Faithfulness and the Purpose of Hebrews: A Social Identity Approach (Princeton Theological Monograph)

Marohl, Matthew J.

ISBN 10: 1556355122 / ISBN 13: 9781556355127

Published by Pickwick Publications, 2007

About this Item

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Faithfulness and the Purpose of Hebrews: A Social Identity Approach (Princeton Theological Monograph)
• Publisher: Pickwick Publications
• Publication Date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1556355122
• ISBN 13: 9781556355127
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: good

About this title

Synopsis

Faithfulness and the Purpose of Hebrews offers fresh answers to several unresolved questions by employing that branch of social psychology known as social identity theory. Who were the addressees? With the categories of social identity theory, this study argues that the addressees arranged the world into two groups: "us" and "them." They understood their group, the "us," to be the "faithful." They understood "them" (a symbolic outgroup of "all others") to be the "unfaithful." Faithfulness, then, is the primary identity descriptor for the addressees and plays an essential role thoughout the text. How did the addressees understand the faithfulness of Jesus? The author of Hebrews describes the faithfulness of Jesus as "prototypical." The faithfulness of all others is described in relation to Jesus' faith, and together they are integrated into an ongoing narrative of faithfulness. What is the meaning of the promised "rest"? Utilizing a model of present temporal orientation, the study interprets the dynamic relationship between the "antecedent" faithfulness of many witnesses and the "forthcoming" promised rest of the addressees. The addressees of Hebrews were encouraged to "understand their futures by looking to the past." What is the purpose of the text? Social identity theorists explain that groups with a negative social identity have two broad options: social mobility or social change. The study concludes that the author of Hebrews provides internal constraints that are meant to prevent social mobility. The author utilizes social creativity (an aspect of social change) to provide a positive social identity for the addressees.

About the Author

Matthew J. Marohl is a pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, Iowa, and teaches courses at Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa. He holds a PhD in New Testament from the University of St. Andrews and is the author of Joseph's Dilemma: "Honor Killing" in the Birth Narrative of Matthew (Cascade, 2009) and Faithfulness and the Purpose of Hebrews: A Social Identity Approach (Pickwick, 2008).