The Characterization of Jesus in the Book of Hebrews

419 Pages·2014·3.167 MB·English

by  Brian C. Small

The Characterization of Jesus
in the Book of Hebrews
Biblical Interpretation Series
Editors in Chief
Paul Anderson (George Fox University)
Yvonne Sherwood (University of Kent)
Editorial Board
A.K.M. Adam (University of Oxford)
Roland Boer (University of Newcastle, Australia)
Musa Dube (University of Botswana)
Jennifer L. Koosed (Albright College. Reading, USA)
Vernon Robbins (Emory University)
Annette Schellenberg (Theological Seminary, San Francisco)
Carolyn J. Sharp (Yale Divinity School)
Johanna Stiebert (University of Leeds, UK)
Duane Watson (Malone University, USA)
Ruben Zimmermann (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz)
VOLUME 128
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/bins
The Characterization of Jesus
in the Book of Hebrews
By
Brian C. Small
LEIDEN • BOSTON
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/bins 2014
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Small, Brian C.
 The characterization of Jesus in the Book of Hebrews / by Brian C. Small.
  pages cm. — (Biblical interpretation series, ISSN 0928-0731 ; VOLUME 128)
 Includes bibliographical references and index.
 ISBN 978-90-04-26444-1 (hardback : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-90-04-26445-8 (e-book) 1. Bible.
Hebrews—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 2. Jesus Christ—Person and offices—Biblical teaching. 
I. Title.
 BS2775.52.S63 2014
 227’.87066—dc23
2013042303
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ISSN 0928-0731
ISBN 978-90-04-26444-1 (hardback)
ISBN 978-90-04-26445-8 (e-book)
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CONTENTS
Preface  ................................................................................................................ ix
List of Abbreviations  ...................................................................................... xi
1 Introduction  .............................................................................................. 1
Methodological Approaches to the Study of the Christology
of Hebrews ......................................................................................... 2
Rhetorical Approaches to the Study of Hebrews ...................... 15
Narrative Approaches to the Study of Hebrews  ....................... 24
Overview of This Study  ..................................................................... 27
The Circumstances Surrounding the Composition
of Hebrews  ....................................................................................... 29
2 Characterization in Literary Theory  .................................................. 35
Characterization in Modern Literary Theory  ............................. 36
Definition of Character  ................................................................ 36
Kinds of Characters  ....................................................................... 53
Techniques of Characterization  ................................................ 59
Identification/Point of View/Narrator  ..................................... 78
Characterization in Ancient Literary Theory and Practice  ... 82
The Practice of Characterization in Ancient Literature  .... 82
Ancient Conceptions of Personality  ........................................ 87
Characterization in Ancient Literary Theory  ........................ 97
3 Characterization in Ancient Rhetorical Theory  ............................. 101
Types of Rhetoric  ................................................................................ 101
The Rhetorical Genre of Hebrews  ................................................. 102
Techniques of Rhetorical Characterization  ................................ 106
The Introduction of a Speech  .................................................... 106
Encomiastic Topics  ....................................................................... 108
Amplification and Minimization  .............................................. 132
Synkrisis  ............................................................................................ 134
Common-Places  ............................................................................. 136
Vivid Description  ........................................................................... 137
Chreia  ................................................................................................ 138
Attributed or Invented Speech  .................................................. 140
vi contents
Literary Tropes  ............................................................................... 144
Testimony  ........................................................................................ 147
Synthesis and Application  ............................................................... 148
4 The Characterization of Jesus in Hebrews  ...................................... 159
Names  ..................................................................................................... 159
Nature  ..................................................................................................... 161
Divine  ................................................................................................ 161
Human  .............................................................................................. 174
Origin/Race/Birth  ............................................................................... 175
Nurture/Training/Education  ........................................................... 176
Fortune  .................................................................................................. 177
Titles/Offices  ........................................................................................ 178
Lord  .................................................................................................... 178
Son  ...................................................................................................... 179
Firstborn  ........................................................................................... 180
Heir  .................................................................................................... 182
High Priest  ....................................................................................... 183
“King”  ................................................................................................. 187
Ἀρχηγός  ............................................................................................. 189
Perfecter  ........................................................................................... 190
Apostle  .............................................................................................. 191
Forerunner  ....................................................................................... 192
Guarantee  ......................................................................................... 193
Mediator  ........................................................................................... 194
Minister ............................................................................................. 194
Shepherd  .......................................................................................... 195
Speech/Utterances  ............................................................................. 196
Actions/Events  ..................................................................................... 203
He Created the World  .................................................................. 206
He Sustains/Bears All Things  ..................................................... 208
He Entered into the World  ......................................................... 209
He Was Made Lower than the Angels  .................................... 210
He Was Made Like Human Beings/Partook of Flesh
and Blood  .................................................................................... 211
He Was the Agent of God’s Revelation/Shared the
Message of Salvation  ............................................................... 212
He Proclaimed God’s Name/Sang Hymns to God  ............... 215
He Trusted in/Obeyed God  ........................................................ 215
contents vii
He Experienced Temptation  ...................................................... 215
He Cried Out to God  .................................................................... 217
He Suffered  ...................................................................................... 221
He Learned Obedience  ................................................................ 222
He Was Made Perfect  ................................................................... 222
He Offered/Sacrificed Himself  ................................................... 224
He Experienced Death  ................................................................. 226
He Saved/Redeemed Humanity  ................................................ 228
He Bore and Removed Sins  ........................................................ 230
He Cleansed Sins and Consciences  .......................................... 230
He Atoned for Sins  ........................................................................ 231
He Destroyed the Power of the Devil ...................................... 232
He Freed Humanity from the Fear of Death  ........................ 233
He Takes Hold of Humanity  ...................................................... 233
He Leads Humanity to Glory  ..................................................... 235
He Inaugurates a New and Living Way  .................................. 235
He Perfects and Sanctifies  .......................................................... 236
He Was Raised from the Dead  .................................................. 238
He Entered the Heavenly Realm/Appeared before God  ... 238
He Is Crowned as King/Is Seated at the Right Hand
of God  ........................................................................................... 243
He Is Anointed  ............................................................................... 245
He Is Made Heir of All Things  ................................................... 246
He Is Worshiped by the Angels  ................................................. 247
He Is Victorious over His Enemies/Subdues All Things  .... 248
He Was Appointed as High Priest  ............................................ 249
He Helps/Sympathizes with/Intercedes for Humanity  ...... 249
He Will Come Again  ..................................................................... 250
Death  ...................................................................................................... 252
Character Traits  ................................................................................... 253
5 The Role and Significance of the Characterization of Jesus
in the Argument of Hebrews  ............................................................... 257
The Role of the Characterization of Jesus in Hebrews  ........... 257
1:1–4  .................................................................................................... 258
1:5–14  .................................................................................................. 264
2:1–4  ................................................................................................... 269
2:5–18  ................................................................................................. 270
3:1–6  ................................................................................................... 278
viii contents
3:7–4:13  .............................................................................................. 280
4:14–5:10  ............................................................................................ 283
5:11–6:20  ............................................................................................ 287
7:1–28  ................................................................................................. 291
8:1–10:18  ............................................................................................. 295
10:19–39  ............................................................................................. 299
11:1–40  ................................................................................................ 302
12:1–29  ................................................................................................ 304
13:1–25  ................................................................................................ 307
The Significance of the Characterization of Jesus  .................... 308
Benefits  ............................................................................................. 308
Status and privileges  ................................................................ 308
Soteriological benefits  ............................................................. 311
Obligations  ....................................................................................... 312
Model of imitation  ................................................................... 312
Warning  ....................................................................................... 314
Encouragement  ......................................................................... 315
6 Conclusion  ................................................................................................. 317
Summation of This Study  ................................................................. 317
Avenues for Future Research  .......................................................... 322
Bibliography  ..................................................................................................... 325
Index of Modern Authors  ............................................................................. 355
Index of Ancient Sources  ............................................................................. 366
Index of Names and Subjects  ...................................................................... 391
PREFACE
This monograph represents a revision of my doctoral dissertation submitted
to the Department of Religion at Baylor University in the spring semester
of 2012. The idea for this project was first conceived in Dr. Mikeal Parson’s
fall 2006 seminar, “Characterization in Ancient Rhetoric and Contempo-
rary Literary Criticism.” My seminar paper explored the topic lists of the
person in the rhetorical handbooks of Aelius Theon’s Pro gymnasmata and
Cicero’s De inventione. Utilizing their topic lists I developed a taxonomy
by which one could gain insight into the author of Hebrews’ conception
of Jesus’ character. A revised version of that paper appeared as “The Use of
Rhetorical Topoi in the Characterization of Jesus in the Book of Hebrews”
in the Spring 2010 issue of Perspectives in Religious Studies (volume 37,
number 1) under the editorial direction of Dr. Eric Mason. That article
represents my initial foray into the study of the characterization of Jesus
in Hebrews. I am thankful to Eric Mason for accepting my article for
inclusion in that special issue on “emerging voices on the Epistle to the
Hebrews” and to Mikeal Parsons, journal editor, for giving me permission
to incorporate the substance of that article into this monograph.
My doctoral dissertation, “The Characterization of Jesus in the Book
of Hebrews,” was a considerable revision and expansion of that article.
Mikeal Parsons was the natural choice to serve as my mentor for the dis-
sertation. I am thankful for his guidance for improving the dissertation.
Naturally, any shortcomings in the work are fully my own responsibility.
I am also grateful to Dr. Lidija Novakovic and Dr. Jeffrey Hamilton for
serving on my dissertation committee, and to Dr. Bruce Longenecker and
Dr. William Bellinger for serving on my oral defense committee. I also
want to express my appreciation to Dr. Charles Talbert, who originally
was slated to serve on my dissertation committee but unfortunately was
unable to continue in that capacity. I have learned much from them, and
from other professors and fellow graduate students of the Baylor Depart-
ment of Religion.
Since the completion of my dissertation, I have been able to do some
additional reading and reflection. Consequently, I have been able to incor-
porate some additional material, along with a number of editorial emen-
dations and corrections, into the original dissertation. I am thankful to
Dr. Paul Anderson, series editor, for accepting my monograph for inclu-
sion in Brill’s prestigious Biblical Interpretation Series.