Hebrews Highlights - December 2025 - February 2026

I am catching up on blog posts. Here are the Hebrews Highlights for December 2025 through mid-February 2026:

 

Ken Schenck continues his narrative journey through Hebrews:

          Remember the Good Times (Hebrews 6, 10)

          The Impossibility of Repentance (Heb. 6:3-8; 10:26-31)

          The Rhetorical Strategy of Hebrews

          An Eternal Priest (Hebrews 5, 7)

          The New Covenant (Hebrews 8)

          A Better Sacrifice and Sanctuary (Hebrews 9 and 10)

          The Cheering Witnesses (chapter 11)

          The Discipline of the Lord (Hebrews 12)

          Celebrating the Enthroned Christ (Hebrews 1)

          The Logic of Salvation (Hebrews 2)

Brian Davidson argues that Reading the OT Figurally Is Desperately Important and this is what Hebrews does.

He also sees a four-pattern match between Melchizedek and Jesus.

Phil Cecil and Ryan Meyer discusses The Use of Psalm 8 in Hebrews 2 in the Theologically Driven podcast

Hebrews Highlights - November 2025

Ken Schenck tries to put Hebrews into narrative form:

     Part 1: The Story of Hebrews

     Part 2: The Cast of Characters

     Part 3: Hebrews 13:22–25: The Context of Hebrews at Corinth/Ephesus

     Part 4: Hebrews Closing Clues (13:1–19) 

     Part 5: The Main Takeaway of Hebrews (4:14–16; 10:25–31) 

 

In How to Think about Hebrews's Use of Israel's Scriptures J. David Stark informs us of a forthcoming book by him and Dana M. Harris: Appropriating Hebrews's Scriptural Hermeneutic for the Twenty-First Century.

 

Cliff Kvidahl has some thoughts on Hebrews 2:17–18 in A Merciful and Faithful High Priest

Hebrews Highlights - July 2020

Nijay Gupta make recommendations for 5 Books Every Pastor Should Read on Hebrews.

Chris Ritter continues his sermon series on Hebrews:
What Can Wash Away My Sins?

Called to Encouragement.

The Hall of Heroes.

Running Well.

David Pallmann has a Critique of Eternal Security based on the warning passages in Hebrews.

Peter Goeman attempts to answer the question: Where was the Altar of Incense Located? (I.e., is Hebrews 9:3–4 wrong?).

Andrew Perriman offers a novel interpretation of Hebrews 1:6 in his post about Jesus and the empire to come.

Hebrews Highlights August 2018

Alastair Roberts explains in a video How Should We Understand the People Who Fall Away in Hebrews 6.

Ken Schenck has posted additional installments of his video series on his Hebrews Bible Study:
     Week 2: Jesus Fulfills the Story of Salvation.
     Week 3: The Supremacy of Christ Should Keep Us Going.

Andreas Köstenberger has a brief series on introductory matters regarding Hebrews. He attempts to answer the following questions:
     Who is the Author?
     What is the Message?
     Who Were the Readers?

Simon Woodman continues his preaching series on Hebrews: The Returning Jesus, based in part on Hebrews 10:24–25, 35–38; 9:26b–28.

Andrew Perriman offers Some notes on Jesus as Son and Wisdom of God in Hebrews 1:1–4.

Hebrews Highlights June-July 2018

Simon Woodman has been preaching a series on Jesus in Hebrews: the Pastoral Jesus, based on Hebrews 2:14–18; 4:14–15; 6:19–20; 13:20–21; the Familial Jesus, a sermon based in part on Hebrews 2:11–13; 3:13–14; and 9:15; the Accessible Jesus, based in part on Hebrews 4:16; 7:19, 25; 6:19–20; and 10:19–22; and the Vulnerable Jesus, based in part on Hebrews 6:4–6; 13:11–14.

David Alan Black reflects on Turning to Our Great High Priest from Hebrews 4:14–16. This prompted a further reflection from Henry Neufeld.

Philip Church reviews the Passion Translation by examining how it treats Hebrews.

Alastair Roberts explains in a video What is the Biblical Theological Significance of Melchizedek?

Ken Schenck has been posting excerpts of his new Hebrews Bible Study Book.
     Jesus Is the Enthroned Son of God
     The First Warning to Remain Faithful

Ken also has a "Patrons Only" podcast on Stephen and the Book of Hebrews. 

Hebrews Highlights February 2018

Phillip Long continues his series on Hebrews:
     Hebrews 7:1–3 – Who Was Melchizedek?
     Hebrews 8–9 – Old Israel, New Church?
     Hebrews 9:11–22 – The Christ, the Unblemished Sacrifice
     Hebrews 10:32–39 – Recall the Former Days
     Hebrews 10:39 – We Are Not of Those Who Shrink Back
     Hebrews 12:1–3 – Running the Race
     Hebrews 12:18–29 – Marching to Zion
    
Ken Schenck has completed his series on Concentrated Hebrews:
     Hebrews 4:14–5:11
     Hebrews 5:12–6:20
     Hebrews 7:1–28
     Hebrews 8:1–10:18
     Hebrews 10:19–11:40
     Hebrews 12:1–29
     Hebrews 13:1–25

Mike Heiser answers questions about the book of Hebrews:
     Hebrews Q&A Part 1
     Hebrews Q&A Part 2

David deSilva preaches a sermon on Hebrews 12:28–13:16: "Going to Serve Christ"
He preaches another sermon on Matthew 4:1–11 and Hebrews 4:12–16: "The Divine Source Code"

Austin Duncan explains how you can Preach Like Hebrews.

Stephen Rankin preaches a sermon on The Peaceful Fruit of Righteousness based on Hebrews 12:7, 11.

Henry Neufeld offers A Brief Note on Hebrews and Structure.

Hebrews Highlight December 2017

Mike Heiser has posted his latest podcasts on Hebrews 8 and Hebrews 9 and Hebrews 10.

Hebrews Highlights - May 2014

Ken Schenck has been doing a series on Hebrews, apparently in the process of writing a book:

Its Situation
Strange Sacrificial Teachings
Strange Teachings Today
Jesus, the Definitive Sacrifice 1
Definitive Priest
True Sanctuary with a Superior Sacrifice
So Keep Going
The Big Warning
The Faith Chapter

Jim West has some excerpts of Hebrews 10:25 Among the Exegetes.

Hebrews Carnival October 2013

David Allen discusses Outlining Hebrews 10.19–25.

Henry Neufeld discusses The Numerous Authorship Proposals for Hebrews.

Gerry Breshears discusses the Hebrews Warnings.

Nicholas Moore reviews David Moffitt, Atonement and the Logic of Resurrection in the Epistle to the Hebrews in the Journal of Theological Studies 64.2 (Oct 2013): 673–75.

James Gray has written an Introduction to the Book of Hebrews.

Ken Schenck enumerates four Ways the NT Uses the OT.  He uses several examples from the book of Hebrews.

Hebrews' reference to Jesus suffering Outside the Gate prompts James McGrath to ponder how this text is clearly at odds with mythicism.

Hebrews Carnival July & August 2013

Since there was only one blog post for July, the July and August blog posts are combined here:

Ken Schenck discusses the Ethnicity of Hebrews' Audience.

Henry Neufeld discusses David Alan Black's Rhetorical Analysis of Hebrews 1:1–4.  Black's article, "Hebrews 1:1–4: A Study in Discourse Analysis," is now available online and has been added to the articles page.

Charles Savelle has a quote about Biblical Theology and the Book of Hebrews from Gerald Bray's article, "Biblical Theology and From Where It Came."

James McGrath identifies The Most Shocking Verse in Hebrews.

Ken Schenck declares that his Hebrews life is now complete.

Jared Calaway announces that his book, Sabbath and Sanctuary is now available in print from Mohr Siebeck.  He also declares that Hebrews 9:23 Really Bothers Him.

Jacob Cerone links to an article he wrote on his post The Use of γράφω and its Compounds in Eusebius: Origen and Pauline Authorship of Hebrews?

Abram Kielsmeier-Jones has a lengthy post on Hebrews 11.

Hebrews Carnival December 2012

William Burch explains what "holiness" means in Hebrews 12:14.

Michael Barber reports that John Paul the Great Catholic University is hosting James Swetnam, a leading Catholic interpreter of Hebrews, as Distinguished Visiting Faculty.  He is lecturing on Hebrews.  His extensive bibliography can be found here.

William Varner discusses the "Story" of Christmas in the Letter to the Hebrews.

David deSilva has started blogging and he begins with a post on Translating Hebrews 10:24.

Hebrews Carnival August 2012

Roger Pearse queries whether there is an extant an Armenian version of Ephraim's commentary on Hebrews.

William Mounce discusses Preserving Images in Translation, using Hebrews 10:29 as an illustration.

David Stark urges that the church should be Praying with Jesus Psalm 40, part of which is attributed to Jesus in Hebrews 10.

Jared Calaway muses about the Author of Hebrews as Mystagogue.

Matt O'Reilly discusses Unbelief and Falling Away in Hebrews.

Hebrews Carnival February 2012

Phillip Long responds to Peter O'Brien's and Scot McKnight's views on the warning passage of Hebrews 6:4–12.  He also comments on the statements "recall the former days" in  Hebrews 10:32–39 and "We are not of those who shrink back" in Hebrews 10:39.  He notes that "faith is being sure" and not "wishful thinking" in Hebrews 11:1–3 and that believers are "marching to Zion" in Hebrews 12:18–29.

Jared Calaway discusses The Beauty of Moses in Acts 7:20 and Hebrews 11:23.

Tim Gombis highlights a quote from James Thompson's commentary on The Use of Scripture in Hebrews.

Matthew Montonini informs us that Harold Attridge's, Essays on John and Hebrews, originally published by Mohr Siebeck in the WUNT series, will be reissued by Baker at a more inexpensive price.

Hebrews Carnival May 2011

The month of May saw the following contributions to the book of Hebrews:

Dan Fabricatore has A note on ἐφάπαξ: Once for all in Hebrews 10:10.

Ken Schenck discusses the CEB translation of  Hebrews 1:5-14.

Kenneth Way discusses the Handling of "Heroes" in Hebrews 11.

Kevin Brown has some reflections on Hebrews, Jesus, and Creation in Hebrews 1:2, 10.

Horace Jeffery Hodges discusses Hebrews 9:14-17 on Covenant and Testament.  He takes διαθηκη in this context to mean "covenant."  He then moves on to Hebrews 9:15 and asks whether it is Specifically about Israelites and their Descendants.  He then interacts with my comments on 9:14-17.

Horace Jeffery Hodges is puzzling over the meaning of Hebrews 9:23 - "heavenly things themselves be cleansed."  He discusses Brooke Foss Westcott's and  Kenneth L. Schenck's take on Hebrews 9:23.

Ken responds with his own post asking, What is cleansing the heavenly sanctuary in Heb. 9:23?

Hebrews and the Second Coming

In light of recent (non-)events I thought I would post something on what Hebrews says about the παρουσία or second coming of Jesus.  The clearest reference to the second coming is found in 9:28:

"so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him." (NASB)

Since Christ appeared (πεφανέρωται; 9:26) once to take care of sin in his sacrificial death, he will appear (ὀφθήσεται) a second time without the need to deal with the sin problem.  Many scholars see here an oblique parallel to the high priest who reemerges from the holy of holies after he had made atonement on the Day of Atonement.  The high priest's reemergence means that the sacrifice had been accepted.

The second more oblique reference is found in the quotation of Habakkuk 2:3 LXX in 10:37:

"For yet 'in a very little while, the one who is coming will come and will not delay.'"  (NRSV)

In the original context the passage is part of God's second reply to Habakkuk's questioning.  It refers to a vision that the prophet must write down since its fulfillment will not happen immediately but according to its appointed time, which will be coming soon.  The author of Hebrews appears to add an article before the LXX translation ἐρχόμενος, "coming," thus making it a substantive that has messianic overtones.  The author interprets the passage as a reference to Jesus' imminent return.

The third passage, found in 1:6, is even more oblique and highly disputed.  The introduction to the quotation reads: 

ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην

One interpretive crux in the passage is the placement of πάλιν.  It may merely introduce another quotation, as is the author's practice elsewhere (1:5; 2:13; 4:5; 10:30).  The NRSV reflects this option:

"And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world."

Or πάλιν may modify the verb εἰσαγάγῃ.  The NASB reflects this option:

"And when He again brings the firstborn into the world."

If the first option is adopted, then it may refer to Jesus' incarnation, or exaltation.  If the second option is adopted, then it likely refers to the second coming of Jesus into the "inhabited world."  On this reading, God commands the angels to worship Jesus upon his return.

Hebrews Carnival April 2011

Jeremy Thompson concludes his posts on Harold Attridge's Essays on John and Hebrews with an Evaluation.

Steven Coxhead reads the Theme of Judgment in Ezekiel 7 in the Light of Hebrews 10:26-31.

William Mounce explores the translation of predicate adjectives in Hebrews 13:4.

Ken Schenck meditates upon Hebrews 3-4: The Rest of God.

In another post Ken lists what he would say if he were Introducing Hebrews without taking sides.

Ken is also beginning a series of posts on the CEB translation of Hebrews.  His first post begins with Hebrews 1:1-4.

Joel Watts talks about Hebrews and Long Ago Imagery in Hebrews 1:1-3.

Joel also remarks that Hebrews says Yes to the question: Is It Impossible to restore repentance?

The Seeking Disciple explains that the Christian's assurance depends upon Jesus, The Anchor For Our Soul.

Justin Taylor has a chart on the Difference Between Jesus and the Levitical High Priests.

Dave Spotts give daily devotional thoughts on lectionary readings.  This month included readings from Hebrews: 1:1-14; 2:1-18; 3:1-19; 4:1-16; 5:1-14; 6:1-20; 7:1-22; 7:23-8:13; 9:1-28; 10:1-18; 10:19-39; 11:1-29; 12:1-24; 13:1-21.

Hebrews Carnival March 2011

The month of February saw zero(!) posts on the book of Hebrews. But in the month of March activity regarding the book of Hebrews has picked up:

Daniel Fabricatore has A note on παροξυσμός in Hebrews 10:24.

Charles Savelle comments on Hebrews 12:1 and Hebrews 12:2 and Hebrews 12:3.

Michael Patton bemoans The Unfortunate Translations of Hebrews 12:17.

Iver Larsen responds with his own interpretation of Repentance in Hebrews 12:17.

Joel Watts responds to a question on Hebrews 6:5 - Of the Age to Come.

Nijay Gupta offers brief reviews of The Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian Theology and Peter O'Brien's The Letter to the Hebrews.

Tony Siew meditates on Hebrews 12:26 and other passages in light of the earthquake in Japan.

Jeremy Thompson has a brief review on Harold Attridge's collection of Essays on John and Hebrews.  He provides information on the author and contents.

Hebrews Carnival November 2010

This is late because my computer was down for the last week and a half in November.

Interest in Hebrews among the biblioblogs seems to have diminished to a trickle the last few months.

However, Charles Savelle is commenting,  identifying Five Contributions of the Book of Hebrews.  He then offers A Brief Summary of Hebrews 1:1-10:18 and some thoughts on Hebrews 1:1-3.

T.C.R. can only shake his head at the note that the Reformation Study Bible makes on the "Warning Passages" in Hebrews.

Jim Allman comments on Access to God in Hebrews 10 here, here, and here.

David Larsen summarizes Silviu Bunta's SBL paper, "The Convergence of Adamic and Merkabah Traditions in the Christology of Hebrews."  (I missed this paper, unfortunately, because the paper was not given at the time stated in the program book).

Hebrews Carnival March 2010

William Varner presents A New Perspective on Hebrews. He provides this new perspective in a PDF file.

Clifford Kvidahl offers Some Random Notes on Hebrews.

Kvidahl also remarks on Hebrews 8:13 and the obsolescence of the Old Covenant.

Dan Cruver had a meditation on Hebrews 10:19-25 that we can have Confidence to Approach God - Together.

Bob MacDonald gives an overview of The Psalms used in Hebrews.

Michael Bird interviews Andrew W. Pitts about his theory on the Authorship of Hebrews. Pitts, and his colleague Joshua F. Walker propose that the evidence best points to a collaboration between Paul and Luke. He argues that the speech is Pauline, which Luke documented in some manner as a stenographer and then later published it. Myself? Although I believe the author of Hebrews is likely an associate of Paul's and may in part be influenced by Paul, I do not think that the writing is Pauline. For example, the theology of the book differs too much from any of Paul's letters and the use of the OT is much different than Paul's.

Tony Siew reflects on Hebrews and Its Influence on his life.

Joel Watts has a reflection on Ben Witherington's discussion on Hebrews in The Indelible Image.

Doug Chaplin notes two places where the language of Eucharist and Sacrifice merge in the NT, which includes Hebrews 13:10.

Matthew Larsen gives the abstract to his paper that he will deliver at the upcoming SBL Conference in Atlanta: The First Century Two Ways Catechesis as the Background of Hebrews 6:1-6.

Hebrews Carnival February 2010 - Part 1

We are only halfway through the month of February and already there has been considerable discussion on the Book of Hebrews this month. So, I thought I would make mention of those posts we have thus far, rather than waiting until the end of the month:

Rafael Rodríguez criticizes another scholar who portrays the author of Hebrews as someone who was not bound by cultural constraints, while addressing an audience that was bound. Rather, The author of Hebrews was himself bound in the first century CE.

Joel Watts argues that the author of Hebrews mined the Old Testament for theological truth about Christ and the Church, not historical fact.

Joel Watts also reflects on Hebrews 11:1-3 noting that faith is not merely a belief system but action and commitment.

Steven Coxhead expounds on The Concept of Faith in Hebrews. He concludes that "the concept of faith in the book of Hebrews confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, but it also includes a strong assurance that the fullness of what God has promised will come true (Heb 11:1), which results in power to persevere despite opposition."

Coxhead also ponders the Similarities in the Concept of Faith between Paul and the Author of Hebrews.

Brant Pitre claims that Hebrews does envision a new ministerial priesthood. Hebrews 7:12 suggests a change in the priesthood, not a dissolution. He interprets the "altar" of 13:10 to refer to the Eucharistic sacrifice. The post has provoked a considerable discussion.

Peter Kirk responded with a post of his own, Only One New Priest and Sacrifice, contending that the new priesthood Hebrews envisions is found in only one person, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13 is not arguing for a special caste of priests offering the sacrifice of the Mass, but indicates that all believers offer up sacrifices of praise and good works.

Phillip Long in his post Hebrews and the New Covenant (Part 1) argues that Hebrews is not supersessionistic. Hebrews does not teach that the Church has replaced Israel, but that the Old Testament promises find their fulfillment in Jesus and the New Covenant. In Part 2 he goes on the state that the New Covenant merely succeeds the Old Covenant chronologically; it is how God is dealing with His people in the present age.

In his discussion of Jesus and the Heavenly Sanctuary, Long notes that Jesus' priesthood and sacrifice is superior because Jesus serves in a heavenly sanctuary.

Long also identifies four things from Hebrews 10:32-39 that the audience of Hebrews suffered in their endurance in the Christian faith.

Long also muses about the midrashic use of The Old Testament in Hebrews.

Ken Schenck exults that his monograph Cosmology and Eschatology in Hebrews: The Setting of the Sacrifice is now available in a more inexpensive paperback. Finally, the book is now within my price range!

Clifford Kvidahl queries What Do Calvin and Arminius Have to do with Auctor? He concludes that one must not impose an anachronistic Calvinist or Arminian reading on the warning passages in Hebrews, but that they must be understood within their literary context.

Brian Tucker reports that Jeffrey Gibson argued at the SBL Midwest meeting that the Sitz im Leben of Hebrews was the Jewish War and that the author was concerned to address "issues of non-violence in the context of the threat of the Roman and Jewish desire for violent revolt by the zealots."