Structure of Hebrews

Peter J. Leithart, November 19, 2006

Gabriella Gelardini of the University of Basel gave an excellent presentation on the structure of Hebrews, defending this basic chiasm:

A. Elevation and Abasement of the Son, 1:1-2:18 (terminology: son, angels, abase)
B. Faithlessness of fathers and sons, 3:1-6:20
C. New Covenant and the cult, 7:1-10:18
B'. Faith of sons and fathers, 10:19-12:3
A'. Abasement and elevation of sons, 12:4-13:25 (terminology: sons, angels, abase)

Further, she described the following chiastic arrangement of key unique, or nearly unique terms:

A. 1:1-4
B. 2:1-4: "escape" is unique to this and corresponding section
C. 3:1-6: "look to Jesus" is unique to this and corresponding section
D. 4:12-13: invisible: this and the corresponding section are the only places that speak of visibility
E. 6:13-20: this and the corresponding section are, apart from one other section, the only places where "veil" is used
F. 8:1-6/9:11-14: only places that speak of heavenly tabernacle
E'. 10:19-23: Veil again
D'. 11:1-3: visibility
C'. 12:1-3: Look to Jesus
B'. 12:25-29: "escape"
A'. 13:20-25

Gelardini diagrammed this vertically, like a stepped pyramid, so that the C/E section were at the peak of the mountain. The text also appears to picture the movement toward the Most Holy Place. The readers escape from the old world, look to Jesus, and pas through the veil into the heavenly tabernacle, from which they emerge again. The whole book seems to be textually picturing a progress toward the MHP, a textual picture of the High Priest's entry into and exit from the MHP on the Day of Atonement.