the structure of hebrews from three perspectives - Tyndale House

STANLEY: The Structure of Hebrews 259
author’s argument, 31 meant to prepare the readers for what would
follow, and if this section is a digression, the near repetition of the end
of the previous section at the end of this digression may be the
author’s way of helping himself and his readers back into the flow of
his argument, which would resume at 7:1. A further indication that
5:11-6:20 forms a unit is that, although it does remain connected to
the context by the oath theme which can be found both before and
after the digression, it does not follow directly from the apparent
announcement of subject in 5:9, 10. 32 Vanhoye understands this
announcement as tripartite: 1) being made perfect, anticipating
chapters 8 and 9, 2) he became a cause of eternal salvation,
anticipating 10:1-18, and 3) he is designated high priest in the order of
Melchizedek, anticipating chapter 7. However, this does not seem to
fit the content of chapters 8 and 9, which more naturally fit together
with 10:1-18, showing Christ as a cause of eternal salvation. It may be
better to understand the participle ‘made perfect’ in verse 9 as looking
back to what has gone before, and the announcement as consisting of
three different parts: 1) to all those who obey him, anticipating
chapters 11-13, 33 2) a cause of eternal salvation, anticipating chapters
8-10, and 3) appointed by God high priest according to the order of
Melchizedek anticipating chapter 7. This understanding of the
announcement of subject in 5:9, 10 would stand against the divisions
suggested by Vanhoye, because it provides no justification for
grouping chapters 7-10 as a structural unit. Wills’ understanding of
8:1-10:25 as a complete cycle of the word of exhortation form also
stands against Vanhoye’s grouping of chapters 7-10, since chapter 7
does not follow the word of exhortation pattern. 34 This change of
genre between chapters 7 and 8 affirms the presence of a structural
seam at this point.
31Cf. F.D.V. Narborough, The Epistle to the Hebrews (The Clarendon Bible;
Oxford: Clarendon, 1943) 102-106.
325:8 looks back to the previous context (i.e. 2:10, 18; 4:15)
33Cf. 11:8, the concept of fatherly discipline in 12:7-11, and 13:7.
34Wills, ‘The Form of the Sermon in Hellenistic Judaism and Early Christianity’,
282.