[B-Greek] Heb. 13:20-21 - what was/is the blood used for?
Harold Holmyard
hholmyard at ont.com
Wed Dec 7 16:07:25 EST 2005
Dear Luke,
>I was reading the letter to the Hebrews recently, and I have a question
>about Heb. 13:20-21. The question is to do with what was 'the blood of the
>eternal covenant' used for.
>
>In versions like the ESV (and the KJV) these two verses say things like
>this: -
>"Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
>the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip
>you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which
>is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and
>ever. Amen."
>
>Here's my question: -
>-Does the phrase ' ... by the blood of the eternal covenant ... ' refer to
>how God raised the Lord Jesus from the dead? Like this: -
>' ... the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus ... by
>the blood of the eternal covenant ... '
>
>-Or, does the phrase refer to how God equips believers with everything good?
>Like this: -
>'Now may the God of peace ... by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip
>you with everything good ... '
>
>
HH: That's an interesting question. The NET Bible assumes that it is the
former alternative:
13:20 Now may the God of peace who by the blood of the eternal covenant
brought back from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord
Jesus Christ,
HH: This also seems to be the view of the NASB ansd NRSV. The HCSB with
the comma after covenant seems to agree with NET, though it could be
clearer:
13:20-21
Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord
Jesus--the great Shepherd of the sheep--with the blood of the
everlasting covenant, equip you with all that is good to do His will,
working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to
whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
HH: The word order suggests that there is a third alternative. What
follows is a literal translation keeping much of the original word order:
Heb 13:20-21 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the
great Shepherd of the sheep in the blood of the eternal covenant, our
Lord Jesus, may He equip you with every good thing to do His will, doing
in us what is pleasing before Him through Jesus Christ, to whom be the
glory for every and ever, amen.
HH: The phrase "in the blood of the new covenant" might be translated as
"by the blood of the eternal covenant." Of the two alternative
interpretations you gave, the word order seems to favor the first rather
than the second, that God brought up Jesus by the blood of the eternal
covenant. But it is hard to see how this blood was a means of raising
Jesus from the dead. I suppose if it was sinless blood this might
explain it. However, it seems at least conceivable that "the great
Shepherd of the sheep" was such "by the blood of the eternal covenant,"
by the blood that Jesus was willing to shed. We'll have to see what some
others think who are more skilled in Greek than I am, but I find that
the New Living translation supports this third interpretation:
NLT Heb 13:20-21 And now, may the God of peace, who brought again from
the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing his will.
May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is
pleasing to him. Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep by an
everlasting covenant, signed with his blood. To him be glory forever and
ever. Amen.
Yours,
Harold Holmyard
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