GBPress- Gregorian Biblical Press

in Hebrews 2,11
Author(s): James Swetnam
Source: Biblica, Vol. 88, No. 4 (2007), pp. 517-525
Published by: GBPress- Gregorian Biblical Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/42614804 .
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ANIMADVERSIONES
'E v in Hebrews 2,11
inwayswhichareas varied
ThephrasevinHebrews2,11 is interpreted
as theyareperdurable
in fact,thatone may
0). So variedand so perdurable,
inthinking
be pardoned,
ofthemas permanent
perhaps,
partsoftheexegetical
in theface of difficulty
is defeatism
landscape.But resignation
by another
name.It wouldseempreferable
to launchregularattempts
at explanations
in
thehope thattrustin theintelligibility
of the authorof Hebrewsmaybe
vindicated
soonerorlater.
The presentarticleis such an attempt.
The methodinvolvedmaybe
describedas a "close reading".
sanguinely
1. TheStateoftheQuestion
The suggestions
made as to theidentify
of the"one" indicatedby the
wordvarevaried.Some oftheprincipalones are(2): 1) one substanceor
race; 2) one priestlylineage;3) one source,i.e., God; 4) one origin,i.e.,
Gnosticworld.
Adam; 5) one ancestor,i.e., Abraham;6) one transcendent
These interpretations
are supported
based on thecontext
(3).
by arguments
This,ofcourse,is theproperwaytoproceed.Butthosewhoadvancediffering
invokethe same context.Since thereis such a varietyof
interpretations
eachplausible,depending
on whatelements
ofthecontext
are
interpretations,
chosen,it seemsnecessaryto establisha contextwhichwouldmeasurably
enhancetheplausibility
of anyinterpretation
based on it(4).And sincethe
crux seems so intractable,
any suggestedsolutionwill probablyhave to
even.Butconventional
appearoutoftheordinary,
idiosyncratic
suggestions
based on conventional
wouldseemto have failed.Something
suppositions
unconventional
seemscalledfor.

inthearticle
which
follows
isthat
ofNestle-Aland27.
Translations
areby
(') Thetext
thepresent
writer.
TheEpistle
totheHebrews
(2)Cf.H.W.Attridge,
1989)88-89.
(Philadelphia
W.L.Lane,Hebrews
1-8 (WBC47; Dallas1991)58: "The
(3)Cf.,forexample,
contextual
references
toGodinv 10andtothefamily
inv 11...tend
tosupport
relationship
thecontention
that
andhasreference
toGod.... BoththeSonandthose
vismasculine
whoare sonssharea common
familial
thatis rootedin thegracious
relationship
determination
ofGodtobring
hischildren
totheir
theredemptive
mission
destiny
through
oftheSon...".
thepresent
writer
is goingtoattempt
toarrive
at a plausible
(4)In whatfollows
ofvandnothing
more.
isenvisaged.
No"proof'
another
close
interpretation
Perhaps
ofthecontext
ofHeb2,11canyieldaninterpretation
different
theonebeing
from
reading
advanced
here.
Allthat
willbeclaimed
isthat,
oneclosereading
ofthecontext
considering
of2,11,theproposed
isplausible.
interpretation

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518

JamesSwetnam

2. TheStructure
in WhichHebrews2,11 Occurs
Contextis determined
in no smallpartby structure
or lackof structure.
Hebrewsis no exception.The presentwriterhas suggestedthefollowing
structure
forHeb 1,1-3,6(5):
1,1-4:exordium
to theentireepistleandto whatimmediately
follows;
1,5-14:an expositionon Jesusas Son [ofGod];
2,1-4:paraklesis(6)basedon thepreceding
exposition;
2,5-18:an expositionon Jesusas Son ofMan;
3,1-6:paraklesisbasedon thepreceding
exposition.
It is the latter
Both 1,5-14 and 2,5-18 have theirown substructure.
substructure
whichis ofconcerninthepresent
article.2,5-18seemstobe best
on Ps 8,5-7 whichis foundat Heb 2,6-8a.
as a commentary
interpreted
comments
on thepsalmbeginat Heb 2,6bandextendto 2,12.
Accordingly,
Thislatterverse,a quotation
fromPs 22,22,seemsbesttakenas a summation
of whatprecedes.Heb 2,13b,on the otherhand,seems best takenas an
to whatfollowsuntil2,18. Thatleaves Heb 2,13a,whichis a
introduction
versionof Isa 8,17: "I shallbe trusting
in him".
citationfromtheSeptuagint
as the
In thecontextof Hebrewsthesewordsare meantto be interpreted
wordsofJesus.Beingin thecenterofthesubstructure
2,6-18theyseembest
takenas a summation
bothofwhatprecedesandwhatfollows.Thatis to say,
as beingmarkedbythefaith-trust
is tobe interpreted
of
theentiresubsection
Jesusin somewayor another.
ofJesusis predicated
ofJesus
It is important
to notethatthisfaith-trust
thatJesus
as Son ofMan,notas Son [ofGod]. It wouldbe nonsensetoaffirm
inGod. In whatwaydidJesusas manhavefaith-trust?
as God has faith-trust
withthefactthatJesus
Thisquestionis answeredinthecontextinconnection
as mancan die. Havingfaith-trust
goes in tandemwithdeath.In fact,in Heb
at the time of his
2,18 Jesus is said to have been "tested"(rceipco)
his
to his death.The
i.e.,
(mo%co),
during passionpreparatory
"suffering"
illustrated
in Heb 12,2-3:a temptation
notto have
is graphically
temptation
in God(7).
faith-trust
afterhavingbeenputtothetest(8),he is able to
"Forin whathe suffered,
what2,15 saysexplicitly:
by
helpthosebeingtested"(2,18) saysimplicitly
hisexampleat themomentof his deathJesusis able to freeothersfromthe
in him,i.e.,to theextent
fearof deathto theextentthattheyhavefaith-trust
verse(2,16) makes
thattheyaccepthimas worthy
oftrust
(9).The following
fearofdeath:the"seed"
ofthosewholiveda life-long
explicittheformality
A Study
ofHebrews
"Abraham's
SeedandIsaacasPromise:
2,16and
(5)J.Swetnam,
"The
56(2005)53-56;J.Swetnam,
MelitaTheologica
ofHebrews",
11,11intheContext
43(1992)58-66.
1,1-3,6",
MelitaTheologica
ofHebrews
Structure
TheEpistle
totheHebrews.
cf.P. Ellingworth,
of7capK/ri<ji
(6)Forthemeaning
- Carlisle
Text(NIGTC;Grand
ontheGreek
A Commentary
1993)343.
Rapids
at12:2-3,
ofthe'tes[sc.,inHeb2,18]willbegraphically
O "Thecontent
portrayed
Thetesting
relevance
toChrist's
followers.
ina waythat
itsparadigmatic
clearly
suggests
Hebrews
ofJesus,
butinhissuffering"
inthetemptations
inviewisnotlocated
,
(Attridge,
96).
with
mconnection
ofJesusfaith
astothemoment
ofthetesting
(8)Fora suggestion
Bib81(2000)354-356.
"TheCruxatHebrews
hispassion
cf.J.Swetnam,
5,7-8",
at2,17.
(9)Cf.TtiaT

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'

Evin Hebrews2,11

519

ofAbraham,
of
notangels.Angelscannotdie,butthedescendants
(G7tp|ia)
Abrahamcan.
Thepreciseforceofarcpjiainthecontextis normally
notdeemedworth
inasmuchas mostcommentators
discussing,
presumethatthewordrefersto
Abraham'sphysicaldescendants.But in the lightof the structure
of the
passage,giventhethematicrelevanceof 2,13a, thewordis best takenas
to Abraham'sspiritualdescendants
(10).Jesusis "takingin hand"
referring
(eTu^a^iavo^iai)Abraham'sspiritualdescendantsto give themhis own
distinctivefaith-trust
in additionto the faith-trust
which characterized
Abrahamatthemoment
ofhissupremetestoffaith.ForAbrahamwas faced
notwithhisownpersonaldeathbutwiththedeathofhissonIsaac. He passed
thistest,and all who imitatehis faith-trust
can be consideredhis spiritual
children.
ButwithJesuscomestheadditionalfactoroffaith-trust
in theface
of one's own death.Hence Jesus,who came to sharein thefaith-trust
of
Abraham'sspiritualchildrenbecause he tookon theirblood and flesh(cf.
whichtheexampleofAbraham
distinctive,
2,14),addssomething
something
did notgive.Impliedin thetakingon of thecapacityof dyingis all thatis
involvedin facingdeath,as 2,18 makesclear.Jesuswas a spiritual
childof
Abrahamby theveryfactthathe tookon a mortalbodyin thecontextof
Jewishtradition.But to thisfaith-trust
whichimitatedthe faith-trust
of
Abrahaminthefaceoftheimminent
deathofhisson(u),Jesusaddedhisown
distinctive
faith-trust.
Thisseemstobe theimplication
ofhis"takinginhand"
theseed of Abraham:he identified
withtheseed of Abraham,buthe added
new.
something
This, then,is the structural
backgroundin whichHeb 2,8b-12, the
immediate
contextofevat Heb 2,11, is found.
3. TheImmediate
Contextofvat Hebrews2,11
Theimmediate
context
ofHeb 2,11 is foundinthesection2,8b-13a.2,8b
afterthequotationofPs 8, 5-7. In fact,theverseechoes
beginsimmediately
thefinalwordsof thepsalmby emphasizing
thatGod has placedall things
underJesus'feet,thoughnotall thingshavebeenvisiblyplacedunderhisfeet
do see (withtheeyesoffaith)is Jesuscrowned
(2,8bc).ButwhatChristians
withgloryandhonorthrough
thesuffering
ofdeath(12).Thatis to say,inthis
sub-sectiontheauthorof Hebrewshas therisenJesusin mind.Fromthis
2,13a-18,itis possibleto see
vantagepoint,lookingbackon thesub-section
thatin thissub-section
theauthorof Hebrewshas theearthly
Jesusin mind:
he is lookingat theearthlyJesusfromthestandpoint
of therisenJesus,a
he establishesin 2,8b-13a. Accordingto the structure
standpoint
being
in 2,8b-13a has been
suggestedhere,this means thatJesus' faith-trust
answeredat theresurrection,
whereasJesus'faith-trust
in 2,13b-18 is being
lookedat as notyethavingbeenanswered.
JesusandIsaac.A Study
oftheEpistle
inthe
totheHebrews
(10)Cf.J.Swetnam,
oftheAqedah
(AB94;Rome1981)136.
Light
atHeb11,17.
01)Cf.theuseofTteipcD
cruxconstituted
O2)Theenigmatic
bythewordsotcco
x^pixietrne
p Tcavx
Bavxou
must
forthemoment
remain
Anattempt
toexplain
them
will
y"cT|xai
enigmatic.
begiven
below.

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520

JamesSwetnam

the
Heb 2,10 followson v. 9 withtheillativeparticleyp. V. 9 affirms
as perceivedby faith;v. 10 affirms
thesuitability
of
factof theresurrection
thatit was "fitting"
thatGod
came aboutby asserting
how theresurrection
as he led many"sons"
(xeteico)Jesusthe"son"through
suffering
"perfect"
in
the
of
ofits
toglory.Thisverseis unintelligible
except
light an explanation
God is picturedas theone on accountof whom
underlying
suppositions.
happensandforthesakeof whomeverything
happens(8i ov x
everything
Ka Si' ov x rcdvxa),i.e., he is in absolutecontrolof all reality
TKxvTa
of suffering,
but
death.He couldhavesparedhis sonthenecessity
including
thathe do so, forthesonhadenteredtheworldpreciselyin
itwas notfitting
orderto die, and he had come to take in hand the spiritualchildrenof
Jesusis lookedon as "son",andhenceby
Abrahamwholivedbyfaith-trust.
inference
he is theson as opposedto themanysonswho arebeingled into
yayvxa,is best
glorybecauseofthisson(13).Theuse oftheaoristparticiple,
taken as coincidingwith the momentin time expressedby the verb
The aoristseems to be "global" or "confective":as God
xeiXjai(14).
thesons(15).
thesonhe also in principle
"perfects"
"perfects"
thesonis,of
TheprecisenatureofthisactofGod bywhichhe "perfects"
course,much discussed(16).It would seem at least to relateto the Old
of theLevitical
Testament
use of xeteiwhichindicatestheconsecration
Butin Hebrewsthe
in thelanguageoftheSeptuagint(17).
priestsas portrayed
of thepriesthood
of Jesus
wordis adjustedto theontologicalsignificance
rootedinhisontological
bloodydeath.WhenJesusassumeda mortalbodyat
the momentof his enteringinto the world (Heb 10,5-7) he became
ontologically"equipped",so to speak, for the main earthlytask of his
sacrificial
death(cf.Heb 2,13b-18).Justso, whenJesusassumes
priesthood,
ofhisentering
intoGod's glory,he became
an immortal
bodyatthemoment
so
to
for
the
heavenlytaskofhispriesthood.
ontologically
"equipped",
speak,
hisearthly
ofChrist,
Thusthereare,ineffect,
twostagestotheonepriesthood
The momentof his transition
from
and his heavenlypriesthood.
priesthood
thefirstto thesecondwouldthusseemto be themomentof "perfecting",
of theheavenly
whenthe earthlypriesthoodis broughtto theperfection
priesthood.Thus the Old Testamentterminologyinvolvingpriestly

inthecitation
atHeb2,6tosupport
theviewthat
ofPs8 given
(13)Thisversetends
hold
"SonofMan".A number
ofexegetes
is viewed
as indicated
8a Jesus
bythephrase
Hebrews
thisview(cf.Attridge,
,73,n.38).
dasPartizip
undder
diebeiden
Verben
inbeiden
Stzen,
(u) "Undstehen
ayayovxa
undauf
imAorist,
Infinitiv
so sindsiebeideauchaufdenselben
xeteicoai,
Vorgang
zubeziehen"
DerBrief
andieHebrer
dasselbe
(KKNT13;
(H.-F.Weib,
Subjekt
logische
206.
,51991)
Gttingen
that
atthe"perfecting"
of
andieHebrer
,206,n.7. Thethought
(l5)Cf.WEI,
Brief
inHeb12,23.
seems
tobereflected
other
sonsare"perfected"
Christ
many
"TheLanguage
ofPerfection").
83-87(Excursus:
Hebrews,
(,6)Cf.Attridge,
draws
was'perfected
that
Jesus
(17)"Thestatement
through
suffering
upona special
theverbis
intheLXX.Inceremonial
texts
ofthePentateuch
nuance
oftheverbxeXeiow
a priest
tohisoffice
theactofconsecrating
usedtosignify
(Exod29:9,29,33,35;Lev4:5;
is 'tofillthehands'
idiom
(xeteiov
8:33;16:32;21:10;Num3:3).Thenormal
xxepa),
to
toconsecrate,
is elucidated
andinExod29:33thisexpression
bytheverbyitxeiv,
Hebrews
service'"
someone
for
,57).
(Lane,
priestly
qualify

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'

Evin Hebrews2,11

521

is pressedintoserviceby theauthorof Hebrewsto indicatea

consecration
of thisheavenly
New
Testament
reality.Justwhatthefunction
specifically
highpriestis willbe indicatedin Heb 2,12.
4. A ProposedSolutionto theMeaningofh%ev
antecedent
contextof vin Heb 2,11. In this
This is theimmediate
"For boththeone
contexttheprecisewordingof Heb 2,11 is instructive.
and theones beingsanctified(yia^evoi) are all
(yioccov)
sanctifying
fromone (v);forthisreasonhe is notashamedto call thembrothers".
The illativeparticle"for" (yap) seems to referto the phrase"through
in v. 10. The idea of the"perfecting"
seemsto
(i TcaGr^icov)
sufferings"
had to be donethrough
be a given,thepointbeingmadethatthisperfecting
lies in theuse of "it
i.e.,death.The reasonforthisinterpretation
sufferings,
was fitting"
combinedwiththepresenceof"on accountofwhomandforthe
sakeofwhomeverything
happens"and"inleadingmanysonstoglory".God
andthegoal forall humanexistence;he couldhavedispensed
is all-powerful
intohonorand
Jesusfromdeathto achieveJesus'personalgoal of entering
without
glory,i.e., God's own worldof existence,forJesuswas personally
sin (Heb 7,26). But because the son involvedthe sons and theirgoals of
deathbecausetheyhadto
intohonorandglory,God hadJesussuffer
entering
sin.Jesus'role
suffer
death,giventhatdeathhadenteredtheirworldthrough
thattheson
as "originator
oftheir[i.e.,thesons'] salvation"makesitfitting
endurewhatthesonshavetoendureto achievetheirgoals,i.e.,death.
It is on thisprecisepointthatthephrase vseemsto bear:boththe
son and thesonsare "fromone". It wouldseemat firstsightthatthe"one"
themto die.
refersto thephysicalbodyof bothson and sonswhichpermits
Butthatis notwhat2,13b-18says.The qualitywhichJesusis takingin hand
of thechildrenwhichGod has givenhim is theirqualityas membersof
Abraham'sseed. It is theirfaith-trust
whichlinksJesusand the"children".
The factthatthechildrenhave mortalbodies is simplythe basis forthe
exerciseof thisfaith-trust.
Thisemergesfromthewordingof 2,18: thehigh
priestJesusis able to helpthechildrenbecausehe was "tested"and having
and thusable to helpthesonspass theirtest.
passedthetest,is trustworthy
But notjust thefaith-trust
which
The phrase v is aboutfaith-trust.
a spiritual
childof Abrahambeforethecomingof Jesus,butthe
constituted
faith-trust
whichconstitutes
a spiritual
childaftertheperfecting
ofJesus.The
of thechildren
phrase"fromone" in Heb 2,11, impliesthatto thefaith-trust
of Abrahamwhichtheyenjoyedbeforethecomingof Jesusmustnow be
addedthefaith-trust
ofJesuswhichtheyenjoyaftertheperfecting
ofJesus.
The "one" referred
to in Heb 2,11 is the"seed" ofAbrahambutundera new
This spiritualseed remainstheseed of Abraham,butit is now
formality.
constituted
notonlyby thefaith-trust
of Abraham,butby faith-trust
in the
risenJesusas well. Hencethechoiceof thenumeral"one": it designatethe
whichresults.This"Christian
seed"ofAbraham
unityofthetwofaith-trusts
is composedoftworealitieswhichforma newfunctional
thefaith-trust
unity,
ofAbrahamandthefaith-trust
ofChrist.
This Christian
seed of twofaith-trusts
is thebasis forthe"sanctifying"
whichJesusis engagedin. In his glorifiedstateChristis in a positionto

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522

JamesSwetnam

exercisethedivineprerogative
ofmakingholy.Buthe does thison thebasis
of thefaith-trust
whichAbrahamexercised,as brought
in the
to perfection
faith-trust
whichhe himselfexercised.This faith-trust,
thoughcomposedof
functions
as one,becauseitis faith-trust
inthefaceofdeath.
twofaith-trusts,
It is a uniquefaith-trust
in God whichis based on Abraham'sfaithtrustas
in thefaith-trust
to a God-willedperfection
ofJesus.
brought
Thisnewfaith-trust
about
seemstobe involved
Christ
realitybrought
by
in thestatement
in v. 10 thatJesusis the"originator
of their[i.e.,thesons']
salvation"( p%rjy
xfjacornpocaxv).The onlyothertimetheword
is
used
in
Hebrews
is at 12,2, whereJesusis said to be "the
p%r|Y
andperfecter
offaith"( xfjmaxeco
corr
p^riyoKai xei
). This
originator
seemstobe an allusiontothedistinctive
faith-trust
ofJesusinadditiontothe
faith-trust
he had in God as a childofAbrahamin imitation
ofAbraham.As
thisdistinctive
in theface of
faith-trust
earthlyhighpriestJesusoriginated
itto perfection.
With
death;as one raisedby God fromthedead he brought
his
as
of
the
relevant
text
would
seem
tobe
to
role
salvation,
regard
originator
as thebeingtheonethrough
Heb 2,3,whereJesusis portrayed
whom[a great]
"salvationhad its beginningof being spoken" ([acoxripa]fixidcp%fiv
i xotKupou).
Xocowa,aG0ai
In Heb 2,11 thefactthatJesusas sanctifier
and theChristians
as those
being sanctifiedare "fromone" is given as the reasonwhyJesusis not
"brothers"
ashamedtocall thosebeingsanctified
(eA^o).Thisis explained
'
by 2,12: AnayyeXx ovoviagod xo e^o jiod,v fiocoKK,T|Ga
in themidstofthe
ge ("I shallannounceyournameto mybrothers,
jivhgco
assemblyI shallsingyourpraises").This is well knownas a citationof Ps
22,22.Whatis notas wellknownis thefactthatatthispointinthepsalmthe
At
wholetoneof thepsalmchangesfromone of distressto one of triumph.
is a reference
to theceremony
of the
thebeginning
of thissongof triumph
td(18).The td is a ceremonyused in connectionwithworshipin the
whichconsistedof threeprincipalparts:1) a bloody
templein Jerusalem
sacrifice
ofan animaloffered
bypriestsinthetemple;2) a parallelceremony
theritualconsumption
ofbread;3) publicpraiseandthanksgiving
involving
theritualconsumption
inhymnsandprayers
ofbread.Theone
accompanying
a person
ofvv.23-27[sc.,ofPs22]isbasedonthecustom
(is)"Thelanguage
whereby
sacrifice
inthetemple
would
recount
tohisfellow
whooffered
a thanksgiving
worshippers
inhissacrificial
invite
them
toshare
thefavor
received
from
Godandthen
(The
banquet"
ofthe
Bible[1970]616).(Verse23is according
totheHebrew
NewAmerican
numbering
Inreference
totheHebrew
text
ofPs22,23thesameasverse
22intheSeptuagint.)
verses,
1 Teilband.
Psalmen
1-59(BKAT,XV/1;
ofH.-J.Kraus,Psalmen.
24 cf.theremarks
einesGelbdes
der
dieFormel
Neukirchen330:"tik4?
19785).
Vluyn
fotmsoKistnicht
desDank-undLobliedes
bereits
derEinsatz
inseinem
Leidablegt,
sondern
(Ps
Klagende
Inhalt
seinesLiedesvorderKultgemeinde
66,16;109,30;10732).- Alseinzigen
C?np)
Distdiegegenwrtige
Heilsmacht
Jahwes
denJahwes.
nennt
derSnger
(vgl.zuPs
= dieKultgenossen
derIsraelgemeinde
desLiedessind"na
DieZuhrer
(4).Zu
20,2.6.8).
frdieversammelte
vgl.Ps 35,18;Ex 163;Lev4,13ff.21;
Kultgemeinde
^npalsBegriff
einstimmen
sollenalle,dieJahwes
Nu 10,7;15,15;17,1;20,6u. . - IndenLobgesang
habendie
haben(mrr 'KT).In diesemZusammenhang
Wirklichkeit
erfahren
mrdieBedeutung,
das 'wahre
Israels'zum
Konstruktusbildungen
apjrpit und
indemJahwe
seine
vordemWunder,
24bbetont
dasErschrecken
aufzurufen.
Lobpreis
bekundet".
Gegenwart

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'

Ei;vin Hebrews2,11

523

in theceremoniesof thebreadand prayers/hymns

neednotbe a
officiating
priest(19).The motivebehindsuch a ceremonywas thebeliefof the one
itthathe hadreceiveda signalfavorof God in beingspared,for
sponsoring
in
believedthatsucha divine
example, waror in famine,or thathe firmly
inotherwords,is basedon faith-trust.
favorwouldtakeplace.Theceremony,
In the Epistle to the Hebrewsthe td is mentionedin its Greek
at Heb 13,15.A plausibleargument
Gdgoc
translation,
cdvaeco
Septuagint
can be mountedthatHeb 13,1-21is organizedon thebasis of theChristian
ofthetd, i.e.,theEucharist
(20).
adaptation
oftheauthorofHebrewswiththetd,
Giventhispresumed
familiarity
to the td in its
thereis nothingforcedin presumingthathe referred
formin Heb 2,12(21).In itsChristianform,of course,thetd is
Christian
in important
modified
respects.The bloodydeathofan animalin thetemple
is replacedby thebloodydeathof Christoutsidethetemple;it is a unique
death,as theauthorofHebrewsstatesclearly,forJesusdiedonlyonce (Heb
bread.The hymnsand
9,28). The breadofthetdbecomestheEucharistie
In Heb 2,12the
arethehymnsandprayers
attendant
on theEucharist.
prayers
thepsalmistwhohasbeendelivered
citation
fromPs 22 portrays
fromhisfoes
in a definitive
in theearlierpartof the
way. His expressionsof faith-trust
psalm (vv. 4-6, 10-12) have been heard.This is the backgroundforthe
citationofPs 22 at Heb 2,12:therisenJesusis summoning
theassemblyfor
hispublicperformance
td.The membersof theassembly
of theChristian
he calls "brothers"
(eX^o).
of Heb 2,12 it is usefulto workback overthe
Againstthebackground
td(22).
passage2,8b-18 to see theplausiblerelevanceoftheChristian
The one callingfortheChristiantd is therisenChrist.He wishesto
sharethejoy of his resurrection,
of his havingbeingheardbyGod, withall
whichhe had and whichhe stillhas. His
thosewho sharein thefaith-trust
in the face of deathswhichhave not yet
brothershave theirfaith-trust
Jesushas hadhisfaith-trust
vindicated
andwishesto celebratethis
occurred;
in thefaceofdeath(Heb
vindication
so thathisbrothers
can be strengthened
betweenJesus
2,14-15).Thisunitywhichservesas thecommondenominator
andhisbrothers
is precisely
a unityconsisting
offaith-trust,
anditconstitutes
thecommonbondbetweenthemand himas theyworshipat theChristian
0Doia cdvaecoand he officiates
as heavenlyhighpriest.This is thesame
which
Jesus
found
as
he
assumed
his roleof one comingto theaid of
unity
Abraham'sspiritual
in
hadfaith-trust
seed,i.e.,all thosewho,likeAbraham,
God. But thespiritualseed of Abrahamreferred
to in theChristiantd or
0DOCX
of Jesus,now broughtto a
aivoecois enrichedby the faith-trust
vindication
(23).
perfect
des Herrenmahls",
Zurbiblischen
(,9)Cf. H. Gese,"DerHerkunft
Theologie.
Alttestamentliche
1989)107-127.
Vortrge
(Tbingen
"A
Cf.
J.
toHebrews
Word
1
Swetnam, Liturgical
13",TheIncarnate
i20)
Approach
of(hxria
intheCanon
(2006)3-17.TheLatinform
(sacrificium
laudis)isfound
aivaeco
oftheLatinMassintheremembrance
oftheliving.
"TheCruxatHebrews
Bib81(2000)354-356.
5,7-8",
(21)Cf.alsoJ.Swetnam,
ofcourse,
that
noattempt
atproof
isbeing
made,
(22)Remembering,
onlyanattempt
tosketch
a plausible
totry
tounderstand
theexpression
vinv. 11.
interpretation
contnbution
ofJesus
tothefaith-trust
ofAbraham
is probably
(23)Thedistinctive

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524

JamesSwetnam

Thisfaith-trust
is thebasisfortheworkof sanctification
beingachieved
td.It is theworkof Christthe
by therisenChrist(v. 11) in theChristian
was madepossible
heavenlyhighpriest.Christ'sheavenlyhighpriesthood
withrelationto his earthly
priesthood
by theontologicalchangewhichhas
takenplaceinhisbodyas a resultofhisbeingperfected.
Thisperfection
took
ofhisentrance
intoGod's gloryas son (v. 10). Christ's
place at themoment
entrancewas achieveddefinitively
at themomentof his resurrection;
the
entrance
ofthesonswas achievedat themoment
ofChrist'sresurrection
but
withtheneedforthisentranceto be workedoutin time.
onlyin principle,
Christ'sheavenlypriesthood
is theperfection
ofhisearthly
i.e.,it
priesthood,
"absorbs"thisearthly
so thatthesavingeffects
ofChrist'sunique
priesthood
deathareconservedin hispresiding
attheChristian
td.The one sacrificial
deathofJesusis,through
therisenChrist,
ofthe
applicableinall celebrations
Christian
td.
Christis theoriginator
ofsalvationofChristians
(v. 10) in thesensethat
he establishedtheEucharist:Heb 2,10 throwslighton Heb 2,3 wherethe
as opposedto thegivingoftheSinaiLaw, had
greatsalvationforChristians,
itsbeginning
theLordi24).
ofbeingspokenthrough
the
fact
that
one
of
the
ofthepassageis
Finally
underlying
suppositions
thefactof theChristiantd or Eucharistexplainswhy,in v. 9, Jesusis
as dyingand crownedwithgloryand honorso thathe maytaste
portrayed
death(orc
0eo') tce
p mvTyeiiarixaiavdxoD):he dies and is
glorifiedso thathe may presideas heavenlyhighpriestin the liturgical
andbywhichChristians
are sanctified
in the
banquetbywhichhe sanctifies
andtheirfaith-trust
whichhas stilltobe put
contextofhisrealizedfaith-trust
to thetest.
Thusa close readingof Heb 2,8b-18 seemsto establisha plausiblecase
forthephrasev.It meanstheseed ofAbraham,
butwiththefaith-trust
ofJesusincludedso thatwhatemergesis a functioning
unitybasedon faithtrustin thefaceofdeath.
*
* *
ofHeb 2,11 whichpresumesto presenta
Such,then,is an interpretation
is viewedas
plausiblesolutiontocruxinquestion.At2,11 Christ'sfaith-trust
an additiontothefaith-trust
ofAbrahambutin sucha waythatthefaith-trust
of bothhim and of Abrahamforma unity.And thisbasic unityis not
as 2,11 states
detrimental
in anyway to itsbeingsharedby theChristians,
andperfecter
ofthe
atHeb12,2,where
Jesus
is presented
as the"originator
portrayed
inthefaceofhisown
heoriginated
thisfaith-trust
faith".
Inhisroleas earthly
high
priest
Buthedoesthis
hebrings
thisfaith
toperfection.
inhisroleasheavenly
death;
high
priest
with
Abraham's
whoare
winch
hecametoshare
whilenotlosing
theidentity
seed,those
which
he
becausetheyshareintheheroic
faith-trust
descendants
ofAbraham
spiritual
tested
attheAqedah.
atthemoment
ofhisbeing
showed
62. Theprecise
forceof
"TheStructure
ofHebrews
1,1-3,6",
(*) Cf.Swetnam,
needs
in Hebrews
as opposedto "redemption"
"salvation"
(TioTpaxn)
(acotripia)
atleastinprinciple,
seems
tobealready
elucidation.
Salvation
possessed
bytheaddresses,
their
union
with
Christ
(cf.Heb3,6and3,14).
through

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'

Evin Hebrews2,11

525

All ofwhichis viewedas background

fortheparticipation
of
unequivocally.
in theChristian
bothJesusandhisfollowers
tdwhichis theEucharist.
The wayto thisconclusion,
itneednotbe emphasized,
was indirect
and
All thatcanbe claimedfromthe"closereading"givenaboveis that
tentative.
it seems plausible,given a certainset of suppositions.Other sets of
are doubtlessalso possible.But thepresentation
suppositions
givenabove
does notlack a certaincoherence.Giventheproblemsinvolvedin thetext,
notto mentionthecrux,thiswould seem themostthatcan be hopedfor,
a presentation
whichleadsto a greater
i25).
barring
plausibility
Pontificio
Istituto
Biblico
Via dellaPilotta,25
1-00187Roma

JamesSwetnam

SUMMARY
ThephrasevinHeb2,11 is a standard
crux.Thearticleattempts
tocometo
a close readingof thetextof Heb 2,8bc-18.This close
gripswithit through
leadstotheconclusion
thatthe"one"mentioned
inis thespiritual
seedof
reading
Abraham
ofall thosewho,likeAbraham
exercisefaith-trust
inGodin
composed
thefaceofdeath.Butthisspiritual
seedofAbraham
is modified
bythefaith-trust
ofJesusbrought
totheperfection
ofhisheavenly
priesthood.

solution
willprobably
(25)"Andsincethecruxseemsso intractable,
anysuggested
havetoappear
outoftheordinary,
even".
idiosyncratic

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