Tradition! …Tradition!
It can be a good thing, but as Tevye found out, it can lead to a lot of issues, too. Back in the 1st century, Christians were divided over whether or not believers needed to obey Jewish laws and customs. The author of Hebrews clearly thinks that Jesus has changed things, but also believes that Jewish scripture and tradition are still important for Christians. That's why you'll find the Hebrew Bible at the beginning of every Christian Bible—labeled as the "Old" Testament, of course.
Questions About Traditions and Customs
- According to the author, how has the coming of the messiah made the old ways of doing things obsolete?
- Do you think Hebrews was written to appeal to Christians who wanted to keep following Jewish traditions? Or was it to encourage
- Christians who had already made the out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-new decision?
- Could the views of Judaism expressed in Hebrews contribute to anti-Semitism? Or should they strengthen Jewish and Christian relations?