Hebrews explicates that Jesus is an interceding high priest in heaven. His heavenly intercession is a continuation of his high priestly intercession on earth, couched in his sacrificial offering »in the days of his flesh,« and his current intercession for God's people is vocal, real, and efficacious.
Recent scholarship on Hebrews has focused on Christ's sacrifice, resurrection, atonement, and priesthood. Though these discussions focus on the pre-and-post ascension mediatorial role of Jesus, there has been minimal attention paid to »intercession« as the present mediatorial task of Jesus in heaven. In this volume, Abeneazer G. Urga examines the background and nature of Jesus' heavenly intercession in the Epistle to the Hebrews. He demonstrates that the author of Hebrews has primarily depended on the LXX and some texts of the New Testament – while remaining cognizant of the theme of intercession in Second Temple Literature – in the formulation of the motif of Jesus' high priestly intercession. Urga also argues that Jesus' heavenly intercession is
vocalis et realis , and that his intercession is made in order to procure help and the forgiveness of sin for God's people in their time of need.
Survey of contents
Chapter 1: Introduction and Precedent Research Chapter 2: The Motif of Intercession in the Old Testament2.1 Introduction
2.2 Definition of Intercession
2.3 Abraham's Intercession for Sodom (Gen 18:20–33)
2.4 Moses' Intercession for Israel
2.5 Aaron's Intercession (Lev 16:20–22)
2.6 Amos' Intercession for Israel (Amos 7:1–6)
2.7 The Suffering Servant's Intercession (Isa 53:12)
2.8 Jeremiah's Intercession
2.9 Daniel's Intercession
2.10 Angelic Intercession
2.11 Conclusion
Chapter 3: The Motif of Intercession in the Second Temple Literature3.1 Introduction
3.2 1 Maccabees
3.3 2 Maccabees
3.4 3 Maccabees
3.5 The Testament of Levi
3.6 1 Enoch
3.7 The Mishnah
3.8 The Dead Sea Scrolls: Intercession in The Genesis Apocryphon
3.9 Intercession in Philo
3.10 Conclusion
Chapter 4: Jesus' Intercession in the New Testament outside of Hebrews4.1 Introduction
4.2 Jesus' Earthly Intercession
4.3 Jesus' Intercession for Peter (Luke 22:31–32)
4.4 Jesus' Priestly Intercession and Consecration (John 17:1–26)
4.5 Jesus' Intercession at Gethsemane
4.6 Jesus' Intercession on the Cross (Luke 23:34a)
4.7 Jesus' Final Intercession on the Cross (Luke 23:46)
4.8 Jesus' Heavenly Intercession
4.9 The Son of Man Intercedes in Heaven (Acts 7:55–56)
4.10 Christ's Heavenly Intercession for Us (Rom 8:34)
4.11 Jesus Christ Our Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1–2)
4.12 Conclusion
Chapter 5: Jesus' Heavenly Intercession in the Epistle to the Hebrews5.1 Introductory Questions
5.2 Exegesis of Texts
5.3 Hebrews 1:3c-d, 13
5.4 Hebrews 2:17–18
5.5 Hebrews 3:1–6
5.6 Hebrews 4:14–16
5.7 Hebrews 5:5–10
5.8 Hebrews 6:19–20
5.9 Hebrews 7:25
5.10 Hebrews 8:1–4
5.11 Hebrews 9:11–12, 24
5.12 Hebrews 10:11–14
5.13 Hebrews 10:19–25
5.14 Hebrews 12:1–2
5.15 Conclusion
Chapter 6: Conclusion
