Purifying the Consciousness in Hebrews: Cult, Defilement and the Perpetual Heavenly Blood of Jesus (The Library of New Testament Studies)

Joshua D. A. Bloor argues that the purification of the consciousness of sin, via Jesus' perpetual heavenly blood offering, is a vital motif for understanding Hebrews' sacrificial argumentation, and vice-versa. Jesus' 'objective' earthly achievements are many, yet only his 'subjective' heavenly blood offering purges the heavenly tabernacle and subsequently the consciousness of sin. Bloor views the Levitical cult as having a positive role in Hebrews, with Levitical 'guilt' foreshadowing and informing Hebrews' notion of the 'consciousness of sin'. Levitical sacrifices could purge the consciousness, but only Jesus' heavenly blood can offer complete perpetual purgation. This blood is a qualitative type of purgation which continually speaks in heaven, offering eternal assurance for the recipients regarding their consciousness of sin. Bloor begins with the 'defiled consciousness' and situates the world of Hebrews within cultic defilement, enabling the consciousness of sin and its cosmic implications to be properly understood. From here, the solution to a defiled consciousness is explored by examining Hebrews' cultic argumentation. Bloor highlights the distinctive purposes inherent in both Jesus' earthly and heavenly achievements, with the latter concerned particularly with Yom Kippur imagery and the purgation of the consciousness. Bloor concludes by differentiating between Jesus' session, present heavenly activity and perpetual heavenly blood offering. Throughout this volume, Bloor engages, critiques and advances current discourse concerning the nature and timing of Jesus' offering in Hebrews.. Cover Halftitle page Title page Copyright page Contents Tables Acknowledgements Abbreviations 1 Introduction 1.1 The statement of the problem 1.2 The situation of the recipients 1.3 Συνείδησις: An overview24 1.3.1 An interpretative history 1.3.2 Ancient Greek origins 1.3.3 The Jewish Scriptures 1.3.4 Philo 1.3.5 Josephus 1.3.6 New Testament 1.4 Συνείδησις in Hebrews 1.4.1 Defining συνείδησις in Hebrews 1.4.2 The application of συνείδησις in Hebrews scholarship 1.5 Methodological approach 1.6 Outline of the study Part One The defiled consciousness 2 Cosmic defilement: The cultic context of defilement 2.1 Introduction 2.2 The present problem 2.3 Defilement in the cultic sphere 2.3.1 Dorian Gray and impurity in the cultic sphere 2.3.2 Moral and ritual impurity 2.3.3 The reality of defilement 2.4 The heavenly tabernacle in Hebrews 2.4.1 Hebrews and cosmology 2.4.2 Construing the architecture of the heavenly tabernacle67 2.4.3 Earthly and heavenly tabernacle terminology 2.4.4 The absence of temple terminology 2.4.5 The ‘sketch’ and ‘foreshadow’ 2.5 Defilement in Hebrews 2.5.1 Introducing sin in Hebrews 2.5.2 Moral and ritual impurity? 2.5.3 Sin as conscious defilement (συνείδησις) in Hebrews 2.5.4 ‘Dead works’ 2.5.5 Types of sin? Unintentional/intentional sin 2.5.6 Defiled heavenly tabernacle 2.6 The effects of a defiled συνείδησις 2.6.1 Restricted access 2.6.2 The stain, dread and timidity of defilement 2.6.3 Apostasy, rebellion and the wilderness motif 2.7 Conclusion Part Two Purifying the consciousness: Cosmic purgation 3 Navigating Hebrews’ sacrificial argumentation: Yom Kippur and Jesus’ earthly and heavenly achievements 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Navigating scholarship 3.2.1 Critiquing Moffitt 3.2.2 Mitigating Moffitt 3.2.3 Kerygma and allowing Hebrews to speak 3.3 Yom Kippur and Hebrews 3.3.1 Yom Kippur 3.3.2 Yom Kippur in Hebrews 3.3.3 An overarching Yom Kippur hermeneutic 3.3.4 The problem with ‘atonement’ 3.4 A death that redeems (Heb. 9.11-17) 3.4.1 Having obtained an eternal redemption (Heb. 9.11-14) 3.4.2 Death and redemption (Heb. 9.15-17) 3.4.3 The paschal lamb who redeems (Heb. 2.14-15) 3.5 Not to offer himself again and again (Heb. 9.24-8) 3.5.1 He offered himself (Heb. 9.24-6) 3.5.2 He was offered up (Heb. 9.27-8) 3.5.3 Offered up on earth in order to bear away the sins of many in heaven (Heb. 9.24-8) 3.6 An offering of obedience and a heavenly offering (Heb. 10.5-14) 3.6.1 The sacrificial life of Jesus (Heb. 10.5-10) 3.6.2 Jesus’ personal offering? (Heb. 5.1-10; 7.26-8) 182 3.6.3 Made holy by Jesus’ earthly offering (Heb. 2.5-11; 10.5-10) 3.6.4 The sacrificial offering of Jesus (Heb. 10.11-14) 3.7 Conclusion 4 How much more the blood of Christ? Ritual, perfection and the finality of purgation 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Purifying the heavenly tabernacle 4.2.1 Entering with blood 4.2.2 Purifying the heavenly tabernacle (Heb. 1.3; 2.17; 9.23) 4.3 The drama of sacrifice: Purifying the consciousness 4.3.1 An internal–external/συνείδησις–σάρξ purification contrast? 4.3.2 Σάρξ 4.3.3 Earthly regulations/purifications 4.3.4 The drama of ritual 4 .3.5 Levitical אָשַׁם and the consciousness of sin 4.4 How much more? Perfection and the finality of purgation 4.4.1 Perfection and purification 4.4.2 Qualitative purgation (Heb. 9.13-14; 10.1-4) 4.4.3 Without αἱματεκχυσία there is no ἄφεσις (Heb. 9.22) 4.4.4 Washing and sprinkling (Heb. 10.22) 4.5 Conclusion Part Three Assurance and the purified consciousness 5 Divine help, assurance and perpetual blood 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Becoming the enthroned high priest 5.2.1 The eternal Son (Heb. 1.1-14) 5.2.2 The narrative of the enthroned son (Heb. 2.5-9) 5.2.3 A high priest, like Melchizedek (Heb. 5.1-10; 7.1-28) 5.3 Divine help 5.3.1 Holiness, fighting temptation and post-baptismal sin 5.3.2 The father helps the son (Heb. 5.7-8) 5.3.3 Helping the descendants of Abraham (Heb. 2.16-18) 5.3.4 Mercy and grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4.14-16) 5.3.5 He makes intercession for them (Heb. 7.25) 5.3.6 Divine help, approach and entering the rest 5.4 The perpetual assurance of Jesus and his heavenly blood offering 5.4.1 Jesus as guarantor 5.4.2 Jesus as meditator 5.4.3 Perpetual heavenly blood 5.4.3.1 The nature of Jesus’ heavenly offering 5.4.3.2 The substance of Jesus’ heavenly offering 5.4.3.3 What does Jesus’ heavenly blood represent? 5.4.4 Blood that is speaking (Heb. 11.4; 12.24) 5.4.5 Purifying the consciousness: Confidence, assurance and amnesia 5.5 Conclusion 6 Conclusion 6.1 Summary 6.2 Contributions 6.3 Limitations and further research 6.4 Pastoral implications for the contemporary church Bibliography Ancient index Author index Subject index "Joshua D. A. Bloor argues that the purification of the consciousness of sin, via Jesus'perpetual heavenly blood offering, is a vital motif for understanding Hebrews'sacrificial argumentation, and vice-versa. Jesus''objective'earthly achievements are many, yet only his'subjective'heavenly blood offering purges the heavenly tabernacle and subsequently the consciousness of sin. Bloor views the Levitical cult as having a positive role in Hebrews, with Levitical'guilt'foreshadowing and informing Hebrews'notion of the'consciousness of sin'. Levitical sacrifices could purge the consciousness, but only Jesus'heavenly blood can offer complete perpetual purgation. This blood is a qualitative type of purgation which continually speaks in heaven, offering eternal assurance for the recipients regarding their consciousness of sin. Bloor begins with the'defiled consciousness'and situates the world of Hebrews within cultic defilement, enabling the consciousness of sin and its cosmic implications to be properly understood. From here, the solution to a defiled consciousness is explored by examining Hebrews'cultic argumentation. Bloor highlights the distinctive purposes inherent in both Jesus'earthly and heavenly achievements, with the latter concerned particularly with Yom Kippur imagery and the purgation of the consciousness. Bloor concludes by differentiating between Jesus'session, present heavenly activity and perpetual heavenly blood offering. Throughout this volume, Bloor engages, critiques and advances current discourse concerning the nature and timing of Jesus'offering in Hebrews."--Publisher List of Abbreviations Abstract Declaration and Copyright Statement Acknowledgements Introduction Part I: The Defiled Consciousness Chapter 1: Cosmic Defilement: The Cultic Context of Defilement Part II: Purifying the Consciousness: Cosmic Purgation Chapter 2: Navigating Hebrews' Sacrificial Argumentation: Yom Kippur and Jesus' Earthly and Heavenly Achievements Chapter 3: How Much More the Blood of Christ? Ritual, Perfection, and the Finality of Purgation Part III: Assurance and The Purified Consciousness Chapter 4: Divine Help, Assurance, and Perpetual Blood Chapter 5: Conclusion Bibliography Index .