Discovering and Understanding “Sabbath Rest” in Hebrews 3:7-4:11

The book of Hebrews is a complex and intricate book full of Old Testament references. Intertextuality, or the New Testament’s use of the Old Testament, plays an important role in Hebrews, specifically in the context of 3:7-4:11. In this passage there occurs a phrase unique to the whole Bible, “Sabbath rest” (4:9). While this phrase seems to point to some sort of eschatological reality, there are numerous factors which play a role in determining what this “Sabbath rest” actually is. In order to come to a proper understanding of the meaning and significance of this phrase, an analysis of the author’s use of intertextuality must be conducted

Kontinuïteit en Diskontinuïteit in God se Rus (HEB 3:7-4:13)

Our everyday experience is well acqainted with the reality of constancy and change. Persistence over time (continuity) is normally accompanied by an awareness of change (discontinuity). In the first part of the article this distinction is investigated and described from an epistemological perspective. The second part deals with the way in which the author of the letter to the Hebrews uses it in describing the rest that God promises his people. It is argued that the theme of God’s rest entails an implicit awareness of the foundational relationship between constancy and change, which is used as hermeneutical strategy to encourage the readers on their pilgrimage. The article is concluded by refering to other themes that could be investigated on the basis of the same hermeneutical strategy. The study also leads to a few proposals for consideration by the translators of the new Afrikaans Bible.Article in Afrikaan

Katapausis and Sabbatismos in Hebrews 4

Problem. Enthusiasm for the subject has not resulted in a general consensus regarding the meaning of “rest” in Heb 4. The dissertation studies the meaning of katapausis and sabbatismos in Heb 4 together with its relation to the neglected gatherings in Heb 10. Method. The study consists of an analysis of those passages in which the rest motif is found explicitly (Heb 3-4) as well as the unit (Heb 10) which exhibits cohesion to the rest motif in Heb 4, giving special attention to the use of the term katapausis in the Septuagint, sabbatismos in Christian and non-Christian literature, and episynagōgē in the patristic literature. The dissertation is both exegetical and theological in nature. Results. Chapter 1 deals with the introduction of the topic, stating the problem of no consensus with regard to the meaning of “rest” in Heb 3-4, and then describing the purpose and justification of the research. Chapter 2 is dedicated to the examination of the audience of Hebrews. Pursuing the profile of the audience within the book itself, the evidence seems to support a mixed ethnic background. The author calls the ancestors “fathers” rather than “our fathers” (1:1).The epistle never mentions Jews or Christians, the Temple, or circumcision, never makes negative references to Jews or Gentiles, and refrains from divisive references to Jews or Gentiles. The group to which the audience is supposed to belong is the “people of God” (4:9). Chapter 3 analyzes the structural relationship between Heb 4 and 10. Hebrews 4:11-16 and 10:19-25 display the most striking use of inclusio in Hebrews. Semantic threads in one discourse are woven with the same or related lexical items in the other, indicating a relationship between these passages. Besides formal and semantic correspondence, these two passages present also syntactical cohesion. Both furnish three hortatory subjunctives in close proximity. Finally, both units share the same genre. That means the units exhibit cohesion of form and function, and also a continuity of topic and content. The exhortation of a Sabbath observance in Heb 4 is shown to be complementary to the neglecting of the gathering in Heb 10. Chapter 4 presents findings with regard to the term katapausis in the LXX where it refers to (1) the Promised Land (Deut 12:9); (2) the temple as the habitation desired by God (Ps 132:14); and finally (3) the Sabbath rest (Exod 35:2; 2 Macc 15:1). In Heb 3, a midrash on Ps 94, the rest the Exodus generation failed to enter was the Promised Land. The formal parallelism between the katapausis of Heb 4:6 and the sabbatismos of 4:9 suggests that sabbatismos is meant to define more precisely the character of the rest. Etymologically sabbatismos derives from sabbatizein in much the same way that baptismos derives from baptizein. Sabbatismos in non-Christian as well as Christian literature is always used literally meaning Sabbath observance, although sometimes pejoratively, with the exception of Origen who uses the term twice figuratively. Hebrews 4:10 describes how the sabbatismos will become possible. The one entering it rested (aorist) from his works just as God rested from his on the first Sabbath in the primeval history of the world. The comparative conjunction defines clearly who is to be imitated when one enters the rest. Chapter 5 analyzes Heb 10:19-25. The verb “forsake” (v. 25) implies negative connotations with dire results. Therefore the gathering must be more than just a social gathering. Verse 26 speaks about willful sinning if one neglects the gathering. The willful sin is defined in Num 15:30-36 and exemplified by the person who willfully neglected the Sabbath observance by picking up sticks on the Sabbath. The rest of the warning passage in Heb 10:26-31 also assumes the background of the person who willfully desecrated the Sabbath (no sacrifice available; two or three witnesses; nullifying the Law of Moses; and death without compassion). In view of these reasons, the gathering in Heb 10:25 seems most likely to be a Sabbath gathering. Assuming Num 15 as an intertext helps to foreground the coherent flow of Heb 10:19-25. Chapter 6 summarizes the findings. Conclusion. The audience of Hebrews does not relapse back into Judaism, but faces a waning commitment to the community’s confessed faith. Since Heb 4:11-16 and Heb 10:19-25 share similar vocabulary, syntax, and genre one can assume that they share also a similar theme. The Sabbath observance remains for the people of God (4:9) and an invitation is extended to “rest” the way God rested from all his works on the seventh-day Sabbath after the six-day creation. Hebrews 10:25-26 seems to talk about an intentional neglect of the church gathering that is best explained by a Sabbath gathering since the background to the willful sin is a rebellious neglect of the Sabbath. Such continuing, willful, intentional neglect equates with trampling underfoot the Son of God (10:29). This is the reason why the author strikes such a serious tone in his elaboration of the matter

Facing Up to Past Failures

These are the sermon notes for the sermon, Facing Up to Past Failures, by Dr. W.O. Vaught, who was the pastor of the Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR. This sermon is part of a series on the study of Hebrews

A relação entre Hebreus e as práticas da Sinagoga: um estudo sobre o pano de fundo conceitual de Hebreus

O presente artigo tem como objetivo trazer a relação entre a epístola de Hebreus e as práticas da sinagoga para a discussão a respeito do pano de fundo conceitual desta epístola. Para que isto fosse possível, fez-se necessário realizar uma breve análise das duas principais propostas na literatura contemporânea: o médio-platonismo de Filo e o judaísmo palestino de Qumran. Tendo constatado que o Sitz im Leben de Hebreus é uma homilia pregada na sinagoga e que o autor de Hebreus valeu-se de métodos de exegese rabínica, concluiu-se que a prática da sinagoga fazia parte da imagética do autor de Hebreus. Com base nisso, é então sugerido que este fato seja levado em consideração no debate acerca de seu respectivo contexto intelectual

Receiving God\u27s gift of Sabbath? : an investigation of Free Methodist--USA leaders\u27 attitudes, understandings, & practices

https://place.asburyseminary.edu/ecommonsatsdissertations/2430/thumbnail.jp