The primary focus of this book is to demonstrate how Hebrews represents, in view of its historical and religious context, human fidelity to God. Thus, the basic thesis is twofold. First, with regard to the divine-human relationship in the ancient Mediterranean world, the belief in the reciprocity rationale was one primary dynamic for establishing fidelity to a relationship and has been applied by some scholars, such as David deSilva, to Hebrews as the way to understand its strategy for creating perseverance. A major problem with the application of this dynamic is that a common optimistic anthropological assumption is associated with the various reciprocity systems in the ancient world, both Jewish and pagan. This assumption is required if reciprocity is to be effective for establishing ongoing fidelity. Second, there was, however, a middle Judaic stream that can be traced from the period of the exile which held to a pessimistic anthropology. This anthropological assumption crippled the perceived success of reciprocity to secure fidelity. Thus, the solution to God's people's inability to remain faithful was an act of God that transformed the human condition and enabled faithfulness to the relationship. The argument of this book is that Hebrews, with its emphasis upon the inauguration of the new covenant by Jesus' high priestly ministry, belongs to this latter stream of thought in understanding how fidelity is secured between God and his people. Hebrews, thus, implicitly rejects the rationale of reciprocity for fidelity. The implications of this offers a fresh perspective on the soteriology of Hebrews.
Stanley E. Porter; Leiden: Brill, 1997), 51–87; Malcolm Heath, “Invention,” in Handbook of Classical Rhetoric in the Hellenistic Period (330 B.C.–A.D. 400) (ed. Stanley E. Porter; Leiden: Brill, 1997), 89–119, esp. 103–18.
Also particularly instructive is Watson's demonstration of the way in which Christology reshapes theology proper in Paul's ... e.g. J. Daniel Kirk's, for criticism of which see Matthew Levering, “God and Greek Philosophy in Contemporary ...
powerless and require “divine enabling.”22 Whitlark's major goal is to refute David deSilva's assertion that Hebrews does think in terms of patronage and reciprocity, that “fidelity to God in Hebrews ... arises out of... a debt of ...
In this book Charles H. Talbert and Jason A. Whitlark, together with Andrew E. Arterbury, Clifford A. Barbarick, Scott J. Hafemann, and Michael W. Martin, address such questions about God's role in the Christian's life.
The Family of God in the Epistle to the Hebrews Amy L. B. Peeler ... Jason A. Whitlark offers one of the most extended critiques on this front in his monograph, Enabling Fidelity to God: Perseverance in Hebrews in Light of the ...
... Circus Bridge C a m p u s M a r t Baths i u s F l a m i n a P in cian Hill O L D t a Pantheon Palace of Augustus O of Nero Palace of Tiberius H ill L D Military Ampitheater Hippodrome Claudian CircusMaximus AU S Baths of Agrippa ill ...
The Spirit bonds Jesus to Yahweh and, in the same dynamic movement, to Yahweh's children, his sisters and brothers. And those who would pretendto separate thesetwo ... (Matt 6:9–13) The Spirit of God empowers and enables our fidelity and.
He concludes that the order of the books of the New Testament emphasize the story of Christ's inauguration, commissioning, and consummation of the new creation.
This is the Biblical Theologyfor Christian Proclamation commentary series! As a result, the ultimate purpose of this set of volumes is not exclusively, or even primarily, academic.
It takes seriously the example of Jesus not only as the one who has gone ahead but also as one who provides the way of deliverance. ... DeSilva, Perseverance in Gratitude; similarly, Whitlark, Enabling Fidelity to God. 28.