Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims: A Theology of Hebrews
Dennis E. Johnson, Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims: A Theology of Hebrews. New Testament Theology. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024. xviii + 193 pp. $24.99, paperback.
Dennis E. Johnson, Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology at Westminster Seminary California, is known to many readers of this journal for his contributions to New Testament (NT) studies and redemptive-historical preaching. This book is the fruit of many years of Johnson’s considering Hebrews. In the preface, he recounts that he taught Hebrews for sixteen years. While teaching, “I fell in love with Hebrews, especially with its Christ-centered, redemptive-historical reading of the Old Testament” (xiii). Subsequently, he wrote “two fairly brief commentaries” (xiv) on Hebrews (in the ESV Expositional Commentary series and the Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary series).
This book, Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims: A Theology of Hebrews, is in the New Testament Theology series edited by Thomas Schreiner and Brian Rosner. The series’ purpose is to focus on the theology of individual NT books but to do so “maintaining sight of the Bible’s overarching narrative and Christocentric focus” (xi). This purpose clearly dovetails well with Johnson’s interests and the many themes in the book of Hebrews itself, not to mention warming the heart of any Reformed Christian who affirms a full-orbed covenant theology. Compared to other books in this series, Johnson’s includes more explicit pastoral application. For example, “God’s pilgrim people are not in friendly territory … Hebrews is a gift to weary pilgrims, to feed our faith and sustain our stamina as we wend our way through this world’s hostile wilderness to the celestial city” (165–66).
As to introductory matters, Johnson briefly argues for mostly traditional conclusions. Hebrews was originally a sermon written to a primarily ethnically Jewish congregation of which many of these Jewish Christians were being harassed by the broader Jewish community. Also, some of the congregants were “question[ing] the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice and [were] casting longing looks back toward comfortingly familiar and visible rituals of Israel’s sanctuary” (20). Johnson sees “that the hortatory purpose shapes the doctrinal discussion” (12). And no, the author of Hebrews is not Paul.
As expected, most of the book discusses the theological themes in Hebrews in a very exegetical manner, and Johnson does this admirably. In chapter 1, he begins with the “wilderness pilgrimage paradigm” from Hebrews 3:7– 4:13. He shows many aspects of the Psalm 95 quote and its implications for present believers. Concerning the debated “rest” in Hebrews 4:3 and 4:11, it is wholly future and eschatological.
Johnson uses Hebrews 1:2 as a starting point in chapter 2 to discuss the many verses in Hebrews that relate to both God’s unfolding redemptive-historical plan and God’s revelation. As a point of interest, he concludes that διαθήκη in Hebrews 9:16–17 refers to “covenant” not “will.” He extends this hermeneutical discussion into chapter 3 focusing on the various ways that the author of Hebrews interprets Old Testament scriptures. For example, Johnson uses three pithy sayings to capture some of the author of Hebrews’ hermeneutical moves: “If A were so, Scripture would not say B”; “How much more? From good to better, bad to worse”; and “Scripture’s silence speaks.”
Hebrews is well known for the stark ways that it presents Jesus as both the divine Son of God and a man. In chapter 4, Johnson well shows that Hebrews presents “the unchanging God who becomes human” (79). He also notes this matches the Nicene and Chalcedon creeds. Chapter 5 then covers more specifically Christ’s priestly qualifications for his mediatorial role given his two natures, divine and human. Concerning the controversial thesis by David Moffitt, Johnson concludes against Moffitt that (1) Jesus’ priestly ministry includes both his earthly and heavenly work (Moffitt denies Jesus was a priest on earth) and (2) that Jesus’ death was atoning (Moffitt denies this affirming instead that the “atonement” is only heavenly). In chapter 6, Johnson emphasizes the benefits from Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice that results in forgiveness of sins, personal sanctification, and a future home. Here, Christ’s intercession is also discussed.
In the final chapter, persevering faith is addressed. “Hebrews reinforces its exhortations to forward-focused-faith with both negative and positive examples from Israel’s history recorded in the Old Testament” (147–48, emphasis his). As to Hebrews 6:4–6, Johnson assumes based on Israel’s wilderness paradigm a visible/invisible distinction and that those in the visible church who fall away were never united to Christ by faith in the first place. For some, no repentance is available due to “such a high-handed repudiation of Christ” (156).
If you could not tell, I like Johnson’s book! He is familiar with the Reformed tradition and makes no apologies for assuming divine authorship. Also, he is familiar with recent scholarship on Hebrews but keeps this mostly in the background, with the exception of Moffitt. I especially like his pastoral concern and devotional comments.
If one is going to preach through Hebrews, this is an excellent resource along with standard commentaries.
Robert J. Cara
Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte
