The Doctrine of Humankind
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 63, No. 2 – Spring 2021
Editor: David S. Dockery
By Adrio König. Bellingham: Lexham Press, 2019, viii+100pp., $17.99
Adrio König was a professor of systematic theology at the University of South Africa. Christ above All is part of the Transformative Word Series edited by Craig G. Bartholomew and David Beldman.
In the introductory chapter, König notes the difficulties associated with Hebrews. The author, the intended audience and the specific date of its composition are unknown to contemporary scholars. Paul, Luke and Apollos appear to be conducive candidates, yet the identity of the author is far from certain. König proposes that the recipients could be believers who were tempted to go back to the belief and practices of Judaism, hence needing to be retold of the supremacy of Christ. The chapter also overviews the main themes of Hebrews, which will be fleshed out in the subsequent chapters: the humanity and humility of Christ, the use of the OT, the six warnings and the call to perseverance.
Chapter two presents the supremacy of Christ. König argues that Hebrews 1:1–3 is foundational to Hebrews. These verses portray Christ as the final revelation of God, co-Creator with God, sovereign, divine, sustainer of the world, reconciler with God, and King. Following his brief explanation of Hebrews 1:1–3, König states that these verses provide an understanding of both Jesus and the doctrine of the Trinity.
Chapter three explicates the humanity of Christ in Hebrews. The epistle not only highlights the supremacy of Christ but also expounds upon the humility of Christ. In so doing, Hebrews reveals Christ’s identification with humanity. Hebrews portrays Christ as a human who was tempted, suffered and died in order to represent us before God. Nonetheless, unlike the rest of humanity, Christ remains without sin. König posits that Hebrews presents Christ as God-Man, a human being with two natures. As such, Jesus reveals both the image of God and the image of humanity simultaneously.
Chapter four delineates the supremacy of Christ. Christ is superior to the angels who have access to the presence of God and are higher than humanity. He is also superior to Moses, for Moses was only a faithful servant, whereas Jesus is the faithful Son who rules over God’s house. Christ provides a superior rest than that of the OT (Joshua) because of his death and resurrection. Believers are then to rest from sinning against God and enter into that permanent rest through Christ. Christ is also superior to the temple, rituals, sacrifices and the Levitical priests of the OT.
In chapter five, König discusses both the positive and negative deployment of the OT in Hebrews. Although Hebrews asserts the superiority of Christ, it does not denigrate the prophets, the angels, Moses or Melchizedek. These, along with institutions, foreshadow Christ. König uses Hebrews 11 and 12 so as to illustrate Hebrews’ positive view of the OT. Hebrews 11 comes immediately after chapters 7–10 to signify that the Christian faith is composed of suffering; hence, they are urged to persevere. Hebrews is also “negative about certain features in the OT” (p. 60). The repetitive sacrifices and the inability of the law to bring about perfection are the main negative elements Hebrews highlights.
Chapter six is concerned with the warning passages in Hebrews. The epistle’s main thrust, König postulates, is a call for perseverance. Although the warning in Hebrews 6 is frequently highlighted, there are other warnings dispersed throughout the epistle. The warning passages have created heated debates between two camps: those who believe that there is a possibility to fall from grace and those who argue for the perseverance of the saints. König identifies strong scriptural evidence employed for both views. He suggests that we use the warning passages to encourage doubters of the faithfulness of God in securing believers and to seriously warn Christians who are apathetic and on the cusp of abandoning the faith.
In chapter seven, König addresses the issue of the unforgivable sin. The idea of the unforgivable sin is mentioned in three passages (Heb 6:4–6; 10:26–27; 12:14–17). These passages delineate the fact that after the commission of this sin, repentance, sacrifice, and turning back to the faith are impossible. By gleaning from passages outside of Hebrews (such as Matt 12 and 1 John), König identifies the unforgivable sin: identifying the works of the Spirit as being those of Satan and continuing to sin after being informed about God’s truth. He proceeds to argue that in Hebrews, the unforgivable sin is committed not only against the Spirit but also against Jesus, for the person committing this sin is rejecting the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus.
König reads Hebrews with a Chalcedonian framework, and he repeatedly affirms both the divinity and humanity of Christ while at the same time explicating the supremacy of Christ. The clarity and conciseness of the book, coupled with suggested reading passages of Scripture and reflection questions at the end of every chapter, will enable readers to pause and ponder what was said in each chapter. This book will be helpful both in ecclesiastical and academic settings to those who would like to understand what Hebrews is all about.
