View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Andrews University Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Faculty Publications New Testament January 2008 "The nchora of the soul that enters within the veil": the ascension of the "son" in the letter to the Hebrews Felix H. Cortez Andrews University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/new-testament-pubs Part of the Biblical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Cortez, Felix H., ""The nchora of the soul that enters within the veil": the ascension of the "son" in the letter to the Hebrews" (2008). Faculty Publications. Paper 15. http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/new-testament-pubs/15 This Other is brought to you for free and open access by the New Testament at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary “THE ANCHOR OF THE SOUL THAT ENTERS WITHIN THE VEIL”: THE ASCENSION OF THE “SON” IN THE LETTER TO THE HEBREWS A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Felix H. Cortez July 2008 © Copyright by Felix H. Cortez 2008 All Rights Reserved “THE ANCHOR OF THE SOUL THAT ENTERS WITHIN THE VEIL”: THE ASCENSION OF THE “SON” IN THE LETTER TO THE HEBREWS A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Felix H. Cortez APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE ________________________________ _____________________________ Faculty Adviser, Director of the Ph.D./Th.D. Program Jon Paulien Roy E. Gane Dean, School of Religion Loma Linda University ________________________________ _____________________________ Roy E. Gane Dean, SDA Theological Seminary Professor of Hebrew Bible and Denis Fortin Ancient Near Eastern Languages ________________________________ Richard M. Davidson J. N. Andrews Professor of Old Testament Interpretation ________________________________ John K. McVay Professor of New Testament President Walla Walla College ________________________________ _____________________________ Harold W. Attridge Date approved Lillian Claus Professor of New Testament Dean, Yale Divinity School To Alma In the hope that I might not forget How much I owe her iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES . ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . x Chapter I. INTRODUCTION . 1 Statement of the Problem . 5 State of Affairs: The Day of Atonement Ritual Provides the Analogy to Jesus’ Ascension ................... 9 Critique of the State of Affairs: A More Limited Role for the Day of Atonement Imagery? . 19 There Is Absence of “Affliction of the Soul” in Relation to Jesus’ Entrance into the Heavenly Sanctuary . 19 The Azazel Ritual Is Omitted . 22 The Sprinkling of Jesus’ Blood in Heaven Does Not Refer to the Day of Atonement Ritual . 25 The Day of Atonement Provides Only a Secondary Imagery to Jesus’ Sacrifice . 28 Summary . 30 Alternative Suggestion: Moses’ Inauguration of the Sanctuary Provides the Analogy to Jesus’ Ascension . 31 Critique of the Analogy to Moses’ Inauguration of the Sanctuary . 36 A Third Way: The Enthronement of the Ideal Davidic King Provides the Analogy to Jesus’ Ascension . 40 Delimitations and Methodology . 49 II. THE DAVIDIC COVENANT AND THE EXPECTATION OF AN IDEAL KING IN THE HEBREW BIBLE AND EARLY JUDAISM ............................. 51 The Institution of the Davidic Covenant ............... 54 Is the Davidic Covenant Unconditional? . 57 What Is the Relationship between the Davidic and the Mosaic Covenants? . 61 The Davidic King as Covenant Mediator: He Renews the Mosaic Covenant under “Better Promises” . 63 iv The Davidic King as Reformer of the Cult: He Reorganizes the Priesthood and the Service of the Temple . 68 The Davidic King Is Confirmed in God’s House and Kingdom: The Davidic Covenant in 1 Chronicles 17 . 72 Summary . 75 Righteous Kings and the Davidic Covenant in Monarchic Israel ................................ 76 Solomon ............................... 77 Asa ................................. 82 Joash ................................. 85 Hezekiah ............................... 89 Covenant Renewal ...................... 90 Re-Consecration of the Priests and Temple ........ 92 Re-Inauguration of the Service of the Temple ....... 95 Re-Consecration of the Nation ................ 96 Celebration of Passover .................... 98 Rest from Their Enemies . 101 Josiah . 101 Cleansing of the Land . 102 Repair of the Temple . 103 The Book of the Law Is Found . 104 Renewal of the Covenant . 105 Reorganization of the Cult . 106 Summary . 108 The Davidic Covenant in the Rest of the Hebrew Bible ...... 109 The Psalms . 109 Psalm 89 . 109 Psalm 132 ............................ 111 Other Psalms . 112 The Pre-exilic Prophets and the Davidic Covenant . 113 Amos . 113 Hosea . 116 Micah . 117 Isaiah . 119 Exilic Interpretation of the Davidic Covenant . 131 Jeremiah ............................. 131 Ezekiel .............................. 142 The Post-Exilic Prophets and the Davidic Covenant . 149 Haggai .............................. 149 Zechariah . 152 Conclusion . 162 The Davidic Covenant in Early Judaism . 164 Wisdom of Ben Sira . 165 First Maccabees . 175 Psalms of Solomon 17 . 178 Dead Sea Scrolls . 183 v Words of the Luminaries (4Q504) .............. 184 Commentary on Genesis A (4Q252) ............. 188 Florilegium (4Q174) . 189 Commentary on Isaiah (4Q161) . 192 Sefer Hamilh (4Q285) . 194 Apocryphon of Daniel or “Son of God” Document (4Q246) . 197 Summary . 200 4 Ezra . 200 Josephus . 202 Summary . 205 Conclusion ................................ 208 III. ASCENSION AND INAUGURATION OF THE RULE OF THE “SON” IN THE LETTER TO THE HEBREWS ......... 212 “When He Brings the Firstborn into the World” (Hebrews 1:6): Ascension and the Enthronement of the Son .......... 213 Does This Passage Refer to the Ascension of Jesus? . 214 The Case for the Incarnation ................. 214 The Case for the Parousia . 216 The Case for the Exaltation .................. 219 The Enthronement of the Firstborn over the World to Come . 224 The Catena Describes the Enthronement Ceremony of the Son . 224 The Enthronement of the Son Culminates His Victory over Death . 235 Enthronement as the Basis for Exhortation: The Son’s Exaltation Prefigures and Makes Possible the Glorification of the Sons . 248 Jesus as “Son” in Hebrews . 248 “Son” as a royal title ................... 252 “Son” as a filial title .................... 262 The Son and the Sons in the Argument of Hebrews . 267 Summary . 273 “A Great High Priest Who Has Passed through the Heavens” (Hebrews 4:14-16): Ascension and Entrance into God’s Rest . 274 High Priesthood and Ascension “through the Heavens”. 275 Jesus Leads Believers into the Rest . 283 Hebrews 4:14-16 in the Argument of the Letter . 284 Hebrews 4:14-16 introduces the exposition of Hebrews 5-10 . 284 Hebrews 4:14-16 concludes the exhortation of Hebrews 3-4 .................... 287 The Exalted High Priest Helps the People to Enter into the Rest . 289 vi Summary . 300 “A Hope That Enters the Inner Shrine behind the Curtain” (Hebrews 6:19-20): Ascension and the Appointment of a Faithful Priest ............................ 300 Ascension as Entering behind the Curtain . 300 The Ascension Shows the Unchangeable Character of God’s Promises . 306 The Role of the Ascension in Hebrews 6:19-20 . 306 Jesus Is the Hope Who Enters “within the Veil” . 311 Jesus Embodies God’s Oath Which Confirms His Promises to the Believers . 312 When Did Jesus Become a High Priest? . 317 Summary . 323 “When Christ Came as a High Priest of the Things That Have Come” (Hebrews 9:11-14, 24; 10:19-25): Ascension and the Inauguration of the New Covenant . 324 The Ascension Inaugurates the New Covenant (Hebrews 9:11-14) ............................. 324 Hebrews 9:11-14 Describes Jesus’ Entrance into the (Heavenly) Sanctuary of the New Covenant . 326 The Day of Atonement in Hebrews 9:1-10 illustrates the transition between covenants . 327 Ta. a[gia denotes the Sanctuary of the new covenant . 341 “The greater and perfect tent” denotes the sanctuary of the new covenant . 348 The sacrifice of “goats and calves” does not refer particularly to the sacrifices of the Day of Atonement . 355 Hebrews 9:11-14 Understands the Ascension as the Inauguration of the Ministry of the New Covenant . 359 Hebrews 9:15-23 describes Jesus’ sacrifice and ascension as the inauguration of a new covenant ..................... 362 The inauguration of the new covenant includes the consecration of the heavenly sanctuary . 373 Summary ............................ 385 The Ascension Inaugurates the Fulfillment of the New Covenant Promises (Hebrews 9:24-28) . 386 The Ascension as an Act of Appearance before God on Our Behalf ....................... 388 The Ascension Has the Purpose of Removing Sin and Executing Judgment ................. 390 Jesus’ ascension and the Day of Atonement ...... 398 The Day of Atonement and the inauguration of the first covenant in the argument of Hebrews . 406 vii Summary ............................ 413 Ascension as the Basis for Exhortation (Hebrews 10:19-25) . 413 The Ascension Is Described as Providing Full Access to the Presence of God . 413 The Ascension Is the Basis for the Exhortation to Approach God . 419 Summary . 425 “You Have Come to Mount Zion” (Hebrews 12:18-25): The