Katapausis and Sabbatismos in Hebrews 4
type: CreativeWork
description: Problem. Enthusiasm for the subject has not resulted in a general consensus regarding the meaning of “rest” in Heb 4. The dissertation studies the meaning of katapausis and sabbatismos in Heb 4 together with its relation to the neglected gatherings in Heb 10. Method. The study consists of an analysis of those passages in which the rest motif is found explicitly (Heb 3-4) as well as the unit (Heb 10) which exhibits cohesion to the rest motif in Heb 4, giving special attention to the use of the term katapausis in the Septuagint, sabbatismos in Christian and non-Christian literature, and episynagōgē in the patristic literature. The dissertation is both exegetical and theological in nature. Results. Chapter 1 deals with the introduction of the topic, stating the problem of no consensus with regard to the meaning of “rest” in Heb 3-4, and then describing the purpose and justification of the research. Chapter 2 is dedicated to the examination of the audience of Hebrews. Pursuing the profile of the audience within the book itself, the evidence seems to support a mixed ethnic background. The author calls the ancestors “fathers” rather than “our fathers” (1:1).The epistle never mentions Jews or Christians, the Temple, or circumcision, never makes negative references to Jews or Gentiles, and refrains from divisive references to Jews or Gentiles. The group to which the audience is supposed to belong is the “people of God” (4:9). Chapter 3 analyzes the structural relationship between Heb 4 and 10. Hebrews 4:11-16 and 10:19-25 display the most striking use of inclusio in Hebrews. Semantic threads in one discourse are woven with the same or related lexical items in the other, indicating a relationship between these passages. Besides formal and semantic correspondence, these two passages present also syntactical cohesion. Both furnish three hortatory subjunctives in close proximity. Finally, both units share the same genre. That means the units exhibit cohesion of form and functio…
abstract: Problem. Enthusiasm for the subject has not resulted in a general consensus regarding the meaning of “rest” in Heb 4. The dissertation studies the meaning of katapausis and sabbatismos in Heb 4 together with its relation to the neglected gatherings in Heb 10. Method. The study consists of an analysis of those passages in which the rest motif is found explicitly (Heb 3-4) as well as the unit (Heb 10) which exhibits cohesion to the rest motif in Heb 4, giving special attention to the use of the term katapausis in the Septuagint, sabbatismos in Christian and non-Christian literature, and episynagōgē in the patristic literature. The dissertation is both exegetical and theological in nature. Results. Chapter 1 deals with the introduction of the topic, stating the problem of no consensus with regard to the meaning of “rest” in Heb 3-4, and then describing the purpose and justification of the research. Chapter 2 is dedicated to the examination of the audience of Hebrews. Pursuing the profile of the audience within the book itself, the evidence seems to support a mixed ethnic background. The author calls the ancestors “fathers” rather than “our fathers” (1:1).The epistle never mentions Jews or Christians, the Temple, or circumcision, never makes negative references to Jews or Gentiles, and refrains from divisive references to Jews or Gentiles. The group to which the audience is supposed to belong is the “people of God” (4:9). Chapter 3 analyzes the structural relationship between Heb 4 and 10. Hebrews 4:11-16 and 10:19-25 display the most striking use of inclusio in Hebrews. Semantic threads in one discourse are woven with the same or related lexical items in the other, indicating a relationship between these passages. Besides formal and semantic correspondence, these two passages present also syntactical cohesion. Both furnish three hortatory subjunctives in close proximity. Finally, both units share the same genre. That means the units exhibit cohesion of form and functio…
author: Gallos, Erhard
keywords: Biblical Studies, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
date published: 2011-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T00:52:41Z
provider: Andrews University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Andrews University