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Ancient Jewish Mystical Motifs in Hebrews' Theology of

Access and Entry Exhortations
Scott D. Mackie
New Testament Studies / Volume 58 / Issue 01 / January 2012, pp 88 - 104
DOI: 10.1017/S0028688511000269, Published online: 02 December 2011

Link to this article: http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0028688511000269

How to cite this article:
Scott D. Mackie (2012). Ancient Jewish Mystical Motifs in Hebrews' Theology of Access and Entry
Exhortations. New Testament Studies, 58, pp 88-104 doi:10.1017/S0028688511000269
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New Test. Stud. , pp. . Cambridge University Press,

doi:10.1017/S0028688511000269

Ancient Jewish Mystical Motifs in Hebrews

Theology of Access and Entry Exhortations
S C OT T D. M AC KI E
51 Rose Ave. #17, Venice, CA 90291, USA.
email: scottdmackie@gmail.com

A number of motifs found in ancient Jewish accounts of the heavenly throne

room appear in the Epistle to the Hebrews. These elements include the throne
of God, the temple veil, the glory of God, and participation in angelic worship.
Though in ancient Jewish texts they are all depicted as presenting nearly insurmountable obstacles to the presence of God, the author of Hebrews transforms
these conceptions, and instead depicts them as encouraging, facilitating, and
even ensuring access to a welcoming God. This is especially apparent in the passages promoting the authors ultimate hortatory goal: the communitys entry into
the heavenly sanctuary (.; .; .; .; .).
Keywords: angelic worship, heavenly ascent, heavenly sanctuary, Hebrews, mysticism,
throne of God, temple veil

. Introduction

The heavenly sanctuary dominates the symbolic landscape of the Epistle to

the Hebrews. It is the setting of the Sons exaltation and enthronement (.;
.), as well as his sacrificial self-offering (.; .; .; .; .;
., ; ., ; ., ). It also occupies a prominent place
in the authors hortatory agenda, as his assertions of the addressed communitys
ability to access God in the heavenly sanctuary (.; .; .) are on two
occasions met with exhortations to confidently enter that heavenly locale (.
; .). And in one remarkable text, ., the communitys presence
in the heavenly sanctuary is presented as a fait accompli.
As might be expected, the author of Hebrews populates his heavenly symbolic
landscape with a number of components common to ancient Jewish accounts of
the heavenly throne room, including the throne of God (.; .; .; .; .),
the temple veil (.; .; .), the glory of God (.; .), and
participation in angelic worship (.). These features, however, are often

The formative, and even determinative, roles played by religious traditions and socio-historical
environments in mystical thought and practice have been a recurring topic of discussion. See

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Ancient Jewish Mystical Motifs

portrayed in ancient Jewish texts, and particularly in mystical visionary literature,

as presenting nearly insurmountable barriers to the presence of a holy and sometimes fearsome God. The divine throne is awesome and majestic, the temple veil
stands as a formidable physical barrier, Gods glory is overwhelming in its radiant
power, and the presence of ontologically and sacrally superior angels is an intimidating reminder of human inadequacy.
This present discussion focuses upon the unexpected and novel manner in
which Hebrews transforms these common conceptions, and instead depicts
them as encouraging, facilitating, and even ensuring access to a welcoming
God. Quite tellingly, they figure prominently in passages promoting the
authors hortatory goal: the communitys entry into the heavenly sanctuary
(.; .; .; .; .). And while some scholars have
recognized the strategic importance of these themes of access and entry within
the authors overarching hortatory program, a dedicated treatment has yet to
be offered, and perhaps as a result the vast majority of Hebrews studies either
fail to accord them an appropriate degree of attention or ignore them altogether.
A recent and sizeable collection of essays, The Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian
Theology, is fairly representative, as the themes of access and entry are mentioned
briefly in only eight of the volumes twenty-five essays, and never once are they
integrated into a significant discussion of Hebrews hortatory purpose. From

particularly Steven T. Katz, The Conservative Character of Mystical Experience, Mysticism and
Religious Traditions (ed. S. T. Katz; Oxford: Oxford University, ) . Elsewhere, Katz
(Language, Epistemology, and Mysticism, Mysticism and Philosophical Analysis [ed. S. T. Katz;
New York: Oxford University, ] , here , ) notes that the entire life of a mystic is
permeated from childhood by images, concepts, symbols, ideological values, and ritual behavior.
These factors shape the imaginative and experiential capacity of the mystic, pre-forming their
perceptual schema, thus defining in advance both the mystics desire for an experience and its
actual outcome.
Notable exceptions include Marie Isaacs (Sacred Space: An Approach to the Theology of the
Epistle to the Hebrews [JSNTSup ; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic, ] ), who characterizes
Hebrews as offering a new and powerful theology of access; and Hans-Friedrich Weiss (Der
Brief an die Hebrer: bersetzt und Erklrt [KEK; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, ]
), who deems . and . entsheidenden Schaltstellen (decisive control
centers) within the authors hortatory effort. Also adequately appraising the nature of the
entry exhortations is Mathias Rissi (Die Theologie des Hebrerbriefs: ihre Verankerung in der
Situation des Verfassers und seiner Leser [WUNT ; Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck, ] ):
Mit dem Nahen zu Gott stehen wir vor der erstaunlichsten Deutung der Heilsaneignung
im Neuen Testament.
The Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian Theology (ed. Richard Bauckham, Daniel R. Driver,
Trevor A. Hart, and Nathan MacDonald; Grand Rapids/Cambridge: Eerdmans, ). A companion volume, originating from the same conference held at the University of St. Andrews in
July , A Cloud of Witnesses: The Theology of Hebrews in its Ancient Contexts (ed. Richard
Bauckham, Daniel Driver, Trevor Hart, and Nathan MacDonald; LNTS ; London/

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SCOTT D. MACKIE

this recent case of neglect we can infer that these two themes are still not sufficiently appreciated. Therefore this analysis of Hebrews deliberate reshaping of
the aforementioned ancient Jewish mystical motifs in relation to his theology
of access and entry exhortations attempts to extend understanding of the extraordinary nature and function of these themes of access and entry within his hortatory effort and hopefully forestall any such future oversights.

. The Throne of God

The throne of God is mentioned explicitly in Heb .; .; .; . and is

implied in ., ; .. It is in almost every instance associated with Jesus exaltation and enthronement: he has sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God (., ; .; .; .). The most influential throne-visions in the
Hebrew Bible are undoubtedly Isaiah and Ezekiel . Particularly relevant to
our discussion are their characterizations of God and his heavenly throne
room, as well as the psychological and emotional responses of the visionaries.
Though Ezekiels vision of the throne, which was something like a throne, in
appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was

New York: T&T Clark, ), fares only slightly better in this regard. Of the sixteen essays, just
five mention the themes of access and entry, and only one develops them at length (i.e., Ardel
B. Caneday, The Eschatological World Already Subjected to the Son: The of
Hebrews : and the Sons Enthronement, ). See also the recent essay of Joshua W.
Jipp, The Sons Entrance into the Heavenly World: The Soteriological Necessity of the
Scriptural Catena in Hebrews ., NTS . () . Jipp focuses on the soteriological necessity of Jesus entry into heaven in ., as the exalted Son of God, which affords
the entrance of many more sons into heaven (). Though he cites . and very briefly
discusses that texts description of the proleptic entry of humanity into heaven, Jipp fails to
include the most important entry exhortations, . and ., in his assessment.
In my monograph, Eschatology and Exhortation in the Epistle to the Hebrews (WUNT /;
Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck, ) , , and essay, Heavenly Sanctuary Mysticism
in the Epistle to the Hebrews, JTS . () , I have offered analyses of the
authors theology of access and entry exhortations that emphasize their mystical intent, as
commending the communitys presence in the heavenly sanctuary. This present essays
focus on the role and function of the ancient Jewish mystical motifs in Hebrews theology
of access and entry exhortations attempts to strengthen and extend the scope of those previous efforts.
This of course derives from the authors exegetical orientation to Ps . See David M. Hay,
Glory at the Right Hand: Psalm in Early Christianity (SBLMS ; Nashville: Abingdon,
) , . Timo Eskola, Messiah and Throne: Jewish Merkabah Mysticism and
Early Christian Discourse (WUNT /; Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck, ) , notes:
Exaltation Christology appears to be the backbone of the theology of Hebrews.
Other notable accounts of the divine throne in the Hebrew Bible include: Kings .; Pss
.; .; .; .; .; Isa .; Jer .; ..

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Ancient Jewish Mystical Motifs

something that seemed like a human form, concludes with the observation that
he fell on his face (., ; see also .), Isaiahs vision of YHWH in his throne
room evokes an even more awe-struck response from the visionary. YHWH is
described as seated on a throne, lofty and exalted, surrounded by six-winged
angelic beings, and inhabiting a smoke-filled temple that quakes at his voice
(Isa .). This vision causes Isaiah to exclaim, Woe is me, for I am silenced!
He immediately locates the source of his anxiety and inability to express
himself in his cultic impurity: For I am a human with unclean lips (.).
These two throne-visions constitute a sort of fons et origo of a substantial tradition, wherein a vision of the formidable and frightful presence (and near presence) of the enthroned God elicits a response of terror from the visionary (Dan
.; En. ; ; Ezra .; Ezek. Trag. ; Q ; Q ).
Perhaps the most significant, and certainly the most developed of these thronevision accounts is found in En. ., . The visionary Enoch recounts
what he saw in a vision in my dream, after the winds in my vision made me
fly up and lifted me upward and brought me to heaven (.). Enoch first
entered a great house that was hot as fire and cold as snow, and devoid of
the pleasure of life (., ). He reports that fear enveloped me and trembling
seized me (.). After falling upon his face he saw a vision of a second
housebuilt with tongues of fire (.). Inside this second house Enoch
saw the lofty throne of the Great Glory (.). This thrones appearance
was like ice and its wheels were like the shining sun and from beneath the
throne issued streams of flaming fire (.). However, this dazzlingly
radiant throne incapacitated Enochs sight (.; cf. ., ). In fact, Enoch
admits, through the whole experience I was on my face, prostrate, and trembling
Though typically translated, I am lost/undone, both the MT ( )and the LXX
() of Isa . allow for a more ironic exclamation: I am silenced.
On the influence of Ezek in Dan , En. , and Rabbinic traditions, see Christopher
Rowland, The Open Heaven: A Study of Apocalyptic in Judaism and Early Christianity
(New York: Crossroad; London: SPCK, ) , , , , . Even the
account of Moses enthronement in Ezek. Trag. is ultimately characterized by fear.
When the vision concluded, Moses reports, I awoke in terror from the dream! (). The
divine throne occupies center stage in Revelation (; ; .; .; .; ., ; ., ).
Although heavenly characters, such as angels, the twenty-four elders, and the four living
creatures fall down before the throne (.; .; .), the visionary fails to follow suit.
Concerning ., George W. E. Nickelsburg ( Enoch : A Commentary on the Book of Enoch
Chapters ; [Hermeneia; Minneapolis: Fortress, ] ) remarks: To ascend to
the heavenly temple is a cause for sheer terror rather than joy. This is no visit to the paradise of
delight.
Though Ezek . and Dan . describe God anthropomorphically, the visionary of En.
follows Isa in limiting his description to Gods garments. In later tradition, perhaps beginning with Qumrans Sabbath Songs, the throne itself becomes the object and/or limit of the
vision. See Peter Schfer, The Hidden and Manifest God: Some Major Themes in Early
Jewish Mysticism (Albany: State University of New York, ) .

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(.). After being commanded to draw near, he was lifted up, by either God or
one of the holy ones, and carried to the door of the divine throne room (.).
Since this door represented a boundary for angels, we can assume that it also
marked Enochs final destination (.). Though this throne-vision is
remarkable for its purported achievement, it ultimately projects an image of an
enthroned God who is totally transcendent, overpowering in his glory, and
unapproachable to humans and most angels.
These visionary portrayals of the divine throne, and the responses of visceral
terror it evokes, stand in stark contrast to Hebrews depiction of the divine seat
as a throne of grace ( , .), and the bold and confident approach to that throne which constitutes the heart of the authors hortatory effort. That Jesus, the sympathetic elder brother of the community (see
esp. .) is seated on the heavenly throne (., , ; .; .; .),
would further increase the likelihood that the community obeyed the authors
exhortation to approach that throne with boldness (
, .). And in contrast to Isaiahs awareness of his inability to vocalize a fit response in the presence of the enthroned deity, Hebrews commendation of boldness involves not only a confident approach but also a
commensurately open manner of speech before the heavenly throne. In
response to their forthright and fearless requests, the community will find God
compassionately granting them grace and mercy in their time of need (.).

In . God again tells Enoch to draw near to me, possibly allowing Enoch to enter the throne
room. However, Nickelsburg ( Enoch , ) believes it represents a repetition of the earlier
command to draw near (.), repeated in . for the sake of emphasis. Nickelsburg ()
also notes that textual variants of . afford some angels, the holy ones of the Watchers,
more immediate access to God.
Nickelsburg, Enoch , .
Weiss, Hebrer, , considers the Schlsselbegriff of the authors exhortation. On
in Hebrews, see Heb .; ., and Weiss, Hebrer, ; Alan C. Mitchell,
Holding on to Confidence: in Hebrews, Friendship, Flattery, and Frankness of
Speech: Studies on Friendship in the New Testament World (ed. John T. Fitzgerald; NovTSup
; Leiden: Brill, ) ; Patrick Gray, Godly Fear: The Epistle to the Hebrews and
Greco-Roman Critiques of Superstition (Academia Biblica ; Atlanta: Society of Biblical
Literature, ) . In Her. Philo discusses at length the enjoyed by
those who are friends of God.
The author also appears to diminish the significance of, and possibly even deny Enochs
ascent. His brief account of Enochs taking up/transformation ( and
) in . is severely qualified by the assertion that he, along with Abel, Noah,
and Abraham, died in faith without receiving the promises, but from a distance they saw
and greeted them (.). That Enoch (along with these other heroes of faith) is said to
have desired a better country, a heavenly one (.), would seem to reflect an outright
denial of his heavenly ascent.

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Ancient Jewish Mystical Motifs

. The Temple Veil

The second motif, the temple veil, is also portrayed by Hebrews in a

manner that significantly departs from Jewish traditions, wherein the veil constitutes an almost impenetrable barrier to the divine presence. The two veils in the
wilderness tabernacle, especially the one separating the holy place from the holy
of holies, constitute the primary source for this imagery (Exod .; .), and
mortal danger attends the earliest texts and traditions of this innermost veil.
Following the deaths of Aarons sons, Nadab and Abihu, who breached this
barrier, offered an illicit offering, and were killed when fire came from the presence of YHWH and consumed them (Lev .), YHWH commanded Moses to
warn Aaron not to come just at any time into the sanctuary inside the veil or
he will die (.; see also .; Exod .; Num .; .).
The two veils are prominently featured in the account of the Yom Kippur ritual
in m. Yoma .. With great care, the author explains that the curtains were hung so
their openings were not directly opposite one another, ensuring the holy of holies
remained concealed to all except the high priest. An element of fear is apparent:
the text reports that upon exiting the holy of holies, the high priest offered a short
prayer, not prolonging it lest he put Israel in terror. Perhaps as a result of the
Nadab and Abihu incident, or because they suspected God would not accept
their atonement offering, the people feared God would communicate his displeasure with Israel by killing the high priest on Yom Kippur. The high priest himself
apparently shared this belief, as he celebrated his safe passage through the holy
of holies by making a feast for his friends (.).
An indication of the veils importance to the ancient Jewish religious imagination is evident in two Second Temple authors, Philo of Alexandria and Sirach. On
at least two occasions Philo allegorically interprets the veil: in Gig. it represents
an inner, psychological impediment that must be passed through in order to
come to God, while in QE . it denotes the metaphysical/cosmological boundary that divides the material and noetic realms. The author of Sirach, in his praise
of Simon the High Priest, refers to the temple almost metonymically, as the house
of the curtain (.).
Later texts and traditions exhibit an increasing sense of the sanctity and dangers
associated with the holy of holies. In b. Yoma a, only the Prince of the Divine
Presence is authorized to pass within the curtain. And in the fifthsixth century
text, Enoch (.; .), the veil shields the angels from the destructive glare of
the divine glory, and it also symbolizes the ultimate inscrutability of God.
In Heb ., the author recounts the high priests yearly entry through the
second veil ( ), into the holy of holies, during the Day of
On this text, see Daniel M. Gurtner, The House of the Veil in Sirach , JSP . ()
.
Philip S. Alexander, (Hebrew Apocalypse of) Enoch, in OTP ., .

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SCOTT D. MACKIE

Atonement, and adversely juxtaposes this tentative and limited access with Jesus
triumphant and conclusive entry into the heavenly holy of holies (.). Most
significantly, as a consequence of Jesus entry and occupation of the heavenly holy
place, in . the community (those who have taken refuge) is strongly
encouraged ( ) to seize the hope set before us, which is a
sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, and which enters the inner shrine
behind the veil (), where Jesus, the forerunner on our behalf, has
entered. The imagery of this passage is complicated, fusing together metaphors
drawn from three distinct conceptual domains: () .: the city of refuge, to
which those who have unintentionally killed someone may flee (Num ), and
seize the horns of the altar ( Kings .; .); () .: nautical imagery of a
sure and steadfast anchor; () .: cultic imagery of the high priests entry
into the inner shrine behind the veil (
). Piecing together these disparate imageries, we find the community depicted as fleeing from precarious circumstances, and seizing hold of a
rope that becomes anchored in their innermost being (). This rope represents their hope, as it is connected to Jesus and his priestly ministry in the heavenly holy of holies. Most importantly, it is by this hope they are presently passing
through the veil of the heavenly sanctuary, and entering (; present
ptc.) its innermost reaches.
An even more forceful exhortation is offered in ., an entry exhortation,
which, together with ., stands at the center of the authors hortatory strategy. At the outset of the former passage, the community is urged to confidently
enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he
opened for us through the veil (that is, through his flesh) (
, , .). The equation of
the veil with Jesus flesh might appear somewhat puzzling; however, . similarly attributes the ability to enter the heavenly sanctuary to Jesus blood. Thus,
both texts locate the communitys ability to access the heavenly sanctuary in some
aspect of Jesus earthly existence. An examination of Hebrews portrayal of the
historical Jesus reveals an almost single-minded focus on his obedient suffering
and death. Suffering, in fact, is a recurring cipher for Jesus death on the cross,
highlighting its visceral nature (, .; .; .; .; , .).
Certainly Hebrews depicts those sufferings in more detail than any other NT epistolary document. Furthermore, in the first two contexts emphasizing his suffering, . and ., the author twice mentions Jesus flesh (, .; .).
The definitive treatment of the veil in Hebrews remains Otfried Hofius, Der Vorhang vor dem
Thron Gottes: Eine exegetisch-religionsgeschichtliche Untersuchung zu Hebrer , f. und
,f (WUNT ; Tbingen, Mohr Siebeck, ).
In addition to the six explicit references to Jesus suffering, his blood and death are each
mentioned seven times (, ., ; ., ; .; ., ; , ., ; .;
.; , .).

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Ancient Jewish Mystical Motifs

The latter context, which constitutes the longest epistolary consideration of Jesus
earthly existence, is an extended reflection on all these themes. Thus, the days of
Jesus flesh are characterized by complete devotion and obedience to God, which
was proven in the course of his sufferings. And a new and living way through the
heavenly sanctuarys previously impenetrable veil has been made by means of
those obedient sufferings, endured in the flesh.

. The Glory of God

The third motif, the glory of God, is pervasive in ancient Jewish texts, where
it represents the perceptible display of Gods majesty, frequently manifested in a
luminous, fiery, and fearsome barrier, one that often bars the visionary from
acquiring visual apprehension of Gods form. While the theophany of Isaiah
is again an early and influential source, the vision of divine glory in Ezek .
is unsurpassed in the Hebrew Bible. Luminosity and radiance characterize
almost every aspect of the account: God sits on something like the appearance
of ( ) a radiant, sapphire-like throne, and from his hips there
radiated something like gleaming amber, something like the appearance of fire
enclosed all around. Below Gods hips there also appeared something that
looked like fire. Furthermore, there was a splendor all around. Like the
rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, such was the appearance of the splendor all
around. This overwhelmingly radiant and fiery vision of the appearance of
the likeness of the glory of YHWH ( )evoked a visceral response of awestruck fear, causing the prophet to fall on his face (.). Other biblical accounts
associated Gods theophanic glory with a devouring fire (Exod .), as hiding
So Harold W. Attridge, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hermeneia; Philadelphia:
Fortress, ) . On the veil as a symbolic boundary in ancient Jewish and early Christian
mystical texts, see Margaret Barker, The Great High Priest: The Temple Roots of Christian
Liturgy (London/New York: T&T Clark, ) .
On this text, see Peter Schfer, The Origins of Jewish Mysticism (Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck, )
.
The recurring use of , something like, and , the appearance of, in ., is probably intended to reflect the ineffability of the vision. On attempts to express the inexpressible
in mystical literature, see Ninian Smart (Understanding Religious Experience, Mysticism and
Philosophical Analysis, ), who contends that much of the language of ineffability is
hyperbolic. Thus, To say God is incomprehensible is not really a claim that he is utterly
incomprehensible, rather, it is stating that God is not totally comprehensible (). On the
development of the Priestly Kabod theology, in which the Glory begins to represent an
almost independent hypostasis of God, see Tryggve N. D. Mettinger, The Dethronement of
Sabaoth: Studies on the Shem and Kabod Theologies (ConBOT ; Lund: Gleerup, ).
Contra Martha Himmelfarb (Ascent to Heaven in Jewish and Christian Apocalypses [Oxford:
Oxford University, ] ), who contends that Ezekiels repeated prostrations before God
(.; .; .; .; .; .) are never attributed to fear; they are reported each time

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Gods face from Moses (Exod .), as creating an almost oppressive protective barrier separating God from humans in the tabernacle (Exod .), as
both presaging and manifesting Gods appearance in judgment (Lev ..;
Num ., ; Isa ., , ), and as incapacitating humans, causing them to
fall on their faces (Num .; Kings .; Chron .; .).
Second Temple literature represents Gods glory similarly. As we have seen,
the visionary of Enoch describes God as the Great Glory, and this title, together
with an abundance of terms denoting radiance (fire, lightning, shooting stars,
shining sun), serve to designate God in terms of the effulgent splendor that envelops him ( En. .). Qumrans Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice frequently
praise the God of Glory, and in Q ., the angels are described as
fleeing from the voice of glory. In . the cherubs fall down before this glorious God. Throne, glory, and fear are closely coordinated in Ezra .: the Lords
throne is beyond measure and his glory is beyond comprehension, and before
him the hosts of angels stand trembling.
Another notable visionary account of divine glory appears in T. Levi ...
While in a dream, Levi was led by an angel through a succession of increasingly
luminous heavens, culminating in the third heaven: the uppermost heaven of
all (.; .). Though Levi was permitted to stand near the Lord (.),
the Great Glory ( , .), this account fails to note any of the ascenders emotions, apart from his amazement (.). Even though angels tremble in
the presence of the Great Glory, the visionary of T. Levi appears to be fearless and
unbowed throughout the account. This is perhaps attributable to the insensitivity

in the same words, without any mention of emotion, as almost ritual acknowledgements of the
majesty of God.
Non-threatening accounts of human encounters with Gods glory may be found in Exod .,
; Num .; Isa .; .; .; Hab .; and throughout Ezekiel and the Psalms.
Carey C. Newman, Pauls Glory-Christology: Tradition and Rhetoric (NovTSup ; Leiden: Brill,
) , draws attention to the unique visual dimensions of the expression . Unlike
other divine attributes (e.g., anger, wrath, mercy, faithfulness, righteousness), the phrase
almost always expresses both movement and appearance.
Nickelsburg, Enoch , . The danger of beholding Gods glory is a major theme in the
Hekhalot literature. On this, see Elliot R. Wolfson, Through a Speculum that Shines: Vision
and Imagination in Medieval Jewish Mysticism (Princeton: Princeton University, ) .
Philip Alexander, The Mystical Texts: Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice and Related Manuscripts
(Library of Second Temple Studies ; London/New York: T&T Clark, ) , believes
this passage constitutes a climactic revelation of the glory in the form of a voice, which is
so powerful that the angels cannot bear it and are forced to recoil. Glory, , is undoubtedly
the favorite descriptive word of the Sabbath Songs, as almost everything related to the heavenly temple is deemed glorious.
On the textual and transmission issues of T. Levi , see Marinus de Jonge, Studies on the
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs: Text and Interpretation (SVTP ; Leiden: Brill, ) .

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Ancient Jewish Mystical Motifs

of humans, as Levis angelic guide infers (.), not due to a priestlyangelic transformation, as Martha Himmelfarb contends.
In his use of the glory motif, the author of Hebrews again deliberately modifies
Jewish traditions. Though absent from the entry exhortations (.; .),
this theme plays an essential role in one of the most important passages in
Hebrews, ., where the implications of Jesus triumphant entry into heaven
(described at length in .) are directly applied to the communitys conditions
of suffering, doubt, and waning commitment. After first establishing in . that
Jesus perfectly reflects and/or radiates Gods own glory (
), the author declares that the human hope for, and divine promise of heavenly glory (, .; Ps .) has been fulfilled in Jesus, whose obedient suffering of death has led to his representative crowning with glory and honor (
, .). Moreover, the communitys endurance of sufferings will imminently issue in a similar vindication, since they are being led () as sons
and daughters by Jesus, their leader/pioneer (), into the same heavenly
he presently enjoys (.). Thus, the function of divine glory in Jewish traditionshielding God from view, incapacitating angels and humans, and even
repelling them from his presenceis reversed in . and ., where it performs
both revelatory and attractive roles, revealing God in Christ and impelling the
community towards their heavenly goal.
Perhaps more so than any other NT document, Hebrews demonstrates a near
perfect integration of doctrine and exhortation, and .. is representative of
this tendency. Given the length of this passage, and its prioritization within the
word of exhortation, we can assume it addresses a significant concern of the
community. That concern can be safely deduced: the communitys experience
of suffering had challenged their assumptions about the power and commitment
Himmelfarb, Ascent to Heaven, .
Craig R. Koester, Hebrews, Rhetoric, and the Future of Humanity, CBQ . () ,
here , considers . the propositio (proposition) of Hebrews, which identifies the principal issue to be addressed in the speech. See also Craig R. Koester, Hebrews: A New
Translation with Introduction and Commentary (AB ; New York: Doubleday, ) .
The word can be translated either passively, representing a reflection emanating from an illuminated surface, or actively, as the radiance, or effulgence beaming from a
luminous body (LSJ, ). See also Wis ., which perhaps uses both active and passive
imagery in asserting that Wisdom is the of eternal light, a spotless mirror of
the working of God.
The entry exhortations, . and ., then reinforce this promise of access and entry,
and . (which will be discussed below in section ) announces its realization.
The close relationship of the authors theology to his hortatory effort has been best expressed
by John Dunnill (Covenant and Sacrifice in the Letter to the Hebrews [SNTSMS ; Cambridge:
Cambridge University, ] ): The hortatory passages [are] so fully involved with the theological thought as to seem to create it. For a detailed discussion, see Mackie, Eschatology and
Exhortation, .

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of the God they were worshipping, and those challenges were causing them to
contemplate abandoning the community. The author acknowledges the legitimacy of their doubts; indeed, in their earthly circumstances they are unable to
perceive the effects of Jesus exaltation to lordship (.). However, these perceptual limitations are met with a dramatized portrayal of Jesus exaltation (.),
and an exhortation to exercise mystical/eschatological visuality: the community
can now see Jesus ( ) crowned with glory and honor
because of his obedient endurance in suffering (.). The author wants them
to see into the heavenly future, past their nearly engulfing present experience
of suffering, and an eschatological/mystical vision of Jesus victory over suffering,
his conquest of death, and glorious exaltation would confirm beyond all doubt
that their suffering would also issue in glorification (.). Like Moses, they will
persevere by seeing him who is invisible (.). The final step in this hortatory
agenda is reached in ., as all the aforementioned themes find their fulfillment in a dramatized adoption ceremony. There the actor Jesus summons the
community to behold both him and themselves, as the family of God, the
adopted siblings of the exalted and glorified Son.
The emphasis on suffering throughout Hebrews (., ; .; .; .; .,
; .; ., ) indicates the community was encountering, or had encountered,
a substantial threat to their existence, possibly causing them to question their commitment.
I discuss Hebrews mystical visuality at length in Heavenly Sanctuary Mysticism in the Epistle
to the Hebrews, , and briefly in Eschatology and Exhortation, , . In the former
work I highlight the authors use of visually oriented rhetorical/literary practices, particularly
ekphrasis and enargeia. The use of these techniques is intended to engender a visual encounter with Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary. The primary aims and means of this visual program
are: () the author dramatizes the narrative, with speaking actors, and carefully drawn characters, settings, and circumstances all serving to increase the production of visual imagery
in the communitys imagination, and so encourage their substantive entry into the dramatic
narrative. () Community is reinforced visually, as cues and commands to behold and
look closely at one another are repeatedly issued (.; .; .; .), solidifying their
sense of family mutuality and belonging. () The most important aspect of this program pertains to the mystical function of the vivid descriptions. The mental imagery they evoke recurringly functions as a springboard for an actual visual encounter, setting the stage for the
communitys visual apprehension of the enthroned Son and his high priestly ministry in
the heavenly sanctuary. The visual encounter is either provoked by an explicit command to
look at/gaze upon the exalted Jesus (.; .), or signaled by the observation that he is
now visible (., ; ., ). It is also effected by means of the exhortations to draw
near and enter the heavenly sanctuary (.; .; .).
As I have argued at length elsewhere, the authors ultimate hortatory goal is only reached with
the communitys participation in this divine adoption ceremony, which begins with a dramatic
enactment of the Sons exaltation (chs. and ), prominently features mutual confessions of
familial relatedness exchanged between the Father (.) and the Son (.), and which
depicts the Son conferring family membership on the community (.). In response to
this conferral, the community is exhorted to draw near and enter the heavenly sanctuary,
where they will offer a sacral confession of Jesus as the Son of God (.; .), and

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Ancient Jewish Mystical Motifs

. Participation in Angelic Worship

As we have already seen in a number of texts, angels are ubiquitous in

visionary accounts of the heavenly throne room. Isaiah is yet again the possible
fountainhead of this tradition. Isaiahs description of angels, as possessing six
wings, capable of flight, and whose praise shook the pivots on the thresholds
(.), emphasizes their absolute otherness. The power of their praise would
have certainly contributed to Isaiahs sense of inadequacy (.). However,
Ezekiels description of the living beings surpasses Isaiahs in every respect:
they possess four wings and four faces (human, lion, bull, and eagle), their legs
and feet shone like bronze, and they ran to and fro like bolts of lightning (.
). They appear to have been transported by both elaborate wheels and their
wings, the latter creating a sound of abundant waters as they flew, like the
voice of the Almighty, and the sound of chaos comparable to an army (.).
Like Isaiah and Ezekiel , the presence of angels in a number of other ancient
Jewish texts contributes to the overwhelming awesomeness of the scene and
the ensuing response of terror on the part of the visionary ( Kings .;
Dan .; En. ; ; ; En. ; T. Levi ; Jub. .).
The most developed angelology is found in the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice
(Q; Q). These remarkable texts bear witness to the Qumran communitys belief that they enjoyed communion with angels, achieved either through a
communal heavenly ascent or the descent of the angels into their midst. In them,
the community repeatedly exhorts the angels to perform their sacral duties in the
heavenly sanctuary so that they might join them in worshipping God. Thus,
according to Carol Newsoms influential analysis:
Both the highly descriptive content and the carefully crafted rhetoric direct the
worshipper who hears the songs recited toward a particular kind of religious
experience, a sense of being in the heavenly sanctuary and in the presence of
angelic priests and worshippers. That this experience is intended as a communal
experience of the human worshiping community is made clear by the first person
plural forms which appear in Q .: our priesthood; the offering of our
mortal tongue; How shall we be considered among them?; let us exalt.

thereby realize and solidify their identity as the family of God, the siblings of the Son. See
Eschatology and Exhortation, ; Confession of the Son of God in Hebrews, NTS .
() ; Confession of the Son of God in the Exordium of Hebrews, JSNT .
() ; Heavenly Sanctuary Mysticism in the Epistle to the Hebrews, , ,
, .
The relationship of heaven and earth in the Sabbath Songs has been the subject of some
debate. For a recent survey, see Joseph Angel, Otherworldy and Eschatological Priesthood in
the Dead Sea Scrolls (STDJ ; Leiden/Boston: Brill, ) .
Newsom, The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice: A Critical Edition (HSS; Atlanta: Scholars, )
; see also , , , . See also Bilhah Nitzan, Qumran Prayer and Religious Poetry

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SCOTT D. MACKIE

The relatively large number of manuscripts that have been recovered, nine copies
in all, and the fact that they originate over a -year span, indicates something of
their enduring importance in the communitys life. Furthermore, these same
convictions are present in both the Community Rule (QS .) and the
Hodayot (QH .; .), texts of unparalleled value to the community
(see also QSa .; QSb .; .; Q ). It is therefore fairly
certain that these beliefs played a key role in the communitys religious/mystical
praxis, as well as the construction of their identity.

(STDJ ; Leiden: Brill, ) ; Alexander, Mystical Texts, , , , , ,

, ; Andrea Lieber, Voice and Vision: Song as a Vehicle for Ecstatic Experience in the
Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, Of Scribes and Sages: Early Jewish Interpretation and
Transmission of Scripture: Volume : Later Versions and Traditions (ed. Craig A. Evans;
Library of Second Temple Studies ; London/New York: T&T Clark, ) ;
Christopher R. A. Morray-Jones, The Temple Within, Paradise Now: Essays on Early Jewish
and Christian Mysticism (ed. April D. DeConick; SBLSymS ; Atlanta: Society of Biblical
Literature, ) . This theory has not been embraced by everyone; dissenters
include: Lawrence H. Schiffmann, Merkavah Speculation at Qumran: The Q Serek Shirot
Olat ha-Shabbat, Mystics, Philosophers, and Politicians: Essays in Jewish Intellectual History
in Honor of Alexander Altmann (ed. Jehuda Reinharz and Daniel Swetschinki; Durham:
Duke University, ) ; Elliot R. Wolfson, Mysticism and the Poetic-Liturgical
Compositions from Qumran, JQR . () ; Schfer, The Origins of Jewish
Mysticism, .
A tenth manuscript, Mask, was found at Masada, possibly indicating that the Songs were used
outside the community.
This is especially likely given the importance of knowledge for the communitys identity, and
the fact that angels were viewed as the revealers of heavenly knowledge. Alexander, Mystical
Texts, , notes: Again and again the Songs declare that heaven is a place of knowledge.
God is the ultimate source of knowledge, and the priestly angels, as the beings closest to him,
are constantly referred to as the Elohim/Elim of knowledge, who are able to instruct humankind and to pass on to them the divine knowledge they have received. Thus, in the Sabbath
Songs, the ultimate goal of mystical experience is to acquire this heavenly knowledge, to rise
to the level of divine illumination enjoyed by the angels (). In a recent essay, Alexander
(Qumran and the Genealogy of Western Mysticism, New Perspectives on Old Texts:
Proceedings of the Tenth International Symposium of the Orion Center for the Study of the
Dead Sea Scrolls and Associated Literature, January, [ed. Esther G. Chazon and
Betsy Halpern-Amaru; STDJ ; Leiden/Boston: Brill, ] , here ) defines this illumination as the knowledge of personal election, of being predestined to stand among Gods
holy ones before his face. On knowledge as the primary constituent of the communitys identity, see Carol A. Newsom, Self as Symbolic Space: Constructing Identity and Community at
Qumran (STDJ ; Leiden/Boston: Brill, ) ; Newsom, Apocalyptic Subjects: Social
Construction of the Self in the Qumran Hodayot, JSP . () , here . Rachel
Elior, The Three Temples: On the Emergence of Jewish Mysticism (Oxford/Portland: The
Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, ) , contends that belief in angelic communion
was the source of the self-designation, , as it reflects the assumed togetherness of the
community and angels.

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Despite the near routinization of this extraordinary mystical practice in the life of
the community, a pessimistic sense of human inadequacy and sinfulness appears
near the outset of the Songs. This is attributed to the presence of angels, who are considered ontologically and sacrally superior to humans. Q . asks: How shall
we be considered [among] them? How shall our priesthood [be considered] in their
dwellings? And [our] holiness their holiness? [What] is the offering of our tongues of
dust [compared] with the knowledge of the go[ds]? QH . and .
seem to be fashioned as responses to these questions, as they ascribe the ability to
commune liturgically with angels to Gods gracious purification of their sins: The
depraved spirit you have cleansed from great offense so it can take its place with
the host of the holy ones, and enter into communion with the congregation of the
sons of heaven (.). QH . is effusive in its pessimism: God has
shown an abundance of forgiveness and compassion in purifying from offence,
impure abominations, and the guilt of unfaithfulness, those depraved spirits
who have now joined the lot with your holy onesthe perpetual host and spirits.
This pessimism, coupled with the fact that the content of the angelic liturgy is
never disclosed, leads Esther G. Chazon to the conclusion that the Sabbath Songs
maintain a substantive and qualitative distinction between human praise and
that of the angels. The human worshippers describe the angelic praise, and
echo it in kind; but they never repeat the angels words verbatim. Human
inadequacy rather than angelic silence appears to be the reason for the omission of the angels precise words.

Though nowhere near as fascinated with angels as the Sabbath Songs, Hebrews
does contain more references and devote more time to the topic than any other
epistolary document in the NT. In a lengthy depiction of the Sons enthronement ceremony, ., angels are represented as worshipping Jesus, the communitys Lord, thus validating their Christological convictions. Immediately
thereafter, angels are described as ministering spirits, serving the community
(.). An ontological hierarchy is established in ., with the purpose of
See Alexander, Mystical Texts, : From a mystical perspective the language could be seen to
express a sense of unworthiness, even fear, at approaching the heavenly realms. Contrary to
most scholars, who read Q . as an expression of amazement and praise offered in
response to the communitys undeserved inclusion in the heavenly sanctuary, Raanan
Abusch (Sevenfold Hymns in the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice and the Hekhalot
Literature: Formalism, Hierarchy and the Limits of Human Participation, The Dead Sea
Scrolls as Background to Postbiblical Judaism and Early Christianity [ed. James R. Davila;
STDJ ; Leiden: Brill, ] , here ) believes the text reflects the communitys explicit polemical rejection of the possibility of full human participation in the angelic sphere.
Chazon, Liturgical Communion with the Angels at Qumran, Sapiential, Liturgical and
Poetical Texts from Qumran (ed. Daniel K. Falk, Florentino Garca Martnez, and Eileen M.
Schuller; STDJ ; Leiden: Brill, ) , here .
In this regard only Matthew, Luke, Acts, and Revelation surpass Hebrews.

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SCOTT D. MACKIE

charting the communitys temporal and existential location; their suffering is

therefore appropriate to their temporary place beneath angels (.). However,
humans are destined to surpass angels, a destiny proleptically attained by Jesus
(.). The presence of angels among humans is asserted again in .; there
the community is exhorted to extend hospitality to strangers, for in so doing
some have unknowingly entertained angels. Thus . and . would seem to
be directed towards increasing the communitys consciousness of the presence
of angels in their everyday life; it would also presumably decrease any anxieties
about such occurrences.
Perhaps the most significant reference to angels occurs in ., an extraordinary passage in which the author places the community in the midst of a
joyous gathering () that includes myriads of angels (
, .). This text, with its confident declaration that the community
has come (; perfect tense) to Mount Zion, the city of the
living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, strongly implies that the community is presently participating in the angelic worship of God and his Son. Such an assertion
is unmatched in the NT.
In addition to this apparent assertion of the communitys liturgical communion with angels, Hebrews and Qumrans Sabbath Songs share at least two
other convictions and concerns: () Hebrews elaborate cultic soteriology, comprised of forgiveness of sins, cleansing from impurity, sanctification, and perfection, is entirely intended to facilitate the communitys entry into the heavenly
Georg Gbel, Rivals in Heaven: Angels in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Angels: The Concept of
Celestial BeingsOrigins, Development and Reception (ed. Friedrich V. Reiterer, Tobias
Nicklas, and Karen Schpflin; Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Yearbook ;
Berlin/New York: W. de Gruyter, ) , contends that this passage deliberately modifies a traditional Jewish motif of rivalry between humans and angels (). In texts espousing
this tradition, angels are depicted as quoting Ps , what are humans that God is concerned
about them? to express their contempt for humanity (). The author modifies the tradition
with the claim that Jesus exaltation represents a proleptic realization of the divine promise to
reign over these contemptuous angels ().
The cloud of witnesses that surrounds the community may be angelic (.), though it is
most likely a reference to the heroes of faith enumerated in ch. .
Gbel inexplicably overlooks this passage in his essay, Rivals in Heaven.
Robert Jewett, Letter to Pilgrims: A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews (New York:
Pilgrim, ) , contends that the perfect tense verb in . represents
one of the most dramatic and radical statements of realized eschatology in the NT. With his
careful delineation of four separate species at this heavenly celebration (God and his Son,
angels, the spirits of just men made perfect [i.e., the righteous dead], and the community),
Hebrews rejects any notion of an angelomorphic transformation of the community. On this
topic, see Himmelfarb, Ascent to Heaven, ; Crispin Fletcher-Louis, Jewish Mysticism,
the New Testament and Rabbinic-Period Mysticism, The New Testament and Rabbinic
Literature (ed. Reimund Bieringer, Florentino Garca Martnez, Didier Pollefeyt, and Peter J.
Tomson; JSJSup ; Leiden/Boston: Brill, ) , here , .

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sanctuary. This is of course comparable to the emphasis placed on forgiveness,

purification, and renewal in affording the Qumran community an opportunity
to take its place in Gods presence with the perpetual host and spirits (QH
.; .). However, Hebrews soteriological cleansing is deemed necessary for the community to draw near to God, not angels (.; .; .).
Nowhere in Hebrews do we find a sense of awe or fear concerning the immanence
of angels. Instead, angels are almost viewed as peers, as fellow worshippers and
servants of the Son. () Both documents consider their vocalized praise and
worship as spiritual sacrifices: Qumrans offering of our tongues of dust
(Q .), is comparable to Hebrews exhortation to continually offer a sacrifice
of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name (.). Finally, we
should note that Hebrews, the Sabbath Songs, and Philos account of the
Therapeutae (Contempl. , ) are the only surviving ancient Jewish
accounts of communal mystical praxis of this caliber (involving a communitys
entry into the heavenly realm and participation in the heavenly liturgy).

. Conclusion

As we have seen, the divine throne, temple veil, glory of God, and angels
are commonly encountered in ancient Jewish texts that purport to describe the
heavenly throne room. Furthermore, they are almost always characterized as presenting obstacles to the presence of God, and/or engendering fear and a sense of
inadequacy on the part of the visionaries. A close examination of these motifs in
Hebrews has revealed the innovative manner in which the author transforms
them and their connotations, presenting them instead as encouraging, facilitating,
and even ensuring access to a welcoming God.
The throne is a place where undeserved and unexpected divine blessings are
dispensed, and upon which Jesus the elder brother of the community is seated.
The veil no longer represents an impenetrable barrier to the presence of God:
through Jesus obedient suffering of death it has been pulled aside for the community. The glory of God has also been transformed from an overwhelmingly radiant
and repelling manifestation of Gods otherness, to the vindicating reward and
See Mackie, Eschatology and Exhortation, .
In his otherwise excellent comparison of Hebrews and the literature of Qumran, Harold W.
Attridge (How the Scrolls Impacted Scholarship on Hebrews, The Bible and the Dead Sea
Scrolls. Volume : The Scrolls and Christian Origins [ed. James H. Charlesworth; Waco:
Baylor University, ] ) fails to contrast their respective cultic soteriologies and disparate attitudes towards the presence of angels.
On the mysticism of Philos Therapeutae/Therapeutrides, see Joan E. Taylor, Jewish Women
Philosophers of First-Century Alexandria: Philos Therapeutae Reconsidered (Oxford: Oxford
University, ) ; and my forthcoming essay, Seeing God in Philo of Alexandria:
Means, Methods, and Mysticism, JSJ ().

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SCOTT D. MACKIE

status that has been conferred upon Jesus. And the Son who perfectly radiates and
reflects his Fathers brilliant majesty is leading the community into that same
reward. Finally, the presence of angels in both the everyday and worshipping
life of the community is presented almost matter of factly, and their presence
is never seen as a cause for alarm. Instead they are depicted as fellow worshippers of the communitys Lord.
We can be certain that the authors transformation of these four motifs was
deliberate, given their prominence in passages promoting his ultimate hortatory
goal: the communitys entry into the heavenly sanctuary (.; .;
.; .; .). We may also speculate that this large-scale revision
of the traditional contents and occupants of the heavenly throne room was
necessitated by the authors awareness of the extraordinary nature of his theology
of access and entry exhortations. Undoubtedly the community would have
shared this conviction; however, if they were sufficiently attentive to these particular details of Hebrews hortatory effort they presumably would have experienced
an appreciable diminishment of their doubts and fears. Similarly, our focus on the
authors careful handling of these four ancient Jewish mystical motifs has hopefully helped expand our own understanding of this remarkable aspect of his
hortatory effort and increase our awareness of its importance within the overall
framework of his word of exhortation.

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