Resumen de L'Épître aux hébreux à la lumière du prosélytisme juif
One of the passages of the epistle to the Hebrews (Hb 6,1-2) presents a difficult question. The author recalls to mind the fundamental teaching the audience had received; he specifies this religious instruction in six points: faith in (Exi) God, conversion of the upperworks; teaching of baptisms and hands imposition; resurrection of death and final judgement. One may ask why he speaks of SEVERAL baptisms and why these religious instructions do not mention the Christ. Studying the passage deeply and having in mind the judaism, it can be seen that this catechism is very similar to the ones that were addressed to the proselytes, that is to ay, the pagans that became converted to judaism. Faith in God (kxi plus accusative) indicates probably faith as mouvement as well as the word PROSELYTE (he who approches); the CONVERSION OF UPPERWQRKS reminds the death situation of the pagans; the TEACHING OF BAPTISMS AND HANDS IMPOSITION was necessary in order to establish the meaning of the initiation of rites to detach them completely from the jewish rites of circumcision and baptisn; THE RESURRECTION OF DEATH AND THE LAST JUDGEMENT are the fundamental health promisses from which both, converted jews and christians benefited. This religious teaching is then very near to judaism; only detaches itself from it in relation to the initiation rites - what it is indeed of no importance. The author of the epislle has really a desire to make his christians advance, they have been instructed in a very ~4raditional)) way and emphasizes strongly the role of Jesus Christ. This is the very epistle's purpose. There is a constant use of the verb xeoaÉexopai; get nearer to, where the word proselyte derives from; it is refered to the audience lo make them realize the true root of their proselyte engagement (e.a. Hb. 12,18-22): the new alliance with Jesus Christ. The verses 10,22-23 are also emphasized. They are a deeply christological study of Hb.6,l-2, using sometimes the same expressions but transfigured by the role of Jesus Christ. This is the epistle's mouvement, clarified by our intent to identify the addressees: the pagans converted to christianism in a rather judaizing way, what was in fact frequent among the communities of the first century.
