Questions tagged [hebrews]
For questions about the letter to the Hebrews. For questions about the Hebrew language use the [hebrew] tag instead; for questions about members of the Hebrew religion, the [judaism] tag may be appropriate.
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In Hebrews 1:2, to what does the Greek word «αἰῶνας» refer?
In Heb. 1:1-2, the Greek text according to the Textus Receptus states,
Αʹ Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις Βʹ ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ...
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Jesus was tempted, but God cannot be tempted. How, then, do we reconcile James 1:13 and Heb. 4:15?
The Bible clearly explains:
James 1:13: "God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone" (emphasis added).
God cannot be tempted. Yet the text just as clearly ...
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Who is the author of Hebrews quoting in Hebrews 10:38?
Who is the author of Hebrews quoting in Hebrews 10:38?
Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul
shall have no pleasure in him.
The "just shall live by faith" part ...
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Leviticus says animal sacrifice will cleanse you from your sins. Hebrews says it's impossible. What does "clean" mean?
Leviticus 16:
2The Lord said...6Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household...9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and ...
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Where does the extra information about Melchizedek come from in Hebrews 7?
The Genesis account of Abraham's encounter with Melchizedek leaves us with powerful few details about his life, yet later on the author of Hebrews clearly uses his priestly work as a type of Christ, ...
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Can we tell from the text who wrote Hebrews?
I have pondered who wrote Hebrews for some time. In my studies, I have eliminated Paul for two reasons.
1) The style of Greek is different than the way Paul writes in his letters. It's a higher ...
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How should ἱλαστήριον (hilasterion) be translated in Romans 3:25?
The word ἱλαστήριον (hilasterion) is often translated in Romans 3:25 as "propitiation," "atonement," or "sacrifice [of atonement]" in Western conservative biblical translations. In Hebrews 9:5 it is ...
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Why does blood have to be shed for purification and forgiveness of sins? Hebrews 9:22
I'm trying to make sense and reach a deeper understanding of the concept of blood shedding for the atonement of sins. I'm particularly interested in the why aspect of it.
Hebrews 9 is an intriguing ...
user38524
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What does it mean that Jesus was a priest like the "Order of Melchizedek" in Hebrews 7:11?
In Genesis 14 there is a man named Melchizedek. He is not mentioned very much and you might argue that he does not seem very important from this text alone.
17 After Abram returned from defeating ...
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What does "made perfect" mean in Heb 5:9?
Hebrews 5:8-10 (ESV)
Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by ...
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What does "word of God" mean in Hebrews 4:12?
Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, ...
user146
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What does Hebrews 6:4-6 mean? Can those who have been saved lose their salvation?
This passage is a bit confusing. Could someone please shed some light on how to interpret what the author said here?
Hebrews 6:4-6 (NIV)
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, ...
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“You are my Son, today I have begotten you” - what are the meaning and implications of the word "today" in the context of Hebrews 1:5?
Hebrews 1:5 (ESV):
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son, today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?
It's clear that ...
user38524
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Who is "The Son" in Hebrews chapter 1: 8 ? Is He God in the strictest sense of the word, or a created being?
The majority of versions render Hebrew 1:8 along the lines of the NASB, where it is written..
But of the Son He says,
"Your throne, O God is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the ...
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According to Hebrews 9:12, did the Lord Jesus Christ offer his blood in heaven?
In Heb. 9:12, it is written,
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. KJV, 1769
ΙΒʹ οὐδὲ δι᾽...
user862
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In Hebrews 4:12 what is the difference between ψυχή ("soul") and πνεῦμα ("spirit")?
Hebrews 4:12 seems to distinguish between "soul" and "spirit" (or ψυχή and πνεῦμα, respectively) in some manner similar to the difference between "joint" and "marrow."
For the word of God is quick, ...
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Would it matter if the ID of 'Auctor' was revealed and who are the potential candidates?
The author of Hebrews, being generally uncertain, sometimes goes by the moniker "Auctor". But who or what lies behind the mask? What clues do we have to work with that could tip us off to their ...
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John 17:19, what is the meaning of "I sanctify myself"?
John 17:19, (DRB):
And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
John 17:19, Latin Vulgate:
et pro eis ego sanctifico me ipsum ut sint et ipsi sanctificati in ...
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Faulty "covenant" or "ministry" in Hebrews 8:7?
Hebrews 8:7 refers to something with 'fault', and the referent is almost invariably indicated to be the first 'covenant' in English translations.
Some of the more literal translations miss the word ...
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How does Jesus mediate?
For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the violations that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been ...
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Why does the Peshitta use the word ‘baptism’ for ‘enlightened’ in Hebrews 6:4?
In Hebrews it talks about certain apostates that can’t be renewed to repentance because they have undergone certain things, which they have then rejected, signifying something terribly wrong and ...
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According to Hebrews 11:5, did Enoch actually die? (Compare Hebrews 11:13)
According to the Book of Hebrews, did Enoch actually die? How is this "contradiction" resolved?
Excerpted from this answer, https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/a/27939/6338
By faith ...
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How is literary dependence or relationship established?
I see many claims that texts are related to or dependent upon each other in many publications. For example:
Although Paul did not write Hebrews, the text possesses a crucially important ...
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Was Jesus 'delivered from his fear' or 'delivered because he had fear' of God?
In Hebrews 5:7 Jesus has his 'prayer heard in what he feared' or 'heard in respect to what he feared' - 'εισακουσθεις απο της ευλαβειας'.
The ESV had his prayer was heard 'because of his reverence' ...
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In what way was Jesus' prayer heard (Hebrews 5:7)?
Hebrews 5:7 (ESV):
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of ...
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Whose faith is the subject of Hebrews 11:11?
Πίστει καὶ αὐτὴ Σάρρα δύναμιν εἰς καταβολὴν σπέρματος ἔλαβεν καὶ παρὰ καιρὸν ἡλικίας, ἐπεὶ πιστὸν ἡγήσατο τὸν ἐπαγγειλάμενον (Hebrews 11:11, Westcott and Hort)
The traditional translation of Hebrews ...
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What laws, exactly, will God put in Christians' hearts and write in their minds?
Hebrews 10:15-16 (NIV) reads:
15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in ...
user38524
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What basis do we have for defining Sabbatismos in Hebrews 4:9?
The word, Sabbatismos occurs in the Greek NT only once.
Strongest Strong's defines it as Sabbath rest; Sabbath observance.
Thayer's/Strong's defines it as a Sabbath keeping.
Various English ...
user2027
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How far back in time is yesterday in the phrase "yesterday today the same" in Hebrews?
Questions like this: Does John 1:3 identify Jesus Christ as the creator? raise the issue of whether it is accurate to identify the Word as Jesus. Some hold the position "Jesus" is a name ...
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In Hebrews 1:3 does χαρακτηρ της υποστασεως αυτου say that Jesus is the same substance or similar substance to God?
Heb 1:3 He is the reflection of God's glory [shining?] and the
exact likeness of his being, and he holds everything together by his
[God's] powerful word. After he had provided ["performed"] a ...
user10231
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Why doesn't Hebrews mention the temple (naos) anywhere?
The Epistle to the Hebrews spends a lot of time interpreting various aspects of Israel's worship at the tabernacle or temple. All kinds of furniture and practices are mentioned that would have been ...
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In Hebrews 7:27, why does it say that the High Priest had a need to offer sacrifices “daily” («καθ᾽ ἡμέραν»), etc.?
In Heb. 7:27, it is written,
27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He ...
user862
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When did angels ever deliver the word? (Heb. 2:2)
In the Letter to the Hebrews we read:
Hebrews 2:1-3: "For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2For if the word spoken ...
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Is Jesus the λόγος in Hebrews 4:12?
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart ( ...
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Matthew 16:24 & Hebrews 12:2 > What are the possible interpretations of the σταυρός (cross) in Greek in the Bible?
Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his σταυρὸν and follow me.
Hebrews 12:2
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our ...
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What hermeneutical approach does Hebrews use on the Old Testament
Psalm 2:7 is quoted in two different contexts in Hebrews, seeming to be used to support two vastly different arguments.
In Hebrews 1:5, we read
For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“...
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Could saying that Melchizedek was "without beginning of days or end of life" possibly be a textual error?
Few mysteries of the Bible have attracted more interest than the mystery of the identity of Melchizedek. He is mentioned in Genesis 14:14-20; Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6, 10, 6:20, 7:1-17; but Hebrews 7:...
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Is it corruption of the LXX for adding Deut 32:43 or of the Masoretic for lacking it as quoted in Hebrews 1:6?
What passage is the author of "To the Hebrews" quoting in Hebrews 1:6?:
Heb 1:6 And again, when he reintroduces the firstbegotten into the
populated lands, he says, "And let all the angels of God ...
user10231
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Does Hebrews 7 claim that the Lord Jesus Christ is Malki-Tzedek?
According to the Epistle of Hebrews, specifically chapter 7, is the Lord Jesus Christ the same person as Malki-Tzedek (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק) (cp. Gen. 14:18), or are they different people?
Here is the ...
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Why is διὰ παντὸς translated as "continually" in Hebrews 13:15?
I wonder if anyone can clarify why διὰ παντὸς is universally translated as continually here, in all modern translations? I looked up παντὸς in BDAG, but it didn't offer any clues, not sure what I am ...
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Hebrews 12:2 "for the joy" or "instead of the joy"?
Hbr 12:1-2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter
of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross,
disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right ...
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Is Hebrews 12:25 an allusion to the Judgement pronounced by Noah, or by Moses/Yahweh at Sinai?
Is the statement, "warned them on earth" (v25) an allusion to the judgement pronounced by Noah, or by Moses and Yahweh at Sinai?
See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those ...
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A little lower than angels, or lower for a little while?
Most translations render Hebrews 2:7 like the NIV: "…a little lower than the angels…", but several modern translations (eg NET, NASB etc) have a different sense like the ESV:
7You made him for a ...
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Hebrews 8:12 - Does God actually forget?
Hebrews 8:12
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Does this verse indicate that recall of certain items becomes impossible in ...
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In Hebrews 1:8-9: Is ὁ θεός nominative or vocative?
In Hebrews 1:8-9, ὁ θεός appears in the nominative spelling in both verses. The question is this; should ὁ θεός be treated as a nominative or more as a vocative of address as it is every other place ...
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What is the difference between hope and faith?
Since the words "faith" and "hope" are used side-by-side and in ways that faith (πίστις) is built on hope (ἐλπίς), they shouldn't have the same meaning.
1 Corinthians 13:13 And ...
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Why is “selling a birthright (πρωτοτόκια)” so bad? -- Hebrews 12:16
The NASB20 (other translation are similar) has:
that there be no sexually immoral or godless person like Esau, who
sold his own birthright for a single meal.
My interlinear rendering:
...
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Was Melchisedeck eternal in Hebrews 7:3?
Was Melchisedeck eternal in Hebrews 7:3?
Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest ...
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What is the logos in Heb 4:12?
Heb 4:12 For the word (logos) of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to ...
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What is meant in the NT by the "laying on of hands"?
Paul mentions in his letters to Timothy a couple times about the laying on of hands: once in 1 Timothy 5:22 and again in 2 Timothy 1:6. Hebrews 6:1-2 seems to list it as one of the elementary ...
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