Here is a sneak peek at my study of Hebrews:
A People Persecuted – Authorship
and Canonicity – The Present Work
1. The Trinity (Hebrews,
Chapters 1-3)
In the Beginning – The Son, Superior to All
Created Mediators – Another Advocate
– The Revelation of Divine Relationships –
Sons and Daughters in the Son
2. The Incarnation
(Hebrews, Chapters 2-5)
Jesus, Fully Human – Subject
to Trials – Achieving His Goal
3. The Word of God
(Hebrews, Chapters 4-6)
The Word in Scripture – Inspiration
and Inerrancy – The Septuagint – The Deuterocanonicals, or Apocrypha – Authoritative Oral Traditions – Christian Tradition Conveys God’s Revelation
– The Fullness of Truth
4. Christ’s Priesthood,
Our Salvation (Hebrews, Chapters 7-11)
The Earthly Temple Gives Way to the Heavenly – The Day
of Atonement – A Priest in the Order
of Melchizedek – The New Covenant
– No Longer Under the Torah – The Plan of Salvation
5. The Communion of
Saints (Hebrews, Chapters 11-12)
Past Champions of Faith – From Sheol to the Heavenly Jerusalem – Participants in Jesus’s Heavenly
Intercession – The Purgative Way
– The Reality of Purgatory – Mary in the Communion of Saints
6. The Eucharist
(Hebrews, Chapter 13)
Partners in the Altar – The Todah of the Risen One – Christ, Our Passover Lamb – The
Apostolic Witness – The Ministerial
Priesthood – The Liturgy of Eternity
7. The Authority of the
Church’s Leaders (Hebrews, Chapter 13)
A Matter of Revelation – The
Master of the Palace – The Elders/Presbyters
– Bishops and Deacons – Successors to the Apostles – Infallibility: Its Necessity and Limits
Conclusion
Appendix – Formation of
the New Testament’s Canon
I had started work on a book about devotion to the Immaculate Heart, when a friend at work came to me with a question about the Letter to the Hebrews. After we worked through his question, I shared with him that I had developed a five-part study of Hebrews over a decade ago, and had sometimes thought about revisiting it as a book project. He thought it was a great idea and, when he returned the next week with another question, remarked, "Man, I sure hope you write that book."
I found myself thinking about that future book project as I laid in bed. I realized that I would want it to focus on seven elements instead of the original five. Hmm...was this something the Lord wanted me to pursue?
Two days later I received this email from Kevin Vost (who knew nothing of what I had been thinking):
There is a little mistake I'd like to share with you - but neither mine, nor yours! In your last email you mentioned St. Thomas, and I seem to recall your special interest in Hebrews. Well, when I ordered the beautiful Latin and English Commentaries on the Letters of Saint Paul, they "accidentally" sent me two copies of St. Thomas's Commentary on Hebrews and did not request it back. I supposed the other was for you, so I've been holding this to give to you if you don't already have a copy.That sealed the deal for me. Instead of pursuing a book about devotion to the Immaculate Heart, it seemed like my focus should switch to Hebrews. When I shared my thoughts with Kevin, he had the wonderful idea of writing "twin tomes." And so, that is what I found myself doing for the past nine months (instead of regularly posting to my blog).
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