Editing Epistle to the Hebrews (section)

==Purpose for writing==
{{See also|Narrative criticism}}

Those to whom Hebrews is written seem to have begun to doubt whether Jesus could really be the Messiah for whom they were waiting. The Book of Hebrews argues that the Hebrew Scriptures foretold that the Messiah would be a priest (although of a different sort than the traditional Levitical priests) and Jesus came to fulfill this role, as a sacrificial offering to God, to atone for sins. [[Second Coming of Christ|His role of a king is yet to come]], and so those who follow him should be patient and not be surprised that they suffer for now.

Some scholars today believe the document was written to prevent [[apostasy]].<ref>See Whitlark, Jason, ''Enabling Fidelity to God: Perseverance in Hebrews in Light of the Reciprocity Systems of the Ancient Mediterranean World'' (PBMS; Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 2008); Oropeza, B. J., ''Churches under Siege of Persecution and Assimilation: The General Epistles and Revelation.'' Apostasy in the New Testament Communities vol. 3 (Eugene: Cascade Books, 2012), pp. 3–70.</ref> Some have interpreted apostasy to mean a number of different things, such as a group of Christians in one sect leaving for another more conservative sect, one of which the author disapproves. Some have seen apostasy as a move from the Christian assembly to pagan ritual. In light of a possibly Jewish-Christian audience, the apostasy in this sense may be in regard to Jewish Christians leaving the Christian assembly to return to the Jewish [[synagogue]]. The focus on "purifying" the "conscience/consciousness" (9:9; 9:14; 10:2; 10:22) has also been viewed as key for the writing of Hebrews.<ref>Bloor, Joshua D. A. ''Purifying the Consciousness in Hebrews: Cult, Defilement and the Perpetual Heavenly Blood of Jesus'' (The Library of New Testament Studies 675; London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2023), 1-6, 31-33. 105-109, 153-158</ref> The author writes, "Let us hold fast to our confession".<ref>{{Bibleverse|Hebrews|4:14}}</ref> The epistle has been viewed as a long, rhetorical argument for having confidence in the new way to God revealed in Jesus Christ.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Bible Today Reader|last=Zupez|first=John|publisher=Liturgical Press|year=1973|location=Collegeville, MN|pages=2590–2595|chapter=Salvation in the Epistle to the Hebrews}}</ref> 

The book could be argued to affirm [[special creation]]. It says that God by his Son, Jesus Christ, made the worlds. "God [...] hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son [...] by whom also he made the worlds".<ref>{{Bibleverse|Hebrews|1:1–2}}</ref> The epistle also emphasizes the importance of faith. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear".<ref>{{Bibleverse|Hebrews|11:3}}</ref>

[[Image:Bloch-SermonOnTheMount.jpg|thumb|right|[[Christians]] believe that [[Jesus]] is the mediator of the [[New Covenant]].<ref>{{Bibleverse|Hebrews|8:6}}</ref> His famous [[Sermon on the Mount|sermon from a hill]] representing [[Mount Zion]] is considered by many Christian scholars to be the [[Typology (theology)|antitype]]<ref>See also [[Expounding of the Law#Antithesis of the Law|Antithesis of the Law]].</ref> of the proclamation of the [[Old Covenant]] by [[Moses]] from [[Mount Sinai]].]]

{{blockquote|...the Epistle opens with the solemn announcement of the superiority of the New Testament Revelation by the Son over Old Testament Revelation by the prophets.<ref>{{bibleverse|Heb.|1:1–4}}</ref> It then proves and explains from the Scriptures the superiority of this New Covenant over the Old by the comparison of the Son with the angels as mediators of the Old Covenant,<ref>{{bibleverse|Heb|1:5–2:18}}</ref> with Moses and Joshua as the founders of the Old Covenant,<ref>{{bibleverse|Hebrews|3:1–4:16||3:1–4:16}}</ref> and finally, by opposing the high-priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchisedech to the Levitical priesthood after the order of Aaron.<ref>{{bibleverse|Hebrews|5:1–10:18}}</ref>|Leopold Fonck, ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'', 1910<ref name="NewAdvent" />}}