FALL TERM 2015
COURSE SYLLABUS: Bible Department
The Book of Hebrews
NT646
Credit Hours: 3
Monday mornings: 08.30am – 12 noon
Dr. Peter Walker
Trinity School for Ministry
724-266-3838 (office)
pwalker@tsm.edu (or via e360)
1. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will focus on one of the books of the New Testament which, though often
overlooked in modern scholarship, has been enormously important throughout the last 200
years in the task of forming an overall Biblical Theology: the book of Hebrews. In this 13-week
class we will have the privilege of reading each week one of Hebrew’s 13 masterful chapters.
The goal is to give you a fresh personal and in-depth acquaintance with this powerful biblical
text, giving you a fresh vision for how you might communicate its truths (in preaching and
teaching) in the future.
This course should also equip you with the tools with which to study other New Testament
books in similar depth. This course thus effectively replaces NT645 (Acts and the General
Epistles) which would have given a summary overview of other books such as Acts, Revelation
and the General (or ‘Catholic’) Epistles. However, we will consistently be making crossreferences to other NT texts, so that we are well able to ‘situate’ Hebrews (both historically and
theologically) within the wider canon of the New Testament.
2. COURSE PREREQUISITES
As a 600-level class, students must first have successfully taken the requisite 500-level classes in
Bible (i.e. BI500, NT500, OT500).
3. COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the course students should have a solid foundation for understanding the New
Testament through:
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being introduced to the setting and main themes of the Book of Hebrews
reading for themselves the text of Hebrews in close detail, considering the historical,
literary and theological aspects of this book
being introduced to some of the major topics which have been discussed both in the
Church and in the Academy as a result of the Book of Hebrews.
Other objectives (not so easily assessed) are also important:
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An increased delight in the truth and beauty of the Scriptures.
An increased sense of the early Christians as real people, and a sense of being in the
same family with them.
An increased experience of God’s love and an increased love for God.
4. LEARNING OUTCOMES
For MDiv students:
1. The student will recognize and identify the biblical theology evident in the course work.
2. The student will be able to articulate an Anglican understanding of biblical, historical,
systematic, and pastoral theology.
3. The student will be able to communicate effectively the Christian message to a diversity of
people in order to advance the mission of God.
4. The student will be prepared to effectively lead in a variety of Christian communities.
For MAR students:
1. The student will recognize and identify the biblical theology evident in the course work.
2. The student will be able to articulate an Anglican understanding of biblical, historical,
systematic, and pastoral theology.
3. The student will be able to communicate effectively the Christian message to a diversity of
people in order to advance the mission of God.
4. The student will be equipped to apply scholarship to the life of the church in his or her
chosen theological discipline.
5. COURSE TEXTS
The Text of Hebrews
Our main and primary text if the text of Hebrews itself. We will read at least a chapter of
Hebrews each week.
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Please note that students will be expected to have read through the entire book of Hebrews
before the first day of class. Either an annotated Manuscript of Hebrews (available on e360) or
bullet-points on its 3 sections (Heb. 1-4, 5-10, 11-13) are to be completed and submitted at the
start of class on Monday 14th September.
Thereafter MANUscripts are to be submitted each week on the agreed section of Hebrews.
Commentaries, Books & Articles on Hebrews
At the end of this syllabus you will find a preliminary bibliography on Hebrews. The books or
commentaries written by authors listed in bold type will be given a special focus and
prominence.
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All titles in bold will be stocked by Pam Kuhns in Trinity Bookstore, but some titles are ‘print on
demand’ and so it is worth ordering ahead of time.
Students will be expected each week to be looking at Tom Wright’s popular commentary
(please purchase) and working through ONE major commentary: Hughes or Lane (please
purchase one of these).
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Other commentaries (especially those on ‘reserve’ in the library) are also to be consulted: please
discuss with the Professor your intentions and choices.
There are also numerous books on Hebrews (for a selection, see bibliography). My own
published articles on Hebrews will be available on e360. A sample of all these will need to be
consulted for the various written assignments.
The books used for NT 500 will also be useful for further consultation, e.g.:
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LT Johnson The Writings of the New Testament. 3rd ed. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2010.
ISBN 9780800663612
$49
RP. Martin & PH. Davids (eds.) Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments.
Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1997 (digitally in: The Essential IVP Reference Collection).
ISBN 9780830817795
$60
I. Howard Marshall, Stephen Travis and Ian Paul, Exploring the New Testament, Volume Two: A
Guide to the Letters and Revelation (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2002).
ISBN: 978-0-8308-2540-0 $30.
PWL Walker The Lion Guide to the Bible. Oxford: LionHudson, 2010.
ISBN 978-0-7459-5292-5 $29.95
6. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
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Each week students will submit an annotated MANUscript (of a chapter of Hebrews) and
compete a Commentary Worksheet on that chapter
Once in the term each student will also present an Oral Exegesis (5 mins) or lead a
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Seminar Discussion (15-20 mins) in class.
Each week there will be a short follow-on Assignment which will be tested in some way
during an 5-minute Opening Quiz (starting punctually at 09.20am & being handed in at
09.25am).
There will be a two written Exams, one at half term and one at the end of the full
semester.
There will be two further Written Assignments (one in each half of the term), when a
student will choose from a selection of options (e.g. reviewing an article or book on
Hebrews; reviewing some DVD presentations on Hebrews; reviewing an audio recording
of a sermon on Hebrews; planning a preaching series on Hebrews etc).
7. COURSE EVALUATION
This will be based on: your performance in the two Exams; your written submissions associated
with your Exegesis or Seminar Discussion; and also, importantly, on an evaluation (based on the
Manuscripts, Commentary Worksheets, Quizzes and oral contributions made in class) of your
individual engagement with the biblical text, with your selected commentaries and the overall
learning experience in class.
The distribution of the value of assignments for course assessment is as follows:
Weekly Assignments & Class Engagement
25%
MANUscripts
Commentaries Worksheets
‘Engagement’ in class; quizzes & attendance (incl
chapel)
Student Presentations
15%
the written submission associated with the student’s
Oral Exegesis or Discussion Starter
Exams
40%
the Half-term exam:
15%
the End of term exam:
25%
Assignments
20%
Two (selected from options, reviewing books DVD..)
TOTAL
100%
8. COURSE STRUCTURE & DELIVERY FORMAT
Each week, prior to class, you will be expected to have read that allocated chapter of Hebrews
and will fill in both a Manuscript (a marked-up version of the text with your own margin notes)
and a Commentary Worksheet). These will be submitted at 09.20am.
Each week there will have been a short follow-on Assignment (set the previous Monday) which
will be tested in some way during a 5-minute Opening Quiz (starting punctually at 09.20am &
being handed in at 09.25am).
In week 13, instead of the Quiz, there will be instead an ‘end of term’ Exam.
During Monday morning class the normal format will be as follows:
PART 1: EXEGESIS
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Submission of MANUscripts, Worksheets, followed by the Quiz & Opening Prayer
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Lecturer’s Opening Exposition & Overview of Themes, followed by Q & A
or Team Discussions
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Student’s Reading of a prepared Exegesis.
PART 2: SCHOLARLY ISSUES & APPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
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Seminar led by lecturer on historical (or other) scholarly Issues, relating Hebrews to
other parts of the NT
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Student-led Seminar Discussion, focused on an issue from that week’s chapter
relevant for church life today
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Closing Prayer & time for personal application
On occasions there may be a ‘Dramatic Reading’ from the text of Hebrews. We may close in
prayer using the text of Hebrews in some way (e.g. using a published liturgical text which has
set the teaching of Hebrews into a service of corporate worship).
A separate ‘Course Outline’ will be given out on the first day of class, showing the main
sequence of teaching, as well as the slots for Oral Exegeses and Seminar Discussions.
9. COURSE CONTACTS
Please feel free to contact Professor Walker directly, initially using the e360 mailbox (clearly
titling the email with “NT646:…”).
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Drop-boxes will be created for students to submit any required assignments; but
MANUSCripts, Commentary Worksheets and Quizzes will be submitted in hand-writing.
Bibliography on Hebrews
Commentaries
Bruce, F.F. (NICNT, 1964): Good evangelical treatment; revised before his death
Ellingworth, P. (NIGNTC, 1993): Most recent evangelical study of Greek text; disappointing
Gordon, R.P. (Sheffield Reader, 2000): Good evangelical
Guthrie, D. (TNTC, 1983): Older but solid
Guthrie, G.H. (NIV Application, 1998)
Hagner, D. (NIBC, 1983): sensible, evangelical
Hughes, P.E. (1977): good, with insights from classical commentators
Johnson, L.T (2006): good, ‘mainstream’ view in ‘NT Library’ series
Koester, C.R. (Anchor, 2001): comprehensive but complex
Lane, W. (WBC 2 vols 1991): the best available.
Lindars, B. (NTT 1991): very useful and nearly a commentary
Nairne, A. (1913): locating Hebrews in the years before Jerusalem’s fall
Montefiore, H.W. (BNTC, 1964): Good older commentary: sets Hebrews in Corinth
De Silva, D.A. Perseverance in gratitude: Socio-rhetorical commentary (Eerdmans 2000)
Spicq, C. (Paris,1953): influence of Qumran/Dead Sea Scrolls
Wilson, R.M. (NCB, 1987): useful critical approach
Wright, NT. (SPCK, 2003) Hebrews for Everyone: popular with good pastoral insights
Other Books & articles
Barrett, C.K.
‘The Eschatology of Hebrews’, in W.D. Davies and D. Daube (eds.), The
Background of the New Testament and its Eschatology (Cambridge: CUP, 1956) 363-93.
Bruce, F. F.
'Hebrews: A document of Roman Christianity' in W. Haase (ed), ANRW 25.4
(1987), 3496-521.
Filson, F. V.
Yesterday: A Study of Hebrews in light of Ch. 13 (SBT 2.4, Napervile: Allenson,
1967)
France, R.T.
‘The Writer of Hebrews as a Biblical Expositor’, TB 47.2 (1996), 245-276
Hagner, D.A. Encountering the Book of Hebrews (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002)
Hurst, L. D.
Epistle to the Hebrews: Its background of thought (Cambridge: CUP, 1990).
Isaacs, M.E.
Sacred Space: An Approach to the Theology of the Epistle to the Hebrews (JSNT
Supp. 73; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1992).
Johnsson, W. G. ‘The Pilgrimage: a motif in the Book of Hebrews’, JBL 97 (1978), 239-51.
‘The Cultus of Hebrews in twentieth-century scholarship’, ET 89 (1977-78), 104-8.
Kasemann, E. The Wandering People of God (Eng. transl., Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1984).
Koester, H.
‘Outside the Camp: Hebrews 13:9-14’, HTR 53 (1962), 300.
Lane, W.
Hebrews: a Call to Commitment (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1985).
Lindars, B.
‘The rhetorical structure of Hebrews’, NTS 35 (1989), 382-406.
Motyer, S,
‘The Temple in Hebrews: Is it there?’, in T.D. Alexander and S.J. Gathercole
(eds.), Heaven on Earth: The Temple in Biblical Theology (Carlisle: Paternoster, 2003)
Moule, C.F.D. ‘Sanctuary and sacrifice in the church of the New Testament’, JST 1 (1950), 2941.
Thompson, J. W. ‘“Outside the Camp”: a study of Hebrews 13:9-14’ CBQ (1978), 53-63.
Walker, P.W.L.
‘Jerusalem in Hebrews 13:9-14 & the dating of the Epistle’, TB 45.1 (1994),
39-71.
Jesus and the Holy City (Eerdmans, 1996), ch. 6.
‘A Place for Hebrews? Fresh light on a first-century sermon’ in FS for Bruce
Winter (Eerdmans 2004)
‘Future arrival and immediate access’, in Jonathan Griffiths (ed.), Unlocking
Hebrews: Key Themes for Expositors (Leicester, IVP, 2011).
Westcott, B.F. The Epistle to the Hebrews (3rd ed., London: Macmillan, 1903).
Witherington, III, B. ‘The Influence of Galatians on Hebrews’, NTS (1991), 146-52.