CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p.

2
No More Sacrifice
Part 1 of 2

Professor John Niemel *
[*Editors note: John Niemel earned his B.A. at the University of
Minnesota, a Th.M. in New Testament Literature and Exegesis
(Dallas Theological Seminary), and is a Ph.D. candidate in New
Testament Literature and Exegesis (Dallas Theological Seminary).
John is professor of Greek and Hebrew at Chafer Theological
Seminary.]
Introduction
A troubling sermon in 1968 launched this author into a twenty-five year quest
to understand Hebrews 10:2627. The issue behind the inquiry was What is the
impact of his passage on the security (or insecurity) of believers?
If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the
truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain
fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will
devour the adversaries (Hebrews 10:2627).
1
This article traces a pilgrimage leading to a simple solution for Hebrews
10:2627. It integrates the exegesis of the passage into the books overall context.
Personal Pilgrimage
The following chart traces the chronology of the authors perception of the
passage.It also serves as the basic outline of the article.
View Years Held Problem with Prior View:
A. No Security 196874
B. Never-Saved 197483 (A) Eternal security
C. Fellowship-
Sacrifice
198393 (B) The books audience
D. Change of
Covenants
1993 (C) Analysis of Hebrews 10:18

1
Holy Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson, 1982). All Scripture citations are
from the NKJV, unless otherwise identified.
Figure 1. The Authors Developing Perspective on Hebrews 10:2627.
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 3
The authors autobiographical context is the setting of the authors four-stage
exegetical inquiry.
2
His loyalty has always been to the text, not to a theological
system. This article scrutinizes three presuppositions once held by this writer.
The No Security View
This view regards that forfeiture of eternal life as the penalty for a Christian
sinning willfully. This was the authors initial presupposition, because his
childhood church taught that faith in Christ canceled only ones pre-conversion
sins. Thus, serious post-conversion sin could still result in eternal damnation.
In 1968 the preacher warned about Christians apostatizing. He taught from
Hebrews 10:26 that apostates not only lose eternal salvation, but also become
unforgivable. The haunting possibility of apostatizing in the future made it seem
foolish to me (at age 15) to become a Christian while still a teenager. It made
sense to remain unredeemed, because that would leave a possibility of
redemption.
A close friends death in a hunting accident caused that sermon to fade from
memory. College friends explained the Gospel and I believed in Christ as savior.
The Never-Saved View
A year later, another friend showed that eternal security was a necessary
implication of eternal life being a gift (John 4:10; Ephesians 2:8). If cessation of
works results in the forfeiture of eternal life, then the gift of life would not truly
be a gift, but only a good deal. It was wonderful to gain the absolute certainty of
eternal life that eternal security offers.
Hebrews 10:26 soon became a problem, because it seemed to present
conditional security. The view that Hebrews 10 aims at a mixed audience seemed
to resolve the problem. Equating willful sin with unbelief allows acceptance of
eternal security, but it creates other unforeseen tensions.
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 4
The Fellowship-Sacrifice View
Nine years later, a fellow-language major at seminary argued that Hebrews
directs its five warning passages to believers. This approach, the Fellowship-
Sacrifice view, must prove that Hebrews uses the vocative brethren to address
believers. The next section, therefore, shows that Hebrews defines brethren as

2
Part 1 of the inquiry considers the No Security and Never-Saved views. Part 2 will appear
in the CTS Journal, vol. 5, #1 (March 1999).
believers. The following section considers outlining issues and the final one
explains the Fellowship-Sacrifice view.
Brethren Are Believers
At this time, this author regarded believing and unbelieving Jews as
brethren in Hebrews. This is a broad definition of brethren, which posits that the
author of Hebrews aimed the doctrine to believers, but the warnings to
unbelievers.
3
Can one defend such a view?
The term brethren groups people as brothers horizontally (ethnically),
4
or
vertically (in terms of relationship with God). The horizontal relationship would
refer to fellow Jews, whereas the vertical would address fellow Christians.
Groupings 13 occur in the NT, but category 4 extends even to unbelieving
Gentiles. This would be synonymous with people. It is a doubtful category of
NT usage.
Figure 2. Horizontal vs. Vertical Inclusion for the Term: Brethren.
However, some commentaries give the impression that brethren includes
unbelieving Jews and believing gentiles. That is not precisely correct. It often
includes one or the other, but it is doubtful that it ever simultaneously refers to
both. This is an important concept for defining its categories of usage in Acts.
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 5
Within the historical narrative of Acts a number of speakers deliver a host of
speeches to a variety of audiences over a twenty-six year span (A.D. 33-60). It
includes sermons by Peter, Stephen, Philip, Paul, James, and others. Yet, none of
these speakers address Theophilus, the one to whom Luke wrote Acts.
Furthermore, Luke delivers no speeches in Acts. Where then does Luke have a
voice? He, as the narrator, directly addresses Theophilus in Acts 1:1. In a broader
sense, Luke addresses the whole book through Theophilus to believers. Luke uses
the historical narrative to unify the book. Significantly, within the narrative (the
non-speech) sections of Acts, brother () never refers to unbelievers.
5

3
John F. MacArthur, Jr., Hebrews, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago:
Moody, 1983), xi. He argues for this on pp. xi-xv. Others reach this position more indirectly. Cf.
Homer Kent in the text associated with notes 1617 (below).
4
A few New Testament passages speak of physical siblings. Of course, full-brothers would share
the same ethnicity.
5
Two categories of non-speech uses occur: (1) Physical brothers (who in both cases were also
believers) Acts 1:14, 12:2; and (2) believers: Acts 1:15 (Critical Text); 9:30; 10:23; 11:1, 29; 14:2;
15:1, 3, 22, 32, 33, 40; 16:2, 40; 17:6, 10, 14; 18:18, 27; 21:7, 17; 28:14, 15. Luke was the
original author of the non-speech sections. The rest of the occurrences are in (1) letters: Acts
15:23, 23; or speeches: Acts 1:16; 2:29, 37; 3:17, 22; 6:3; 7:2, 13, 23, 25, 26, 37; 9:17; 11:12;
12:17; 13:15, 26, 38; 15:7, 13, 36; 20:32 (Majority Text); 21:20; 22:1, 5, 13; 23:1, 5, 6; 28:17, 21.
Luke did not create the speeches or letters, but cites the original speakers in their own contexts.
Each speech in Acts addresses its own audience. In marked contrast to Lukes
narration, though, individual speakers sometimes addressed believing or
unbelieving Jews as brethren. Other speeches in Acts address Gentile believers as
brethren. Over the twenty-six year span of Acts, speakers applied the term to
varied audiences.
Since the meaning for brethren comes from the context of each speech
individually, Luke (in each speech) reports the antecedent for brethren for
Theophilus sake. However, in non-speech sections, the meaning always reverts
to Lukes basic definition: brethren are believers.
Acts 1314 illustrates. In Acts 13:15, synagogue officials called Paul a
brother. Pauls speech (Acts 13:1641) reciprocated, addressing them as brethren
(esp. 13:26, 38). One week later, Paul went to Iconium. Here, in Acts 14:2,
unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles against the brethren. Luke does not
need to define brethren in 14:2 (a narrative verse). It does not include the
unbelieving Jews, so it cannot be racial. Neither can it merely refer to Gentiles,
since the Jews stirred them up against the brethren. Clearly, in this narrative
context, brethren means believers. Luke always returns to this meaning in
narrative sections of Acts.
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 6
In marked contrast to his narrative, Luke allows speakers to define brethren
for each speech. Thus, the meaning for brethren in the speeches of Acts is either
(1) believing Jews and Gentiles, or (2) Jews (who may or may not believe).
Speakers addressed a variety of audiences and often used brethren for address.
Luke honored those writers by retaining their vocatives. However, when he wrote
narrative, Luke consistently used brethren to address believers. Against this
consistent use of brethren in the historical narrative, Luke takes care to present
each speakers definition for the same term. He does this by specifying each
audience within the context.
Since Luke exercised diligence in using the term brethren, commentators
ought to avoid over-generalizations. Luke does not include unbelievers in his
definition, although certain speeches (by other speakers) retain that usage.
Hebrews is not analogous to the book of Acts. It does not contain a multitude
of speeches over twenty-six years. Instead, it targets a single community
6
at one

6
The proof that the destination is a single community comes from Hebrews 10 and 13. Hebrews
10:32 says, But recall the former days in which you endured a great struggle with sufferings.
Verse 34 amplifies, for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the
plundering of your goods . Furthermore, the writer plans to see them and extends personal
greetings to them in 13:2324, Know that our brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I
shall see you if he comes shortly. Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from
Italy greet you.
point in time (sometime between the release of Timothy from prison and the
destruction of Jerusalem).
7
Thus, the expositor should expect a fixed definition for
the term. Unlike Acts, with many speeches, this book is like a single (written)
speech to one audience. Now where does the author define brethren, the
audience?
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 7
1. Hebrews 2:113:1. This passage defines brethren as sanctified ones.
For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of
one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
saying: I will declare Your name to My brethren (Hebrews
2:11).
Christ is the sanctifier of believers. Both are of one [Father],
8
God the Father.
Sons of the same father are, by definition, brothers.
Figure 3. The Family Tree of Brethren in Hebrews.
Brethren are holy. Therefore, the writer addresses them as holy brethren
(3:1).
9
Hebrews 2:11 gives his only definition of brethren. No basis exists for the
suggestion that Hebrews 2:11 defines only a portion of the brethren that the writer
addresses. Where does the author define unholy brethren?
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 8
Does holy brethren imply a corollary: unholy brethren? No, people do speak
of dead corpses, round circles, long-necked giraffes, cold snow, red blood,
eternal God, and hot steam. These adjectival phrases do not imply the existence
of live corpses, square circles, short-necked giraffes, hot snow, gray blood, non-

7
Cf. note 5 (above), which mentions the release of Timothy. Since Acts does not mention this
imprisonment, it undoubtedly happened after the end of Acts (A.D. 60). The book treats sacrifices
as ongoing (Hebrews 10:1), so the temple was still standing (pre-A.D. 70).
8
Scholars debate the gender of the referent for of one ( ). The simplest view is as a
masculine, referring to God the Father, since a common fatherhood underlies brotherhood. This
does not deny Christs deity or eternality. Cf. Ephesians 1:3.
9
Hebrews 3:1 has another vocative, partakers (). Some may think that Hebrews 3:14s
statement, For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence
steadfast to the end, proves that all Christians persevere to the end. Such a view deduces that
holy brethren invariably are partakers from 3:1s juxtaposition of holy brethren and partakers.
This is not necessarily the interpretation. For example, a teacher might address first grade
students with a pair of vocatives, Children, first graders. After promotion to the second grade,
she could still address them as children, but not as first graders. Similarly, believers cannot cease
to be Christs brethren. Sadly, not all brethren are partakers and some who were partakers cease
partaking. The author addressed brethren who (at that time) were all partakers, but were under
temptation to cease being partakers. He warned them against succumbing.
eternal God, or cold steam. Hebrews 3:1 addresses holy brethren, because that is
the books basic definition of brethren (cf. Hebrews 2:11ff).
2. Hebrews 3:1213. These verses are part of a single Greek sentence.
10

Brethren must guard against having an evil heart of unbelief.
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of
unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another
daily, while it is called Today, lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin (3:1213).
Some commentaries seek to escape from regarding this as a warning to
Christians by breaking one sentence into two. Treating each verse separately
11

hides the issue without resolving it.
Take care, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil unbelieving
heart, in falling from the living God (3:12).
12

But exhort one another day after day, as long as it is called
Today, lest any one of you be hardened through the deceitfulness
of sin (3:13).
13
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 9
Regarding verses 12 and 13, the same commentary says,
[12] Brethren is not a reference to Christians as is holy brethren
in 3:1. It refers to racial brothers, unbelieving Jews, as the term
does throughout the book of Acts.
14

.
[13] The writer is saying to the believers among those to whom he
is writing, Get along side each other and help each other.
15


10
The Majority Text and Nestle-Aland
27
differ regarding the continuation of the sentence into
verse 14. However, both Greek texts perceive that 3:1213 belong together, due to the vocative
itself.
11
Arthur W. Pink, An Exposition of Hebrews, (Swengel, PA: Bible Truth Depot, 1954; reprint,
Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1968), 16475 deal with 3:712, and 17687 deal with 3:13
19. MacArthur, Hebrews, 9193, also splits this Greek sentence. He treats verse 12 as unbelievers
and verse 13 as believers, despite the grammar.
12
MacArthur, Hebrews, 91. His comment on the verse is on 92.
13
MacArthur, Hebrews, 92. He discusses the verse on 9293.
14
MacArthur, Hebrews, 92.
15
MacArthur, Hebrews, 93.
A simplified grammatical diagram argues against splitting the sentence. The
brethren are both to beware and to exhort. The vocative links the whole sentence.
What Hebrews joins together, man should not part asunder.
See the grammatical diagram.
16
In the presence of a vocative controlling two second person plural imperatives
in one sentence, is it reasonable to address verse 12 to unbelievers and verse 13 to
believers? The word but () distinguishes between the self-focus of the first
verb and the others-focus of the second, not between subjects.
Another imaginative approach to Hebrews 3:1213 subtly defines a single
occurrence of brethren in two ways. Initially, one commentary treats brethren as
Christians, [F]or a Jewish Christian to abandon Christ and return to Judaism
is here [3:12] called apostasy from the living God.
17
It sounds like a reference to
Jesus sanctified brethren of Hebrews 2:11.
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 10
However, regarding Hebrews 3:14, the same commentary says,
This is not a warning that a true sharer of Christ will ever have
that status withdrawn, but a solemn reminder that a true sharer
will continue in the first faith, and will not apostatize to Judaism
. A real believer by definition is one who is believing. He never
ceases to believe.
18
The commentator calls those whom Hebrews warns Jewish Christians, but
then asserts that they had never believed. What is this category: Jewish
Christians who never believed?
It is an effort to avoid the point of Hebrews 3:1213. It is a subtle evasion of
the authors warning that Christs sanctified brethren must guard against
developing unbelief. Clearly, each one must guard against developing unbelief
within himself (3:12) and exhorting other believers, lest it develop in them (3:13).
If Hebrews calls unbelievers Christs brethren, it would be a bait and switch
tactic. When conservative commentators employ such imaginative solutions as
splitting sentences wrongly or attributing a double-speak definition to a word,
something is wrong. The only definition that Hebrews gives for brethren is that
they are the ones that Christ positionally sanctified. It is time for scholars to let
Hebrews speak for itself: the author warns believers!

16
Neither Greek nor English states the pronoun you, but the 2nd plural verbs imply you.
17
Homer A. Kent, Jr., The Epistle to the Hebrews: A Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House, 1972), 73.
18
Kent, Hebrews, 75. Note 2 (above) critiques a false presupposition that Kent makes.
3. Hebrews 6:9. Commentators correctly regard the vocative of beloved
19
as a
reference to believers.
But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you,
yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this
manner.
Some expositors find it odd that Hebrews injects an exhortation to believers
into a section that they categorize as non-exhortational. Perhaps, instead, their
outlines misconstrue the argument of Hebrews.
4. Hebrews 7:5. This is Hebrews only purely ethnic use of brethren.
And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the
priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people
according
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 11
to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from
the loins of Abraham. (Hebrews 7:5)
The passage depends on the family tree of Israel. Levi and his brothers were
the progenitors of each of Israels tribes. Their father was Jacob, their grandfather
was Isaac, and their great-grandfather was Abraham. Thus, the descendants of
Levi collected tithes from the other tribes.
The meaning of brethren, here, is not controversial in the literature. However,
Levis brethren does not equal Israel. Why not? The Levites did not collect
tithes from themselves. Numbers 18:2532 told them to collect a tithe from the
other tribes. One tenth of the collection became a heave offering for the Lord
(without ever becoming the property of the Levites). Rather than collecting a tithe
from the Levites, they received ninety percent of the tithes of the other tribes.
Hebrews 7:5 says that they collected it from their brethren (
).
By contrast, the ethnic brethren of the writer of Hebrews would include the
Levites. Furthermore, the writer of Hebrews calls Timothy a brother (Hebrews
13:23), but his father was Greek (Acts 16:1). Thus, (as a believer) Timothy was a
brother of the writer, but (as a non-Jew) he was not a brother of the Levites.
In other words, those who argue that brethren means Jews in Hebrews
cannot appeal to this verse. It does not make Israelites brethren, but non-
Levitical Israelites into Levis brethren. The verse has no bearing upon the
addressees of Hebrews; it contains no vocatives.

19
MacArthur, Hebrews, 151.
5. Hebrews 8:11. Brethren refers to believers under the New Covenant,
quoting Jeremiah 31:34. This verse does not clarify the addressee issue, since it
has no vocative.
6. Hebrews 10:19. It says, Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the
Holiest by the blood of Jesus. Even here, a few regard brethren as a reference to
Jewish unbelievers.
I believe that brethren refers here, as elsewhere in Hebrews and
also in Romans (9:3) to fellow Jews, not to fellow Christians.
These physical brothers are being urged to take hold of the
perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ
20
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 12
The extent of that commentarys validation is the hollow assertion: I believe
that This is a conclusion, not proof.
The grammar weighs heavily against such an assertion. One should consider
verse 22, which contains the main verb for the sentence: let us draw near. Three
participles modify this verb. Two of them are crucial to the chronological flow of
the passage. These are having been sprinkled (10:22) and having been washed
(10:22). Regardless of the text one follows,
21
both participles in verse 22 occur
before the main verb. The grammar establishes the sequence as:
a. Our hearts having [already] been sprinkled (10:22b)
Our bodies having [already] been washed (10:22c)
b. Brethren, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance (10:22a)
This addresses people whose hearts have been already sprinkled from an evil
conscience and whose bodies have already been washed with pure water. It
should be evident that these are sanctified brethren of the Lord. Although he urges
them to draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, these people have
already believed in Christ. They already had eternal life. When the author
addresses brethren, he means believers.
7. Hebrews 13:22. This verse has three uses of you that determine the
interpretation of brethren. The word bear () is a second person plural
imperative. English imperatives imply the subject, you, just as the Greek implies

20
MacArthur, Hebrews, 260.
21
In the Majority Text, the form is , an aorist circumstantial participle. In Nestle-
Aland, it is , a circumstantial perfect participle. It is widely recognized
grammatical truth that aorist and perfect participles precede the action of their main verb. Since
the main verb is a present tense, the grammar is clear-cut: sprinkling and washing precede
drawing near.
the pronoun here. The following translation of Hebrews 13:22 adds the implicit
word in parentheses.
And I urge you
1
, brethren
2
, (you
3
) bear with the word of
exhortation, for I even have written to you
4
briefly.
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 13
The verse makes this equation: you
1
= brethren
2
= (you
3
) = you
4
. Thus, if
these brethren are believers, each occurrence of you in this verse signifies
believers. Vocatives of brethren also occur in Hebrews 3:1, 12; 10:19. Since each
of these passages address believers, there is no basis for suggesting that the author
is addressing anyone other than believers in 13:22.
22

8. Hebrews 13:23. Its definition of brethren must harmonize with verse 22. It
cannot be an ethnic term in v 23. Why force that meaning onto 13:22?
I appeal to you, brethren, (you) bear with the word of exhortation,
for I have written to you in few words. Know that our
23
brother
Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes
shortly.
Timothy reached adulthood as an uncircumcised man of mixed parentage
(Acts 16:13).
24
Under first century definitions, he was not a Jew, despite having
Jewish blood. Did Jews regard the racially mixed Samaritans as their brethren?
They did not. The racial definition of brethren would have offended any Jews
who might imagine that the author called Timothy their Jewish brother in 13:23.
However, despite his parentage, Timothy was a brother to the addressees of
the book of Hebrews. They and Christ both have God the Father as their Father
(Hebrews 2:11). The writer addressed his book to brethren, that is, to those
sanctified positionally by Christ.
The Outline of Hebrews
The preceding analysis of brethren in the book shows that Hebrews 13:22
addresses believers.
And I appeal to you, brethren, (you) bear with the word of
exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.(Hebrews
13:22).

22
For an extended analysis of Hebrews 13:22, see the section The Outline of Hebrews, on
pages 14ff of this article.
23
The Nestle-Aland
27
and UBS4 texts read our, but the Majority Text
2
does not. The presence
or absence of this word does not change the meaning, since it is implicit.
24
Contrast this with Pauls statement in Philippians 3:5: circumcised on the eighth day, of the
stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews [born to Hebrew parents].
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 14
What is this word of exhortation to believers? In Acts 13:15, the phrase refers
to an entire sermon (covering Acts 13:1741). Significantly, Pauls word of
exhortation included warning (Acts 13:4041).
And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers sent
to them, saying Men and brethren, if you have any word of
exhortation for the people, say on.(Acts 13:15)
The natural reading of word of exhortation would perceive it as a reference to
the book as a whole,
25
not as merely pointing to chapter 13. The use of for even
( ) indicates a corresponding reason for enduring the word of exhortation.
Though the epistle is long, it is as brief as possible.
26
The author recognized that
the book is long, since he urged them to endure it. One could paraphrase Hebrews
13:22 as,
And I urge you, brethren, endure the (lengthy) exhortation, for I
have written (it) to you (as) briefly (as possible).
The author called his book a word of exhortation, because exhortational
sections occur throughout. Practice follows each doctrinal section.
See Figure 4, which follows.

Doctrine # vss Practice # vss Doctrine +
Practice
# vss
1 1:114 14 2:14 4 1:12:4 18
2 2:53:6 20 3:74:13 26 2:54:13 46
3 4:145:10 13 5:116:20 24 4:146:20 37
4 7:110:18 87 10:1939 21 7:110:39 108
5a 11:140 40 12:129 29 11:112:29 69
5b 13:125 25 13:125 25
Verse totals: 174 + 129 = 303
Figure 4. The Five Doctrine-and-Practice Sections of Hebrews.
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 15
In light of Figure 4, why do many commentaries categorize 1:110:18 as
doctrine, but 10:1913:25 as exhortation? Such commentaries perceive the

25
Cf. William L. Lane, Hebrews 913, Word Biblical Commentary, volume 47B, ed. David A.
Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Dallas, TX: Word, 1991), 568. MacArthur, Hebrews, 45354.
26
The Epistle of Barnabas (1.5) refers to its brevity, but is much longer than Hebrews.
exhortational sections before 10:18 as parenthetic-warnings to unbelievers. If,
indeed, they address unbelievers (a secondary audience) they would interrupt an
otherwise smoothly presented doctrinal argument (designed for the primary
audience). Although Davies does not raise the audience issue, his observation
surfaces an underlying assumption of the parenthetic-warning approach,
Throughout the letter the writer alternates between two types of
discoursedoctrinal exposition and practical exhortation . [T]he
alternation is for the most part so clearly marked that if the
doctrinal passages are read continuously, and the exhortations
omitted, the main argument displays its underlying continuity and
coherence.
27
However, the warnings are not parenthetic asides, because both the doctrine
and the warnings address brethren (believers). Since, as pages 713 of this article
argue, Hebrews does not shift audiences, the warnings are integral to the book.
Rather, the warnings guide believers in the practical application of doctrine.
The writer did not intend believers to ignore the warnings. Yet, some
commentaries do not think that the warnings apply to believers,
The first eleven chapters of Hebrews do not emphasize specific
commands to Christians. There is an obvious lack of practical
explanations or exhortations. The section is pure doctrine and is
almost entirely directed to Jews who have received the gospel but
need to be affirmed in the superiority of the New Covenant.
28
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 16
Other commentaries make this break in their outlines. The following outlines
view 10:18 as the division between the two main parts of Hebrews:
I. Doctrinal discussion (1:110:18)
II. Practical exhortations (10:1913:25)
29

First HalfDoctrinal. Chap. i.-x. 18,
Second HalfPractical. Chap. x. 19-xiii. 25.
30

27
J. H. Davies, A Letter to Hebrews. The Cambridge Bible Commentary, gen. eds. P. R. Ackroyd,
A. R. C. Leaney, J. W. Packer (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1967), 15.
28
MacArthur, Hebrews, 419. The last sentence would be true, if edited to say, The section warns
and exhorts believers from doctrine and is entirely directed to regenerate Jews who have received
the gospel but need to be affirmed in the superiority of the New Covenant, so that these believers
would please the Lord.
29
Cf. Kent, Hebrews, 28 and 30.
30
Andrew Murray, The Holiest of All: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews (London,
England: Oliphants, 1960), ix and xiii.
Although well intentioned, these commentaries misconstrue the argument of
Hebrews. Almost half of the book (129 of 303 verses) exhorts believers.
31

Hebrews is a word of exhortation for believers.
I urge you, brethren, (you) bear with the word of exhortation, for I
even have written to you briefly (Hebrews 13:22).
The idea of the book as a word of exhortation extends beyond the notion
that almost half of the verses are exhortational. The writer only uses vocative
plurals for addressing believers (see pages 713 of this article). Further, he
connects each of these vocative plurals with exhortations or warnings.
Note the following:
Vocative Plurals
32

Addressing Saints
Warnings Positive Exhortations
1 2:14
2a Holy brethren and
partakers (3:1)
3:16
2b Brethren (3:12) 3:74:13
3 Beloved (6:9) 5:116:8 6:920
4 Brethren (10:19) 10:1931 10:3239
5a 12:2529 12:124
5b Brethren (13:22) 13:125
Figure 5. Vocatives only occur in Warnings/Exhortations.
CTSJ 4:4 (October 1998) p. 17
Although the Never-Saved view can be compatible with eternal security, it
does not understand Hebrews 13:22 correctly. Hebrews speaks with a singular
voice to a singular audience. Brethren are believers. In fact, all of its vocative
plurals address believers. The whole book exhorts Christians.
The strength of this evidence compelled this writer to abandon the Never-
Saved view in 1983.
Now it is one thing to know that these verses address believers, but
interpreting them is an entirely distinct issue. The second part of this article will
trace the rest of the authors pilgrimage to an interpretive solution.
--To be continued--

31
See Figure 4, page 15.
32
Vocative singulars occur in Hebrews 1:810; 10:7; and 12:5. Each occurs in an Old Testament
quotation; none of them address the readers of Hebrews.