This document discusses the book of Hebrews and its prophetic characteristics. It argues that Hebrews was intended as a prophetic exhortation delivered orally, like a sermon, rather than a traditional letter. The document outlines how Hebrews alternates between warnings and encouragement, focuses on elevating Jesus, and uses a chiastic structure. It suggests the author was calling a group of Roman Christians to remain faithful to Jesus despite the risks of persecution and temptation to return to Judaism.

1. Hebrews:
The Voice of a NT Prophet

2. Hebrews as Prophetic
The author calls it a ‘word of encouragement’ (13:22)!
Parakleisis
The Holy Spirit: Parakleitos

3. Barnabas, ‘son of encouragement’ ‘encouraged them all to remain true to
the Lord with all their hearts’ (Acts 11:23).
Judas and Silas, who were prophets (15:32), ‘said much to encourage and
strengthen the brothers.’
But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening,
encouragement and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3).
Parakleisis (prophetic) in the NT

4. Hebrews: prophetic characteristics
1. The superlative language about Jesus
2. The rhetoric (presentation)
3. The rhetoric embedded in the structure

5. Text
1:1-2 The final word of God
2:9 Jesus, crowned with glory & honour
4:6 Jesus, the apostle and high priest
4:14 The great high priest, Jesus, the Son of God
7:26 Such a high priest … holy, blameless, pure, exalted
8:1 We do have such a high priest … at the right hand …
10:19-20 Since we have such a high priest …
12:2 Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith
13:21 Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever
Describing Jesus

6. Text
1:2 The Son of God
1:2 The heir of God
2:6 The Son of Man
3:1 The apostle and high priest
4:14 The great high priest
7:2 King of righteousness and king of peace
9:15 The New Covenant mediator
13:8 Jesus Christ: the same yesterday, today, forever
13:20 The great shepherd of the sheep
Titles for Jesus Christ

7. Text
2:1 Jesus ‘greater than’: Pay more attention therefore
2:18 His true humanity: He is really able to help people
3:1 Fix your thoughts on Jesus
4:14-15 He can sympathise with us in all our weaknesses
7:22 Jesus guarantees a secure salvation
7:25 He can save us eternally
10:18-22 Therefore: draw near to God through him
12:2 Fix your eyes on Jesus
13:3 Come to him
Calling people to Jesus

8. Its all about Jesus!
Where are you with Jesus?

9. The Prophetic: David Hill thesis
 Passages of exposition/doctrine & exhortation, but the former serve the
latter
 In exhortation, alternates warning and encouragement
 Never called a letter, but a ‘word of exhortation’ (13:22)
 Author is “speaking” throughout, not “writing”
 A written sermon, a Synagogue homily
 Uses pesher form of midrash, conveys revelatory and inspired
interpretation of scripture

10. Hebrews: Some key features
 In terms of literature: polished Greek Grammar, rhetorical argument, the
highest point of NT writings
 Author was trained in a gymnasium (University) or private school
 Uses three genres:
Midrash
Rhetoric
Prophetic
 The ultimate theology of atonement, plus a major statement on the
divinity & humanity of Christ

11. Placed inside a prophetic exhortation
 A chiastic structure, from the Greek chiazo, or letter X

12. Text Subject
1:1-4 God has spoken through his Son
1:5-14 The majesty of the Eternal Exalted Son
2:1-4 Pay attention to God’s Son-mediated revelation!
2:5-18 The Son of God became incarnate, and suffered
3:1-6 Fix your thoughts on Jesus: Son over God’s house
3:7-19 Avoid the company of the faithless generation
4:1-11 Do not emulate those who lost the blessing
4:12-13 You are accountable before the Word of God
4:14-16 Embrace this Great High Priest
5:1-10:18 Jesus Christ: All-Sufficient Sacrifice and High Priest
10:19-25 Avail yourself of this Great High Priest
10:26-31 You are more accountable because of this High Priest
10:32-39 Pursue the blessing promised to the faithful
11:1-40 Join the company of the heroes of faith
12:1-3 Keep your eyes on Jesus, seated at God’s right hand
12:4-13 Endure suffering, as God’s true sons and daughters
12:14-17 Don’t sell your birthright as Esau did, carelessness!
12:18-24 You are firstborn sons of God, in the city of God
12:25-29 God will speak once more at the Final Judgment

13. The Eternal Son
Jesus the Messiah
Perfect Sacrifice
Great High Priest

14. The Central Presentation
5:1-10:18

15. Jesus is fully divine
Jesus is fully human
Therefore
He is uniquely qualified as High Priest
In a New Covenant
In a heavenly temple
Offering a perfect sacrifice
Applied by the Holy Spirit
Therefore

16. The Author
 Not Paul:
Barnabas?
Apollos?
Author profile
 Architectural mind – brilliant structured presentation
 Zealous “heat” – on fire for Jesus
 Pastoral care

17. To whom: Educated guesses
 Urban based
 House group within a larger congregation
 Jewish Christians in a Greco-Roman majority
 Second generation: not early witnesses
 Becoming lax, or discouraged
 Between past persecution and possible future martyrdom
 Tempted to return to Judaism (Religio Licita) to avoid it
 Would require renouncing Christ
 Rome, between AD 49 and AD 64

18. AD 49
Seutonius, The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, on the Emperor Claudius:
Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of
Chrestus, he expelled them from Rome.
Acts 18:1-2:
There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had
recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had
ordered all the Jews to leave Rome.

19. AD 64: Tacitus Annals
Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted
the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called
Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin,
suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of
one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition,
thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first
source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful
from every part of the world find their centre and become popular.
Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon
their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the
crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind.

20. AD 64: Tacitus Annals
Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of
beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or
were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination,
when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and
was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the
dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who
deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of
compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one
man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed.
Tactitus, Annals, Book 15,44

21. The triple context
Who? A group of Christians converted from orthodox Judaism, in Rome, a
home group within the larger church.
1. The Roman authorities were worried about the many new religions.
Christianity was viewed as a “dangerous superstition.” Roman persecution
past and future, demanding allegiance to Caesar as “Lord.”
2. Judaism as “religio licita” meant if they returned to Judaism, they could
“dodge the bullet.”
3. But, to return to Judaism, the Synagogue authorities demanded formal
renunciation of Christ as a false Messiah and blasphemer.

22. For Reflection
What spiritual state might you be in?
Do we face persecution and martyrdom, or forces more subtle and
sinister (pluralism, relativism)?
Could you drift away, or turn away?
What warnings and encouragements do you need to hear?