The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Epistle to the Hebrews

An examination both of the letter itself and of the earliest testimonies of tradition, in reference to the circumstances of its composition, leads to the following conclusions:

(1) The place of composition was Italy (13:24), and more precisely Rome (inscription at end of the Codex Alexandrinus), where Paul was during his first imprisonment (61-63).

(2) The date of its production should certainly be placed before the destruction of Jerusalem (70), and previous to the outbreak of the Jewish War (67), but after the death of James, Bishop of Jerusalem (62). According to ch. xiii, 19, 23, the Apostle was no longer a prisoner. The most probable date for its composition is, therefore, the second half of the year 63 or the beginning of 64, as Paul after his release from imprisonment probably soon undertook the missionary journey "as far as the boundaries of Western Europe" (St. Clement of Rome, "I Epistle to the Corinthians", v, n. 7), that is to Spain.

(3) The reason for its composition is probably to be found in the conditions existing in the Jewish Christian Church at Jerusalem. The faith of the Church might fall into great danger through continued persecution by the Jews, who had put James, the head of the community to a violent death. Precisely at this period the services in the temple were celebrated with great pomp, as under Albinus (62-64) the magnificent building was completed, while the Christian community had to struggle with extreme poverty. The national movement which began shortly before the outbreak of the last Jewish war would increase the danger. These circumstances might lead the Apostle to write the letter.

(4) The Apostle himself declares the aim of his writing to be the consolation and encouragement of the faithful (xiii, 22). The argument and context of the letter show that Paul wished especially to exhort to steadfastness in the Christian Faith and to warn against the danger of apostasy to the Mosaic worship.

The chief importance of the Epistle is in its content of theological teaching. It is, in complete agreement with the other letters of St. Paul, a glorious testimony to the faith of the Apostolic time; above all it testifies to the true Divinity of Jesus Christ, to His heavenlypriesthood, and the atoning power of His death.

The atoning power of his death and divinity would surely strengthen the Church in Jerusalem, who were at the time of the letter without a bishop.  Eusebius  was then appointed bishop by Peter, James (the Greater), and John.  Eusebius himself was martyred by the Jews.

Although Hebrews testifies to Our Lords Divinity, a very important point not just theologically but in the context of the diocese and the times in which St. Paul was writing.  Most of the  members of the Curch in Jeruslem at that time were Jewish converts, in fact as mentioned above, one of St. Paul's main reasons for writing the letter after the martydom of St. James (the lesser) was  to warn against the danger of apostasy back to the Mosaic worship.

In addition to talking about Our Lord's divinity, St. Paul also talks about His humanity.  This is a mystery that must be ponder yet never can we fully understand it, for how can the creature expect to understand the creator. 

Jesus was not half and half.  Nor did he grow into his God nature.  n fact His nature was fully God and Fully human.  The human mind as much as we meditate cannot grasp this and we must accept it as a mystery of God's great love for us.

His humanity though has implications for Blessed Mother (Henceforth all generations shall call me Blessed).  For Pur Lord's humanity came from her.  The relationship between blessed mother and the Holy Spirit is another mystery that we must ponder.  This was observably a love relationship, as there can be no conception without love.  As the Arc of the New Covenant, Blessed mother chosen by her son from the beginning of time for this purpose; Blessed mother was much more than the old Arc of the covenant, for in the old arc we find some manna, the tablets containing the ten commandments, and Araons staff that sprouted.  In the New Arc though we find not just holy items touched by God the Father but the sharing of love  that resulted in the conception of Our Lord, as well as the sharing of DNA, and all th intimacy that goes with human pregnancy and motherhood.  For it is from blessed mother that Our Lord obtains His humanity.  Thus, she was carefully chosen, and told of this by the angel Gabriel.  Her reaction is that to that messages is exactly what opne would expect of such and exceptional huan being chosen by her creator and son for this purpose, that is why me, how can this be that my God would chose me (humility) and then let it be done to me according to His will (complete obedience).  At the moment of her yes, the Holy Spirit over shadowed her in a form of love that we cannot comprehend and Jesus was conceived.

Let us also today ponder the holiness of Blessed Mother as the arc of the New Covenant in comperison of the arc of the old.  When it was the high priest's turn to go behind the curtain and give prayers at the old arc they tied a rop around his leg lest he be found unworthy and struck dead upon entering the presence of God behind the veil.  Many of Aaron's descendants were retrieved dead because they were found to be unworthy.

Blessed mother was conceived immaculately, that is without original sin, there was no baptism at the time of Jesus conception, would our Lord have entered a vessel that contain this original sin?  Of course not, she would have been struck dead upon conception and Our Lord's entire plan for our salvation would have been thwarted, for both mother and child would have died.  Hence, the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception -- the feast we celebrate on December 8. If you had the power would you not exempt your mother from original sin, that stain left on all of our souls from Adam and eve.  It is Baptism that removes this sin, Blessed Mother was not Baptized, yet she was the vessel of God -- a living arc of the New Covenant.  Ponder the mystery of her Immaculate conception, the role she played as arc not just as a container, but supplying Our Lord with his human DNA, the nutrients needed for His sustenance and all the other human intimacies that go with pregnancy. No the title arc of the new covenant is not enough to describe her holiness and the special graces she received, for she was more than a box a mere container of holy objects.  She gave Our Lord His human nature.  And remember he was not half and half but fully human and fully God.

Pax Christi

Copyright 2011 fred celio