Exploring the High Priesthood of Jesus in Early Christian Sources

New article on Hebrews:

Filtvedt, Ole Jakob, and Martin Wessbrandt. "Exploring the High Priesthood of Jesus in Early Christian Sources." Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft 106.1 (2015): 96–114.

Abstract:

"Das Faktum, dass der Hebräerbrief die einzige neutestamentliche Schrift ist, in der explizit von Jesus als Hohepriester gesprochen wird, hat Ausleger zu der Annahme verleitet, dass diese christologische Konzeption auf den anonymen Autor des Briefes zurückgeht. Sowohl textinterne als auch externe Indizien legen jedoch nahe, dass der Hohepriestertitel seinen Ursprung im Gottesdienst der frühen Kirche hat. Der Autor des Hebräerbriefes scheint die Vertrautheit der Adressaten mit dem Titel vorauszusetzen, wobei bestimmte Eigenheiten des Textes auf eine Verbindung zu einem gottesdienstlichen Kontext verweisen. Diese These wird durch eine Untersuchung des Gebrauches dieser Konzeption bei den so genannten Apostolischen Vätern untermauert."

My rough translation:

"The fact that Hebrews is the only New Testament writing, in which  Jesus is spoken of as high priest, has misled interpreters to believe that this christological idea goes back to the anonymous author of the letter. Both internal and external textual evidence, however, suggests that the high priest title has its origins in the worship of the early church. The author of Hebrews seems to presuppose the addressees' familiarity with the title, wherein certain characteristics of the text refer to a connection to a worship context. This thesis is supported by a study of the use of this idea in the so-called Apostolic Fathers."

HT: Bobby Jamieson

Beavis on Hebrews and Wisdom

Larry Hurtado comments upon Mary Ann Beavis's article, "Hebrews and Wisdom" in the Festschrift, Mark, Manuscripts, and Monotheism: Essays in Honor of Larry W. Hurtado, eds. Chris Keith & Dieter T. Roth (London:  Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2015), 201-18.

New Commentary by Vanhoye

The latest academic catalog of Paulist Press is announcing a new commentary by Albert Vanhoye, one of the leading Hebrews' scholars. I cannot find it on Paulist Press' website, but Amazon is announcing that it will be coming out on July 28 of this year.

I am wondering how this commentary will differ from his commentary with Convivium Press, which came out in 2011 (See my review).

Hebrews at the Midwest Regional SBL

There will be several papers on Hebrews given at the Midwest Regional Society of Biblical Literature this coming weekend:

Saturday, February 7
3:30-4:30

HEBREWS & CATHOLIC EPISTLES (B) Burke 010
Chair: Mike Kibbe, Wheaton College

Jared Calaway, Illinois College
Jesus as Creator, Sustainer, and Destroyer in Hebrews

Carl Mosser, University of Notre Dame
Humanity Crowned with Glory and Honor: Hebrews 2, Psalm 8, and the Patristic Doctrine of Deification

Sunday, February 8
9:00-10:30

HEBREWS & CATHOLIC EPISTLES (C) Burke 010
Chair: Amy L. B. Peeler, Wheaton College

Erhard H. Gallos, Andrews University
What “Rest” Remains? A Close Reading of Hebrews 4

Justin Duff, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary
Covenant Death and Cleansing Blood in Hebrews 9:15-20

Sze Suze Lau, Polytechnic Univ. of Hong Kong/Anglican Minghua College
Hurst’s Remix: Mosaic and Platonic Conception of Priesthood in Hebrews 8

Do the Angels Worship Christ in Hebrews 1:6?

Larry Hurtado summarizes and comments upon a recent essay written by David M. Allen: “Who, What, and Why? The Worship of the Firstborn in Hebrews 1:6,” in Mark, Manuscripts, and Monotheism: Essays in Honor of Larry W. Hurtado, eds. Chris Keith and Dieter T. Roth (London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2014), 159-75.

Interview with Schreiner about His Forthcoming Book

Broadman & Holman Academic Blog has a brief interview with Thomas Schreiner about his upcoming commentary on Hebrews.