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The Letter to the Hebrews

Peter T. O 'Brien
Jul 6, 2010
Series: Volume 13 - 2010
Peter T. OBrien. The Letter to the Hebrews. Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans;
Nottingham, UK: Apollos, 2010. xxxiii + 596 pp . $ 50.00 . ISBN 978-0-8028-3729-5.
Upon its appearance in March 2010, The Letter to the Hebrews marked the fourteenth volume in the Pillar
series, the second contributed by Dr. OBrien (the other was the volume on Ephesians), senior research
fellow in New Testament at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia . Also the author of a major
commentary on Philippians (NIGTC), in this work OBrien upholds the excellent reputation he has
deservedly attained as a commentary-writer and a New Testament scholar. This is a wonderful commentary
on an admittedly enigmatic book. I taught a course on Hebrews last autumn; I wish I could have assigned
this commentary to my students .
While not as exhaustive as the works of Ellingworth or Lane, nor as technical as Attridges, OBriens
volume is among the best treatments of Hebrews in the next tier (Bruce, DeSilva, Koester, and Johnson ).
The commentary is always clear (such a crucial asset to pastors, teachers , and students), and it never fails
to raise the important questions of the text. While not exhaustive, OBriens exegesis is thorough and
meticulously fair to the alternatives. It strikes the right balance, in my view, between too little and too
much information and discussion. Of course (and doesnt every book reviewer need to say this?), readers
will not agree with all of his conclusions, but they will always see how OBrien defends his among any
competing alternatives. He is fair in his estimation of the evidence and is not averse to disagreeing with
consensus conclusions when his assessment of the facts drives him elsewhere.
As one would expect, OBrien includes all the crucial pieces for setting this word of exhortation in its
historical context. 1) Authorshipit is unknowable, though written by one comparable to Paul in heart and
mind . 2) The situation of the recipients though disputed, OBrien sides with the more traditional view that they were Jewish Christians in
danger of reverting to Judaism (see, e.g ., Johnson or Koester for an alternative). Curiously, I found virtually no discussion within the
introduction or later in the commentary to support the contention that the author of Hebrews sought to prevent the readers from returning to
former Jewish commitments. The dominant issue in the book is apostatizing from Christ, not reversion to Judaism . 3 ) Destinationunknown,
though possibly Rome. 4 ) Date between ad 60 and 90, but probably prior to 70. 5 ) Genrea homily delivered as a letter . 6) Structure
after considering options based on themes, rhetorical categories, literary analysis, and discourse analysis, he finds the latter most useful,
preferring the proposal of G. Guthrie (see his commentary and The Structure of Hebrews). 7) Hebrews in its first-century worldhe details
evidence of the letters extensive influence of Greco-Roman culture (much of which evidence may challenge his view that the readers have
primarily a Jewish background).
Let me pick out some few highlights of OBriens worthy commentary on the letter s contents. Primary, of course, in any analysis of Hebrews
are the warning passages (2:1-4; 3 :12 -4:13; 5 :11 -6:12; 10 :26-39; 12 :25-29). I found OBriens discussion in every case to be fair and
insightful. While OBrien was careful at each point to note that the author of Hebrews did not necessarily believe that any of the readers had
actually abandoned their faith in Christ, the warnings were genuine. Apostasy was a real danger, not merely hypothetical (pp. 86 , 146-7, 219,
374, and 494). So, e.g. , OBrien observes that the author warned the whole community to be on its guard lest the danger of apostasy should
affect any individual within it (any one of you) (p. 173 ). What is impossible, then, if these readers apostatize (6:6 )? OBrien says, it is
impossible for God to restore the apostate to repentance (p. 225; his emphasis).
OBriens treatment of worship as service is admirably explicated, based on 12:28 -29 (cf. 9:14). Listen to this gem: To worship or serve God
acceptably means that believers regard every aspect of their lives as an expression of their devotion to him (p. 500; his emphasis). So much for
limiting worship to a Sunday service, or worse, the music segment of that ceremony. His understanding of Christs perfection (2:10; 5 :9 ;
et al.) in vocational terms is convincing. OBrien explains the role of the enigmatic Melchizedek in Hebrews with a comment reminiscent of
F. F. Bruce. He takes the authors statement as an example of an argument from silence in a typological setting (p. 248). He points out ,
helpfully, that the shadow / copy language the author uses, though similar on the surface to Philo (or Platonic idealism ), is employed quite
differently from those writers. In Hebrews the difference is between a present shadow and a future reality (not between an earthly copy and a
heavenly archetype).
How about picking a nit or two ? I think he too readily dismisses the option that cleansing rites in 6:2 (p. 214) might be an oblique reference
to Christian baptism (albeit ineffectual if followed by apostasy), preferring a more speculative and obscure origin in the red heifer practice
(Numbers 19) or other OT terminology (e.g. , Ezek 26 :25). Later he rightly identifies all the references in 6:4 -5 as aspects of Christian initiation
(p. 220). These readers have been initiated into the community. OBrien takes the same position in interpreting the phrase washed with
pure water (10:22), going against the majority of commentators (pp. 367 -68). Would the Hellenistic readers have caught this reference? Also, at
9 :16-17 OBrien goes against the grain in viewing diathk not as will, testament, or simply covenant, as in other places in the letter , but
more specifically as the broken Sinai covenant (pp. 328-32). I did not find him convincing at this point .
I would like to hear what OBrien thinks about the volatile issue that ever lurks behind the text of Hebrews: does the sustained argument of the
book imply that Christianity has superseded Judaism ? Do there remain two covenants today or only one? Should Christians seek to convert
Jews? At the same time, Im glad that OBrien didnt explain away the rough edges of the authors exhortations as some commentators feel

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4. Oktober 2010 22:07:04

Denver Seminary > Articles > The Letter to the Hebrews

Jews? At the same time, Im glad that OBrien didnt explain away the rough edges of the authors exhortations as some commentators feel
obligated to do to assuage, for example, readers who may worry whether anyone can lose their salvation. For the writer of Hebrews, the
question is not whether salvation can be lost. The question is whether one will persevere in or abandon the way of Christ. For the author of
Hebrews, everything is at stake in how one answers the second question. The first is merely academic . OBriens masterful commentary has
made those issues poignantly clear.
William W. Klein, Ph.D .
Professor of New Testament
Denver Seminary
July 2010
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