Exegetical Paper: Hebrews 2:1-4 1 (original) (raw)
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The Original Recipients of the Book of Hebrews
"The purpose of this research is to investigate the identity of Hebrews’ original recipients through a systematic approach to the topic. It will first examine presuppositions to the investigation, such as the book’s title, genre, and date, and proceed to analyze the recipient’s social dimensions of religion, ethnicity, and cultural affiliation. The research will then examine various theories regarding the audience’s historical situation and conclude by relating the book’s overall message to the needs of the original readers. In the end, analysis of the book of Hebrews reveals that it is a homily addressed to a particular group of Hellenist Jewish-Christians. Written prior to AD 70, the original recipients required strong encouragement to combat spiritual lethargy, immaturity, and the threat of persecution. However, identifying the specific historical circumstances requires an abundance of conjecture; thus, interpreters should use this information with caution when interpreting the book’s message" (taken from the introduction).
The Letter to the Hebrews is one of the most extraordinary texts in the New Testament. This anonymous sermon offers what is perhaps the highest Christology, the most comprehensive soteriology and realized eschatology, the clearest view of the costs and benefits of the Christian life, the deepest immersion in the Old Testament, as well as the most passionate exhortation and refined literary-rhetorical skills in the NT canon. After suffering years of neglect, Hebrews has recently attracted an abundance of critical attention, and keeping abreast of this growing corpus is becoming increasingly difficult. Though representing a welcome development, this rapid growth is leading to the neglect of older critical works, despite their foundational role. Contributing to this neglect is the fact that many of these works are in out-of-print books, discontinued journals, and other hard to find sources. This collection attempts to remedy both situations, rapid growth and regrettable neglect, by selectively gathering into one handy volume some of the very best English language essays on Hebrews from the last sixty years. In this volume of critical readings, edited by Scott D. Mackie, the essays are organized thematically, addressing such topics as theology, Christology, pneumatology, eschatology, authorship, audience, structure, Greco-Roman rhetoric, the OT, Hebrews’ relationship with contemporaneous Judaism, and soteriology. Each section is prefaced by an introduction and summary of the particular theme in Hebrews. At the end of each section is an annotated bibliography to point researchers towards further readings in these key themes.
From Exodus to Eisodus: A Study of the Authorship of Hebrews
From Exodus to Eisodus, 2016
In "The Jonas Genre" it was maintained that the Synoptic template was developed by Matthew as a result of being radicalized by Paul’s theology. In "From Exodus to Eisodus" it is proposed that Paul’s letters show considerable evidence that the radicalization of Paul himself is not complete. Also, it is maintained, when Paul is imprisoned, John, an antitype of Caleb, steps into the gap and writes his “Gospel” encouraging the Churches of Paul to abide in Christ. But in so doing, his unique theological perspective also radicalizes, in turn, the theology of Timothy, Paul’s protégé and heir apparent to lead the Pauline diocese. This book claims that it is John who is the mysterious catalyst for the suddenly expansive Christology of Colossians, written primarily by Timothy, which transforms Paul’s own thinking, particularly evident in the theological mood shift of Philippians, and the completely new theological content in the Pastorals, which ultimately leads to a Hebrewine argument that utterly destroys the theological battlements of Judaism, puts to flight the Jewish faction of Jamesean legalists, and blows the trumpet to inaugurate a completely new, independent, physical church - and a confident spirituality in Christ which the Jewish law could never give. Though overwhelming internal phraseological evidence strongly suggests that the technical editor of Hebrews is Luke, the language, ideas, themes and global evidence also very strongly suggests that the theological author of Hebrews is Timothy.