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Katapausis and Sabbatismos in Hebrews 4 Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2011 Katapausis and Sabbatismos in Hebrews 4 Erhard Gallos Andrews University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Gallos, Erhard, "Katapausis and Sabbatismos in Hebrews 4" (2011). Dissertations. 54. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/54 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in the Andrews University Digital Library of Dissertations and Theses. Please honor the copyright of this document by not duplicating or distributing additional copies in any form without the author’s express written permission. Thanks for your cooperation. ABSTRACT KATAPAUSIS AND SABBATISMOS IN HEBREWS 4 by Erhard H. Gallos Advisor: Robert M. Johnston ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: KATAPAUSIS AND SABBATISMOS IN HEBREWS 4 Name of researcher: Erhard H. Gallos Name and degree of faculty adviser: Robert M. Johnston, Ph.D. Date completed: April 2011 Problem Enthusiasm for the subject has not resulted in a general consensus regarding the meaning of “rest” in Heb 4. The dissertation studies the meaning of katapausis and sabbatismos in Heb 4 together with its relation to the neglected gatherings in Heb 10. Method The study consists of an analysis of those passages in which the rest motif is found explicitly (Heb 3-4) as well as the unit (Heb 10) which exhibits cohesion to the rest motif in Heb 4, giving special attention to the use of the term katapausis in the Septuagint, sabbatismos in Christian and non-Christian literature, and episynagōgē in the patristic literature. The dissertation is both exegetical and theological in nature. Results Chapter 1 deals with the introduction of the topic, stating the problem of no consensus with regard to the meaning of “rest” in Heb 3-4, and then describing the purpose and justification of the research. Chapter 2 is dedicated to the examination of the audience of Hebrews. Pursuing the profile of the audience within the book itself, the evidence seems to support a mixed ethnic background. The author calls the ancestors “fathers” rather than “our fathers” (1:1).The epistle never mentions Jews or Christians, the Temple, or circumcision, never makes negative references to Jews or Gentiles, and refrains from divisive references to Jews or Gentiles. The group to which the audience is supposed to belong is the “people of God” (4:9). Chapter 3 analyzes the structural relationship between Heb 4 and 10. Hebrews 4:11-16 and 10:19-25 display the most striking use of inclusio in Hebrews. Semantic threads in one discourse are woven with the same or related lexical items in the other, indicating a relationship between these passages. Besides formal and semantic correspondence, these two passages present also syntactical cohesion. Both furnish three hortatory subjunctives in close proximity. Finally, both units share the same genre. That means the units exhibit cohesion of form and function, and also a continuity of topic and content. The exhortation of a Sabbath observance in Heb 4 is shown to be complementary to the neglecting of the gathering in Heb 10. Chapter 4 presents findings with regard to the term katapausis in the LXX where it refers to (1) the Promised Land (Deut 12:9); (2) the temple as the habitation desired by God (Ps 132:14); and finally (3) the Sabbath rest (Exod 35:2; 2 Macc 15:1). In Heb 3, a midrash on Ps 94, the rest the Exodus generation failed to enter was the Promised Land. The formal parallelism between the katapausis of Heb 4:6 and the sabbatismos of 4:9 suggests that sabbatismos is meant to define more precisely the character of the rest. Etymologically sabbatismos derives from sabbatizein in much the same way that baptismos derives from baptizein. Sabbatismos in non-Christian as well as Christian literature is always used literally meaning Sabbath observance, although sometimes pejoratively, with the exception of Origen who uses the term twice figuratively. Hebrews 4:10 describes how the sabbatismos will become possible. The one entering it rested (aorist) from his works just as God rested from his on the first Sabbath in the primeval history of the world. The comparative conjunction defines clearly who is to be imitated when one enters the rest. Chapter 5 analyzes Heb 10:19-25. The verb “forsake” (v. 25) implies negative connotations with dire results. Therefore the gathering must be more than just a social gathering. Verse 26 speaks about willful sinning if one neglects the gathering. The willful sin is defined in Num 15:30-36 and exemplified by the person who willfully neglected the Sabbath observance by picking up sticks on the Sabbath. The rest of the warning passage in Heb 10:26-31 also assumes the background of the person who willfully desecrated the Sabbath (no sacrifice available; two or three witnesses; nullifying the Law of Moses; and death without compassion). In view of these reasons, the gathering in Heb 10:25 seems most likely to be a Sabbath gathering. Assuming Num 15 as an intertext helps to foreground the coherent flow of Heb 10:19-25. Chapter 6 summarizes the findings. Conclusion The audience of Hebrews does not relapse back into Judaism, but faces a waning commitment to the community’s confessed faith. Since Heb 4:11-16 and Heb 10:19-25 share similar vocabulary, syntax, and genre one can assume that they share also a similar theme. The Sabbath observance remains for the people of God (4:9) and an invitation is extended to “rest” the way God rested from all his works on the seventh-day Sabbath after the six-day creation. Hebrews 10:25-26 seems to talk about an intentional neglect of the church gathering that is best explained by a Sabbath gathering since the background to the willful sin is a rebellious neglect of the Sabbath. Such continuing, willful, intentional neglect equates with trampling underfoot the Son of God (10:29). This is the reason why the author strikes such a serious tone in his elaboration of the matter. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary KATAPAUSIS AND SABBATISMOS IN HEBREWS 4 A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Erhard H. Gallos April 2011 © Copyright by Erhard H. Gallos All Rights Reserved KATAPAUSIS AND SABBATISMOS IN HEBREWS 4 A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Erhard H. Gallos APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: Faculty Adviser, Director, PhD/ThD Programs Robert M. Johnston Tom Shepherd Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins, Emeritus John McVay Dean, SDA Theological Seminary Professor of New Testament Denis Fortin Richard M. Davidson J. N. Andrews Professor of Old Testament Interpretation Jiri Moskala Professor of Old Testament Exegesis and Theology Kenneth Schenck Date approved Professor of Religion Indiana Wesleyan University TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .............................. v Chapter I. INTRODUCTION .................................. 1 Problem .................................... 7 Purpose .................................... 8 Justification ................................... 10 Scope and Delimitations ............................ 11 Methodology .................................. 12 II. THE ADDRESSEES ................................ 14 Introduction ................................... 14 The History of the Community ...................... 14 Phase One: Prolcamation and Conversion .............. 17 Phase Two: Persecution and Solidarity ................ 20 Phase Three: Friction and Malaise .................. 21 The Profile of the Audience ........................ 23 Jewish Christian Readership ...................... 25 Gentile Christian Readership ..................... 31 Mixed Ethnik Background ....................... 35 The Essene Hypothesis ......................... 39 Situation of the Addressees ........................ 46 Summary and Conclusion ........................... 61 III. THE STRUCTURAL RELATIONSHIP OF HEBREWS 4 AND 10 ..... 65 Introduction ................................... 65 History of Investigation .......................... 66 Early Attempts .............................. 66 Medieval and Reformation Periods .................. 67 Eighteenth and Ninetheenth Centuries ................ 69 Twentieth and the Early Twenty-First Centuries .......... 71 Categorization and Evaluation of Approaches to the Structure of Hebrews ....................... 85 Cohesion between Hebrews 4 and 10 .................. 105 Summary and Conclusion ........................... 111 iii IV. HEBREWS 4:1-16 .................................. 117 Introduction ................................... 117 The kata,pausij Motif in the LXX ...................... 119 Exodus 35:2 ................................. 121 Numbers 10:35 ............................... 122 Deuteronomy 12:9 ............................. 123 First Kings 8:56 (3 Reg 8:56 LXX) ................... 125 First Chronicles 6:16 (MT 6:31) ....................
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