2025/08/04

207. From the Issues Raised in the Letter to the Hebrews to Their Solution (the Assembly)

The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews had to support through a letter his community, which was undergoing persecution and social pressure (cf. Heb 10:32-34) and was prone to reverting to Old Testament practice (cf. 2:1). He therefore used the word "assembly" to evoke the image of a new community of God's people centred on Christ. That was because it was what he called "such a great salvation" (2:3). In this "assembly," God distributes the gifts of the Holy Spirit, sent in the name of Jesus, according to his will (cf. 2:4). There, Christ, who is at the centre of worship and praise, calls believers "brothers" and praises God together with them (cf. 2:12). And he says, "Here am I, and the children God has given me" (2:13). The Book of Revelation also says, "He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son" (Rev 21:7). The "assembly" is to become the very place where people will enter God's rest, the promised land, the "new Jerusalem" (cf. 21:2–6).

The writer encouraged believers to strive to participate in the "assembly." There, the Holy Spirit seeks to distribute his gifts according to his Father's will to believers who have become children of Christ by calling God their Father. However, the power of the word of God that the writer was convinced as "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb 4:12), sometimes discourages believers because it suggested a severe training. It was hard to overcome the situation in that environment at the time (cf. 10:32-34). In addition, the words, "And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do" (4:13), made them confront the reality of God, which could cause human fear. 

The writer says that "we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God" (Heb 4:14) and that "we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Heb 4:15), encouraging believers by saying, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (4:16). That is why the writer developed and emphasised the theme, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchiz'edek" (5:6), and intended to thoroughly testifiy that Jesus Christ was at the centre of this "assembly." 

However, as discussed in the previous issues, the writer's community faced problems such as the inherent nature of people to strongly revert to habitual ways of thinking instilled in them by their upbringing, which had a significant impact on the Church community, and the question of how to receive Jesus' help in confronting information referred to as devils and Satan. These issues are more likely to occur outside the "assembly." To resolve them and enable believers who live with the Holy Spirit sent in the name of Jesus to keep Jesus' words, a realistic and concrete method of formation is necessary. That is the formation which is to support the "assembly" that the writer believed in and to lead to the completion of the "assembly" itself, realising the writer's conviction through the belief and practice of all believers, who are the living Church. To fulfil this aim, the establishment of the New Testament is imperative. Jesus' name does not appear in the Old Testament.

He wrote, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old received divine approval. By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear" (Heb 11:1-3). In this passage, we see two types of faith. I expect that the clue leading to the realistic and concrete method of formation is hidden here. In the next issue, I would like to explore this idea further. 

Maria K.M.