Låt oss dras in i Herrens härlighet. En liturgisk-teologisk undersökning av sambandet mellan kristologi och ecklesiologi i Hebreerbrevet

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to decipher the liturgical-theological significance of the Christology of the Epistle to the Hebrews for the sake of indicating that these ideas may contribute to an understanding of the Church today. In order to do this I set forth the quest of theological inter-pretation of Scripture, theologically interpreting Hebrews from a liturgical-theological perspec-tive. Thus, I attend to this intricate task by investigating the connection between Christology and Ecclesiology in Hebrews in a two-step sequence. Firstly, I am attending to the question: how is the author’s Christological conceptions depicted in Hebrews? Secondly, by analyzing the important transition paragraphs of Hebrews 4:14–16 and 10:19–25 in dialogue with both well-respected biblical scholars and relevant theological works, I aim to answer the question of how the author’s Christological conceptions are meant to be applied by the epistle’s implied recipients. The broad Christological foundation of Hebrews that emerges from this study is a ho-listic Christological narrative that has its roots in the Heavenly Son’s [continuing] incarnation and stresses an objective understanding of atonement. These Christological conceptions lay the Ecclesiological ground for the implied recipients. Henceforth, the author sums up his Ecclesi-ological vision through the exhortations in the analyzed paragraphs. Subsequently this vision settles as a liturgical-theological movement pattern: the recipients may let themselves be drawn by Christ into the holies of holiest through worship, prayer and Eucharist, in order to participate in the Father’s divine love, so that it thereafter may spill over in mutual love to the other.