I WISH SOMEONE WOULD EXPLAIN HEBREWS TO ME!
By Stuart Olyott
Banner of Truth. 198 pages. £7.50
ISBN 978-1-84871-060-3
Good title — if a bit long! Who of us hasn’t struggled at times to make sense of some of the material in this epistle?
Of course there are accessible, memorable and beautiful descriptions of Christ, who is superior in every way, and the insistent call to keep going in the faith is one that few of us can miss. But all that Old Testament referencing, the order of Melchizedek and that notoriously difficult apostasy section of chapter 6! It’s a minefield.
The author is a sure and reliable guide and the material is pitched well for a Hebrews newbie. Perhaps the style falls uneasily on occasions between that of the preacher and the commentator. But it doesn’t get in the way.
I was particularly helped by the parallels drawn between that tricky sixth chapter and the parable of the sower in the gospel. Always looking to apply the truth off the page and into the heart and life, this book has a devotional quality.
Those seeking closer exegesis must look elsewhere, but do not mistake simplicity for naivety. As the author himself says, quoting Einstein, ‘things should be as simple as possible, but no simpler’. Limited cross-references and a very small secondary reading list can, as here, hide deep theological reflection.
This book will serve well the shelves of those who are starting to build a library of basic commentaries on Bible books. I commend it.
