The meaning of the concept "once for all" in the Book of Hebrews focusing on Hebrews 7:26-28

2016·3.2 MB·English

by  Lim, Jae-Seung

THE MEANING OF THE CONCEPT "ONCE FOR ALL" IN THE BOOK OF
HEBREWS FOCUSING ON HEBREWS 7:26-28
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to study the concept of "once for all" in the book of
Hebrews. The passage focused upon is Hebrews 7:26-28, due to the first appearance in
this epistle of the word l<p6.1tas ("once for all").
The thesis begins by proposing a rationale for study and methodological overview
within a comparative framework, wherein the author of Hebrews refers to the sacrifice of
Christ in comparison with the perpetual sacrifices in the Old Testament. Subsequently, a
historical overview of scholarship on the topic follows, especially with regards to the
topic of the sacrificial system laid out. After an exegetical analysis of Hebrews, the words
s<p<i1tas and ci1tas are studied as well as their related concepts in Hebrews. In the next
chapter, the five Levitical offerings are briefly introduced, and the continual and
repetitive sacrifices that Hebrews referred to are analyzed and compared with references
in the Old Testament and extra-biblical ancient documents. Building upon the above
studies, several other passages in Hebrews that refer to the sacrificial system are analyzed
in the subsequent chapter. The final chapter applies the concept of "once for all" to
contemporary Christian life and soteriology.
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