Grand Rapids: Zondervan, , Harrington say that the epistolary prescript may have been lost;8 [2] Michael Kok believes this could have happened in the transmission process e. The last verses include the features of a typical epistolary conclusion: closing remarks, benediction and farewell.
Some scholars believe that the ending could have been added later on, as the sermon was delivered and read by somebody else.
James W. Thompson says that the postscript has been added by a later writer or scribe in an attempt to make this work more Pauline. Mitchell and Daniel J. Harrington, Hebrews Collegeville: Liturgical Press, , Hebrews as a Homily Except for the final chapter, the book does not really contain the essential characteristics of a letter. The author, like Paul, speaks directly to his audience in a dialogical manner, but stylistic features distinguish Hebrews from other New Testament letters.
Regardless of who he might have been, Hebrews was written in excellent Greek. Mahwah: Paulist Press, , Andrew Overman references Lawrence Wills, who says that the homily form within early Jewish and Christian preaching — as seen for example in Hebrews — typically has three parts: [1] an exempla a reasoned exposition of the points to be made, usually with examples from the past or scriptural quotations for support ; [2] a conclusion based on the fact laid down in the exempla and an expectation that the audience should respond or behave in such a manner ; and [3] an exhortation usually expressed with an imperative or hortatory subjunctive.
Several examples include verses , , , and Also, the complexity of the argument would make it hard for the whole document to be preached or even read aloud all at once. In an attempt to accommodate this contradiction, R.
Longenecker, developing an earlier suggestion of G. These five expositions are as follows: Hebrews ; Hebrews ; Hebrews ; Hebrews ; and Hebrews Other Possibilities Without a doubt, the two major classifications of Hebrews are either an epistle or a homily. However, a few other possibilities — intended to place the literary genre of Hebrews in a more precise category — have been raised by several scholars.
Here I will present some of these other options. Please note that there is a great amount of overlap among them. It is also possible that the text might have been originally preached aloud while a scribe took it down and then published it as writings. The preacher does not hurl information and arguments at the readers as if they were targets. Rather, Hebrews is written to create a conversation, to evoke participation, to prod the 26 Martin and Davids, Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments, Edited by Gabriella Gelardini.
Boston: Brill, , As soon as we experience the rise and fall of the opening words of Hebrews, the readers become aware that they are not simply watching a roller coaster hurtle along the rhetorical tracks; they are in the lead car.
In Hebrews, the gospel is not merely an idea submitted for intellectual consideration; it is a life embracing demand that summons to action.
Midrash responds to contemporary problems and crafts new stories, making connections between new Jewish realities and the unchanging biblical text. Buchanan, chapters 1 through 12 of Hebrews are a homiletical midrash on Psalm in the Septuagint. Implicit midrash first appears as a process of rewriting. In their own words: Doctrinal statements lead up to personal exhortations, and personal exhortations form the transition to new arguments; they are indissolubly involved in one another; and chapter 13 presents no such exceptional.
There is really no reason, but the unwarrantable assumption that an ancient writer must have conformed with a certain convention of letter-writing, to forbid the acceptance of Hebrews for what it appears to be--a defense of Christianity written for the benefit of definite readers, growing more intimate and personal as the writer gathers his argument into a practical appeal to the hearts and consciences of his readers.
The literary genre of the book is complex and elusive and contributes to the overall puzzle, which leaves more questions than answers. Hebrews has characteristics of both an epistle and a homily. The vast majority of the text through around functions much more like a sermon or even something more specific. When analyzing Hebrews as an epistle, one quickly realizes that it does not contain an introduction typical to New Testament letters.
On the other hand, the closing verses in chapter 13 have strong epistolary features. I believe that the final verses or even chapter 13 as a whole may have been added later on to make the sermon more personal to a given audience. I think Hebrews is like a New Testament epistle in that it was written down and was sent, but it was sent as a speech, as a sermon to be delivered, to be heard.
Answer by Dr. Mark A. Advanced Search Go. Search Term Type any of these words all of these words exact phrase. Results should display: full details author names only. More search tips. The Genre of Hebrews Is it right to call Hebrews an epistle? How is the literary form of Hebrews similar to and different from other New Testament epistles?
Answer The epistle to the Hebrews is interesting. Email this content Share link with colleague or librarian You can email a link to this page to a colleague or librarian:. Your current browser may not support copying via this button.
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