October 9th, 2021

This Sunday is the second week in the Epistle to the Hebrews, and this week’s text is already at the end of the third chapter [3:12-19]. Last week’s blog looked at the first four verses of this epistle and saw what was essentially a two-part focus for the rest of this literary masterpiece, first a look at Jesus, and second, a look at the cleansing of sins that was accomplished by him.

A connection to the Day of Atonement, a special day in the Hebrew calendar, was made. This day was special because the high priest was able to enter into the so-called ‘Holy of Holies’, the Most Holy Place. A special person was needed to enter a special place. And the high priest was the right person for that job.

The book of Leviticus goes into some detail to describe what the high priest had to do before entering that special place. The high priest was to enter with some animals for offerings, and he was also to wear linen (see Leviticus 16:3ff). What does this mean? Linen is basically the color white, and the high priest usually wore other colors. But having linen as something for him to wear on this special day made him look very much like an angel, since that is the color of the clothing that angels often have.

So, it would follow that there are seven Old Testament quotations in Hebrews which start by comparing Jesus to the angels. Seven is an important number, and Jesus is an important person. Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ‘having become by so much better than the angels, as he has inherited than them a more excellent name (1:4).’ Here they are [in somewhat-literal translations, shortened to be brief, but also supplying the Old Testament references]:
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1:5a     For to which of the angels he said, ‘You are my son… (Psalm 2:7)’.
1:5b     And again, ‘I will be to him for a father… (2 Samuel 7:14)’.
1:6       And when he again brings the first-born into the inhabited earth, he says… (Deuteronomy 32:43 in the Septuagint).’
1:7       And toward the angels he says… (Psalm 104:4).’
1:8f      But toward the Son, ‘Your throne, God… (Psalm 45:6,7).’
1:10ff   And, ‘You, at the beginning, Lord… (Psalm 102:25-27).’
1:13     But to which of the angels has he ever said… (Psalm 110:1).’
There is another set of seven in the next chapters. That this is again seven DOES seem to be deliberate, since the writer breaks up the passage from Isaiah 8:18 from its previous verse with the phrase ‘And again.’ He did not need to do that, but that action does add one to the ‘official’ number of quotations found in this part of the writing.
2:6ff     But one solemnly witnessed somewhere, saying, ‘What is man… (Psalm 8:4-6).’
2:11f    For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, ‘I will proclaim… (Psalm 22:22).’
2:13a   And again, ‘I will put my trust in him (Isaiah 8:17).’
2:13b   And again… (Isaiah 8:18).’
3:7ff     Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says… (Psalm 95:7-11).’
3:14f    For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said… (Psalm 95:7, 8).’
4:3       For we who have believed enter that rest, just as he has said… (Psalm 95:11).’

The next set of seven quotations has that interesting beginning, similar to the first quotation of the last set, that this Old Testament passage is ‘somewhere’. The only problem is that this passage is extremely well known!

What may be the case here is that, describing this verse as ‘somewhere’, this is somewhere different from the previous verses. And in much the same way the high priest would sprinkle blood seven times in one place, and then, when he would sprinkle that special blood in another place, and that place would be ‘somewhere’ new. And these various Old Testament passages are sprinkled within this epistle.

4:4       For he has said somewhere concerning the seventh thus: ‘And God rested… (Genesis 2:2).’
4:5       And again in this… (Psalm 95:11).’
4:7       Again he defines a certain day, ‘Today’, saying in David after such a time, as he has previously said… (Psalm 95:7).’
5:5       Thus also the Christ did not glorify himself to become a high priest, but the One speaking to him, ‘You are my son… (Psalm 2:7).’
5:6       As he says also in another… (Psalm 110:4).’
6:13f    For God, making a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, saying, ‘I will surely bless you… (Genesis 22:17).’
7:17     For it is witnessed, ‘You are a priest unto the age… (Psalm 110:4).’

Even without a pattern of sevens, these multiple connections to the Old Testament are still very much appreciated, even to this very day.