The Legal Mind

 

The Legal Mind

by DL Herring

05/23/2021

Credit for the letter to the Hebrews was traditionally attributed to Paul the Apostle. However, doubt on Pauline authorship in the Roman Church is reported by Eusebius. Modern biblical scholarship considers its authorship unknown, perhaps written in deliberate imitation of the style of Paul. Although the writer's style reflects some characteristics of Paul's writing, there are some differences. I get this from Wikipedia.

They also say, Scholars of Greek consider its writing to be more polished and eloquent than any other book of the New Testament, and "the very carefully composed and studied Greek of Hebrews is not Paul's spontaneous, volatile contextual Greek". The book has earned the reputation of being a masterpiece. It has also been described as an intricate New Testament book. Scholars believe it was written for Jewish Christians who lived in Jerusalem. Its purpose was to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. At this time, certain believers were considering turning back to Judaism (the Jewish system of law) to escape being persecuted for accepting Christ as their savior, now following this system of grace (saved by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross). The theme of the epistle is the doctrine of the person of Christ and his role as mediator between God and humanity.

If the author is not Paul but seems very much like Paul, albeit more polished, Then, perhaps, we must look to converted Jews that were at a more adept level in the law of God. Perhaps, the author was one of the Sanhedrin that followed Jesus. The author could be a person such as Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea. That was a city or area that scholars still are uncertain of. Some have placed it as far away as the area allotted to the tribe of Dan. The author definitely knew his Greek, however, Greek was widely used. Was the author, since his writing style mirrors that of Paul, actually the mentor of Paul? Who taught Paul, a Pharisee of enough rank and authority to persecute the early Christians?

Wikipedia says this. In the Christian tradition, Gamaliel is recognized as a Pharisee doctor of Jewish Law. Acts of the Apostles, 5 (written c. 80–90 CE) speaks of Gamaliel as a man held in great esteem by all Jews and as the Jewish law teacher of Paul the Apostle in Acts 22:3. Gamaliel encouraged his fellow Pharisees to show leniency to the apostles of Jesus in Acts 5:34.

Some scholars have attributed the writing of Hebrews to a student, companion, or helper of Paul. Some have claimed the authorship belongs to Priscilla. I, however, favor the mentor/teacher angle. It could well be that the book of Hebrews was a joint work based in the various expertise of Joseph, Nicodemus, and Gamaliel. The work is an effort toward Christian Jews to encourage faith under persecution and doubts. The striking feature of the writing of the book of Hebrews is the clarity of the legal mindset. Clearly, the author, or authors, knew the law of the Old Testament and could connect the dots with the emerging Christianity of the day. This clarity and expertise suggest that the writing comes from the mind of a Doctor of the Law. This will be my focus as I study Hebrews.

Hebrews Chapter One

A connection between the old and the new is found in the opening statement of the book. Hebrews chapter one, verses one and two states that the prophets of old spoke the word of God to the fathers of the Hebrew faith. It also states that the Son of God, who made the worlds and whom God has made heir of all things, spoke the word of God to the children of the Hebrew faith. The same word by the same God has been delivered to the whole Hebrew faith through both the prophets and the heir of God. The author combines the old covenant and the new covenant into a single viable synthesis.

Let us examine two details of the opening statement. First, how did God speak to the fathers? It was at different times (sundry.) Synonyms for the word sundry include 'various', 'many', 'numerous', and even 'multitudinous'. The occasions of God speaking through the prophets to the fathers were many. The manners in which the word of God was spoken by the prophets, likewise, were different (divers.) In a nutshell, the word of God went out to the fathers in and by every conceivable occasion, location, and method. We know by the history presented in the old testament that the Hebrews faltered under their covenant with God despite the many occasions of warnings and reminders. They failed to hold up their end of the bargain. Did God tire of them? Yes. Did God give up on them? No. Still holding out hope for his chosen, God sent his Son with a policy update.

The second detail is mind-boggling. The Son of God did not create the one world that we focus on. He created “worlds.” That is the plural and it speaks of multiple worlds beyond our current imagination. Worlds beside us, worlds above and below us, worlds without and within us. This second detail speaks of a power and a scope worthy of rather more respect than we offer up. Such power and scope deserve a respect that borders on reverence and fear. When Jesus spoke of having other sheep, did he mean other worlds? John 10:16, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” Think of this in regard to the “worlds” that the Son of God made.

My thoughts on verses three through fourteen are on this wise: the author, or authors, of the book of Hebrews connects the dots between God, the Son of God, the angels of God and, by inference, mankind. Levels and ranks are presented in the order of God and Jesus as the highest ( and in this connection, again, uniting the old covenant between God and man with the new covenant between the Son of God and man) and the angels of God as below Jesus and servants to mankind. This supports the supremacy of the Son of God, as the author of the new covenant, by the testimony of God the Father, the author of the old covenant. There is, in order, a relationship between God and Jesus, a relationship between God and the angels, and a relationship between God and mankind secured through the Son of God.

Many valid points, law-of-God-wise, are made connecting the old covenant through the law passed down from Moses to the new covenant law of faith in Christ. Each point is worthy of individual scrutiny. I want to treat each point with the attention they deserve. I want to consider the full import of each statement. I may only have a thought or two on each point but, collectively, the sum shall be lengthy. I have, therefore, divided the statements made so that I may consider each one separately. I think the author, or authors, of this book, as a Doctor(s) of the Old Testament Law, express great clarity of thought in the first chapter of Hebrews. A synthesis between the old and new has been sought that makes a good case.

The relationship between God and Jesus:

Jesus is “the brightness of his (God's) glory,” Hebrews 1:3. I, personally, do not have a clear concept of the glory of God or, for that matter, of glory in general. However, I recall that the Bible portrays the glory of God in terms of brightness. Glory is something that shines. We have an instance such as the column of fire that led the children of Israel by night. Another such instance includes the burning bush of Moses. Then there is the instance where Moses' face was noticeably bright upon his return from the cleft in the rock. That is found in Exodus 34:29–35. People take note of the energy of God, a quality that is transferable – they call it glory. It is, after all, quite glorious. Consider David, the shepherd King, who wrote in Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” If we think of the stars of heaven, they are all shiny and twinkly. If we think of lightning in the sky, it is startlingly bright. The brightness of the glory of God was a quality that people saw with their own eyes. It was no idle figure of speech, then, that Jesus was the brightness of the glory of God. We recall from Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, and Luke 9:28–36 the transfiguration of Jesus in which he was reported to have shone with bright rays of light.

Jesus is “the express image of his (God's) person,” Hebrews 1:3. When Jesus spoke to people, he sometimes spoke of his Father. On some occasions, Jesus described God to them. How does one describe an invisibility? Here are some of the things Jesus said of God. John 4:24, “God is a spirit.” Luke 24:39, “A spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” The common man could not see God – that is unless God decided to shine. That brightness was a sign that verified the presence and existence of God. What else did Jesus say about God? John 14:9, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”

Jesus accomplished his work through “upholding all things by the word of his (God's) power.” Hebrews 1:3. Synonyms for the word 'uphold' include confirm, endorse, sustain, validate, verify, vindicate, justify, approve, and support. Merriam-Webster states, Some common synonyms of uphold are advocate, back, champion, and support. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," uphold implies extended support given to something attacked. What is it that Jesus upholds? He upholds “all things” that are of God. What the worldly mindset seeks to invalidate, Jesus champions and endorses. How does he do that? He does it using the power of God – more specifically, the “word” of that power. What are some synonyms for word? Thesaurus.com provides this list: charge, injunction, edict, mandate, behest, bidding, decree, go-ahead, green light, order, command, and will. I like that last one best as it seems to fit the bill. Jesus upholds all things of God by the will of God. A name given to the Son of God is “The Word.” I think it is, therefore, appropriate to view Jesus as the command, power, and will of God.

Jesus, “by himself purged our (mankind's) sins.” Hebrews 1:3. When we speak of a person who is able to express the power of God, the concept of “by himself” shows us, in bright clarity, an empowered person. This is not a person on the outside of the work but, rather, the person central to the work. The word of God's power being communicated through Jesus may be seen as more than expression, as we normally define it. To us, expression is a mere affectation, a smaller aspect of our communication. With Jesus, that expression may be seen more as a channeling of the power of God. By the power of God coursing through his very being, Jesus, by himself, without additional assistance, worked a work that opened a path forward for the spirit in man.

Jesus took his rightful place “on the right hand of the majesty on high.” Hebrews 1:3. Upon completion of a work that no one else could effect, Jesus sat down “on the right hand of the majesty on high.” There are three parts to this statement. They are 'sat down,' 'right hand,' and 'majesty on high.' To sit down infers a rest after a labor. It also infers the assumption of a higher level. One may not sit, in this line of reasoning, unless there is a place prepared for just that. We may use our imagination to see a throne beside a throne. If we view a throne symbolically, we may see an interconnecting power between will and achievement. The second of the three parts is the position on the right hand. One may ask, why not sit on the left hand or in front? The right-hand position symbolizes, throughout scripture, one's power, might, and authority. The right hand of a warrior was usually his sword-bearing hand. The right hand of a king was usually the hand that held the scepter of sovereignty. Finally, that position of power, might, and authority was a place in close accessibility to the majesty on high. In the King James version, the word, majesty, is capitalized, showing due reverence to a quality greater than the realization of our common experience. The concept of 'on high' may likewise be viewed as a quality rather than a place. It may be seen as the supreme level of conceptualization for spiritual qualities such as goodness, rightness, and justification.

God made Jesus “so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Hebrews 1:4. What is a name? For us, it is a written or spoken designation. A scribble or a sound. Other than something by which recognition is triggered, names on our level of experience are quite idle. However, there is a higher level at which a name may be considered to be a real expression of one's being. That is precisely what this verse points to and explains. Everything brought up in verse three is a real name. Everything you read there about Jesus is an expression of his true being. The brightness of God's glory? That was his name. The express image of God's person? That was his name. Upholding all things by the word of God's power? Purging our sins by himself? Claiming his seat on the right hand of the majesty on high? All of those are the real names of Jesus. It is a better name he has than all the angels of heaven – and for one very important reason. His name came by inheritance. Jesus was the one and only son of the almighty. The nature of the father was the nature of the son. No other entity can make such a claim, neither the angels nor mankind.

The author of the old covenant said to the author of the new covenant, “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” Hebrews 1:5. Psalm 2:7. So far, the author(s) has given argumentation. Now, we come to the inclusion of witnesses and corroborating evidence. We gather this information from the site https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/corroborating%20evidence: In a court of law, corroborating evidence is used to uphold the testimony of witnesses. Three items of evidence are presented as witnesses taken from the very law that the Hebrews relied on. Item one is drawn from the book of Psalms and Identifies the begotten son of God.

The author of the old covenant said of the author of the new covenant, “I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son.” Hebrews 1:5. 2 Sam. 7:14. Item two is drawn from the second book of Samuel and identifies a promissory claim, or vow, on the part of God in regard to the person of Jesus.

The author of the old covenant said of the author of the new covenant, “And let all the angels of God worship him (Jesus.)” Hebrews 1:6. Psalm 97:7 “Adore him, all you his angels:” Deut. 32:43 "Rejoice with him, O heavens, and adore him, all ye angels." Item three is drawn from both Psalms and Deuteronomy and identifies the proper place of the angels in regard to the begotten son of God. In the law of the Hebrews, it only took two or three witnesses to establish the truth of a matter. The author(s) presents three items of corroborating evidence as the three witnesses that establish truth.

The author of the old covenant said to the author of the new covenant, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Hebrews 1:8. Psalm 45:6. “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Hebrews 1:9. Psalm 45:7. “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thy hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.” Hebrews 1:10 – 12. Psalm 102:25 – 27. Hebrews 1:8-10 continues the testimony that establishes the divinity of the heirship of Jesus based upon the exact character of his relationship with God. Heirship is defined as the position or rights of an heir, the status of being heir to something or someone, the right to inheritance. Of course, all of that had to be based in fact or truth. The author(s) established the truth of inheritance by the very proclamations in the law that were inspired by the spirit of God.

The author of the old covenant said to the author of the new covenant, “Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Hebrews 1:13. Psalm 110:1. Jesus claimed his place at the right hand of the majesty on high. That high and lofty position of heirdom is explained as part of the in-gathering of the Hebrews. Being a footstool is not an object of denigration as it may be seen to complete the throne. As authority goes, it is a matching set.

The relationship between Jesus and the angels of God:

What God said to the angels, “And let all the angels of God worship him (Jesus.)” Hebrews 1:6. Psalm 97:7 “Adore him, all you his angels:” Deuteronomy 32:43 "Rejoice with him, O heavens, and adore him, all ye angels." We get an immediate sense of order, chain-of-command-wise. Christ is greater than the angels. The angels are commanded to respond to Jesus in a particular manner. Of angels, in particular, the command uses two words. They are worship and adore. Synonyms for adore include venerate, revere, honor, glorify, exalt and worship. For an example of worship, I turn to the incident of the ten lepers in Samaria. Upon the realization of being made whole, the Samaritan turned back to worship Jesus. This particular act of worship is described in two ways. The most immediate and physical of the two was that the man fell on his face before Jesus and thanked him. This worship is also described both by the author of the gospel and by Jesus, himself. Both descriptions are equal in their identification. The author said of the Samaritan that he returned with a loud voice and glorified God. With a loud voice is to say that the action he took, he engaged in unreservedly. Jesus said as much when he noted that of the ten, only one man returned to give glory to God. So then, what is glory? On the part of the Samaritan, it was an acclamation (in a loud voice and without reservation) praising all that is great about God. Of heaven, which includes more than the angels, the command is to rejoice with him. Him who? The first begotten. Jesus. I am reminded of a phrase from Psalm 19:5, “and rejoices as a strong man to run a race.” For those of heaven, that is to be a part of the same mind, to stand with and support. I would like to bring up the wording of the first half of verse six. 'when he brings in the first begotten into the world.' I look especially to the words in and into. They give the sense of an introduction, an inclusion. What is introduced is injected. The sense is of some internal quality that is surrounded by an external quality, like a stage within a theater. The protagonist steps into the spotlight.

What God said of the angels, “Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” Hebrews 1:7. Psalm 104:4. Angels are made a certain way and for a certain purpose. They have their own particular nature. They must know their place in the order of things. I see them like an ocean wave upon reaching the beach of God's will, and the word to them is 'thus far and no further.' While they may speak for and, in some instances like, God, their nature is their limitation. When the angel in the burning bush spoke like God, it was a flame of fire, a singular aspect. When the angel in the garden used a fiery sword to block the path of Adam and Eve, to channel them in a particular direction, it was a singular aspect of something greater than itself, and its purpose was to minister.

The author of Hebrews concludes about angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Hebrews 1:14. They are the helpers of humanity. To those of us who will be granted to stand with the son of God as heirs of salvation, the angels are our ministers. What exactly is a minister? Of a sort, they are missionaries and shepherds. They assist us in our journey. We, like a flock of tended sheep, may not be aware of their presence or influence because of our focus on what is in front of us. There are times, however, when we become aware of being moved or of having our paths blocked. The inexplicable occurs in our lives. We are channeled. We are prepared.

The relationship between the angels of God and mankind:

Angels are meant to worship Jesus, along with mankind, as the consecrated authority of God. The angels are created spirit beings, aspects of God. Men are begotten beings that were created by a combination of flesh and spirit, aspects of God. There is something of a gulf between angels and men. Mankind has that whole corporeal addition to work through. Otherwise, men and angels are similar spirits. Our paths cross but are not the same. The path of mankind goes where the path of angels does not. Our path can lead to salvation. For the angels, salvation may be either a forbidden or previously settled matter. We do not know the particulars about angels; we may only guess. We are informed that there was a falling out among the ranks of the angels; such musings must be left for other topics.

Angels are meant to be servants of God's will toward mankind and, as spirits, may take on the nature of God (a flame of fire.) However, their inclusion in chapter one of the book of Hebrews is merely to set the stage. The author attempts to place all elements in their proper place. The preeminence goes to God and His son, who at a particular point, adopts the begotten nature of mankind for the purposes of God. Mankind is low man on the totem, having a history that requires redemption. Angels stand between the preeminence and the need for redemption as shepherds. Mankind has taken a stand apart, like the fallen angels, but has been extended an invitation back into the fold. The path that mankind must take to reach that goal is, necessarily, through the nature of the greatest of our shepherds.