Do Not Drift Away - An Exegetical Reflection On Hebrews 2,1-9

Do Not Drift Away An exegetical reflection on Hebrews 2:1-9 Presented to David Rensberger, Ph.D By Alcenir Oliveira For

BSL-555 - The Epistle to the Hebrews Interdenominational Theological Center Atlanta, November 2nd, 2007 THE PERICOPE 1) We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2) For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3) how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4) God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. 5) It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6) But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 7) You made him a little [a] lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor 8) and put everything under his feet."

[b]

Now in

putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. 9) But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 1. INTRODUCTION A reflection on the background of the chosen passage has to take into consideration the context of the document as a whole. It means to consider the social

contingencies that made up the psychological and spiritual profile of the individual of the time. We have to draw in mind a picture of who were the peoples. We are aware of two main social groups: people of Jewish origin and “the others”. Therefore, the reflection has to pinpoint the dominant philosophical or theological thoughts of both sides. 2. AUTHORSHIP Authorship of the Epistles to the Hebrews remains yet in dispute. Through the centuries many possible authors were proposed, but there were not enough evidence to support it. From among many candidates, mentioned in the readings gathered for the purpose of this discussion, three of them are contemporary of the Apostle Paul. They are Apollos, Priscilla and Barnabas, who were part of the circle of relationship of the Apostle Paul. Some evidences contribute to believe that Apollos was the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews. First of all, we’ve got to read carefully Acts 18:24, where we raise the following background of him: a Jew, native of Alexandria, well-versed in the scriptures, spoke with burning enthusiasm, taught accurately about Jesus and spoke boldly in the synagogues; he was new in the ways of the Lord and had to go through a discipleship with Priscilla and Aquila. This description matches well with the profile of the Epistles` writer, who reflects the culture, the eloquence, the way of teaching and arguing of an Alexandrian Jew. Luther was convinced that he was the author of the letter. In a sermon on I Cor. 3:4, as well as in his commentary of Genesis, he affirms that Hebrews was written by Apollos. The author of the Epistles includes himself in his reference to those whom had heard the Gospel from teachers who heard straight from Him (2:3). This is evidence in favor of Apollos Other evidences point to Barnabas as the author. As Apollos, Barnabas was highly educated and was a Levite natural of Cyprus (Acts 4:36). Tertullian believed he would be the author for many reasons: he was a Jew, he was a Levite (priests are supposed to be very well instructed in the Hebrew Bible), he was a great believer, and the people of Cyprus were famous for their excellence in the spoken Greek and the Epistle to the Hebrews was considered by Tertullian as the best New Testament Greek. However, these two most quoted to authoring the epistle have no other authoritative written material. One fact that makes it difficult to go together with the

assumption of authorship of Apollos or Barnabas is the greetings of the brothers and sisters from Rome. Therefore, even though they have profile that would qualify them for the authorship, there is no concrete evidence and all remains as conjecture. On the other hand, Priscilla was also appointed as possible candidate. Aquila was a teacher and their house functioned as a church in Rome. They were closely related with Paul and Apollos (Acts 18:26 and Rom 16:3,4,5a), as well as with Timothy. The German Scholar Harnack believed that both could have worked together and omitted Priscilla’s name in the document because of the role of women in that society, as for women were not allowed to teach. The other evidence that enforces this idea is that all of them are covered in 2:3b (salvation confirmed to us by those who heard him). This same verse is the one of the evidences that raises doubt about the authorship of Paul. The evidences presented here are all good, but they are not enough. The fact that the name of the author is omitted in the introduction of the letter, as well as the lack of enough evidence of where it was written from and of where it was addressed to, keeps the determination of authorship yet incomplete. This impossibility to determine authorship led Origen to say that only God knows the truth about who wrote the Epistle. 3. RECIPIENTS The title “To the Hebrews” may have been edited later to include the definite article “the”. It is believed that it was originally “To Hebrews”. Bruce says that the title alone doesn’t help to understand to whom the Epistle is addressed. In the very first verse, we are challenged to believe the writer was addressing the Jews, when he says that God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets, because the prophets spoke to the ancestors of the Jews. When he argues in 2:2 of how we can escape if we neglect so great salvation, he may be addressing to Gentiles converted to Jewish religion and then to Christianity. The apostasy may be much more certain within this class of people than to the Jews, whom would leave Christianity and go back to their doctrine. In Ch 3:3-6, again, he compares Jesus with Moses to say that he is worthier of glory. He may be addressing the Christian Jews as a confirmation of what they believed. However, there is a slight possibility that the argument may also be convincing for those non-Christian Jews and Gentiles converted to Judaism, but not necessarily addressed to

them. There is not much evidence that it was usual among the addressees of this letter, but most the ministry of the apostles at the beginning happened within the synagogues. In chap 7, talking about the priesthood of Christ as from the order of Melchizedek, he goes back to an argument that is mostly intend to clear the memory of somebody raised in the Jewish tradition. The passage in Chap 8:8-13 is a clear reference of the Jewish tradition of the Covenant, which is replaced by the new one. He brings flashes of the Greek culture to the sermon, the platonic realism, when he refers to the sketch of the sanctuary, what do not disqualify the idea that he is addressing the Jews. It may mean that he was bringing together the Jewish Gentiles and the Jewish by birth. Even though, we could list many arguments to the idea that the author was addressing the Jews, none is enough to confirm. There are evidences that these addressees had suffered persecution (10:32) and that some had renounced their faith (2.3; 6.4-6; 12.25). According to Bruce, the writer was possibly addressing a group that was presupposed to have a profound literary knowledge of the Old Testament and consequently of the Levitical ritual. However, he says that it is not enough argument to affirm that the Jews are the sole addressees of the epistle. He says that some scholars have referred to the church in Rome as basically formed of Christian Jews and that they were concerned about the Jewish tradition. Therefore, there are arguments that point to the possibility that the letter was intended for them. If it was, it would make more sense to assume it was addressed primarily to the Christian Jews. The exhortation of the author in chapter 6 leads us at the beginning to think he is addressing Christian Gentiles. However, he immediately refers to the sacrifice saying that those who fall away are crucifying Christ again, which happens in the Jewish tradition, to repeat the sacrifices, the yearly Day of Atonement. This is a paradox for Christians, as far as Christ gave access to the “Holy of Holies” once and for all. The sacrifice is not required anymore. It he emphasizes that Christians are living a better worship with access behind the curtain, which evokes the platonic realism.

Therefore, it is more likely that the author is addressing Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles who were converted to Judaism. However, the evidences are not enough to make one completely convinced. 4. WHO IS JESUS IN THE LETTER In Hebrews 5:1-10, the author explains in the first 3 verses that priests are appointed. They are chosen among men, they are subject to the same feelings. They empathize with men, are gently with those who are suffering the guilt of sin, they are also subject to weakness. In other words, they are fully human. Jesus Christ is describe as Son of God, but likewise human. As the levitical priests, his humanity revealed his weakness before the horror of death. This shows Jesus as fully human in his days on earth, when he offered prayers and cried to God in suffering for the hour that was coming, as he was going to double act both as priest and the object of the sacrifice. Even being the Son of God, but yet in his human nature, the intensity of becoming the sacrifice for humanity was too painful. In his ordeal, he goes through the process similar to that of the levitical priests. However, with a great difference: he is both the priest and the sacrifice. God made him Priest forever, what makes him similar to Melchizedek, who, like Jesus, is not from the levitical order. He does not impose himself for priesthood, but is chosen, appointed and obedient. Through his suffering and obedience, God made him the source of eternal salvation, now in his fully divine nature become high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. The second passage, Heb 9:11-14, shows Christ in his full divine nature, as the High Priest of all believers, but not to the physical tabernacle of the Levitical worship, sacrifices and atonement. Now he is a High Priest, as in the order of Melchizedek, the one who have no traces of inherited priesthood, not from levitical root. Bu he is revealed to a greater and perfect tabernacle, not man-made, not part of creation. He was able to achieve the perfect reality of which we have only a shadowed representation, according the Greek realism. While in his human nature, as in the atonement, his sacrifice was much more precious than the old ones. This led him into the Most Holy Place once and for all to obtain eternal redemption. Blood of animals is sufficient for atonement in the Levitical

order, for an outwardly cleansing, and has to be performed continually, including the High Priest himself before entering the Holy of Holies. Much more is the blood of Christ that cleanses our consciences from the acts that lead to death and enables us to serve the living God. This sacrifice and atonement makes Jesus Christ the High Priest forever and open the curtain, giving us access to the Holy of Holies through him. This argument evokes a parallel of the two covenants. The Old covenant, the moral and the social laws, is concerned with the body, the physical and temporal things. The New covenant is about the spiritual law which is related with the transformation that breaks the barrier between humanity and God. These are the two sides of the platonic realism, whereas the temporal reality is but a shadow of the perfect transcendent one. 5. THE EPISTLE SOCIAL BACKGROUND We have to consider the two main social and political dominant powers for the purpose of this discussion: the Roman Empire and the Jewish community. We have to consider as well that the non Jewish community was highly shaped by the basics of the Greek thought. The empire seemed not to have as much influence on the individual’s perspective of life and religion as did the Greek culture and the Jewish tradition. However, we have to have in mind that the Roman Empire adopted the idea that syncretism - which means accepting all religious beliefs, philosophical teachings, and government system - is compatible with the Roman perspective of society. In fact it was a political system that practiced religious freedom and freedom of thought, despite of its tough control. As we see in the readings of the New Testament, even the Jewish religious feud was influenced by the perspective of the Greek Philosophy, the platonic realism. We have not enough elements to affirm, but if the Epistle to the Hebrews was addressed to the Jewish in general, it would enrich our reflection if we knew how the Jewish society was structured. First, the hierarchy was made of the Rich Class, which were composed by the Court staff and the wealthy families, mostly the priestly aristocracy and members of the Sanhedrin; the Middle Class, composed of merchant, retail traders, innkeepers, tavern traders and most of the priests; and the poor class, composed by day workers, slaves, some priests, some scribes and beggars.

Secondly, the clergy was in fact the most powerful and influential group in the Jewish society, independent of their economical position. The estimated population of Israel, according to informal statistics, was around 500.000 of which 10.000 were clergy at the time of Jesus. Some scholars believe that the Epistle was written before the destruction of the temple. If it is true, it is quite easy to imagine how disturbed the Jewish community was when the writer decided to deliver the sermon. By that time, James, the Bishop of the Church in Jerusalem had been killed; there were some persecutions and Jewish dissatisfaction. In a community of such a strong religious tradition as the Jewish, which ruled every aspect of the individual’s life and society with a clergy system that represented about ten percent of the community, it is quite certain that the readers of the Epistle would be liable to detach themselves slowly and quiet from their profession of faith until it had no influence at all on their lives. Therefore, the Christian community would be in need of strong and continuous teachings about the foundations of faith. 3. THE JEWISH BACKGROUND The doctrines of the Jewish community were so strong and so carefully practiced that it developed a wrong understanding of the purpose of the law. It is quite similar to the perspective a modern citizen has of paying tax; he may do it not because he is contributing for the survival of the community on which his life depends, but to avoid punishment; he may not believe in it, hate tax and may never pay it if it was an alterative. In his commentary of Hebrews, Barclay says that there are four conceptions of religion. First, it is an inward fellowship with God; second, a standard for life and a power to reach that standard; third, the highest satisfaction of the mind; and fourth, religion is access to God. The last is the most close to the Jewish conception, in the view of the writer to the Hebrews. The access to God was forbidden, broken, interrupted. In many biblical passages, whenever somebody realized he had seen God he thought he was going to die, because nobody was supposed to see God. Sin is a barrier to access to the presence of God. The Levitical priesthood and sacrifice system was constructed with the purpose to be the means through what mankind would have access again to the presence of God. Then, God made a covenant with these

people to pave the way to the access to Him. This covenant was the law, a complete system, which had to be very strictly obeyed. A great ritual of sacrifices and priesthood was developed. However, these practices were imperfect. The access to the Holy of Holies was limited and had to be continuously performed. In fact it was a difficult and inefficient battle to remove this barrier. During the time of Jesus until the temple was destroyed in the seventies, there were thousands of priests and practices of sacrifices monthly. There is an assumption that eighteen thousand sacrifices were performed monthly. In fact, it developed into a clerical economy to make the temple and all these sacrifices ritual to happen. This covenant was received by Moses who was the intermediate between the people and God (angels, according to Hebrews). 6. THE GREEK BACKGROUND The Greek background of the Hebrews writer is evident in some passages when he defines our reality as a shadow or a sketch of a perfect reality. It is a reflection of the platonic realism, the Greek idea of a perfect world existing somewhere from which our world is just a shadow or an imperfect copy. For Plato, the creator has a perfect and unchangeable, eternal pattern of which the world is a copy. By the time Hebrews was written, the Jewish people had about 350 years living under the influences of the Greek culture. First, they became under a powerful political system initiated by Alexander the Great; and now they were living under the Roman political system where the Greek language and culture prevail. The life according to the Greek Philosophy consisted of a search of the truth, a search of the way to come out of the shadows and imperfections to reality, a transcendent perfect reality. The writer states that Jesus is the way to come out from the shadows to the truth. 5. THE GREEK AND JEWISH PARALLEL In this passage, we read between the lines the purpose of the writer to show a parallel between the Greek realism and the Jewish priesthood and sacrifices system. In his perspective, what happens with the Jewish system is a shadow of the perfect sacrifice that could break once and forever the barrier that brings mankind forward to the presence

of God. These obsolete practices burdened the people and priests; and they did not reach satisfactory result. The solution the Jewish community and priest were yet waiting for, which is the perfect sacrifice, has happened in Jesus Christ and is not necessary to happen again. This perfect real sacrifice that breaks the barrier to the access to the presence of God is Jesus; the only thing one has to do is to accept him as the High Priest and the only sacrifice forever. 6. OUTCOMES OF NEGLIGENCE The confrontation of the Levitical system drawn in Moses, given by God (angels in LXX) becomes inefficient and, yet the punishment for its non-fulfillment is so tough. What could be the consequences of neglecting the perfect one? If the shadow or sketch brings such a curse, what would be required of those who neglect “a so great salvation”, the perfect sacrifice that brings mankind back to the presence of God, to the status it was originally created for? Jesus, the son of God, is superior to the angels. Then his covenant, himself as High Priest and his sacrifice forever make it much more reliable to be obeyed. BIBLIOGRAPHY BARCLAY, William. The Letter to the Hebrews – Revised Edition. In the daily study Bible series. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster, 1976. BRUCE, F. F. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1977. COOGAN, Michael, ed. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha. NRSV. New York: Oxford, 2001. FONCK, Leopold. Epistle to the Hebrews. New Advent - The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VII. 1910. New York: Appleton, 1910. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07181a.htm HUGHES, Philip Edgcumbe. The Letter to the Hebrews. In “The Oxford Companion to the Bible”. Ed. Bruce M. Metzger & Michael D. Coogan. New York: Oxford, 1993. PREGEANT, Russel. Engaging the New Testament: An Interdisciplinary Introduction. Mineapolis, MN: Fortress, 1997.