The study of Hebrews and the Catholic Epistles was never truly confined to their place in fraught ecclesiastical disputes. Recent decades have witnessed a resurgence of interest in these writings. The present volume seeks to assess the relevance of these works to various questions that are often posed to other parts of the New Testament canon, to report on the current state of scholarship devoted to the interpretive issues they raise, and to survey their rich and often-overlooked afterlives.

The author to the Hebrews tells us that in the past God spoke through the prophets but now he has spoken through the Son: Jesus. The message transmitted is now complete and clear. The entire letter is concerned with the superiority of this new covenant of the Son. It is better in every way when compared with Sinai’s rules and regulations as it is now no longer based on shadows of the heavenly reality but the reality itself. There can be no going back to the former, since all is better—including the promises, the priesthood, and the relationship with the Father through the Son. He shares the heavenly throne with the Father and is our unique intercessor. His new covenant means that there is no need for any other mediator, and the Holy Spirit’s power enables a complete forgiveness of sin for all who persevere and give themselves to following the purposes of God with passionate faith. However, experiences of the past do not guarantee the future, and there is a race to be run, which means that passion and purpose are required on an ongoing basis.

F.F. Bruce's study on the Epistle to the Hebrews is a contribution to The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Prepared by some of the world's leading scholars, the series provides an exposition of the New Testament books that is thorough and fully abreast of modern scholarship yet faithful to the Scriptures as the infallible Word of God.