De mutatione nominum (Philo)
Neh Nehemiah
NICNT New International Commentary on the New Testament
NIGTC New International Greek Testament Commentary
NIV New International Version
NovTSup Novum Testamentum Supplements
NRSV New Revised Standard Version
NT New Testament
NTS New Testament Studies
Num Numbers
OT Old Testament
OTP Charlesworth, James H., ed. The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. 2nd. ed. 2 vols. Peabody: Hendrickson, 2011.
1–2 Pet 1–2 Peter
Phil Philippians
Phlm Philemon
Prov Proverbs
Prov. De providentia (Philo)
Ps (pl. Pss) Psalms
Ps-Eup. Pseudo-Eupolemus
Pss. Sol. Psalms of Solomon
1QapGen XXII Genesis Apocryphon
QE Quaestiones et solutiones in Exodum (Philo)
1 QHa Thanksgiving Hymnsa
1QS Rule of the Community
Rep. Republic (Plato)
Rev Revelation
Rhet. Her. Rhetorica ad Herennium
Rom Romans
Sacr. De sacrificiis Abelis et Caini (Philo)
1–2 Sam 1–2 Samuel
SBL Society of Biblical Literature
SBLDS Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series
SBLMS Society of Biblical Literature Monograph Series
SBLRBS Society of Biblical Literature Resources for Biblical Study
Scorp. Scorpiace (Tertullian)
Sib. Or. Sibylline Oracles
Sir Sirach
SNTSMS Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series
Somn. De somniis (Philo)
Song Song of Solomon
SPCK Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge
Spec. De specialibus legibus (Philo)
STDJ Studies on the Texts of the Desert of Judah
TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Edited by G. Kittel and G. Friedrich. Translated by G. W. Bromiley. 10 vols. Grand Rapids, 1964–1976.
Tg. Neof. Targum Neofiti
Tg. Ps.-J. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan
1–2 Thess 1–2 Thessalonians
1–2 Tim 1–2 Timothy
TLevi Testament of Levi
Tob Tobit
t. Sanh. Tosefta Sanhedrin
UBS United Bible Societies
v./vv. verse/verses
Virt. De virtutibus (Philo)
WBC Word Bible Commentary
Wis Wisdom of Solomon
WUNT Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament
YHWH Yahweh, Jehovah, the Lord
Zech Zechariah
Introduction
An Invitation to the Text
Imagine the Scriptures as a great river, the Mississippi, if you will, but any great river will do. Already as the Mississippi flows past St. Louis it is a wide expanse, and all the more so as it is joined by the Ohio downstream. The more northernly expanses are like the law and the prophets of Israel, deep and broad, moving inexorably down the bed. Imagine, then, that when it has reached its greatest volume all of its waters are forced at once through a gorge of only a few meters in width. This is Hebrews. Even on its surface one can see Hebrews’ character as an exposition of the OT Scriptures that spans the Pentateuch, the historical writings, the psalms, the wisdom literature, and the prophets. When we dive into its substance, all the more do we appreciate that this sermon’s dependence on the Scriptures is owing to a comprehensive retelling of Israel’s history from the viewpoint of its conclusion in the new covenant brought to effect in Jesus the Son. The preacher is a master of allusion. Not for nothing does he pause mid-sermon to chide his listeners—“you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God.” He does this not in order to stop and review but in order to stir them to remember what they should already know so as to grasp the teaching so necessary for the moment. If we think that Hebrews’ reading of Pss 8, 95, and 110, or Prov 3, for example, can be understood by examining each citation in detail our attempt will end in puzzles and the whole will seem only a badly assembled mosaic. We will have to “think together” the stories of Israel, the Son, and our new covenant situation if we are to sense their harmony. Consider, then, that when Hebrews chides in this way, holding our feet to the fire with respect to deep biblical literacy, it is addressing the whole church—not merely a special group of scribes and lawyers, that is, biblical scholars—and it is arguing that our lives depend on paying attention to the story. God has been telling a story and he expects that we are not lazy listeners but interested and attentive ones. This is so because this story is our story and the story of the entire world whether or not we pay attention. We are inside this story and everything hangs on whether we embrace its script or resist it. And to those who have more is given. For those who do not treat this like some conceptual problem but who instead take up their place in its story by faith and inhabit its world the meat of this gospel’s teaching becomes strengthening food.
Some passages in this book are among the most memorable of Scripture. Some speak almost immediately to believers of all times and places with transparent images, fear-inspiring warnings, and strong encouragement. Yet other passages leave us flat or confused, wondering if we have comprehended even what we thought we understood. Its teaching on Christ confronts us as directly with his full divinity as any NT writing, but just as uncompromisingly (almost uncomfortably) with his full humanity, as at once eternal and historical. Its teaching on the covenants seems to set gospel and law against each other but just as clearly views them in total continuity. Its gospel is recognizably that of Paul, John, Peter, and Luke but we question at times whether it has broken ranks by an attempt to conceptualize the gospel in terms of Greek philosophy or by pressing its warnings too far. Its imagery of
