Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 59:4 (Dec 2016)
Article: Finding A Home For The Letter To The Hebrews
Author: Gregory Goswell

JETS 59:4 (December 2016) p. 747

Finding A Home For The Letter To The Hebrews

Gregory Goswell*

* Gregory Goswell is academic dean and lecturer in Biblical Theology at Christ College, 1 Clarence Street, Burwood NSW 2134, Sydney, Australia.

Abstract: The Letter to the Hebrews is found in more than one position in ancient canonical lists and manuscripts. Its position in relation to other canonical works is of hermeneutical significance, for this preserves exegetical insights of early Christian readers into its meaning and function within the NT corpus. In printed editions of the NT, Hebrews is placed between the Pauline corpus and the Catholic Epistles. Such a position implies that one function of Hebrews is to link and coordinate the two corpora. Not at all inconsistent with that role, the placement of Hebrews in the Greek manuscript tradition after Romans, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, 2 Thessalonians, or Philemon is an assertion that Hebrews belongs to the Pauline corpus, or, at the very least, is closely related to it. Read in relation to that corpus, Hebrews resonates with the covenant theme in Paul’s writings and substantially develops that theme, showing the superiority of the new covenant inaugurated by Christ’s death.

Key Words: Hebrews, Pauline corpus, canon, covenant

It is not known who wrote the Letter to the Hebrews nor to whom it was originally written, but that has not stopped endless discussion of these issues. Indeed, the intriguing nature of the problems has, if anything, only fueled efforts to establish its authorship and addressees, for this data would materially assist a greater understanding of the letter’s meaning and significance. The meaning of a literary work is largely dependent on context, but one context that has not received the attention it deserves is that provided for Hebrews by the other canonical books among which it is immediately situated. This phenomenon is an aspect of the biblical “paratext,”1 which includes such features as book titles, book order, and internal divisions within books (e.g. paragraphs). These paratextual elements provide a frame of reference for the biblical text, and Larry Hurtado has encouraged the examination of biblical manuscripts as Christian artifacts, arguing that they provide clues about ancient use and interpretation.2

Some deny that biblical book order is of any hermeneutical significance and view it as a purely mechanical phenomenon (e.g. citing the ordering of the Pauline

JETS 59:4 (December 2016) p. 748

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