AN ATHEISTIC SCEPTICAL BIBLE READING OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
A New Testament attempt to reach out and compromise with the Jews, possibly with an aim towards converting them to the new Christian religion. There are virtually none of the rants against Jews or blame for the death of Jesus apparent in other post Gospel epistles and letters.
The authorship is unknown, though Hebrews is sometimes attributed erroneously to Paul, though its style of writing is very different to his other epistles.
The work came at a crucial time when the Gentile (non-Jewish converts to Christ worship) was beginning to outnumber the earlier Jewish followers. Few if any of Christ’s immediate contemporaries were still alive.
The text is basically an essay on why the New Testament message is very different to that of The Old Testament. God in the past, addressed humanity directly, via angels, or signs and portents. Now such communications come through his son, Jesus, the Christ. The Hebrews author states that Christ always existed, long before his physical birth in our World. Quite therefore why he wasn’t sent among us sooner is unclear.
God has declared Jesus to be more significant than any and all of the angels. God loves his angels, but never regarded any of them as a son (were any female?) God has commanded the angels to obey the commands and orders of Jesus, and respect him with all due accord.
God has gone on to order humanity to obey the wishes of all divine entities (except Satan and his lot obviously), and to take note of ongoing signs, omens and prophesies. Jesus is to remain highest in our regard, for though superior to angels, he has allowed himself to come human, and reduced himself to the human condition, able and even willing to suffer, bleed, weep and even to die. Jesus sees humans as brothers, rather than the angels. (I can imagine angels resenting this somehow).
The author now starts to challenge the Hebrews directly, declaring Jesus as more important than their most important spiritual leader, Moses. The Hebrews are asked to convert and not to ‘harden their hearts’ against Jesus.
Christ is presented as a radical sin-free high priest, and the Sabbath is still to be respected. The author warns that to be informed about Christ’s life, death and resurrection but to continue to reject him is to crucify him again. Such emotional blackmail tactics are kept relatively low key, but still present.
The Jews are described now as ‘children’, not yet ready to move from milk to solid meat foods. The Christian community offers to guide them through the growing p process. (Many of the Hebrews will have reacted angrily to such a tone).
While preceding prophets came and went due to their mortality, Jesus is immortal and everlasting, (presuming you believe in him at all). There is no need with him for a bloodline of succession or search for a replacement as he is still in charge. (Though to many clearly an absentee landlord).
The new Covenant set out by Christ renders all before it null and void. The potency’s Christ’s own blood and flesh is more powerful than any sacrificial meat or wine. (Such sacrifices not being practiced by most early Christian sects).
Faith is defined in Hebrews as being certain of that for which there is no proof or seeing. (I agree with this, and it sums up why I no more believe in Christ than I believe as an adult in Santa or The Easter Bunny), The Hebrews author praises the great Jewish leaders, Abraham, Isaac, David, etc for acting in faith in God. Moses had faith that the sea would part to let him cross it, David had faith that let him defeat Goliath, Abraham had enough faith to come close to sacrificing Isaac to God on God’s command, etc. These men are praised for obeying God with little doubt or question.
God has sometimes had to punish humanity, much as a father has to punish an unruly son (though not by destroying whole cities or rendering women barren).
The epistle ends with a note of good news concerning the evangelist Timothy having been released from prison, and the un-named author promises to visit the addressed Hebrew community with Timothy at some unspecified date. This suggests the Hebrew concerned is already Christian sympathiser or recent converts, whom Timothy may have helped to engage in dialogue.
Sadly, much Christian writing and behaviour towards the Jews has been much more concerned with anti-Semitic hatred than gaining support and empathy like this brave neglected initiative, though even here, the patriarchs are over severely criticised.
© Copyright. Arthur Chappell
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