Contents

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations

Chapter One Introduction: The Riddle of Hebrews’ Silence about the Resurrection

1.1 Stating the Questions: Jesus’ Resurrection and Atoning Offering in Hebrews

1.2 The State of the Questions

1.2.1 The “Passed Over” View

1.2.1.1 F. F. Bruce

1.2.1.2 William L. Lane

1.2.1.3 Assessment

1.2.2 Jesus’ Resurrection as a Spiritual Ascension, and Agnostic Approaches

1.2.2.1 Agnostic Approaches

1.2.2.2 Spiritual Ascension Approaches

1.2.2.3 Assessment

1.2.3 No Resurrection of Jesus in Hebrews

1.2.3.1 Georg Bertram

1.2.3.2 Ernst Käsemann

1.2.3.3 Harold Attridge

1.2.3.4 Assessment

1.3 Summary: Many Explanations, One Common Assumption

1.4 Conclusion

Chapter Two Angels, Anthropology, and the Age to Come in Hebrews 1–2

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Contrasting the Son and the Angels: The Argument of Hebrews 1

2.3 Hebrews 1:6 and 2:5: One Οἰκουμένη or Two?

2.3.1 Surveying the Land: Three Views on Hebrews 1:6 and the Οἰκουμένη

2.3.1.1 The Incarnation Interpretation

2.3.1.2 The Parousia Interpretation

2.3.1.3 The Exaltation Interpretation

2.3.2 Summary: Spiritual or Heavenly Exaltation?

2.4 Defining the Οἰκουμένη

2.4.1 Οἰκουμένη as “Heaven,” “Temple,” and “Promised Land” in the Greek Psalter

2.4.1.1 LXX Psalm 96

2.4.1.2 LXX Psalm 95

2.4.1.3 LXX Psalm 92

2.4.1.4 Summary

2.4.2 The Coming World in Second Temple Literature

2.4.2.1 The Promised Age, Life, and the New Creation at Qumran

2.4.2.2 Jubilees

2.4.2.3 4 Ezra

2.4.2.4 Liber antiquitatum biblicarum

2.4.2.5 2 Baruch

2.4.3 Summary: The World to Come and the Promised Land

2.5 The Son of Man and the Angelic Spirits in the Οἰκουμένη

2.5.1 The Ruling Angels

2.5.2 Psalm 8, the Elevation of Humanity, and the Son of Man: Hebrews 2:5–9

2.5.3 Jesus and His Peers: Hebrews 2:10–18

2.5.3.1 An Adamic Tradition in Hebrews 2?

2.5.3.2 The Measure of a Human: The Anthropology of Hebrews 2

2.5.4 The Humanity of the Son in the Realm of the Angelic Spirits

2.6 Conclusions

Chapter Three Jesus’ Resurrection, Ascension, and Heavenly High Preisthood in Hebrews

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Humans, Angels, and Ascensions into Heaven

3.2.1 Psalm 8:5, Angels, and Moses’ Ascension in Talmud Babli

3.2.1.1 Moses’ Ascension in Talmud Babli and Hebrews 1–2

3.2.1.2 Hebrews 2:9 and the Identification of the Son

3.2.1.3 Moses’ Ascension in Second Temple Literature

3.2.1.4 Hebrews and Moses’ Ascension: Some Tentative Conclusions

3.2.1.5 Summary: Glory, Moses’ Human Body in Heaven, and Hebrews

3.2.2 Additional Second Temple and Early Common Era Ascension Accounts

3.2.2.1 The Varieties of Ascension Experience

3.2.2.2 Enoch’s Bodily Ascension into Heaven?

3.2.2.3 Conclusions: Bodily Ascension in 1 and 2 Enoch

3.2.3 Summary: The Plausibility of Jesus’ Bodily Ascension in Hebrews

3.3 Concepts of Resurrection in Hebrews

3.3.1 Hebrews 6:1–2

3.3.2 Hebrews 11:17–19

3.3.3 Hebrews 11:35

3.3.4 Summary: Temporary Resurrections and the Better Resurrection

3.4 Jesus’ Resurrection in Hebrews

3.4.1 Jesus as the Paradigmatic Example of Faith in the Midst of Testing: Part 1

3.4.2 Resurrection and Abraham’s Faith in the Midst of Testing

3.4.3 Jesus as the Paradigmatic Example of Faith in the Midst of Testing: Part 2

3.5 Perfected Life and Jesus’ High-Priestly Prerequisites

3.5.1 Jesus’ Perfection in Hebrews 5–7 as a Postmortem State

3.5.2 Perfection and Jesus’ Resurrection

3.5.2.1 The Royal Son Became High Priest: Psalm 110:4 and Jesus’ Resurrection Life

3.5.2.2 Summary: The Perfected High Priest from Judah’s Tribe

3.6 The Days of the Son’s Flesh and Perfected Spirits in Heaven: Hebrews 5:7 and 12:23

3.7 Conclusions

Chapter Four Jesus’ Resurrection Life and Hebrews’ Christological and Soteriological Appropriation of Yom Kippur

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Heaven as the Location of Jesus’ Atoning Offering in Hebrews

4.3 The Sacrifice Jesus Offered: Body, Blood, and Self

4.3.1 Hebrews 10:5–10: Heaven and the Offering of Jesus’ Body

4.3.1.1 The New Covenant and Its Better Mediator

4.3.1.2 Habakkuk 2:3–4 and Isaiah 26:20 in the Parenesis of Hebrews 10

4.3.1.3 Summary: Jesus’ Body in Heaven and the New Covenant Offering

4.3.2 Jesus’ Blood and Yom Kippur: Hebrews and Levitical Atonement

4.3.2.1 Blood Offering and Atonement in Leviticus

4.3.2.2 Blood Offering and Yom Kippur

4.3.2.3 Summary: Jesus’ Blood in Heaven and the New Covenant Offering

4.3.3 The Offering of Jesus’ Self in Heaven

4.3.4 Unveiling Jesus’ Flesh: Hebrews 10:19–20 and the Embodied Son in the Heavenly Οἰκουμένη

4.3.5 Summary: Jesus’ Living Presence as His Atoning Offering in Heaven

4.4 Jesus’ Death in Hebrews: Preparation for His Atoning Offering

4.4.1 Jesus’ Death in Hebrews 2: The Son’s Mortal Humanity

4.4.2 Jesus’ Death in Hebrews 5:7–10 and 12:2: Jesus as the Righteous Sufferer

4.4.3 Hebrews 6:6: Recrucifying the Son?

4.4.4 Jesus’ Death in Hebrews 9: Initiating the New Covenant

4.4.5 Summary

4.5 Conclusion

Chapter Five Conclusion

Bibliography

Index of Ancient Literature

Index of Names

Subject Index