Deuteronomy’s concept of life in Hebrews

• Published in: Hervormde teologiese studies Vol. 75; no. 3; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Author: Coetsee, Albert J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pretoria AOSIS 2019; African Online Scientific Information Systems (Pty) Ltd t/a AOSIS; AOSIS (Pty) Ltd; Reformed Theological College of the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Pretoria and Society for Practical Theology in South Africa
• Subjects: Alive; Bible; Death & dying; Deuteronomy; Hebrews; Intertextual; Intertextuality; Life; Live; Living; Meaning of life; New Testament; Old Testament; Religion; Religious aspects; Studies; South Africa; Israel; Hebrews; Intertextual; Living; Life; Live; Deuteronomy; Alive
• ISSN: 0259-9422; 2072-8050; 2072-8050
• DOI: 10.4102/hts.v75i3.5374

This article endeavours to contribute to the study of the influence and effect of Deuteronomy in the book of Hebrews. It investigates the possible influence of one of Deuteronomy’s key concepts on Hebrews, namely, the concept of ‘life’. The article starts off by defining the multifaceted concept of ‘life’ in Deuteronomy. This is followed up by combing through the text of Hebrews to identify traces of this concept in the words and arguments that the writer employs. The possible traces found are then investigated intertextually in detail. This includes references to ‘the living God’ (Heb 3:12; 9:14; 10:31; 12:22), God’s ‘living and active’ word (Heb 4:12), ‘the new and living way’ Jesus opened through his death (Heb 10:20) and the command to ‘submit to the Father of spirits and live’ (Heb 12:9). The article concludes by synthesising the findings to discuss whether Hebrews deliberately employs Deuteronomy’s concept of life.