Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims E-Book

Dennis E. Johnson

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: New Testament Theology
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 342

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

An Introduction to the Biblical Theology of Hebrews The book of Hebrews can be intimidating for modern-day Christians due to its connection to Old Testament text. However, once understood, this New Testament epistle offers great insights into the superiority and sufficiency of Jesus—rightly justifying his place as high priest.  In this addition to the New Testament Theology series, scholar Dennis E. Johnson highlights the main biblical-theological themes of Hebrews. Johnson explores how Jesus fulfills perfect priesthood by becoming the covenant mediator and the trailblazer who leads his people into a better inheritance. Hebrews calls Christian believers, both of the early church and today, to hold fast to their faith even when faced with persecution and exclusion. It reminds us to cling to the eternal Son who offered his body and blood as the everlasting sacrifice for our sin. - Ideal for Anyone Wanting to Study the Bible More Deeply: Perfect for pastors, seminarians, college students, and laypeople - Helpful Bible Study Resource: A great companion to commentaries on Hebrews  - Part of the New Testament Theology Series: Other volumes include Ministry in the New Realm and Hidden with Christ in God

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“Dennis Johnson joins exegetical skill, theological acumen, and pastoral care to give his readers a rich treatise on Hebrews. His analysis of the genre and purpose of Hebrews leads to a portrait of Jesus that encourages weary pilgrims of every era.”

Dan Doriani, Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology, Covenant Theological Seminary

“Drawing on more than forty years of study, Dennis Johnson skillfully summarizes the main message of Hebrews with the precision of a scholar, the knowledge of a theologian, and the concern of a pastor. This volume is both profound, reflecting the central message of Jesus’s superiority, and accessible, dealing with the text at a practical level. As weary pilgrims, we all need to be reminded of our perfect priest. So read this book and be greatly encouraged.”

Benjamin L. Merkle, Dr. M. O. Owens Jr. Chair of New Testament Studies and Research Professor of New Testament and Greek, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Hebrews is a master class in how to read the Bible. It shows us how all of Scripture points to Christ, explaining what God has done in Christ to save his people. Dennis Johnson is the ideal teacher to help us mine the many riches that God has given us in this ‘word of exhortation.’ Drawing from half a century of deep reflection on the teaching of Hebrews and from decades of pastoral ministry in the church, Johnson is a skilled and experienced guide to this biblical book. He helps us to see from Hebrews the unity of Scripture, the majesty of Christ, and the salvation that is ours in Christ, and he does so in such a way as to lead us to adore and praise our great God. Whether you have never really studied Hebrews or have been poring over Hebrews your whole life, Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims will stir you to know better that ‘great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God.’”

Guy Prentiss Waters, James M. Baird Jr. Professor of New Testament and Academic Dean, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson

“Dennis Johnson does a masterful job of making the daunting book of Hebrews accessible and clear. As an expert exegete, he connects the message of Hebrews to us today through a redemptive-historical lens. The fruit of reading this book is not only greater knowledge of our perfect high priest but also greater love and affection for him. I highly recommend this life-giving resource for weary pilgrims!”

Lloyd Kim, Coordinator, Mission to the World, Presbyterian Church in America

“Dennis Johnson’s treatment of the theology of Hebrews by focusing on its central theme of the (high) priesthood of Christ makes a most welcome contribution. Written out of his careful study of many years, it serves a broad audience. Both those with a beginning interest in what Hebrews has to teach about the person and work of Christ and those who have long treasured this teaching will read this book, as I did, with great profit.”

Richard B. Gaffin Jr., Professor Emeritus of Biblical and Systematic Theology, Westminster Theological Seminary

“The book of Hebrews is a difficult nut to crack. The contemporary church often struggles with making sense of a book that is so steeped in Old Testament language and imagery. Dennis Johnson is a gifted communicator—incisive and elegant—and every time I read his writing, I learn a great deal. Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims captures the complex theology of Hebrews yet never loses sight of the book’s exhortation for believers.”

Benjamin L. Gladd, Executive Director, Carson Center for Theological Renewal; series editor, Essential Studies in Biblical Theology

“As a New Testament scholar, a homiletics professor, and a seasoned pastor, Dennis Johnson is ideally equipped to explore the exhortatory sermon we call Hebrews. Like the unknown author of Hebrews, he delights in exploring theology for the sake of practical application in the daily life of the Christian. In so doing he unlocks the treasures of Hebrews in a most helpful manner, giving special attention to the Christological interpretation of the Old Testament. Johnson wonderfully reveals the beauty and brilliance of Hebrews and will bring about a new appreciation of a much-neglected New Testament book.”

Donald A. Hagner, George Eldon Ladd Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary

Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims

New Testament Theology

Edited by Thomas R. Schreiner and Brian S. Rosner

The Beginning of the Gospel: A Theology of Mark, Peter Orr

From the Manger to the Throne: A Theology of Luke, Benjamin L. Gladd

The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts, Patrick Schreiner

Ministry in the New Realm: A Theology of 2 Corinthians, Dane C. Ortlund

Christ Crucified: A Theology of Galatians, Thomas R. Schreiner

United to Christ, Walking in the Spirit: A Theology of Ephesians, Benjamin L. Merkle

Hidden with Christ in God: A Theology of Colossians and Philemon, Kevin W. McFadden

To Walk and to Please God: A Theology of 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Andrew S. Malone

Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims: A Theology of Hebrews, Dennis E. Johnson

The God Who Judges and Saves: A Theology of 2 Peter and Jude, Matthew S. Harmon

The Joy of Hearing: A Theology of the Book of Revelation, Thomas R. Schreiner

Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims

A Theology of Hebrews

Dennis E. Johnson

Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims: A Theology of Hebrews

© 2024 by Dennis E. Johnson

Published by Crossway1300 Crescent StreetWheaton, Illinois 60187

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Cover design: Kevin Lipp

First printing 2024

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Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-7553-2 ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-7556-3 PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-7554-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Johnson, Dennis E. (Dennis Edward), author. 

Title: Perfect priest for weary pilgrims : a theology of Hebrews / Dennis E. Johnson. 

Description: Wheaton, Illinois : Crossway, 2024. | Series: New Testament theology | Includes bibliographical references and index. 

Identifiers: LCCN 2023024124 (print) | LCCN 2023024125 (ebook) | ISBN 9781433575532 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781433575549 (pdf) | ISBN 9781433575563 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Bible. Hebrews—Criticism, interpretation, etc. | Bible. New Testament—Relation to the Old Testament. 

Classification: LCC BS2775.52 .J53 2024 (print) | LCC BS2775.52 (ebook) | DDC 227/.8706—dc23/eng/20240311

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023024124

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023024125

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

2024-05-28 09:16:15 AM

To Jane—

“The heart of her husband trusts in her. . . .

She does him good . . . all the days of her life.”

(Prov. 31:11–12)

Contents

Series Preface

Preface

Abbreviations

Introduction

Truth-Driven Transformation in Troubled Times

1  The Wilderness Pilgrimage of the People of God

2  The Historical Trajectory of Redemption and Revelation

3  The Interpretation of Ancient Scripture

4  The Divine-Human Mediator

5  Jesus’s Priestly Qualifications and Tenure

6  Jesus’s Once-for-All, Conscience-Perfecting Sacrifice

7  Persevering Faith through Congregational Solidarity

Conclusion

Recommended Resources

General Index

Scripture Index

Series Preface

There are remarkably few treatments of the big ideas of single books of the New Testament. Readers can find brief coverage in Bible dictionaries, in some commentaries, and in New Testament theologies, but such books are filled with other information and are not devoted to unpacking the theology of each New Testament book in its own right. Technical works concentrating on various themes of New Testament theology often have a narrow focus, treating some aspect of the teaching of, say, Matthew or Hebrews in isolation from the rest of the book’s theology.

The New Testament Theology series seeks to fill this gap by providing students of Scripture with readable book-length treatments of the distinctive teaching of each New Testament book or collection of books. The volumes approach the text from the perspective of biblical theology. They pay due attention to the historical and literary dimensions of the text, but their main focus is on presenting the teaching of particular New Testament books about God and his relations to the world on their own terms, maintaining sight of the Bible’s overarching narrative and Christocentric focus. Such biblical theology is of fundamental importance to biblical and expository preaching and informs exegesis, systematic theology, and Christian ethics.

The twenty volumes in the series supply comprehensive, scholarly, and accessible treatments of theological themes from an evangelical perspective. We envision them being of value to students, preachers, and interested laypeople. When preparing an expository sermon series, for example, pastors can find a healthy supply of informative commentaries, but there are few options for coming to terms with the overall teaching of each book of the New Testament. As well as being useful in sermon and Bible study preparation, the volumes will also be of value as textbooks in college and seminary exegesis classes. Our prayer is that they contribute to a deeper understanding of and commitment to the kingdom and glory of God in Christ.

The epistle to the Hebrews frustrates and fascinates us. We may feel frustrated because the precise situation faced by the first readers differs dramatically from ours. But we are also fascinated, for we can discern, even on a first reading, that the author is a rigorous and profound thinker, one who has meditated deeply on Jesus Christ and his relationship to the Old Testament Scriptures and the Levitical cult. If we give ourselves to understand the letter, we see more clearly the glory of Jesus Christ as our prophet, priest, and king. The storyline of the Scriptures opens up to us as the relationship between the old covenant and the new covenant is unfolded. At the same time, the typological relationship between events, persons, and institutions is clarified, granting us a clearer perception of the whole counsel of God. In addition, we realize afresh that our problem with guilt and defilement has been solved through Jesus Christ’s once-for-all-time sacrifice. On understanding the letter’s message, we are encouraged and motivated to persevere in faith until the end of our earthly sojourn. Dennis Johnson unpacks the message of Hebrews in this wonderfully lucid and pastoral exposition of the letter. We are confident that many pastors, teachers, and lay people will want to preach, study, and share the message of Hebrews after reading his most accessible and profound treatment of this letter.

Thomas R. Schreiner and Brian S. Rosner

Preface

Truth be told, I did not always love Hebrews. As a young Christian and even as a seminary student, I found Hebrews daunting. It expects of its readers a deep and wide grasp of the Old Testament. Its theological reasoning is demanding to follow, even though the author rebukes his readers for needing baby’s milk rather than being able to digest solid meat. It warns us against drifting to a point of apostasy from which there is no return, and that prospect is terrifying. Then there is the Greek vocabulary and syntax, which are elegant but complex. Even with the insightful guidance of Richard B. Gaffin Jr., my New Testament professor at Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia), I found Hebrews a challenging mystery to crack, and I know that I was not alone.

After nine years in pastoral ministry, I was called to teach New Testament at Westminster Seminary California (WSC), and one of the courses assigned to me was General Epistles and Revelation. That meant many hours of study and classroom teaching on Hebrews; fewer classroom hours in the epistles of James, Peter, John, and Jude; and—eventually—a tentative attempt to introduce the book of Revelation (but that’s another story). Over the next sixteen years, I fell in love with Hebrews, especially with its Christ-centered, redemptive-historical reading of the Old Testament. I became convinced that God’s Holy Spirit has given us this letter—actually, a sermon in written form, as we will see—as a handbook and case study in discovering Christ in all the Scriptures, as the risen Jesus taught his apostles to do (Luke 24).

When the focus of my work at WSC switched to pastoral theology disciplines, a mentor encouraged me to draw on my New Testament studies in my approach to homiletics. I realized that God had been preparing me to teach homiletics in the years that he saturated my mind and heart in Hebrews and in its author’s exegetical insight and pastoral sensitivity. After a decade of teaching preachers-to-be, I published Him We Proclaim: Preaching Christ from All the Scriptures,1 building much of my case on Hebrews as what I called “an apostolic preaching paradigm,” exemplifying the blend of Christ-centered, redemptive-historical hermeneutics and heart-searching homiletics that flows from the way Jesus himself taught his disciples to read the Old Testament. Since my retirement, I have been privileged to write two fairly brief commentaries on Hebrews2 and to teach a course, Preaching Christ from the Epistle to the Hebrews, in the Korean-language Doctor of Ministry program offered by Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia). The insightful questions raised by these faithful pastors and preachers have enriched my own grasp of Hebrews. Fifty years after graduating from seminary, I am glad to say it: I love Hebrews.

When invited to write on the theology of Hebrews for Crossway’s New Testament Theology series, I was grateful for the opportunity to step back from the close reading of the text’s absorbing details to view in broader perspective the theological architecture and pastoral agenda that structure and unify this New Testament treasure. I am grateful to series editors Tom Schreiner—a brother and a friend since we sat together in New Testament seminars as doctoral students in the 1970s—and Brian Rosner—a brother and a friend whom I have yet to meet in person—for this edifying assignment. I am thankful for Crossway’s editorial staff, and particularly for the editorial skill and theological insight of Chris Cowan, whose questions and suggestions have improved this book in many ways. And I am always, always grateful to our generous God for my wife, Jane—my favorite proofreader, advisor, encourager, and so much more (Prov. 31:10–31). I am awestruck by God’s grace over the half-century-plus that we have shared life together.

Gentle reader, whether or not you are feeling weary, at this moment, in your pilgrimage through this world’s wilderness, I can assure you that Jesus is the perfect priest who secures and supplies salvation “to the uttermost” (Heb. 7:25). My prayer is that you will come to share my love of Hebrews—better yet, to share my love for the ever-living sovereign and sympathetic Savior whose blood cleanses the conscience and to whom the Holy Spirit bears witness in this “word of exhortation” (Heb. 13:22).

1  Dennis E. Johnson, Him We Proclaim: Preaching Christ from All the Scriptures (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2007).

2  Dennis E. Johnson, Hebrews, in Hebrews–Revelation, vol. 12 of ESVEC, ed. Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar (Crossway, IL: Wheaton, 2018); Dennis E. Johnson, Hebrews, in The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, accessed May 19, 2023, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/.

Abbreviations

Ant.

Jewish Antiquities, by Josephus

BAGD

Bauer, Walter, William F. Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich, and Frederick W. Danker. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979.

BTCP

Biblical Theology for Christian Proclamation

CBR

Currents in Biblical Research

CNTUOT

Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Edited by G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007.

ESVEC

ESV Expository Commentary

ET

English translation

HNTC

Harper’s New Testament Commentaries

ICC

International Critical Commentary

Jub.

Jubilees

L&N

Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene A. Nida, eds. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains. 2nd ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1989.

LXX

Septuagint

MT

Masoretic Text (Hebrew Scriptures)

NAC

New American Commentary

NDBT

New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Edited by T. Desmond Alexander, Brian S. Rosner, D. A. Carson, and Graeme Goldsworthy. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

NICNT

New International Commentary on the New Testament

NIDNTTE

New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis. 5 vols. 2nd ed. Edited by Moisés Silva. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2014.

NovT

Novum Testamentum

NovTSup

Supplements to Novum Testamentum

NTL

New Testament Library

NTS

New Testament Studies

SNTSMS

Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series

TNTC

Tyndale New Testament Commentaries

TOTC

Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries

TynBul

Tyndale Bulletin

WBC

Word Biblical Commentary

WTJ

Westminster Theological Journal

Introduction

Truth-Driven Transformation in Troubled Times

My word of exhortation.

Hebrews 13:22

A Treasury of Truth and Encouragement

Hebrews is a rich treasury of life-transforming truth and heart-sustaining encouragement. Do you long to know Jesus of Nazareth? Hebrews introduces him as the eternal Son who radiates the glory of God (Heb. 1:2–3), the royal Messiah whom God calls “God” (1:8), and the Creator of earth and heaven (1:10–12). Hebrews also shows how close this glorious divine Son has come to you, sharing your human flesh and blood (2:9–16), enduring suffering and trials like yours (2:17–18), and empathizing with your weakness to help you in crisis (4:15–16).

Do you long to see why Christians base all their hopes—and risk their lives—on this paradoxical union of divine majesty and human frailty in the person of Jesus? Hebrews reveals the perfection of Jesus as the one and only mediator between God and humanity, who secures our communion with God (Heb. 7:22; 8:6; 9:15). God created you for his friendship, but your bad choices have stained you to the core, creating a chasm of estrangement that you cannot cross. The Son came into the world to do God’s will, enduring temptation without sinning and offering his body as the blameless sacrifice that cleanses your conscience and brings you home (4:15; 7:26; 9:14; 10:5–10). This same Son was raised from the dead (13:20), “crowned with glory and honor” (2:9), and enthroned at God’s right hand (1:3, 13; 8:1). There he lives forever to pray for you (7:24–25).

Do you long to understand whether (or how) the confusing regulations and rituals about worship in Exodus and Leviticus have anything to teach us today? Hebrews helps us make sense of the interlocking system of architecture (9:1–5), priestly credentials and conduct (5:1–4; 7:11–16, 23–28), sacrificial rites (9:13–22), and sacred calendar (9:6–7; 10:1–3, 11) that God gave to Israel. Hebrews cuts through the complexity by showing that the core issue is the need to “perfect” worshipers—to cleanse the conscience, not just the flesh—so that they can approach God in his holiness (7:11, 19; 9:9–14; 10:1–4). The elaborate network in the ancient law functioned as “a shadow of the good things to come” (10:1), a preview of the ultimate conscience-cleansing event that would open the way to communion with God. Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross was that watershed event (9:14; 10:10–14), so now through him we can draw near to God (4:14–16; 10:19–22).

Perhaps, recalling that the risen Lord Jesus explained to his apostles everything written about him “in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44), you long to see how those ancient Scriptures, given centuries before his birth in Bethlehem, foretold and foreshadowed his mission. Hebrews bursts with Old Testament passages and insightful interpretations that unveil their testimony to Jesus the Messiah. Moses testified beforehand (Heb. 3:5) to Christ’s priesthood, which was foreshadowed in the mysterious Melchizedek (7:1–10; cf. Gen. 14:18–20), and the law’s Levitical system prefigured Christ’s singular sacrifice (Heb. 9:1–10:14). Later prophets foretold Christ’s inauguration of a new covenant to surpass and displace the old, shattered covenant of Sinai (Heb. 8:5–13; cf. Jer. 31:31–34). Psalms declared the Son’s superiority to angels (Heb. 1:5–13; cf. Pss. 2; 45; 97; 102; 104), his connection with humanity (Heb. 2:5–14; Ps. 8), his sacrificial obedience (Heb. 10:5–10; cf. Ps. 40), and his glorious exaltation to God’s right hand (Heb. 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12; cf. Ps. 110). If you want to read the Old Testament the way Jesus taught his apostles to read it, watch carefully how Hebrews handles Scripture.

Do you long to discern whether your own little life and human history have meaning? Hebrews reveals a God who sovereignly controls the unfolding eras of time. He directed the flow of millennia toward the arrival of the “last days” (Heb. 1:2), the “end of the ages” when the Son entered human history “to put away sin” (9:26). The Lord still maneuvers events toward a triumphant consummation, “the world to come” (2:5) and “the city that is to come” (13:14), an unshakable kingdom (12:28) reserved for those who trust him (1:14; 6:12; 10:35–36). Covenant—a sovereignly imposed commitment between the Lord and his people—is the pattern that structures God’s plan for history. So Jesus’s inauguration of a new covenant, replacing the covenant mediated by Moses, brings the dawn of the era of perfection for which ancient believers longed (8:6–13; 9:8–10, 13–26). Your own life and the entire universe are directed by God’s design toward a glorious destiny.

Do you find yourself weary with life’s humdrum struggles, discouraged by opposition, dismayed by dangers, and doubting God’s promises of a better future? Hebrews presents a realistic but hopeful paradigm to make sense of your daily experience: like the Israelite generation who left Egypt with Moses, your life is a trek through a hostile wilderness, en route to a homeland that transcends this sin-stained earth (3:7–4:13; 11:9–10, 13–16; 13:14). Hebrews strengthens drooping hands and weak knees with its display of Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter who endured the cross and despised its shame (12:2–3) to liberate his brothers and sisters and lead them to glory (2:10–15).

A Difficult, Daunting Enigma

But Hebrews does not yield its bounty cheaply or easily. The author acknowledges that one of his central themes—how Jesus fulfills the priesthood pattern of Melchizedek—is “hard to explain” (5:10–11). The difficulty lies not so much in the complexity of his topic but rather in the spiritual obtuseness of his audience, who “have become dull of hearing” and failed to mature spiritually (5:11–14). Nevertheless, as we turn to Hebrews from the straightforward stories in the Gospels or the theological and ethical discussions in Paul’s letters, we may feel overwhelmed by a difficult, daunting enigma.

Consider the mysterious Melchizedek. This “king of Salem” and “priest of God Most High” appears briefly (three verses) in Genesis when his path crosses with Abraham’s (Gen. 14:18–20). His name recurs elsewhere in the Old Testament only in Psalm 110:4, where a priestly “order” bearing his name is filled by God’s oath to inaugurate a king to be a “priest forever.” These two biblical texts pique our curiosity, and even the author’s explanation of them poses puzzles that have been debated for millennia.

Taking a step back from Melchizedek to consider the epistle’s argument as a whole, the author presupposes that his audience shares his deep and wide familiarity with Israel’s ancient Scriptures. If we are not saturated in the Old Testament and its institutions, Hebrews will sound to us like a conversation conducted in a foreign language. To mine the treasures found in Hebrews, we need to invest the effort to immerse our minds in the religious heritage of ancient Israel, which was molded by the Old Testament.

Moreover, the author’s interpretive strategies in exploring Old Testament texts sometimes surprise us. We may have understood Psalm 8 to describe the dignity and dominion of humanity as created in God’s image in the beginning, but Hebrews presents the psalm as a promise of “the world to come,” a future situation that is “not yet” (Heb. 2:5–8). In this psalm, Hebrews discerns a redemptive-historical agenda, in which man’s present status, subordinate to the angels “for a little while,” will lead to his being “crowned with glory and honor” (2:9). Similar redemptive-historical readings of Psalms 110 (Heb. 7:15–25) and 40 (Heb. 10:5–10) show us that we need Hebrews to teach us how the Old Testament testifies to Jesus the Christ.

Hebrews issues alarming warnings about the dire consequences of abandoning Jesus. To “drift away” (2:1), neglecting the great salvation that the Lord announced, will incur worse punishment than that inflicted on the ancient law’s vilest offenders (2:1–4; 10:28–31). To “fall away,” after encountering the gospel’s light and the Holy Spirit’s power, is to place oneself beyond the possibility of repentance (6:4–8). Such terrifying warnings underscore the urgency of the author’s repeated summons to “hold fast” our confidence and confession (3:6, 14; 4:14; 6:18; 10:23). But they also raise the troubling question of Christ’s power to sustain his people’s faith and secure their eternal salvation. How do we reconcile such apostasy texts with Jesus’s assurance that no one can snatch his sheep from his hand (John 10:28–29) and with the assurance in Hebrews itself that Jesus “is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him” (Heb. 7:25)?

Other difficulties posed by Hebrews could be mentioned, but one more will suffice: Hebrews is obviously a communication from an author to an audience whose past history and present challenges he1 knows, but its text does not identify either the author or the recipients. Unlike the epistles of Paul, James, and Peter, Hebrews does not open with the name of its author or the location of its addressees. Knowing the identity of a document’s author, especially if he has written other documents available to us (as Paul did), would give us a broader context for reading the text before us. For Hebrews, however, we have no such wider context.2

Nor does Hebrews explicitly identify the location of the congregation to which it was first written. The title “To the Hebrews” (pros hebraious) was attached to the document early in its circulation. It reflects, I believe, an authentic tradition or valid inference from the contents,3 but some scholars have argued for a Gentile audience.4 Hebrews itself does not directly identify its recipients as either Jewish Christians or Gentile Christians, nor does it tell us where they lived.5 When we read Philippians and 1–2 Corinthians, the accounts in the book of Acts about the founding of these churches give us insights into the situations of these churches (Acts 16, 18). Hebrews contains hints about the backstory of its recipients (Heb. 6:9–10; 10:32–34), but where they lived, how they came to trust Jesus, and what their relationship was to the author remain uncertain. Our ignorance complicates our efforts to listen to Hebrews as though we were sitting alongside its first audience.

A Catholic (General) Epistle or a “Word of Exhortation”?

One factor that contributes to our sense of the foreignness of Hebrews is its genre. Today it is placed toward the end of the New Testament in a group of writings typically called “Catholic Epistles”6 or “General Epistles.”7 Unlike Paul’s epistles to churches in Rome, Corinth, Colossae, or Thessalonica, several of these Catholic or General Epistles are addressed to congregations over broad regions (e.g., 1 Peter) or even to the Christian community at large (e.g., James, Jude). They tend not to address the distinctive difficulties of one specific congregation.

But is Hebrews a general epistle, addressed to far-flung Christian communities, as 1 Peter and James are? No, Hebrews addresses a congregation with a particular history. These believers had begun their Christian pilgrimage well, enduring rejection and loss (Heb. 10:32–34). But then some had grown “dull of hearing” (5:11), spiritually enfeebled, at risk of abandoning their confession altogether (2:1; 3:12; 6:4–10; 12:12–17). This congregation suffered the passing of a first generation of leaders, whom they must “remember” (13:7), and they needed to submit to their present leaders (13:17). The author hopes to visit them in person (13:19, 23). As we will see in chapter 1, the author’s comments on his audience’s past and present trials and his warnings and exhortations actually give us a clear picture of this congregation’s spiritual situation.

Of course, the truths that Hebrews unfolds and the exhortations it issues address the needs of many churches down through the centuries, as do Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, the Thessalonians, and the Philippians. But Hebrews is no more “general” or “catholic” than those very personal and passionate pastoral missives to churches in specific Greco-Roman cities.

We might also question whether “epistle” or “letter” is the literary genre that best fits Hebrews. As we have observed, Hebrews lacks the names of author and recipients that open Hellenistic epistles. The author himself describes his work as a “word of exhortation” (toulogou tēs paraklēseōs, 13:22). This is the expression used by a synagogue leader in Antioch in Pisidia, when, after the reading from the Law and the Prophets, he invited Paul and Barnabas, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement [logos paraklēseōs] for the people, say it” (Acts 13:15). Accepting his invitation, Paul stood and summarized Israel’s history from the ancient Scriptures, leading to the announcement that from King David’s “offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus” (13:23). Paul’s “word of exhortation” delivered to that synagogue congregation was an oral exposition of Old Testament Scriptures, with their application to the hearers. It was a sermon.

Other New Testament texts confirm that the reading of the Law and the Prophets was followed by its explanation with “exhortation” both in Jewish synagogues (Luke 4:16–21) and in Christian congregations. Paul instructs Timothy: “Until I come, devote yourself to the reading, the exhortation [tē paraklēsei], the teaching” (1 Tim. 4:13, my translation). The Greek definite article with all three elements implies their regular role in the church’s liturgy: Scriptures are read publicly, and then their truths are expounded and applied.8

How does hearing Hebrews as a sermon instead of reading it as a letter help us receive its message? In at least two ways. First, since God is presently speaking, we must hear and heed. The description “word of exhortation” alerts us to the way Hebrews calls us to listen to God’s voice, his “living and active” and very sharp word (Heb. 4:12), as he speaks to us in the preaching of his word. Hebrews introduces quotations from the Old Testament in a way that differs from Paul. Paul typically introduces Old Testament quotations with the formula, “It is written [gegraptai]” (e.g., Rom. 1:17; 2:24; 3:4, 10; 4:17). By using “to write” (graphō) in the perfect tense, Paul emphasizes the fixed form and abiding authority of the Scriptures across generations. Written in the past, the Scriptures have abiding authority today. Hebrews, on the other hand, characteristically introduces Scripture with present tense/aspect verbs of speaking. This way of speaking envisions a situation in which God’s word is being proclaimed to a gathered congregation—or, in the case of Hebrews, being read aloud in their hearing:

“he says [legei]” (1:6, 7; 5:6; 8:8; 10:59)“the Holy Spirit says [legei]” (3:7)“as it is said [legesthai]” (3:15)“For it is witnessed [martyreitai] of him” (7:17)“the Holy Spirit also bears witness [martyrei] to us” (10:15)“the exhortation that addresses [dialegetai] you as sons” (12:5)

Old Testament citations are also introduced, less frequently, by verbs of speaking in past tenses, both aorist (e.g., eipen, 1:5; diemartyrato, 2:6) and perfect (e.g., eirēken, 1:13; 4:3). But the verb “to write” (graphō), characteristic of Paul, appears only once in Hebrews, within a Psalm 40 citation (Heb. 10:7) that, according to Hebrews, Christ is saying (legei, 10:5).10 This word of exhortation is being read aloud to the assembled congregation, so our author writes just as he would speak if he were present among them: at this moment and in their midst, their God is speaking to his people through his Scriptures.

Because God is speaking this word of exhortation to us, we must listen carefully and respond faithfully to “what we have heard,” the Lord’s message of salvation, now conveyed to us by “those who heard” him (2:1–3). Psalm 95:7–11, which Hebrews discusses at length (3:7–4:13), expresses the author’s affirmation to that early Christian congregation that God is presently speaking to them through a psalm given through David a millennium earlier. The citation opens, “Today, if you hear his voice” (3:7), and Hebrews draws a twofold conclusion from this. On the one hand, since the Israelite generation that left Egypt failed to enter God’s “rest” through unbelief (3:16–19), “long afterward” God spoke through David in the psalm, appointing another “today,” in which God’s voice must be heard with faith (4:7). On the other hand, God’s appointed “today” extends into the Hebrew Christians’ present: “as long as it is called ‘today’” they must “exhort one another every day” (3:13).

Second, the rich theology and biblical interpretation of Hebrews are aimed toward transforming lives. We are rightly impressed by the theological depth and exposition of Old Testament passages in Hebrews. So it is tempting to approach this document as a theological and hermeneutical essay with an intellectual agenda. The author’s description, “word of exhortation,” however, alerts us to the profoundly pastoral purpose toward which his biblical exposition and theological argument are directed. He aims not merely to persuade minds but also to stir and fortify hearts, to mold character, and to motivate people to faithful action.

The semantic range of the Greek word represented by “exhortation” (paraklēsis) is broad. Depending on its context, paraklēsis and its cognate verb parakaleō may refer to speech that (a) summons others to action (“exhortation,” Heb. 13:22; cf. Rom. 12:1), (b) instills confidence (“encouragement,” Heb. 6:18; cf. Acts 16:40), (c) makes a request (“beg,” 2 Cor. 8:4), or (d) consoles the grieving (“comfort,” Matt. 5:4; 2 Cor. 1:4–7).11 In Hebrews, the verb appears four times (3:13; 10:25; 13:19, 22) and the noun three times (6:18; 12:5; 13:22). Our author’s use of this word group bridges senses (a) and (b). So he urges believers, in their interactions with each other, to “exhort one another,” expressing encouragement that does not merely lift spirits but also stimulates to perseverance those who may be wavering in faith (3:13; 10:25).

The structure of Hebrews fits its description as a word of encouragement. The author moves through the themes of Christ’s superiority to Old Testament agents of revelation (1:5–4:13), his superiority as covenant mediator to the Old Testament priesthood and sacrificial system (4:14–10:35), and as the trailblazer who leads his people into a better inheritance than Canaan (10:36–12:29). Each step in this preacher’s argument for Jesus’s superiority lays the theological foundation for a direct exhortation to his congregation:12

Jesus surpasses the angels who conveyed God’s law to Moses (1:4–14), so pay attention to his word (2:1–4).Jesus surpasses Moses, who received God’s law (3:1–6), so hear God’s voice and believe his promises, unlike Moses’s contemporaries (3:7–4:13).Jesus surpasses Aaron as eternal high priest (4:14–5:10, 6:13–7:28), so let us leave behind the foundation and move on to maturity (5:11–6:12).Jesus’s self-sacrifice and new covenant surpass the old covenant, its earthly sanctuary, and its repeated animal sacrifices (8:1–10:18), so let us draw near to God, hold fast our confession, and support each other (10:19–31).Jesus leads us to the heavenly inheritance for which the patriarchs longed, which surpasses the earthly land of promise (10:32–11:40), so let us endure in faith, looking to Jesus (12:1–17).Jesus welcomes us to worship in the heavenly Mount Zion, which surpasses Sinai’s terrors (12:18–24), so let us heed his voice from heaven with thankful worship (12:25–29).

The transition between a section of biblical and theological exposition, on the one hand, and the response it elicits, on the other, is marked by the conjunction, “therefore,”13 followed by a second-person plural verb in the imperative mood (directly commanding the audience),14 by a hortatory subjunctive verb (“let us,” in which the author includes himself in the exhortation),15 or by another verb expressing the hearers’ obligation.16

The theological argument in each movement of the sermon is driving toward its respective exhortation section. So it is unhelpful to call any of these exhortations a “parenthesis” or a “digression”17 that interrupts the theological discourse. Richard B. Gaffin Jr. rightly observes that the exhortation sections interspersed throughout Hebrews, rather than being interruptions, are the purpose toward which the author’s argument is directed:

It is misleading to view Hebrews basically as an apologetic-polemic treatment of the person and work of Christ and the superiority of the new covenant to the old, to which various imperatives have been appended in a secondary fashion. On this view doctrine (e.g., the high priestly ministry of Christ) would be intelligible apart from considering the exhortation. Hebrews does provide profound and extensive teaching, . . . but it does that only “in solution” with application, only as the paranetic element is pervasive and shapes the course of the argument as a whole.18

Gaffin’s observation that the teaching in Hebrews comes “in solution” with its application so that the hortatory purpose shapes the doctrinal discussion applies throughout this word of exhortation.

The central section of Hebrews (8:1–10:18), which develops the main theological subject (“the point,” kephalaion, 8:1)—that is, Jesus’s superior priestly qualification and conscience-perfecting sacrifice—is surrounded by two exhortations (4:14–16; 10:19–25) that function as bookends (inclusio) to the doctrinal discussion. The echoes of 4:14–16 that appear in 10:19–25 signal their interconnectedness:

“Since we have” (echontes oun, 4:14; 10:19)“A great [high] priest” (archierea megan, 4:14; hierea megan, 10:21)“Jesus” (Iēsoun, 4:14; Iēsou, 10:19)“Let us hold fast [our/the] confession” (kratōmen tēs homologias, 4:14; katechōmen tēn homologian, 10:23)“Let us draw near” (proserchōmetha, 4:16; 10:22)“Confidence” (parrēsias, 4:16; parrēsian, 10:19)

Both exhortations also speak of the access into God’s heavenly sanctuary that Jesus has achieved for his people. Because our “great high priest . . . has passed through the heavens” (4:14), we too may “draw near to the throne of grace” (4:16). Through Jesus’s shed blood and sacrificed flesh, we may “enter the holy places” (10:19), drawing near with “hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience” (10:22). The similarities between these exhortations emphasize how both derive from Jesus’s superior priestly office and sacrifice (the themes of 5:1–10:18). Because Jesus the Son is the great high priest whose once-for-all death completely cleanses consciences, believers may and must avail themselves of the access to God that Christ has won for them.