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The Structure of Hebrews: A Text-Linguistic Analysis
Understanding the overall structure or framework of a book is essential to determining a text's meaning. However, no scholarly consensus has yet developed regarding the structure of the Book of Hebrews. In this study, Guthrie offers a compelling new proposal for organizing this "word of exhortation" utilizing insights from the field of text linguistics. Originally published by E.J. Brill, this North American edition is part of Baker's Biblical Studies Library.181 pp. November '98 publication date.
161 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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About the author
George H. Guthrie
51 books22 followersDr. George Guthrie serves as the Benjamin W. Perry Professor of Bible at Union University in Jackson, TN. As a student of the New Testament and Koine Greek, he is the author of numerous articles and seven books, including, The Structure of Hebrews: A Textlinguistic Analysis (Supplements to Novum Testamentum, 73. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1994; republished by Baker Books in 1998), Biblical Greek Exegesis (Co-authored with J. Scott Duvall, Zondervan), the NIV Application Commentary: Hebrews, and Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Hebrews. Dr. Guthrie has participated in translation projects, such as the revision of The New Living Translation, and has served as a consultant on the Holman Christian Standard Bible, the New Century Version, and the English Standard Version. He has also served for five years as a co-chair of the Biblical Greek Language and Linguistics Section of SBL, has served on the Executive Committee of the Institute for Biblical Research, and has served on the editorial board for Sheffield's JSNTS monograph series. At Union University he has led in the establishment of, and serves as Senior Fellow in, the Ryan Center for Biblical Studies, which is committed to promoting sound Bible reading, study, and interpretation at the grassroots level of the church. Dr. Guthrie holds both the Ph.D. and the M.Div. degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Th.M. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 29, 2018
Anyone who wants to do in-depth study of Hebrews should consult this book. Guthrie's observations simply make too much sense to be ignored.
June 4, 2019
A homerun mixing text-linguistic/discourse analysis and literary criticism to hone in on a tough yet important issue. The author is very convincing in his method and proofs.
December 13, 2016
To start, I have to admit that I did not 'read' the book like I do most books. What I mean by that, is that I didn't read every word on the page, but rather read for content, skimming through sections at times (it's a method I had to adopt in grad school to get through all the reading I was assigned at times). I was given a reading list by a mentor whom I meet with regularly, and this book was HIGHLY recommended that if I were able to get my hands on it, I had to read it. Looking at the price on Amazon for used copies almost gave me a heart attack, but I was quickly surprised when (out of just sheer humor) I submitted a request for an interlibrary loan at my local library to see if they could find it. To my amazement, about 1-2 weeks after submitting the request, they called me and said my book was in. Having a limited time to read it also played into the factor of reading for content rather than making sure I absorbed EVERY last word on the page.
Overall, this is a very helpful book for one who wants to study the book of Hebrews. HOWEVER, it is NOT the easiest read I've ever trekked through. The first half of the book is HEAVILY involved with the history of text-linguistic analysis involving Hebrews, and once the author moves on to addressing the actual text, he utilizes the Greek text at times (without translating). Luckily for me, I've been continuing to work on my Greek so I was able to get through it, but it might prove a little more difficult for someone who hasn't done any work with Greek.
I found Guthrie's structure of Hebrews highly fascinating and a great help to grasping the overarching picture of what the author of Hebrews might have been trying to accomplish when writing the letter. I ESPECIALLY love the various charts and illustrations that he provided in the book to illustrate what he was trying to say. I was able to create my own flow chart based upon his findings that I'm planning on utilizing next semester for our guy's bible study in our campus ministry.
Having never really studied Hebrews super in-depth, I am unable to compare this book and the structures within to other scholar's, however I can say that what Guthrie presents here is pretty convincing. Looking at the letter as two genres that are interwoven and are both moving to bring the hearer to an overall conclusion (though doing it different ways) is something, that to quote Guthrie, "makes our methods of outlining difficult, but rhetorically would have been super effective and powerful!"
If you're ever studying Hebrews and have an opportunity to read this book, I recommend that you at least attempt it! At the very least, check out chapter 7 (and utilize the index to look up techniques/methods that are talked about in the earlier chapters to fill in any confusion you face).
Overall, this is a very helpful book for one who wants to study the book of Hebrews. HOWEVER, it is NOT the easiest read I've ever trekked through. The first half of the book is HEAVILY involved with the history of text-linguistic analysis involving Hebrews, and once the author moves on to addressing the actual text, he utilizes the Greek text at times (without translating). Luckily for me, I've been continuing to work on my Greek so I was able to get through it, but it might prove a little more difficult for someone who hasn't done any work with Greek.
I found Guthrie's structure of Hebrews highly fascinating and a great help to grasping the overarching picture of what the author of Hebrews might have been trying to accomplish when writing the letter. I ESPECIALLY love the various charts and illustrations that he provided in the book to illustrate what he was trying to say. I was able to create my own flow chart based upon his findings that I'm planning on utilizing next semester for our guy's bible study in our campus ministry.
Having never really studied Hebrews super in-depth, I am unable to compare this book and the structures within to other scholar's, however I can say that what Guthrie presents here is pretty convincing. Looking at the letter as two genres that are interwoven and are both moving to bring the hearer to an overall conclusion (though doing it different ways) is something, that to quote Guthrie, "makes our methods of outlining difficult, but rhetorically would have been super effective and powerful!"
If you're ever studying Hebrews and have an opportunity to read this book, I recommend that you at least attempt it! At the very least, check out chapter 7 (and utilize the index to look up techniques/methods that are talked about in the earlier chapters to fill in any confusion you face).
February 19, 2013
This book provides a very helpful introduction to text-linguistics / discourse analysis combined with an proposal about the structure of Hebrews that is overall quite convincing. In brief, Guthrie posits and interweaving of expositional and exhortational sections in Hebrews. These various sections are demarked and linked with variety of devices (e.g., inclusio, hook words). The expositional sections follow this line of reasoning: "The Son Superior to the Angels (1:5-14) → The Son Became Lower than the Angels (i.e., Among Men) to Deliver Men from Sin (2:10-18) → The Son, on the Basis of His Identification with Men, is Taken from Among Men and Appointed as High Priest (5:1-7:28) → Because of His Appointment, He is Able to Offer a Superior Offering in Heaven (8:3-10:18)" (Based on Fig. 30, Guthrie, Structure of Hebrews, 127; text taken from figure verbatim; structure of figure not preserved). Central to the exhortational sections are the five passages in Hebrews that warn against apostasy from God's Word.
The other exhortational sections come in four groups: 3:1-4:11, faithfulness; 5:11-6:3 and 6:9-12, reason for warning, reason for hope; 10:32-12:24, endurance; ch. 13 concluding exhortations. The exhortational sections are all linked closely with the warnings. 3:1-4:11 has warning passages on either side of it. The same is true of the third group, 10:32-12:24. The second group has a warning passage in its midst. The fourth group follows a warning passage. When put together, it becomes clear that the exposition focuses on the Son: his superiority, his humiliation, his priestly office, and his priestly work. The exhortations focus on warnings against turning away for the word or message that God has entrusted to them and on admonitions toward faithfulness and endurance in their faith. The teaching about the Son provides the doctrinal foundation for the exhortations.
The other exhortational sections come in four groups: 3:1-4:11, faithfulness; 5:11-6:3 and 6:9-12, reason for warning, reason for hope; 10:32-12:24, endurance; ch. 13 concluding exhortations. The exhortational sections are all linked closely with the warnings. 3:1-4:11 has warning passages on either side of it. The same is true of the third group, 10:32-12:24. The second group has a warning passage in its midst. The fourth group follows a warning passage. When put together, it becomes clear that the exposition focuses on the Son: his superiority, his humiliation, his priestly office, and his priestly work. The exhortations focus on warnings against turning away for the word or message that God has entrusted to them and on admonitions toward faithfulness and endurance in their faith. The teaching about the Son provides the doctrinal foundation for the exhortations.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews