Benjamin J. Ribbens - Levitical Sacrifice and Heavenly Cult in Hebrews

Benjamin J. Ribbens

Levitical Sacrifice and Heavenly Cult in Hebrews

Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fr die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft

Edited by

Carl R. Holladay, Matthias Konradt,

Hermann Lichtenberger, Judith Lieu,

Jens Schrter and Gregory E. Sterling

Volume 222

ISBN 978-3-11-047581-4

e-ISBN (PDF) 978-3-11-047713-9

e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-3-11-047589-0

ISSN 0171-6441

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A CIP catalog record for this book has been applied for at the Library of Congress.

Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek

Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen

Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet ber

http://dnb.dnb.de abrufbar.

2016 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

www.degruyter.com

For Sarah

, (John 6:40)

For Whitney

;

(1 Thess 3:9)

This monograph is an updated revision of my Ph.D. dissertation defended at Wheaton College in 2013. Many years and many life events have transpired during the writing of this dissertation turned monograph, leaving me with many people to thank. I would first like to thank my doctoral advisor Dr. Douglas Moo who supervised the dissertation. He applies the same rigor to his students as he does to his research and writing, and he has spurred me on to be a better writer, teacher, and theologian. His steady hand brought increased clarity and precision to this work, and I am in his debt for his countless hours spent reading and responding to this work. Yet, more deeply appreciated than his academic tutelage has been his and his wife Jennys care for me as a person.

I want to express my gratitude to Wheatons doctoral program and its current and former faculty for accepting this project and giving it direction. Among the Wheaton faculty, I want to give a special thanks to Dr. Dan Treier who invested in me as a scholar and provided a helpful theological response to this text. I am grateful to my second and external readers, Dr. Hassell Bullock and Dr. Eric F. Mason, for their interaction with this work that has led to a number of improvements. Dr. Mason, in particular, has been an advocate for this monograph and has graciously given me assistance beyond all expectation. I would also like to extend my thanks to Dr. David Moffitt who took the time to read and interact with this manuscript, illuminating ways to improve and sharpen the discourse. Others have contributed to this work, including the formatting supervision of Dr. Chris Vlachos and the editorial work by Carolynn Van Namen.

I am grateful to De Gruyter and the Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fr die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZNW) series for accepting this monograph for publication. The reviews of the editorial board have helped me to clarify the positions articulated in this book more carefully, and I want to thank the staff for their professional and excellent work on the volume.

On a more personal note, I have a host of friends and family who have supported me. I could not have persevered without the support of my parents Bruce and Carol; my siblings Angie and Brad, Sarah and Mark, and Nathan; the Mulder family; the Harris family; seminary friends Josh, Nick, and Steve; Chicago friends Bryan and Mike; friends and colleagues at Elmhurst CRC; and doctoral colleagues at Wheaton.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the role of two amazing women in my life. This work is indebted to my late wife Sarah who died suddenly and tragically on June 5, 2012 during the writing of the dissertation. She was an intelligent and gifted woman, rising quickly to the top of her field, while remaining a humble, principled, Midwestern girl. Her work ethic and dedication inspired me to apply myself fully to my work, and she gave me the encouragement and comfort needed when the schoolwork seemed insurmountable. I could not have lived as rich a life or achieved the completion of this project without her. After spending a year grieving Sarah during which I completed and defended the dissertation, I met Whitney in July 2013 .Whitneys whimsical and easy-going nature made her a joyous companion, and she brought love and joy back into my life. Her sharp intellect and thoughtful reflection continue to challenge and enliven me. Her loving support enables me to flourish in my teaching, serve my students, and continue in my research. We got married November 8, 2014, and I am excited and eager to enjoy life with Whitney. I would like this work to be a tribute to Sarah and to Whitney, acknowledging their love and support and expressing the love, respect, and gratitude I have for them.

March 31, 2016

Benjamin J. Ribbens