Who is the audience? The Hebrew people.
Although some hold that the audience was Gentiles, all evidence points to their Jewish background — the title of the book, "to the Hebrews," the reference to the prophets and angels ministering to Israel, and the citation concerning the Levitical worship. They lived in either Palestine or Italy, though preference seems to be Italy since these readers were not poor (and the Jews in Palestine were, Heb 6:10; 10:34; Rom 15:26). Also, the Septuagint is used exclusively for quotations from the OT, which would not be expected if the readers were Palestinian; and, "Those from Italy greet you" (Heb 13:24) sounds like Italians outside of Italy are sending greetings back home.
"Does the 'us' here [in 1:1] refer to us Christians of the Gentile dispensation? The question is not whether the Epistle has a voice for us; 'Every student of Hebrews must feel that it deals in a peculiar degree with the thoughts and trials of our own time,'* but what was the meaning which they to whom it was primarily addressed were intended to put upon the words? The opening verses are an undivided sentence; and as 'the fathers' were Israel, we may assume with confidence that the 'us' must be similarly construed." (Sir Robert Anderson)
When was the book written? Probably between 64-68 A.D.
"The book was written before A.D. 70, but after the ascension of our Lord (Heb. 10:11, 12). The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70, but at the time of the writing of Hebrews, priests were still offering sacrifices, this fact showing that it was still standing. Our Lord is seen, seated in heaven after His ascension. Thus the date is somewhere between A.D. 33 and A.D. 70." (Kenneth S. Wuest in Hebrews in the Greek New Testament - for the English reader)
"The lack in the book of any reference to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem as the divine proof that the OT sacrificial system was finished argues strongly for a date before A.D. 70. In addition, the mention of Timothy's recent release (Heb 13:23), if it was in connection with his ministry to Paul in Rome, requires a date in the late 60s." (Charles Ryrie).
Where does it fit within the progression of Scripture?
All the Hebrews to whom this book was written at least professed to believe in the Lord Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah. They had heard the message of Pentecost (Heb 2:3-4), how Christ had been raised from the dead to sit upon David's throne (Acts 2:30-31). Peter had promised that if Israel would repent "the times of refreshing" would come, and God would "send Jesus Christ" back to earth (Acts 3:19-20). They had not only hoped for this event, but had begun practising its program (Acts 4:32-37). But years had passed since then. Their number had grown to tens of thousands (Acts 21:20), but still Christ had not returned, and the kingdom had not been set up. Meanwhile, God had raised up another apostle, Paul, to go to the Gentiles apart from Israel, with a message of salvation by grace, through faith alone: BUT NOW apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets (Rom 3:21). And Paul had just made this awful pronouncement regarding Israel: ...the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes...therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen. (Acts 28:27-28). The twelve apostles had previously been very careful not to start another sect apart from Judaism (Acts 2:46-47; 3:1), but now the writer of Hebrews tells these believers to leave Judaism and take their place with the rejected Christ alone (Heb 13:13). It is clear from Paul's early epistles that in Christ Jewish and Gentile believers were already one, and Acts 10:11, 15 had indicated that "the middle wall of partition" was toppling. So now, with the nation Israel set aside, the Jewish believers who still had gone on under the kingdom program (Acts 15) had to be shown their position and blessings in Christ and called out of Judaism. Therefore, "the purpose of the Epistle to the Hebrews is threefold: (1) to provide the solution to the believing Hebrews' dilemma [what now? what becomes of us?], (2) to prove beyond a doubt that the 'mystery' revealed through Paul, and 'stewardship of God’s grace' committed to him, were indeed God's eternal purpose,' all along, and (3) to prove that God's blessings under grace are infinitely 'better' than anything Israel, or we, ever knew, or ever could know under the Law." (C.R. Stam).
What is the theme of the book?
The key word is "better." The key verse is Heb 7:12 - For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. And the theme — the superiority of Christ's New Covenant.
"We must be careful to note that the book is not an argument to prove that Christianity is superior to and takes the place of Judaism. The New Testament is the reality of which the First Testament was the type. The type consisted of a blood sacrifice which symbolically gave the offerer salvation, while in reality his salvation came from the New Testament which necessarily is a sacrifice, even the Lord Jesus at Calvary. Christianity is not a sacrifice nor a means of salvation. Christianity is a result of what happened at the Cross, namely, the Christian church made up of all believers from Pentecost to the Rapture, together with the doctrines and duties of the members of that Church. Furthermore, the New Testament is a covenant made with the Jewish nation. The latter must be distinguished from the Church. It is not a matter of a choice between Judaism and Christianity with which the writer is dealing, but between the type and the reality, between the Levitical sacrifices and the substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus." (Kenneth S. Wuest)
* Bishop Westcott
Although some hold that the audience was Gentiles, all evidence points to their Jewish background — the title of the book, "to the Hebrews," the reference to the prophets and angels ministering to Israel, and the citation concerning the Levitical worship. They lived in either Palestine or Italy, though preference seems to be Italy since these readers were not poor (and the Jews in Palestine were, Heb 6:10; 10:34; Rom 15:26). Also, the Septuagint is used exclusively for quotations from the OT, which would not be expected if the readers were Palestinian; and, "Those from Italy greet you" (Heb 13:24) sounds like Italians outside of Italy are sending greetings back home.
"Does the 'us' here [in 1:1] refer to us Christians of the Gentile dispensation? The question is not whether the Epistle has a voice for us; 'Every student of Hebrews must feel that it deals in a peculiar degree with the thoughts and trials of our own time,'* but what was the meaning which they to whom it was primarily addressed were intended to put upon the words? The opening verses are an undivided sentence; and as 'the fathers' were Israel, we may assume with confidence that the 'us' must be similarly construed." (Sir Robert Anderson)
When was the book written? Probably between 64-68 A.D.
"The book was written before A.D. 70, but after the ascension of our Lord (Heb. 10:11, 12). The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70, but at the time of the writing of Hebrews, priests were still offering sacrifices, this fact showing that it was still standing. Our Lord is seen, seated in heaven after His ascension. Thus the date is somewhere between A.D. 33 and A.D. 70." (Kenneth S. Wuest in Hebrews in the Greek New Testament - for the English reader)
"The lack in the book of any reference to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem as the divine proof that the OT sacrificial system was finished argues strongly for a date before A.D. 70. In addition, the mention of Timothy's recent release (Heb 13:23), if it was in connection with his ministry to Paul in Rome, requires a date in the late 60s." (Charles Ryrie).
Where does it fit within the progression of Scripture?
All the Hebrews to whom this book was written at least professed to believe in the Lord Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah. They had heard the message of Pentecost (Heb 2:3-4), how Christ had been raised from the dead to sit upon David's throne (Acts 2:30-31). Peter had promised that if Israel would repent "the times of refreshing" would come, and God would "send Jesus Christ" back to earth (Acts 3:19-20). They had not only hoped for this event, but had begun practising its program (Acts 4:32-37). But years had passed since then. Their number had grown to tens of thousands (Acts 21:20), but still Christ had not returned, and the kingdom had not been set up. Meanwhile, God had raised up another apostle, Paul, to go to the Gentiles apart from Israel, with a message of salvation by grace, through faith alone: BUT NOW apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets (Rom 3:21). And Paul had just made this awful pronouncement regarding Israel: ...the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes...therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen. (Acts 28:27-28). The twelve apostles had previously been very careful not to start another sect apart from Judaism (Acts 2:46-47; 3:1), but now the writer of Hebrews tells these believers to leave Judaism and take their place with the rejected Christ alone (Heb 13:13). It is clear from Paul's early epistles that in Christ Jewish and Gentile believers were already one, and Acts 10:11, 15 had indicated that "the middle wall of partition" was toppling. So now, with the nation Israel set aside, the Jewish believers who still had gone on under the kingdom program (Acts 15) had to be shown their position and blessings in Christ and called out of Judaism. Therefore, "the purpose of the Epistle to the Hebrews is threefold: (1) to provide the solution to the believing Hebrews' dilemma [what now? what becomes of us?], (2) to prove beyond a doubt that the 'mystery' revealed through Paul, and 'stewardship of God’s grace' committed to him, were indeed God's eternal purpose,' all along, and (3) to prove that God's blessings under grace are infinitely 'better' than anything Israel, or we, ever knew, or ever could know under the Law." (C.R. Stam).
What is the theme of the book?
The key word is "better." The key verse is Heb 7:12 - For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. And the theme — the superiority of Christ's New Covenant.
"We must be careful to note that the book is not an argument to prove that Christianity is superior to and takes the place of Judaism. The New Testament is the reality of which the First Testament was the type. The type consisted of a blood sacrifice which symbolically gave the offerer salvation, while in reality his salvation came from the New Testament which necessarily is a sacrifice, even the Lord Jesus at Calvary. Christianity is not a sacrifice nor a means of salvation. Christianity is a result of what happened at the Cross, namely, the Christian church made up of all believers from Pentecost to the Rapture, together with the doctrines and duties of the members of that Church. Furthermore, the New Testament is a covenant made with the Jewish nation. The latter must be distinguished from the Church. It is not a matter of a choice between Judaism and Christianity with which the writer is dealing, but between the type and the reality, between the Levitical sacrifices and the substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus." (Kenneth S. Wuest)
* Bishop Westcott
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