Bible Books
008
The Epistle to the Hebrews
Harold W. Attridge
(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1989) 467 pp., $19.95
“The most elegant and sophisticated, and perhaps the most enigmatic, text of first-century Christianity.” In these words, Harold Attridge correctly describes the New Testament book known as the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Hebrews is unique in its theology, especially in its interpretation of Jesus Christ as a heavenly high priest. In Attridge’s new commentary in Fortress Press’ Hermeneia series, all of the things that make Hebrews unique, as well as enigmatic, elegant and sophisticated, are taken up for extended learned discussion, with the result that this commentary can now be said to be the best on Hebrews in any language and clearly one of the finest commentaries available on any biblical book.
In a rich but tightly written introduction, Attridge first discusses those issues that contribute to the enigmatic character of Hebrews: the problems of authorship, date and addressees. The one certain thing about the authorship of Hebrews is that it could not have been written by the apostle Paul, despite its placement in New Testament manuscripts, since the third century, with the Pauline epistles. Attridge reviews the arguments in favor of various New Testament persons as the author of Hebrews and concludes that “the limits of historical knowledge … preclude positive identification” (p. 5). What can be said about the author is that hea was well educated, was well trained in Jewish traditions of scripture interpretation and was not an eyewitness to the ministry of Jesus (Hebrews 2:3), but he generally associated with the gentile-oriented wing of the early Church.
Attridge dates Hebrews to between 60 and 100 C.E. and suggests that it addresses a group of Christians residing in Rome. They were certainly not “Hebrews”; the secondary title “to the Hebrews” represents an ancient conjecture about the addressees. They were instead members of a mixed congregation feeling some Jewish or Judaizing pressure and the possibility of persecution.
Attridge’s introduction also treats the epistle’s literary characteristics, its aim and message, its relationship to early Judaism and the wider context of Christianity, and its appearance in early manuscripts. Hebrews is rightly regarded as essentially a sermon rather than an epistle, despite the epistolary conclusion. Attridge sees in Hebrews a basic five-part structure, framed by an exordium (introduction, 1:1–4) and concluding benediction and greetings (13:20–25). The five discrete parts or “movements” are defined as (1) Christ exalted and humiliated, a suitable High Priest (1:5–2:18); (2) Christ faithful and merciful (3:1–5:10); (3) the difficult discourse (5:11–10:25); (4) exhortation to faithful endurance (10:26–12:13); and (5) concluding exhortations 12:14–13:21). Each of these sections, in 041turn, is made up of smaller units, with further refinement in some of them, often in terms of a tripartite arrangement (see p. 19). Attridge’s structural analysis, while complicated, is finally convincing.
The commentary itself is organized according to the structural analysis. Each section includes Attridge’s own accurate and readable translation of the Greek text, textual notes, analysis and detailed comments richly annotated with a wide range of references to primary sources and secondary scholarly literature. Certain verses call for more extended discussion in the form of excursuses, such as “Sonship in Hebrews” and “The Christological Pattern of 2:10–18.” Indices and an extensive bibliography conclude the book.
A feature of Hebrews’ uniqueness is its presentation of Christ as “high priest according to the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:10; see also 5:6, 6:20, 7:1–17). Attridge interprets this feature as an indication that the author of Hebrews has based his exposition on “contemporary speculation about the figure of Melchizedek as a divine or heavenly being” (pp. 191–192). His comment on Hebrews 7:3 (where Melchizedek is said to be “likened to the Son of God”) is followed by an excursus on Melchizedek (pp. 192–195), a mini-monograph on the interpretation of Melchizedek in Jewish and early Christian (including Gnostic) sources.
Throughout his commentary, Attridge demonstrates in a magisterial way his sound interpretive judgment and his thorough command of the relevant primary sources, Jewish, Christian and pagan. It is difficult, indeed, to find any fault at all with Attridge’s approach or results.
Such an excellent book puts a reviewer into a quandary of sorts, because readers normally expect the reviewer to offer at least some token critique or to advance some alternative interpretations. So let me conclude by disagreeing with Attridge’s understanding of the doxology, the liturgical praise of God, in Hebrews 13:21 (“as he [the God of Peace] effects in us what is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”). Attridge says it seems “to depart from normal early Christian practice in ascribing the glory not to God the Father or to God through Christ but to Christ himself” (p. 407), but I think the doxology follows the pattern found in Romans 16:27 (“to the only wise God be glory for evermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.”). The dative relative (“to whom”) refers to the subject of the sentence, “the God of Peace” (13:20). It thus follows normal early Christian practice.
The Epistle to the Hebrews
Harold W. Attridge
(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1989) 467 pp., $19.95
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