Journal: Tyndale Bulletin
Volume: TYNBUL 50:1 (NA 1999)
Article: The Psalm Quotations Of Hebrews 1: A Hermeneutic-Free Zone?
Author: Stephen Motyer

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TynBul 50:1 (1999) p. 3

The Psalm Quotations Of Hebrews 1:
A Hermeneutic-Free Zone?1

Stephen Motyer

Summary

The Old Testament quotations in Hebrews 1:5-13 pose a serious challenge to an evangelical hermeneutic that seeks to be self-conscious and responsible in its handling of biblical texts. These quotations appear, in contrast, wilful and arbitrary in their application to Christ. Assuming that some kind of hermeneutic steers them, even if it produces wilful and arbitrary results, this essay reviews the various suggestions about its nature, and then proposes a version of typology as the guiding hermeneutic—a version which might even be termed ‘deconstructionist’ in its underlying rationale.

I. Prolegomena

In 1996 Tyndale Bulletin hosted Richard France’s significant essay on the use of the Old Testament in Hebrews, which built upon the work of Richard Longenecker, also published in part in these pages.2 This essay seeks to build further upon their foundation, and to take the discussion in a slightly different direction by asking specifically after the hermeneutic of the quotations (chiefly from the Psalms) in Hebrews 1:5-13.

The answer to the question posed in the title is, of course, No. These quotations certainly operate with a hermeneutic that prompts and shapes their deployment here. So the question needs refining, in

TynBul 50:1 (1999) p. 4

order to draw out our underlying concern with the quality of this hermeneutic: can it be seen to rest upon reasonable principles, to be acceptable, justifiable in terms that could be received today?

Some will object that this concern is imperialistic—requiring ancient authors to conform to modern norms of acceptability. And of course we must take care not to impose some modern construct onto the data of the text. But we may legitimately bring our concerns to the text, and be open about the fact that, if the use of the Old Testament by the New Testament authors is not in principle reproducible, then we are faced with a theological problem to do with the normativity of the New Testament for us today. For those for whom the foundations of theology lie elsewhere, this problem will not cause the loss of much sleep; but for those in the Protestant tradition who confess ‘sola Scriptura’ over against other theological norms, the problem is real—even if finally we decide to turn a blind eye to the misuse (as we see it) of these Psalm quotations, because there are solid grounds elsewhere for ...

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