Tonight Begins Tisha B'Av/Explanatory Notes: Heb. 13

Thanks to Jim Davila at Paleojudaica for pointing out that Tisha B'Av begins at sundown tonight (Davila teaches at St. Andrews and is known to host great conferences). Av is the 5th month of the Jewish year, which falls in July/August. Tisha is the 9th day. The Jewish day of course goes from sundown to sundown, following the pattern of creation in Genesis 1.

This is the day that Jews fast in memory of the Fall of Jerusalem in AD70. Gabrielle Gelardini has argued in a rather large and expensive monograph in German that Hebrews was in fact a Christian synagogue homily for this day. It is an intriguing hypothesis, although she hasn't convinced me yet.

So to commemorate the day, I thought I would do my explanatory notes on chapter 13 of Hebrews, the chapter with the clearest potential allusion to the destruction of Jerusalem. Yes, I haven't forgot that I stopped my Hebrews explanatory notes back in chapter 10. I'll finish Hebrews eventually!

Then after the explanatory notes on Hebrews 13, I'll follow up with my "Quotes, Allusions, and Echoes" discussion of the chapter. This will take about 4 posts, I'm afraid. Look for the second half of Hurtado on Monday.
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13:1 Let brotherly love continue.
The first 12 chapters of Hebrews have largely fit into the pattern of a sermon or speech. Now as we begin Hebrews 13, the format changes more into the shape of a letter closing. Hebrews is thus a "sent sermon." The speculation that chapter 13 was not originally attached to the rest of Hebrews should be rejected as having no basis except the slight shift of genre. The themes of chapter 13 relate well to the argument that has preceded.

Hebrews 13 likely indicates that the author has at least some knowledge of the situation of the audience. His encouragement for them to love one another is of course a standard Christian exhortation. Yet we do have some hints later in the chapter of dissension between the church and its leaders, possibly over issues of atonement.

13:2 Do not forget hospitality, for some in their hospitality have entertained angels without knowing it.
Hospitality was a major virtue of the ancient world, one that the Western world is prone to underestimate. Travel was often dangerous, and one looked to those with whom one had something in common for safety. The stories of Sodom and Gomorrah, as well as the Levite of Judges 19, are primarily about the wickedness of cities that were not hospitable to travellers. Meanwhile, Abraham welcomed the very same angels that Sodom and Gomorrah tried to violate, a recognized sign of his virtue.

It is very possible that the author of Hebrews had Abraham in mind as he mentions entertaining angels without knowing it. It is important to recognize that part of Abraham's virtue in Genesis 18 is that he welcomes the angels as complete strangers. He does not know that they are angels when he welcomes them.

A Greco-Roman audience might also think of the myth of Baucis and Philemon at this point, a story to which Acts 14:11-13 may also allude. In this story, the gods Zeus and Hermes secretly come to earth and test the hospitality of its inhabitants. They only find one elderly couple willing to take them in, so they destroy the rest of those in the region with a flood.

13:3 Remember the prisoners as if you were also bound with them, those who are undergoing evil, since you are also in the body.
13:23 mentions that Timothy has just been released from prison. It is thus possible that the author has individuals at his location in mind.

Of course those who date Hebrews to the early persecution of Christians under Nero around AD64-65 might see a possible reference here to individuals imprisoned at the beginning of that crisis. If there was a significant persecution under Domitian in the early 90s--a conclusion now highly questioned in some circles--it presents another possible time of persecution for those who as Christians did not wish to pay Domitian's "Jewish tax" (fiscus Judaicus) but were required because of their proximity to Judaism.

If, on the other hand, Hebrews dates to the period just after the Roman celebration of victory over the Jews, the "triumph" of AD71, we can at least speculate that some Christian Jews became enmeshed in that crisis. It is quite possible that some of those brought to Rome from Jersualem as prisoners were Christians (cf. Simon the Zealot), as well as that it became a difficult time for Jews who were "noticed" by the Roman world. The nature of the Christian mission, it would seem, lent itself to being noticed.

The solidarity of Christian with Christian is again emphasized here. Love mourns with those who mourn. The mention to being "in the body" reminds us of the fundmental dualism of Hebrews between body and spirit. Of all the New Testament writings, Hebrews comes closest to the Platonic sense that the body is the prison house of the soul.

13:4 Marriage is honorable in all its aspects as is an undefiled bed. For God will judge adulterers and those who visit prostitutes.
Hebrews' loose collection of admonitions continues with a prohibition of sexual sin. As much as the author may see the law taken away by Christ, like Paul he retains its fundamental sexual ethic. We are reminded that sexual struggle is common wherever you go as one of the strongest human drives.

An adulterer in the Mediterranean world was either a man who shamed another man by sleeping with his wife or a woman who shamed her husband by sleeping with another man. Adultery was apparently not used to refer to a husband sleeping with a woman other than his wife who was not married.

The author thus uses another word to condemn those who would visit a prostitute, although it is possible we should take the word as a reference to other forms of sexual immorality in general (those condemned by Leviticus 18). These sorts of things "defile" the marriage bed.

We should note that there is no trace of condemnation for marriage here but a strong affirmation of it. We hear from 1 Timothy that some Christians of the late first century did forbid marriage. Indeed, while Paul certainly does not condemn marriage in 1 Corinthians 7, he does not consider it the best option at that time.

13:5a Let your way of life be free of the love of money and be content with what you have.
Hebrews does not directly address the problem of travelling Christian teachers who made their fortune teaching wisdom. However, this issue seems to have surfaced increasingly in the second half of the century. It is possible, although we cannot prove it, that this problem is already in mind here.

At the same time, the verses that follow may indicate that some in the audience were also facing material difficulty. We remember that 10:34 mentions an earlier time (perhaps under Claudius in AD49 or, as we think more likely, under Nero in AD64-65) when the audience lost possessions and perhaps property under persecution. It seems quite possible that they were facing a similar situation at the time of writing or at least anticipated facing one.

13:5b For He himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you,"
The author substantiates his admonition not to be focused on possessions with this very Christian sense that God will provide in times of need. The quotation is a somewhat unique combination of Deuteronomy 31:8, Joshua 1:5, and possibly Genesis 28:15. The only other known place where this occurs is in the writing of Philo, a Jew from Alexandria. This fact plays into the argument of those who think the author of Hebrews was a Jew from Alexandria such as Apollos or that the author was at least acquainted with Alexandrian Jewish thought.

13:6 ... so that we are bold to say, "The Lord is my help and I will not be afraid. What will a mortal do to me?"
The train of thought once again connects concern for material possessions to a need for God's help. Now we see this concern for material possessions in the light of potential persecution (quoting Psalm 118:6). The context of Psalm 118 indeed could relate well to persecution in which one's enemies surround you. This would be highly appropriate for any of the times we have been discussing, that of the Neronic persecution, the triumph of Rome over Jerusalem, or hard times under the reign of Domitian.

Psalm 118 provided the early Christians with more than one proof text in relation to Jesus. These include "the stone that the builders rejected" (118:22) and "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord" (118:26). It is thus reasonable to think that the author of Hebrews saw this psalm to indicate that persecution would accompany the coming of the Christ, a fact he applies to the audience's current situation.

13:7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Looking on the outcome of their conduct, imitate their faith.
The most natural reading of this verse sees a reference to the martyrdom of some former leaders of the community. As in Hebrews 11, the author urges the audience to look to their faith example and follow them. In their current persecution or anticipation of difficult times, they are to be willing to "shed blood" (12:4) and die for their faith as some former leaders did.

This statement as much as any in Hebrews points us away from the Neronic persecution to a later time such as following the destruction of Jerusalem. We know of no Jews, Christian or otherwise, dying when Claudius expelled certain Jews from Rome in AD49. On the other hand, many died in AD64-65. Indeed, it is quite possible that the author could include the deaths of Peter and Paul themselves in this comment.

13:8 Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
While some connect this statement to what follows in 13:9, it makes more sense to connect it with what has gone before. The same Jesus who modeled obedience for the audience (cf. 5:8; 12:2) in the past, is their help in the present, and will be there for them in the future. The constancy of Jesus remains as security for them throughout whatever crisis they might face.