None of the readings in the
Revised Common Lectionary for 3 January 2014 really speak to me by themselves. So for this reflection, I will reflect on the whole of Hebrews 11:1—12:2, which makes a part of the readings for the 2nd to 5th January. (The portion for the 3rd is Hebrews 11:13-22.) Given the length of the text, I placed it at the end this time instead of the middle.
First off, let me be blunt, if you're not Christian stop here and wait for a future reflection. This passage, as did the other other two readings for today, Psalm 72 and Genesis 28:10-22, are mainly for speaking to the converted, not for encouraging conversion. For it consists of a long list of examples of faith from the Hebrew Testament and a description of how it has been rewarded and will be rewarded. While that faith was rewarded in part by benefits conferred upon them in this physical realm. It is only now that God has come among us as Christ, the long awaited completion of the expectations of their faith could at last be fulfilled in the spiritual realm. These verses serve as a reminder that we are still within the world and its passage of days, so be not discouraged by temporary physical setbacks. While we can hope to receive physical rewards for our faith, these are but transitory and inconsequential and because of Christ's ministry we may now all hope for a still greater reward than any physical one.
I don't particularly care for the Gnostic overtones in these verses, but given the original intended readership of this text, that is to be expected. Hebrews was written for a group of early Christians suffering from persecution and who were still in expectation of an early return of Jesus. Hence the minimization of the physical and the maximization of the spiritual.
As an aside, let me say that I agree with the modern consensus that Paul did not write Hebrews. As for the speculation that Priscilla was the author, it's interesting but utterly unprovable. I agree that if there were a singular known author, Priscilla is a logical candidate. Yet Hebrews easily could be the work of a committee or of some other author who was later stricken from the record due to apostasy or heresy.
