Hebrews Carnival August 2009

Starting off the month of August Jared Calaway in his post Sword-in-Mouth Disease continued with his musings on the sword/mouth imagery that is found in several ancient sources including Hebrews.

Jared has also posted some reflections on Ken Schenck's book Cosmology and Eschatology in Hebrews.

Stephen Hebert continues his series on the textual variants in Hebrews 2:9. In Part 4 he continues to examine the internal evidence in favor of χωρις, rather than χαριτι. χωρις is more in accord with the vocabulary of Hebrews than χαριτι. Furthermore, it is the more difficult reading, since a scribe would more likely have changed χωρις to read χαριτι. It appears then that the external evidence and the internal evidence conflict with one another. In Part 5 he deals with the methodological issues involved in using patristic citations.

In other postings on textual criticism, Peter Head first deals with a textual variant in Hebrews 1:1, "God spoke to our fathers." He then deals with textual variants in Hebrews 1:3, "the word of power."

And finally, Tommy Wasserman reported an announcement by Claire Clivaz on the registration of a new fourth-century, papyrus fragment, P126, containing Hebrews 13:12-13, 19-20.

Scot McKnight gives his recommendations for commentaries on Hebrews. No qualms about this list. See also the recommendations in the comments section.

Peter Lopez announced in his post, Hebrews Bible Study, that he will be teaching a Bible study on Hebrews at his home church and that he will be blogging about his experience. The comments section has some discussion about commentaries. He offers his study notes on chapter 1 and chapter 2, as well as his reflections on week 1 of his study.

Also going around the blogs this month was a clever little video produced by Aaron Rathburn introducing Hebrews 1:1-4 with a Star Wars theme.

New Arrivals

A nice parcel of books arrived at my doorstep today. The books are reproductions of out-of-print, nineteenth-century titles. As such, they preserve the imperfections of the original titles, while being bound now in shiny new paperback covers. The titles are:

A Clergyman, What Is the True Sanctuary and the True Tabernacle, Which the Lord Pitched, and Not Man, and Whereof Christ Is the Minister? 1858.

Henry Craik, An Amended Translation of the Epistle to the Hebrews. 1847.

Alexander Richard Eagar, The City of the Living God: A Note on Hebrews XII.22-24. 1895.

John Leech, The Epistle to the Hebrews: A Justification of the National Title and Character, The Donnellan Lectures. 1874.

George Montagu, Horae Hebraicae: An Attempt to Discover How the Argument of the Epistle to the Hebrews Must Have Been Understood by Those Therein Addressed. 1835.

Thomas Williamson Peile, Annotations on the Apostolical Epistles V3: Thessalonians-Hebrews. 1851.

Some fun stuff here. :-)

New Papyrus Fragment on Hebrews

Claire Clivaz has announced the registering of a new fourth-century, papyrus fragment, P126, which contains Hebrews 13:12-13, 19-20. Thanks to Tommy Wasserman for pointing it out. Very cool!

Two New RBL Book Reviews

Scott Mackie, who has authored his own monograph on Hebrews, offers a review of A Cloud of Witnesses: The Theology of Hebrews in Its Ancient Contexts, edited by Richard Bauckham, Daniel Driver, Trevor Hart, and Nathan MacDonald. The volume is a collection of sixteen essays originally delivered at the Hebrews and Theology Conference at St. Andrews in July of 2006.






David M. Allen, who has also authored a monograph on Hebrews, gives a review of Barry C. Joslin's, Hebrews, Christ, and the Law: The Theology of the Mosaic Law in Hebrews 7:1-10:18. The law has continuing validity for Hebrews; it is fulfilled in Christ, but it is also transformed by Christ through the internalization of the law in the believer in the New Covenant.






A third book, Deliver Us from Evil: Interpreting the Redemption from the Power of Satan in New Testament Theology, by Richard H. Bell, although not a book on Hebrews per se, does contain a chapter on Hebrews entitled, "Redemption from the Devil in Hebrews."

Hebrews 1:1-4 as Star Wars Intro

This clever video by Aaron Rathburn has been going around the blogs and I thought it was appropriate to post it here as well:

New Articles

The following article has been added to the Electronic Articles page:

Cockerill, Gareth Lee. "Structure and Interpretation in Hebrews 8:1-10:18: A Symphony in Three Movements." Bulletin for Biblical Research 11 (2001): 179-201.

Electronic Book Reviews

The following are links to electronic book reviews. I will add links as I come across them. I will place a permanent link to this page under Resources.


Anderson, David R. The King-Priest of Psalm 110 in Hebrews. Studies in Biblical Literature 21. Reviews by Moschos Goutzioudis, Mark Wade Hamilton, and Richard W. Johnson.

Anderson, David R. The King-Priest of Psalm 110 in Hebrews. Studies in Biblical Literature 21. Review by Herbert W. Bateman.

Bateman, Herbert W. Early Jewish Hermeneutics and Hebrews 1:5-13: The Impact of Early Jewish Exegesis on the Interpretation of a Significant New Testament Passage. American University Studies, Series 7 - Theology and Religion 193. Review by David M. Hay.

Bateman, Herbert W. Four Views on the Warning Passages in Hebrews. Review by Felix H. Cortez.

Bauckham, Richard, Daniel Driver, Trevor Hart, and Nathan MacDonald, eds. A Cloud of Witnesses: The Theology of Hebrews in Its Ancient Contexts. Review by Scott Mackie.

Croy, N. Clayton. Endurance in Suffering: Hebrews 12:1-13 in Its Rhetorical, Religious, and Philosophical Context. Society for New Testament Monograph Series 98. Review by David A. deSilva.

DeSilva, David Arthur. Bearing Christ's Reproach: The Challenge of Hebrews in an Honor Culture. Review by Moschos Goutzioudis.

DeSilva, David Arthur. Despising Shame: Honor Discourse and Community Maintenance in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Review by Bruce J. Malina.

DeSilva, David Arthur. Perseverance in Gratitude: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Review by Moschos Goutzioudis.

Donelson, Lewis R. From Hebrews to Revelation: A Theological Introduction. Reviews by Robert M. Royalty and Moschos Goutzioudis.

Eisele, Wilfried. Ein unerschutterliches Reich: Die mittelplatonische Umformung und Parusiesgedankens im Hebraerbrief. Review by C. Patrick Gray.

Eisenbaum, Pamela Michelle. The Jewish Heroes of Christian History: Hebrews 11 in Literary Context. Review by George Howard.

Gelardini, Gabriella, ed. Hebrews: Contemporary Methods - New Insights. Biblical Interpretation Series 75. Review by C. Patrick Gray.

Gelardini, Gabriella. “Verhärtet eure Herzen nicht”: Der Hebräer, eine Synagogenhomilie zu Tischa be-Aw. Biblical Interpretation Series 83. Review by Carl Mosser.

Gordon, Robert P. Hebrews. Readings: A New Biblical Commentary. Review by Herbert W. Bateman.

Gray, Patrick. Godly Fear: The Epistle to the Hebrews and Greco-Roman Critiques of Superstition. Reviews by Ron Fay and John Bertone.

Grelot, Pierre. Une lecture de l'Epitre aux Hebreux. Lire la Bible 132. Review by Richard W. Johnson.

Hagner, Donald A. Encountering the Book of Hebrews: An Exposition. Review by Moschos Goutzioudis.

Harrington, Daniel J. The Letter to the Hebrews. Review by Martin Karrer.

Heen, Erik M. and Philip D. W. Krey, eds. Hebrews. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture 10. Review by George H. Guthrie.

Hoppin, Ruth. Priscilla's Letter: Finding the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Review by Richard W. Johnson.

Johnson, Luke Timothy. Hebrews: A Commentary. New Testament Library. Reviews by Craig R. Koester and Wolfgang Kraus.

Johnson, Richard. Going Outside the Camp: The Sociological Function of the Levitical Critique in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series 209. Review by C. Patrick Gray.

Joslin's, Barry C. Hebrews, Christ, and the Law: The Theology of the Mosaic Law in Hebrews 7:1-10:18. Review by David M. Allen.

Lewicki, Tomasz. "Weist nicht ab den Sprechenden!": Wort Gottes und Paraklese im Hebraerbrief. Paderborner Theologische Studien 41. Review by Harold Attridge.

Lincoln, Andrew. Hebrews: A Guide. Review by Martin Karrer.

Long, Thomas G. Hebrews. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Review by Craig R. Koester.

Marohl, Matthew. Faithfulness and the Purpose of Hebrews: A Social Identity Approach. Review by Renate Viveen Hood.

McKnight, Edgar V. and Christopher Church. Hebrews-James. Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary. Review by David Bauer.

Pfitzner, Victor C. Hebrews. Abingdon New Testament Commentaries. Review by Herbert W. Bateman.

Phillips, Richard D. Hebrews. Reformed Expository Commentary. Review by Knut Backhaus.

Rhee, Victor (Sung-Yul). Faith in Hebrews: Analysis within the Context of Christology, Eschatology, and Ethics. Studies in Biblical Literature 19. Reviews by John S. Mason and Moschos Goutzioudis.

Salevao, Iutisone. Legitimation in the Letter to the Hebrews: The Construction and Maintenance of a Symbolic Universe. Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series 219. Reviews by C. Patrick Gray and Richard W. Johnson.

Schenck, Kenneth. Cosmology and Eschatology in Hebrews: The Settings of the Sacrifice. Society for New Testament Monograph Series 143. Review by Jason A. Whitlark.

Schenck, Kenneth. Cosmology and Eschatology in Hebrews: The Settings of the Sacrifice. Society for New Testament Monograph Series 143. Review by Thomas J. Kraus.

Schenck, Kenneth. Understanding the Book of Hebrews: The Story Behind the Sermon. Reviews by Moschos Goutzioudis, Richard W. Johnson, and James Sweeney.

Son, Kiwoong. Zion Symbolism in Hebrews: Hebrews 12:18-24 as a Hermeneutical Key to the Epistle. Review by Martin Karrer.

Thomas, C. Adrian. A Case for Mixed-Audience with Reference to the Warning Passages in the Book of Hebrews. Review by Gert J. Steyn.

Thompson, James W. Hebrews. Paideia Commentaries on the New Testament. Review by Alan C. Mitchell.

Trotter, Andrew H. Interpreting the Epistle to the Hebrews. Guides to New Testament Exegesis. Review by Gareth Lee Cockerill.

Westfall, Cynthia Long. A Discourse Analysis of the Letter to the Hebrews: The Relationship between Form and Meaning. Library of New Testament Studies 297. Review by Gabriella Gelardini.

Whitlark, Jason A. Enabling Fidelity to God: Perseverance in Hebrews in Light of Reciprocity Systems in the Ancient Mediterranean World. Paternoster Biblical Monographs. Review by Ryan D. Chivington.

New Article Added

The following article has been added to the Electronic Articles page:

Selvaggio, Anthony T. "Preaching Advice to the 'Sermon' to the Hebrews." Themelios 32.2 (June 2007): 33-45.

New Book Review

Gert Steyn, who has written numerous books and articles on Hebrews, has written a book review for RBL on C. Adrian Thomas' A Case for Mixed-Audience with Reference to the Warning Passages in the Book of Hebrews. As the title suggests the author believes that viewing the audience as a mixture of believers and unbelievers is the key to understanding the warning passages in Hebrews. The book attempts at giving exegetical and theological support to the Calvinist position.

Through the Veil/Flesh

Gardiner, Frederic. “Various Topics: On Heb. x. 20.–δια του καταπετασματος τουτ' εστι, της σαρκος αυτου.” Journal of the Society of Biblical Literature and Exegesis 8 (1888): 142-46.

The expression της σαρκος αυτου is epexegetical or in apposition to καταπετασματος. The preposition δια must be local and not instrumental, thus creating the difficulty that it was Christ’s flesh that was the obstacle for His and our entry into heaven and thus had to be removed. But he rejects the idea that the flesh was Christ’s earthly part that had to be left behind at his death, since in Luke 24:39 Christ speaks about his resurrected body as having flesh. Gardiner, however, argues that this instance of zeugma [when one part of speech governs two or more other parts of a sentence] is a form of breviloquence or brachyology in which the author “puts all together in an expression which in the strict sense of the words is absurd, and which yet truly conveys his meaning more forcibly than could be done by any other form” (145). Such instances can be cited in 1 Tim 6:17; 4:3; 1 Cor 3:2; Luke 1:64; 1 Cor 7:36; Acts 27:22; and 1 Tim 5:23. Likewise in Heb 10:20 we have a compact expression combining two diverse thoughts. The veil is that which separated humanity from the presence of God, and the flesh is the means by which one enters through the veil (just as in 9:12 Christ enters into heaven by means of his blood). Thus the preposition δια is local when used with καταπετασματος, but should be construed instrumentally when used with της σαρκος αυτου.