Texts in Conversation
Hebrews echoes Isaiah’s call to strengthen weak hands and knees, yet uses a version closer to Sirach rather than the Greek translation of Isaiah. This shows that the author likely used a version of Isaiah reshaped by later Jewish interpretation.
Share:
Isaiah 35:3
Hebrew Bible
1 Let the wilderness and desert be happy; let the arid rift valley rejoice and bloom like a lily! 2 Let it richly bloom; let it rejoice and shout with delight! It is given the grandeur of Lebanon, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the grandeur of the Lord, the splendor of our God. 3 Strengthen the hands that have gone limp, steady the knees that shake. 4 Tell those who panic, “Be strong! Do not fear! Look, your God comes to avenge; with divine retribution he comes to deliver you.” 5 Then blind eyes will open, deaf ears will hear.
Date: 7th-5th Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Hebrews 12:12
New Testament
10 For they disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness. 11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed. 14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord.
Date: 80-90 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Search:
Notes and References
"... Ben Sira had a positive view of the Jerusalem temple and its priesthood. This is especially clear in chapters 44–50, where Aaron and Phinehas feature prominently in the hymn in praise of the ancestors and Simon features in the climactic chapter 50. Temple symbolism appears in chapter 24, a poem in praise of wisdom, no longer extant in Hebrew, and in parts of the song of praise of the ancestors (44–50). There are indications that some New Testament writers, particularly Matthew (or perhaps Q), James and possibly the author of Hebrews were familiar with Sirach, at least in its Greek form. (Hebrews 12:12 cites a line from Isaiah 35:3 in a form identical to Sirach 25:23, but different from the LXX of Isaiah) ..."
Church, Philip
Hebrews and the Temple: Attitudes to the Temple in Second Temple Judaism and in Hebrews
(p. 30) Brill, 2017
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
Your Feedback:
Leave a Comment
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.