How Can the Letter to the Hebrews Help Christians Grow in Their Faith?

The Letter to the Hebrews tells us that God is trustworthy—that we can trust in Jesus’s defeat of death to lead us to eternal life. However, the letter’s enigmatic origins, dense intertextuality, and complex theological import can present challenges to believers wrestling with the text today.

Insights from Amy Peeler

Amy Peeler opens up Hebrews for Christians seeking to understand God in this learned and pastoral volume of Commentaries for Christian Formation. Her fresh translation and detailed commentary provide insights into:

• Christology
• The Relationship Between Judaism and Christianity
• Canonical Resonances
• Approaches to Redemption: Offering consolation for the anxious and correction for the presumptuous.

Peeler explains the letter’s original context while remaining focused on its relevance to Christian communities today. Pastors and lay readers alike will learn how Hebrews helps them know, trust, and love God more deeply.

Table of Contents

1. Series Introduction
2. List of Abbreviations
3. Introduction
   • Theology of Hebrews
   • Hebrews’ Place in the Canon
   • Setting
   • Hebrews for Christian Formation
   • Conclusion
4. Commentary
   • Hebrews 1:1–14: The Exaltation of the Son
   • Hebrews 2:1–18: The Humility of the Son
   • Hebrews 3:1–4:13: The Wilderness
   • Hebrews 4:14–5:10: The Great High Priest
   • Hebrews 5:11–6:20: The Steadfast Anchor
   • Hebrews 7:1–28: The Order of Melchizedek
   • Hebrews 8:1–10:18: The New Covenant
   • Hebrews 10:19–39: Approaching in Faith
   • Hebrews 11:1–40: The Testimony of the Faithful
   • Hebrews 12:1–29: Running to the Mountain
   • Hebrews 13:1–25: Living Faithfully
5. Conclusion
   • What is the theological foundation of Hebrews?
   • What is the posture of faithfulness depicted in Hebrews?
   • What kind of faith does Hebrews invite?
   • What is the unique contribution of Hebrews to the writings of the New Testament?
   • What is the status of the sharer in Christ?
   • What is the shape of the life of the community?
   • How should interpreters pastorally handle the warning passages?
   • How should readers live out the practical instructions?
   • How does Hebrews demonstrate the productive discomfort of liminality?
   • How should one prepare to teach Hebrews?
6. Selected Bibliography
7. Indexes

Author

Amy Peeler is a professor of New Testament and the Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies at Wheaton College. She also serves as associate rector at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Geneva, Illinois. She is the author of Women and the Gender of God, You Are My Son: The Family of God in the Epistle to the Hebrews, and coauthor, with Patrick Gray, of Hebrews: An Introduction and Study Guide.

Praise for the Book

“Through this excellent commentary, Amy Peeler invites readers to see the vast wealth of this fascinating letter. Her readings are attentive and fresh, though carefully connected to the arguments of the book.”
— Madison Pierce, associate professor of New Testament, Western Theological Seminary

“Amy Peeler’s Hebrews is lucidly, beautifully written, excelling especially in rich theological reflection and an uncommon depth of pastoral good sense. Committed followers of our Great High Priest, rejoice! You will find here both an enjoyable read and much encouragement for enduring in the race of faith.”
— George Guthrie, professor of New Testament, Regent College

“Amy Peeler invites readers to hear the Word of God in the words of Hebrews. Thoughtfully and passionately written, her book helps readers discern how Hebrews continues to speak to Christian belief and practice. This will be a welcome resource for those engaged in biblically informed faith formation.”
— Craig Koester, Asher O. & Carrie Nasby Professor of New Testament, Emeritus, Luther Seminary