The question of suffering for Christian people is a clear concern for the author of Hebrews. How does this text demonstrate a pastoral concern for this community and offer sources of strength and comfort?
Throughout this letter, the author, or homilist, is doing their own interpretive work of the Hebrew scriptures to make an argument about Jesus Christ. What is our responsibility as interpreters of this text to first study the referenced passages, like Jeremiah, Proverbs, Exodus, and Genesis?
Applying the Text:
In a letter remarkably rich with imagery our author closes with a particularly poignant picture. As Christ suffered “outside the camp” we are to share in his suffering, “outside the camp.” Most Christians in North America seem fairly firmly ensconced inside the camp of respectability and comfort, or at least within their church buildings. What might Hebrews’ challenge mean for you and for your community of faith?
We have seen that our homilist believes both that God’s realm is above us, in heaven, and ahead of us in a future fulfillment of promise. Christian writers today sometimes seem to choose between these two versions of God’s transcendence. Is the choice necessary or is there still a way to hold them together?