AP

Themes in Hebrews

Introduction

The New Testament writers do not contradict each other; they make the same points. However, they have different styles of writing and different emphases. The style of Greek in Hebrews is acknowledged to be superior to that of the other NT writers. Adding to the mystery of authorship, whereas Paul identifies himself in the opening salutations of his letters and uses the first-person singular pronoun (“I”), the writer to the Hebrews uses “we” and does not identify himself. Paul refers to ‘Christ’ many times in his letters, mostly in combination with ‘Jesus’ as in ‘Jesus Christ’ or ‘Christ Jesus.’ The writer to the Hebrews, however, refers to ‘Christ’ 14 times and to ‘Jesus’ 17 times, but never in combination. These are just some of the more obvious differences of style, even before going to the Greek text and sentence structure.

• From good to better

Whereas John likes to make absolute contrasts (darkness and light, life and death, good and evil), the writer to the Hebrews makes comparative distinctions, from good to better or superior: OT to NT, old covenant to a better covenant: “Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant” (Heb. 7:22). Jesus, the final Word of God, is better than the prophets (1:1-3), better than the angels (1:4-14), and better than Moses (3:1-6), Joshua (4:8) and Aaron (5:4-6). The implications of the comparative are as follows: all the elements of OT worship, although they were good in themselves and for the times, are ‘obsolete’ and ‘will soon disappear’ according to the writer (8:13). This obsolescence came into effect when the temple was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70, one generation after Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, which he had warned about (Mark 13:30). There were no more sacrifices after that. Temple worship was one of the distinguishing traits of Israel’s privileged position (Romans 9:4), even though pagan religions also had temples. Believers no longer need a temple: they are the temple!

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple” (1 Cor. 3:16-17).

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honour God with your bodies” (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

“What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people’” (2 Cor. 6:16).

Collectively also, we are a temple: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Eph. 2:19-22).

We have a better altar: “We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat” (Hebrews 13:10). Our Communion table, if we have one, is not an altar. Jesus commanded us to “Do this in remembrance of me.” Communion is not a sacrifice; we need not and cannot, repeat Christ’s once for all sacrifice. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). Christians are encouraged, through Jesus, to offer “a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Heb.13:15-16).

Jesus provided a better sacrifice: “It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:23-26).

Christian leaders (13:17, c.f. in Paul they are elders, overseers and deacons) are not priests. They don’t stand between the worshipper and God: in Christ we have direct access to God. Where we gather is not a sanctuary: all of life is to be holy and dedicated to the LORD. In his opening salutations, Paul addresses himself to “God’s holy people.” He spells out what this means in various way in the practical application sections of his letters:

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” (Col. 3:23). “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Eph. 1:4). “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people” (Eph. 5:3). “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Col. 3:12). “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (1 Thess. 4:7).

Other NT writers have the same message: “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14).

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” (1 Pe. 1:15-16).

“…you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pe. 2:5).

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Pet. 2:9).

Levi’s priesthood came later than Melchizedek’s priesthood but was not better. Melchizedek’s priesthood was superior because it prefigured Jesus’ royal priesthood according to Psalm 110, which is the psalm most often quoted in the NT. Jesus very emphatically attributed it to David (Matt. 22:41-46). Peter quoted it on Pentecost as referring to Jesus (Acts 1:33-35). Paul alludes to it (1 Cor. 15:25-27). The writer to the Hebrews quoted it more than once (1:13, 5:6, 7:17 and 21) and also alluded to it in 10:12-13. In Psalm 110:1 David speaks of the LORD God speaking to ‘my Lord,’ giving him the place of honour, i.e. at his right hand. In v. 4 he appoints him, with an oath, as “priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” These verses are set in the context of conquest and victory over the nations of the whole earth. Through the prophecy of David, we are given a vision of the Messiah as Priest-King.

This psalm formed the basis of the apostolic teaching on the exaltation, heavenly session, and royal priesthood of Christ. In the OT, the kingly office was intended for the house of Judah (Gen. 49:10). The priestly office was limited to the tribe of Levi. These offices could not be combined in Israel. Therefore, there was no reason, apart from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, for David to think of a combined office. But in Israel’s pre-history (Gen. 14) there was Melchizedek, who did combine both offices without divine displeasure. That is why Psalm 110 makes it clear that the Messiah would be a priest after the order of Melchizedek, not a Levitical priest. Both King Saul (1 Sam. 13:8-14) and King Uzziah (2 Chron. 26:16-21) usurped the priestly role and were punished.

The Great High Priesthood of Jesus is in the order of Melchizedek and therefore, faith in Jesus incorporates us in the priesthood of all believers. According to Peter, Christians are “a royal priesthood” –we share in Christ’s royal priesthood (1 Pe. 2:9). The writer to the Hebrews exemplifies what this priesthood entails: we praise God, we do good, and we share with others. This should come to expression in hospitality, looking after prisoners, and in keeping marriage pure (Heb. 13:1-6). It should be kept in mind that in NT times, prisoners had to rely on friends and family to supply their needs, as Paul also experienced when he was taken prisoner to Rome. (Acts 27:3). Today’s Christian prisoners can be supported via Barnabas Aid and Open Doors.

• The Body of Jesus, or Jesus’ humanity

Paul is very fond of the expression “in Christ” and uses it to set our mind on heavenly places and spiritual concerns (Eph. 1:20, 2:6, 3:10, 6:12). In contrast, the writer to the Hebrews often mentions Jesus in his humanity and the believers as his followers, as pilgrims on the way to the heavenly Jerusalem (12:22). Jesus is our pioneer whom we follow (2:10 and 12:2). Jesus is like his brothers, except that he is sinless (4:15). It is through Jesus’ body (dying on the cross) that we gain access to God the Father. It is his blood, shed on the cross, whereby he obtained “eternal redemption” (9:12). The bread and the wine represent Jesus’ body and blood.

When our writer uses “heavenly” it refers to our “heavenly calling” (3:1); the “heavenly gift” (6:4), “heavenly gifts” with “better sacrifices” (9:23), a “heavenly country” (11:16), and the “heavenly Jerusalem” (12:22).

“Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me…” (10:5 quoting from the Septuagint). Christ came to do the will of God in his human body: “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (10:10).

^“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (10:19-22).

It is clear from this that the curtain of the old covenant symbolised the barrier to the Most Holy place; “Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place” (Ex. 26:33). “But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance” (Heb. 9:7). The writer to the Hebrews equates the curtain of the OT with Jesus’ body in the NT. The moment that Jesus died on the cross, the curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51, Mk 15:38). Through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross—in his body—we have direct access to the throne of grace. We also have confidence: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need” (4:16). Our access to God is always through our union with Jesus through the sacrifice of his body. We may speak to Jesus, to share our joys and concerns with him. We may also share in his priestly work by bringing the sorrows and pains of others to him in prayer. Through prayer we participate in the mediating, priestly work of Jesus. “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Eph. 6:18).

In Ephesians, Paul is similarly particular about the body of Jesus: we “who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ” (2:13) “…by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations” (2:15). In Colossians he also stresses Jesus’ body: “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Col. 1:22).

Hebrews Ch. 9 describes in some detail the differences between the old sacrificial system and the superior sacrifice “once for all” of Jesus “to take away the sins of many people” (9:26, 28). Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is what gives us access to God and the confidence of knowing that our sins are forgiven.

– Alida Sewell