Suffering Motif in the Epistle to the Hebrews
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Published:
Mar 26, 2019
Keywords:
Prosperity gospel, suffering, endurance, faithfulness, eschatological reward
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Abstract
The rising popularity of the prosperity gospel in many Christian circles tends to obscure the question of the reality of suffering in the Christian experience. Prosperity theologians claim that those who accept the Gospel will always experience affluent lives. The inconsistency between the prosperity theology and the presence of hardships in the Christian life calls for a reevaluation of the theme of suffering based on a biblical viewpoint. The suffering motif is deeply embedded in the Epsitle to the Hebrews. The book of Hebrews presupposes the reality of suffering and offers key answers on why Christians experience hardships in life, even though they are faithful to God. With this perspective in mind, this paper examines a major issue in the Epistle to the Hebrews: how does the book of Hebrews explain the presence and purpose of suffering in Christian life? Using a synthetic approach, this paper found that the presence of sufferings is an integral part of Christian life and in line with the divine plan. Sufferings function as prophylactic against spiritual laxness and apostasy, motivating believers for further endurance and faithfulness; they escalate anticipation of the promised eschatological reward. Thus, Christians should have a healthy and positive outlook in the midst of their suffering experiences.
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Research Articles
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References
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Nelson, R. (2003). He offered himself: Sacrifice in Hebrews. Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology, 57(3), 251-265. doi.org/10.1177/002096430005700303
Peeler, A. (2014). Your are my son: The family of God in the Epistle to the Hebrews. London: T & T Clark; pp 103, 151–163.
Rhee, V. (2012). The Author of Hebrews as a leader of the faith community. Journal of Evangelical Theological Society, 55(2), 365–375.
Schreiner, T. (2015). Commentary on Hebrews. Nashville, TN: Holman.
Small, B. (2017). Suffering in the Face of Death: The Epistle to the Hebrews and Its Context of Situation London: Bloomsbury T & T Clark.
Spellman, C. (2011). When hope screams: Learning how to suffer as sons from the book of Hebrews. Southwestern Journal of Theology, 53(2), 112–134.
Stevenson-Moessner, J. (2003). The road to perfection: An interpretation of suffering in Hebrews. Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology, 57(3), 280–290. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/ intc/57/3
Thiessen, M. (2007). Hebrews and the end of the Exodus. Novum Testamentum, 49(4), 353–369. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/25442571
Walton, J. (2009). Watch this! The ethics and aesthetics of black televangelism. New York, NY: NYU Press.
Weiss, H. (1996). Sabbatismos. in the epistles in the epistle to the Hebrews. The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 58(4), 674–689. Retrieved from https://aleph.nli.org.il:80/F/?func=direct&doc_number=000185620& local_ base=RMB01
Whitlark, J. (2012). The warning against idolatry: An intertextual examination of septuagintal warnings in Hebrews. Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 34(4), 382–401.
Young, N. (2003). Suffering: A key to the epistles to the Hebrews. Austalian Biblical Review, 51, 47–59. Retrieved from https://research.avondale.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1036&context=theo_ papers
Bowler, K. (2013). Blessed: A history of the American prosperity gospel. New York: Oxford University Press.
Biggs, C. (2003, January 31–February 20). The Wilderness sufferers: A pastoral biblical-theological study of suffering from Hebrews. Third Millennium Ministries, Magazine 5(3–7). Retrieved from https://reformedperspectives.org/article.asp/link/http:%5E%5Ereformedperspectives.org%5Earticles% 5Ecr_biggs%5ENT.Biggs.suffering.hebrews.html/at/The%20Wilderness%20Sufferers
Bruce, F. (1990). The epistle to the Hebrews. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (rev. ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
Coleman, S. (2000). The globalisation of charismatic christianity: Spreading the gospel of prosperity. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Croy, N. (1998). Endurance in suffering: Interpreting Hebrews 12:1–13. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Cunningham, S. (1997). Through many tribulations: The theology of persecution in Luke-Acts. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.
DeSilva, D. (1994). Despising shame: A cultural-anthropological investigation of the epistle to the Hebrews. Journal of Biblical Literature, 113(3), 439–461. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/3266781
DeSilva, D. (2000). Perseverance in gratitude: A socio-rhetorical commentary on the epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
Dunning, B. (2009). Aliens and sojourners: Self as other in early Christianity. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Dyer, B. (2018). Suffering in the face of death: The epistle to the Hebrews and its context of situation. [Review of book]. Horizons, 45(1), 186–187. doi.org/10.1017/hor.2018.20
Ellingworth, P. (1993). The epistle to the Hebrews. The New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
Guthrie, G., & Quinn, R. (2006). A discourse analysis of the use of Psalm 8:4–6 in Hebrews 2:5–9. Journal of Evangelical Theological Society, 49(2), 235–246. Retrieved from https://www.etsjets.org/files/JETSPDFs/49/49-2/JETS_49-2_235-246_Guthrie:Quinn.pdf
Hauck, H. (1967a). Hupomenō. In K. Gerhard & F. Gerhard (Eds.), Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Vol. 4, p. 588). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
Hauck, H. (1967b). μένω. In K. Gerhard & F. Gerhard (Eds.), Theological dictionary of the New Testament (Vol. 4, pp. 574–588). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
Hunt, S. (2000). Winning ways: Globalisation and the impact of the health and wealth gospel. Journal of Contemporary Religion, 15(3), 331–347. doi.org/10.1080/713676038
Johnson, W. (n.d.). Pilgrimage and the Church Today. Adventist Biblical Research Organization. Retrieved from https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/church-ecclesiology-project-1982-1990/ pilgrimage-and-church-today
Johnson, W. (1978). The pilgrimage motif in the book of Hebrews. Society of Biblical Literature, 97(2), 239-251. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/3265621
Jones, P. (1985). A superior life: Hebrews 12:3–13:25. The Review and the Expositor, 82(3). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/003463738508200307.
Jones, D., & Woodbridge, R. (2011). Health, wealth & happiness: has the prosperity gospel overshadowed the gospel of Christ? Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.
Kasemann, E. (1984). The Wondering people of God: An investigation of the letter to the Hebrews (R. Harrisville & I. Sundberg, Trans.). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Koester, C. (2002). Hebrew, rhetoric, and future humanity. Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 64(1), 103–123.
Krausz, T. (2018, August 23). Religious persecution ‘worsening in Asia.’ UCANews. Retrieved from https://www. ucanews.com/news/religious-persecution-worsening-in-asia/83145
Ladd, G. (1993). A theology of the New Testament (Rev. Ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
Long, T. (1998). Bold in the presence of God: Atonement in Hebrews. Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology, 52(1), 53–69. doi: 10.1177/002096439605200106
Lyons, L., & Yu, D. (2012, May 28). Suffering in South Asia highest in region. Gallup News. Retrieved from https://news. gallup.com/ poll/154907/suffering-south-asia-highest-region.aspx
Miller, M. (1987). Seven theological themes in Hebrews. Grace Theological Jounal, 8(1), 131–140.
Moore, N. (2014). Jesus as ‘the one who entered his rest’: The christological reading of Hebrews 4.10. Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 36(4), 383–400. doi.org/10.1177/0142064 X14528442
Nelson, R. (2003). He offered himself: Sacrifice in Hebrews. Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology, 57(3), 251-265. doi.org/10.1177/002096430005700303
Peeler, A. (2014). Your are my son: The family of God in the Epistle to the Hebrews. London: T & T Clark; pp 103, 151–163.
Rhee, V. (2012). The Author of Hebrews as a leader of the faith community. Journal of Evangelical Theological Society, 55(2), 365–375.
Schreiner, T. (2015). Commentary on Hebrews. Nashville, TN: Holman.
Small, B. (2017). Suffering in the Face of Death: The Epistle to the Hebrews and Its Context of Situation London: Bloomsbury T & T Clark.
Spellman, C. (2011). When hope screams: Learning how to suffer as sons from the book of Hebrews. Southwestern Journal of Theology, 53(2), 112–134.
Stevenson-Moessner, J. (2003). The road to perfection: An interpretation of suffering in Hebrews. Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology, 57(3), 280–290. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/ intc/57/3
Thiessen, M. (2007). Hebrews and the end of the Exodus. Novum Testamentum, 49(4), 353–369. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/25442571
Walton, J. (2009). Watch this! The ethics and aesthetics of black televangelism. New York, NY: NYU Press.
Weiss, H. (1996). Sabbatismos. in the epistles in the epistle to the Hebrews. The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 58(4), 674–689. Retrieved from https://aleph.nli.org.il:80/F/?func=direct&doc_number=000185620& local_ base=RMB01
Whitlark, J. (2012). The warning against idolatry: An intertextual examination of septuagintal warnings in Hebrews. Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 34(4), 382–401.
Young, N. (2003). Suffering: A key to the epistles to the Hebrews. Austalian Biblical Review, 51, 47–59. Retrieved from https://research.avondale.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1036&context=theo_ papers