Jesus' Death and Heavenly Offering in Hebrews

by R.B. Jamieson

This book addresses two crucial, related questions in current research on the Epistle to the when and where did Jesus offer himself? And what role does Jesus' death play both in Hebrews' soteriology as a whole, and specifically in Jesus' high-priestly self-offering? The work argues that the cross is not when and where Jesus offers himself, but it is what he offers. After his resurrection, appointment to high priesthood, and ascent to heaven, Jesus offers himself to God in the inner sanctum of the heavenly tabernacle, and what he offers to God is the soteriological achievement enacted in his death. Hebrews figures blood, in both the Levitical cult and the Christ-event, as a medium of exchange, a life given for life owed. Represented as blood, Christ's death is both means of access and material what he achieved in his death is what he offered to God in heaven.

Genres: Theology

238 pages, Hardcover

Published February 7, 2019

About the author

Bobby Jamieson is a Ph.D. student in New Testament and affiliated lecturer in New Testament Greek at the University of Cambridge. He and his wife are members of Eden Baptist Church, and they live in Cambridge with their three children. Bobby previously served as assistant editor for 9Marks.

Reviews

[Derrick Kenyon]

Rigorous, convincing, and paradigm shifting

[Colby Reese]

Didn’t agree with all of it, but it’s so well-argued and well-written with great theological and exegetical insights that it deserves the 5-star rating.

[K.]

This is one of those books that raises a question and offers an answer that, once understood, can totally change your understanding of the book of the Bible. Namely: what consists of Jesus’s offering in heaven in Hebrews? In short, Jamieson argues that in assuming his heavenly priesthood Christ offers his death and its accomplishments, thus qualifying him for the station of permanent high priest. Jamieson martials compelling evidence for the thesis and interacts fairly with other positions. For a published dissertation, it is extremely accessible; I would recommend it to any theologically educated reader. I only wish Jamieson had taken more time to explore the theological implications of his Biblical interpretation, which I think are fascinating and significant.

[Jacob Moore]

Superb treatment on Jesus' heavenly offering and will change the way I pay attention to specific details in the Bible. I feel like a better Bible reader all while feeling more confident in my faith.

What more could you want before Easter?

[Nick Roark]

Excellent

[DP]

Thought-provoking. A model of academic prose. Generally persuasive to me on the soteriological significance of the ascension (without minimizing the cross or PSA at all).

[Thomas]

Penetrating look at what exactly Hebrews teaches about Christ's work. In sum, the author concludes, with substantial exegetical reason to do so, that Christ's death was efficacious in its own right and Jesus became high priest after he ascended into heaven and offered himself as a sacrifice in the heavenly Holy of Holies. A must read for anyone interested in the person and work of Christ and the book of Hebrews.