The Epistle to the Hebrews reflects the contentious nature of the debate within the Christian community of how to define the role and nature of Jesus in the evolving tradition. Regardless of the nature of its authorship, the epistle establishes Christ as the Son of God and part of the Godhead but also a kind of high priest within the Jewish tradition. Its Christology is uniquely Jewish in its orientation and metaphors, which is one reason why it might be commonly attributed to Paul. But it suggests a new, sacrificial role for Jesus as the Son of God and a new kind of high priest.The Epistle to the Hebrews first calls Jesus a paradoxical figure, made lower than the angels so he could ultimately elevate humanity. “But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). The author does not reject the previous authority of the Judaic tradition and locates Christ’s authority within its lineage, even while it notes Christ’s sacrifice has changed the world completely and acts as a fulfillment of...
“Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house…Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory” (3:5-6).
Hebrews validates many traditionally Jewish practices, such as keeping the Sabbath, and the presence of a high priest from among the people, even though Jesus’ appointment is fundamentally different from the appointment of such priests in the past. Christ is an eternal high priest. He is a high priest of a new covenant, meant to cleanse the sins of a people who have sinned in the past, a more meaningful sacrifice than has ever taken place than in the past. “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).
Since Hebrews was written, the Christian faith has divided into many different sects and doctrinal traditions. Throughout most of them, including my own, the statement of faith affirms the existence of Christ as part of a singular Godhead made up…
