The end of the passage provides the punctuation, the exclamation point driving home the urgent warning lest they, too, will be "unable to enter [their] rest because of unbelief."