This book applies an approach of participatory exegesis to the book of Hebrews, illuminating one of its central, unifying themes: participation. When interpreting Scripture, Hebrews depicts earthly and Old Testament realities such as sanctuary, sacrifice, and son/king participating in heavenly and new covenant realities; the life of believers is a life of participation in Christ and the heavenly realm—and even the act of reading Scripture is a participation in divine discourse. Across four sections (The Literal and Christological Senses; The Teleological Sense; The Tropological Sense; Soteriology), Benjamin Ribbens brings together Hebrews scholarship with participatory exegesis, union with Christ, and a broad framework of participation. Such an emphasis on participatory exegesis—as outlined by Matthew Levering and Hans Boersma—resolves tensions within contemporary Hebrews scholarship, introducing a biblical studies methodology into theological inquiries. In doing so, Ribbens offers a fresh reading of Hebrews, building on on-going discussions within the field of the Hebrews' call for active participation in and with the divine.
This book applies an approach of participatory exegesis to the book of Hebrews, illuminating one of its central, unifying themes: participation.
