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All sessions are at St John the Divine Wednesdays 7:00-9:00 PM April 17, (skip a week), May 1, 8, 15, 2002.

A note from Marcus Tomalin - participating from England. Marcus has asked a number of interesting questions for the last session.

Session 1 will be a review of formative events for a community of the Diaspora of the first century. It is not necessary to prepare the mind with pre-reading, but it is a much stronger position to be in. In Session 1 we will also entertain what our questions to the text should be for the subsequent sessions. 

Sessions 2, 3 and 4 will examine our response to the reframing of the major components of pre-Christ theology. One of the major questions in my mind is how to talk to - yes talk to - those of our community who do not center themselves on Christ Jesus as we do. (See for example my essay on a Preliminary Christology.) 

Perhaps much more important, however, is how do we relate to the Holy One who has called us individually and together into the Presence of God. I wonder also to what extent we must read figuratively - and to what extent literally. E.g. the writer of this epistle implies that the temple is still standing and the sacrifices are still being offered. But s/he clearly interprets the ancient texts in a figurative manner - and can hardly mean that all believers should literally 'enter into the holiest of holies', a physically impossible task whether the temple was still standing or not. What does this 'image' mean?

One of Thomas Stewart's questions was: why do we read this? Let me raise a few others. Hebrews deals with large topics that seem remote from our everyday lives: sacrifice, temple and tabernacle, Sabbath, covenant, and so on. 

Why do they seem remote? Are they really? - we cannot answer this till we get inside the issues. We might come to the conclusion that the topics are no longer relevant. But I doubt it.

Who are we to study such topics? - We are God's temple - you see this in Paul (1 Corinthians 6), Peter (1 Peter 2). Jesus called himself - his body - the temple (John 2). Hebrews implies the tabernacle is an image of this temple - 'not made with hands'  (Hebrews 9-10).

By what authority? - well we could and do have many authorities and must discern their relevance and accuracy. In the last analysis we have the confidence and light that we are given - each of us - as created in the image of God.

How can we approach? - line by line, step by step. From the beginning, in the way, and to the end we are taught by God.

Reading advice from me.

1. Make no presuppositions as to what the text means - it may not be what you think at all.

2. Read it. - more than once.

3. Relish the fear but don't be afraid. At the base of the universe is love.

Reading advice from the Harvard School of Divinity: 

Please familiarize yourselves with the general outline and key events in the story of the Exodus, the wandering in the wilderness, and the entry into the land, as it is told in Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. You may want to make a rough outline of what happens. You can do this by skimming these books of the Bible, ignoring most of the legal material, and paying attention to the section headings provided by the editors of your translation, esp. the NRSV. (Note - lots of copies of this are available at St John's - borrow one as needed).

Then for the section discussion, scan through the whole of Hebrews and note any allusions you see to this story. See my annotated text if you want some help. You might find quotations (e.g. those of Psalm 95) or other references the events of the Exodus and journey in the wilderness. Don't worry about being absolutely comprehensive: we'll simply use what you find as the basis of discussion. Note down also any insights you have about the use of this story in Hebrews.

1. Read through all of Hebrews from beginning to end, preferably at one sitting. Reading aloud is always a good idea with texts with which you are going to work closely.

2. For each chapter, jot down a few brief notes or key words that will help you to remember what happens in the text and what that chapter contains.

3. Now, take some notes for yourself about your impressions of the text. What do you remember from your reading? What are key themes or key words? What strikes you as peculiar, unusual, or problematic?

4. Finally, make a list of your presuppositions about the text. How have you heard it used? To what theological or scholarly ends? In what circumstances?

http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2402.htm St John Chrysostom (Homilies)

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07181a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia (L)

http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-cvhebrews.html Calvin - this is really delightful if you manage to get past the Epistle dedicatory - an example: 

There is, indeed, no book in the Holy Scriptures which speaks so clearly of the priesthood of Christ, so highly exalts the virtue and dignity of that only true sacrifice which he offered by his death, so abundantly treats of the use of ceremonies as well as of their abrogation, and, in a word, so fully explains that Christ is the end of the Law. Let us not therefore suffer the Church of God nor ourselves to be deprived of so great a benefit, but firmly defend the possession of it.

of 10:20. "Through the veil", &c. As the veil covered the recesses of the sanctuary and yet afforded entrance there, so the divinity, though hid in the flesh of Christ, yet leads us even into heaven; nor can any one find God except he to whom the man Christ becomes the door and the way. Thus we are reminded, that Christ's glory is not to be estimated according to the external appearance of his flesh; nor is his flesh to be despised, because it conceals as a veil the majesty of God, while it is also that which conducts us to the enjoyment of all the good things of God.

http://www.religion-online.org/cgi-bin/relsearchd.dll/showchapter?chapter_id=563 Richard Heard (traditional - broad introduction)

http://www.ntgateway.com/hebrews/ pointers to other texts; NT Gateway is a very fine site.

http://human.st/jesuspuzzle/supp09.htm A modern critic - a bit of tough reading, but interesting to take the images from his point of view. Although he seems to ask rhetorical questions demanding an unbelieving answer, I think he strengthens the case for certain ways of reading the Biblical texts non-rationally. (I do not care for this critique - it lacks the personal element but the questions are interesting and perhaps open to refinement.)

http://www.bible.org/docs/nt/books/heb/heb-intr.htm (structural outline - L)

https://home.comcast.net/~gctz/holy1.htm A video of the tabernacle. Special acknowledgement to Pastor Chris Tyler and his carefully constructed graphics.

http://home.comcast.net/~gctz/holy2.htm Individual items with explanations - while these are seen primarily in the terms of the New Testament, they are a remarkable counterpoint to dry approaches to reading.  This is the pattern shown to Moses and we do well to try to discover the meaning both to the Israelites and to us today.

http://www.geocities.com/gospelofluke/ The article, The Cross and Atonement from Luke to Hebrews by Richard Anderson underlines a new thesis that has occurred to me as the concern behind Thomas Stewart's question which sparked this course. There is an anti-sacrifice mentality that I have observed since I began interaction with global dialogues over the WEB. The idea that atonement requires a blood sacrifice - a death for a death - is not considered an attractive requirement of our image of God. In the ancient world the sacrifices were a given. Even the death of the High Priest had atoning value (Numbers 35:25, 28, Joshua 20:6)!

A Jewish commentary on the tabernacle To what extent does the tabernacle represent Christ for us? Here is what it represents for the Jew - a sign of God's presence (Shekinah) with them (us). If we interpret this Christologically, to what extent are we failing to communicate? If we fail to interpret Christologically, to what extent are we failing to see the reality of the promises it represents?

Maps Many including one of the Jewish Diaspora in the first century (L)

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