New Zealand Lay Preachers Association

In October, the lectionary works through a series of readings from the Letter to the Hebrews. This book is an enigma. While called a letter, it doesn’t follow the conventions of first century letter writing by beginning with the author identifying themselves and their intended audience, and by pronouncing the obligatory blessing. Some scholars suggest that Hebrews is not a letter but a sermon. If so, Hebrews begs the question about the length of sermons in the early church. The author claims to have written “briefly” (Heb. 13:22)! After a concluding benediction, there is an addendum of personal greetings and news that Timothy has been released from prison. This supported the now widely rejected belief that the author was Timothy’s mentor, the apostle Paul.

Who were the Hebrews? They were assumed to be Jews because the author anticipates a high level of familiarity with the Torah and the Psalms. However, many Gentiles attended synagogue services where they heard the Torah and Psalms read and explained every Sabbath (cf. Acts 15:21). These Gentile God-fearers were receptive to Paul’s teaching that did not require them to convert to Judaism. The Hebrewswere probably an ethnically mixed congregation, meaning we should discard the idea that Hebrews is an exhortation to Jewish Christians to remain faithful to Christ and not return to the synagogue. Nothing within Hebrews indicates that this was what concerned the author. Rather Hebrews is an exposition of how Jesus fulfils all that the Mosaic covenant points to and prepares for.

Hebrews assumes familiarity with Leviticus, a book about holiness which modern Christians seldom read. Unlike flawed human high priests, Jesus is the perfect mediator serving in the heavenly temple of which the wilderness tabernacle was a replica. He fulfils the rituals of the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16), by being both the sinless high priest who officiates and the sinless sacrifice that purifies. As Jesus was not a Levite he must belong to a priestly order predating the Aaronic one, the existence of which our author finds indicated by the Psalmist who compares the Davidic king to the priest-king Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes (Ps. 110:4, Gen. 14:17-20). At his enthronement a Jewish king was proclaimed to have that day been “begotten” as a son of God (Ps. 2:7). Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the true regal Son of God, who by being begotten not created is even superior to the angels, also called “sons” of God in scripture (e.g. Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7). The good newsis that Jesus makes it possible for us to become children of God so that “the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father” (Heb. 2:11).

Historically Christianity has used Hebrews to justify an attitude of superiority over Judaism. This wonderful book illustrates the truth that God’s on-going revelation does not abolish what has gone before but builds upon it. Those who read Hebrews in conjunction with the Torah and Psalms will be richly rewarded.