Repetition in Hebrews Plurality and Singularity in the Letter to the Hebrews, Its Ancient Context, and the Early Church

Preface ....................................................................................................... VII
Note ........................................................................................................... XV
Part One: Hebrews and Repetition
Chapter 1. Hebrews and the Problem of Repetition ........................ 3
1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 3
1.2 Repetition in Hebrews Scholarship .......................................................... 6
1.2.1 Repetition as Self-Evidently Ineffective ......................................... 6
1.2.2 Repetition as a Uniform Phenomenon ............................................ 8
1.2.3 Repetition–Singularity and Platonic Earth–Heaven Dualism ........ 11
1.2.4 Repetition–Singularity and the Transition from Old Covenant to
New ............................................................................................. 14
1.3 Approaching Repetition ......................................................................... 18
1.3.1 Definition ..................................................................................... 18
1.3.2 Hebrews’ Portrayal of Repetition ................................................. 20
1.3.3 The Relationship of Repetition to Ritual ...................................... 21
1.3.4 Approaching the Relationship of Repetition to Effect .................. 24
1.3.5 Charting Repetition and Effect ..................................................... 25
1.4 Argument of this Study .......................................................................... 28
Chapter 2. Repetition in the Historical Settings of Hebrews ...... 31
2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 31
2.2 Locating Hebrews .................................................................................. 31
2.3 Old Testament ....................................................................................... 37
2.3.1 Repetition in the Old Testament Prophetic ‘Critique’ of Sacrifice 37
2.3.2 Uniqueness in the Old Testament (1): The Shema ........................ 38
2.3.3 Uniqueness in the Old Testament (2): The Day of Atonement ...... 39
2.3.4 Conclusion: Hebrews and the Old Testament ............................... 40
2.4 Jubilees and Qumran ............................................................................. 40
2.4.1 Repetition in Jubilees (1): Calendar ............................................. 40
2.4.2 Repetition in Jubilees (2): Chronology ......................................... 42
2.4.3 Repetition, Worship, and Liturgy in the Qumran Texts ................ 44
2.4.4 Conclusion: Hebrews and Qumran ............................................... 46
2.5 Middle Platonism (1): Philo of Alexandria ............................................ 46
2.5.1 Plurality in Philo (1): The Earthly Realm ..................................... 47
2.5.2 Plurality in Philo (2): Sacrifices ................................................... 49
2.5.3 Plurality in Philo (3): Recollection and Repentance ..................... 50
2.5.4 Singularity in Philo: God and the Jerusalem Cult ......................... 52
2.6 Middle Platonism (2): Plutarch .............................................................. 53
2.6.1 Plurality in Plutarch ..................................................................... 53
2.6.2 Singularity in Plutarch .................................................................. 55
2.6.3 Conclusion: Hebrews and Middle Platonism ................................ 55
2.7 Early Christianity .................................................................................. 57
2.7.1 Plurality and Repetition in the New Testament ............................. 57
2.7.2 Uniqueness in the New Testament (1): The Shema ....................... 59
2.7.3 Uniqueness in the New Testament (2): Jesus’ Death .................... 62
2.7.4 Conclusion: Hebrews and Early Christianity ................................ 64
2.8 Conclusion............................................................................................. 65
Chapter 3. Repetition in the Early Church ...................................... 67
3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 67
3.2 Repeating Repentance ........................................................................... 68
3.2.1 The Unrepeatability of Christian Baptism .................................... 68
3.2.2 The Shepherd of Hermas on Postbaptismal Repentance ............... 69
3.2.3 Clement of Alexandria on Postbaptismal Repentance ................... 70
3.2.4 Origen on the Means of Postbaptismal Forgiveness...................... 71
3.3 Repeating Baptisms ............................................................................... 73
3.3.1 Controversies over ‘Rebaptism’ ................................................... 73
3.3.2 Jewish and Jewish-Christian Baptismal Groups............................ 74
3.3.3 Critiques of Repeated Baptisms .................................................... 76
3.3.4 Epiphanius against Baptistic Sects ............................................... 77
3.4 Repeating Sacrifices .............................................................................. 81
3.4.1 First Clement and Barnabas on Old Covenant Sacrifices ............. 81
3.4.2 Emperor Julian on the Christians’ Failure to Repeat Sacrifices .... 83
3.4.3 Chrysostom on Repetition and Uniqueness in the Eucharist ......... 86
3.5 Conclusion............................................................................................. 88
Part Two: Repetition in Hebrews
Chapter 4. Repetition and Revelation ............................................... 93
4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 93
4.2 A Plurality of Prophets – the Exordium (Hebrews 1.1–4) ...................... 94
4.2.1 Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως in the Context of Hebrews ............... 94
4.2.2 Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως in Wider Context ............................. 98
4.3 Repetition of Divine Speech in ‘These Last Days’ ............................... 100
4.3.1 Repetition of Divine Speech in the New Covenant: Heb 2.1–4 ... 100
4.3.2 Repetition of Divine Speech in the Rest of Hebrews .................. 102
4.4 Plurality and Hebrews’ Interpretation of the Old Testament ................ 105
4.4.1 The Uses of Plurality in Hebrews: Previous Scholarship ............ 106
4.4.2 The Creation and Use of Plurality: Psalm 8 ................................ 109
4.4.3 Exploiting Textual and Temporal Plurality: Psalm 95 ................ 111
4.5 Conclusion........................................................................................... 115
Chapter 5. Repetition and Repentance ........................................... 116
5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 116
5.2 Repeated and Unrepeatable Acts in Hebrews 5.11–6.12 ...................... 117
5.3 Repentance in Hebrews ....................................................................... 121
5.3.1 Μετάνοια in Wider Context........................................................ 121
5.3.2 Μετάνοια in Hebrews ................................................................. 123
5.4 Why is Repentance Unrepeatable? ....................................................... 127
5.4.1 ‘Impossible’ vs ‘Very Difficult’ ................................................. 127
5.4.2 The Nature of ‘Falling Away’ .................................................... 128
5.4.3 ‘Crucifying’ vs ‘Recrucifying’ ................................................... 130
5.4.4 Early Evidence for the Recrucifixion Motif in the Acts of Peter . 132
5.4.5 The Increased Gravity of New Covenant Apostasy .................... 137
5.4.6 Ἅπαξ: Atonement and Repentance as ‘Once-for-All’ ................. 139
5.5 The Relationship between Repeated and Unrepeatable Acts ................ 143
5.6 Conclusion........................................................................................... 146
Chapter 6. Repetition and Ritual ...................................................... 148
6.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 148
6.2 The Cultus in Hebrews ........................................................................ 149
6.2.1 The Relationship between the Heavenly and the Earthly Cult .... 149
6.2.2 The Nature of Cultic Language in Hebrews ................................ 154
6.3 Priesthood ............................................................................................ 157
6.3.1 Hebrews 2.10–3.6 and 4.14–5.10: A Perfect Priest ..................... 158
6.3.2 Hebrews 7.1–22: Melchizedek Made Like the Son ..................... 161
6.3.3 Hebrews 7.23–24: Mortals and the Immortal One ...................... 164
6.4 Sacrifice .............................................................................................. 166
6.4.1 Hebrews 7.26–28: Sinners and the Sinless One .......................... 166
6.4.2 Hebrews 9.23–28: Dying Once ................................................... 169
6.4.3 Hebrews 10.1–4: The Inadequacy of Animal Sacrifices ............. 171
6.4.4 Hebrews 10.5–10: Christ’s Obedient Sacrifice ........................... 174
6.4.5 Hebrews 10.11–18: Singular, Seated, and Perfect ...................... 176
6.4.6 Hebrews 9.6: The Tamid ............................................................ 178
6.4.7 Hebrews 9.1–14: Typology and the Tabernacle .......................... 184
6.5 A Repeated New Covenant Cultus ....................................................... 188
6.5.1 Regular Meetings and their Cultic Context ................................. 188
6.5.2 The (Anti-?)Cultic Argument of Hebrews 13 ............................. 192
6.5.3 The New Covenant Altar ............................................................ 197
6.5.4 New Covenant Sacrifices ........................................................... 201
6.6 Conclusion........................................................................................... 204
Chapter 7. Repetition, Redemption, and Eternity ........................ 209
7.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 209
7.2 Repetition, Singularity, and Effect in Hebrews .................................... 209
7.3 Hebrews and Kierkegaardian Repetition .............................................. 212
7.4 ‘Let Us Go On’: The Implications of this Study .................................. 218
7.4.1 Repetition and Hebrews’ Historical Context .............................. 218
7.4.2 Hebrews and Repetition in Christian Tradition ........................... 220
Bibliography.............................................................................................. 223
Index of Ancient Sources .......................................................................... 247
Index of Modern Authors .......................................................................... 268
Index of Subjects ....................................................................................... 273