Faith in Hebrews: Analysis Within the Context of Christology Eschatology and Ethics

Victor (Sung Yul) Rhee argues that faith in Hebrews is both christologically and eschatologically oriented. In response to the assertion that faith in Hebrews is removed from Christ he contends that the author of Hebrews portrays Jesus as both the model and object of faith. Rhee also maintains that the eschatological outlook in Hebrews is not the Hellenistic concept of visible and invisible reality but the temporal orientation of present and future. The ethical aspects of faith must be interpreted within the context of Christology and eschatology to have a proper understanding of faith in Hebrews. It would be hard to find a better introduction to the concept of faith in Hebrews than that provided by Victor (Sung Yul) Rhee. Its readability viewpoint conclusion and novelty make it required reading for New Testament students. I am happy to recommend it. --David Alan Black Professor of New Testament and Greek Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary In his book Victor (Sung Yul) Rhee offers a helpful challenge to push out understanding of faith in Hebrews beyond an ethical view and even an eschatological view to a conception of faith that is Christocentric at its core; that is a faith that not only finds in Jesus its model but also its object. Although some readers will beg to differ with the author on specific points of exegesis and analysis of Hebrews structure Rhees approach showing Hebrews Christology as foundational for its hortatory material and thus significantly integrated with the challenge to faith is sound and will need to be reckoned with in future treatments of the topic. --George H. Guthrie Perry Professor of Biblical Studies Union University Victor (Sung Yul) Rhee is Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Talbot School of Theology Biola University in La Mirada California. He received his PhD in New Testament from Dallas Theological Seminary. He has presented papers at nationally recognized theological meetings and contributed articles in professional journals.