- This resource page is in the process of being developed
Books and Papers proposing Structures:
1963 Vanhoye A. La structure litteraire de l’Épître aux Hebreux (Paris: Desclee)
1985 Amar Djaballah Outline of Hebrews (Toronto Baptist Seminary)
1986 David Alan Black The Problem of the Literary Structure of Hebrews: An Evaluation and a Proposal (Grace Theological Journal)
1989 David J. MacLeod The Literary Structure of the Book of Hebrews (Bibliotheca Sacra)
1991 George H. Guthrie The Structure of Hebrews: A Text-linguistic Analysis (Ph.D. Dissertation, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary)
2010 John Paul Heil Hebrews Chiastic Structures and Audience Response (The Catholic Biblical Association of America)
2011 David Mark Heath Chiastic Structures in Hebrews: A Study of Form and Function in Biblical Discourse (Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Stellenbosch)
2012 David Mark Heath Chiastic Structures in Hebrews: With a Focus on 1:7–14 and 12:26–29 (New Testament Society of Southern Africa)
2014 David Mark Heath The Problem of Peak in Hebrews (Neotestamentica 48.2)
2015 William L. Lane Word Biblical Commentary Volume 47A Hebrews 1–8 (Thomas Nelson)
Discussion with Links to outlines (to be added)
1963 Vanhoye A.
- Vanhoye reproduced by Amar Djaballah
1986 David Alan Black
“I would venture to suggest that expositors of Hebrews would profit immensely from the thoughtful contribution of Vanhoye. If it does not enjoy the status of absolute certainty (and what theory does?), it should nonetheless be studied as a viable alternative to the more traditional interpretation.”
1989 David J. MacLeod
A discussion of Vanhoye with a few suggested improvements.
Presents the outline: (from: Ellingworth and Nida A Translator’s Handbook on the Letter to the Hebrews):
- a Introduction (1:1–4)
- 1 The name above that of angels (1:5–2:18)
- 2a Jesus, the faithful one (3:1–4:14)
- 2b Jesus, the compassionate high priest (4:15–5:10)
- —Preliminary exhortation (5:11–6:20)
- 3a Jesus and Melchizedek (7:1–28)
- 3b Jesus attained fulfillment (8:1–9:28)
- 3c Jesus, cause of salvation (10:1–18)
- 3a Jesus and Melchizedek (7:1–28)
- —Final exhortation (10:19–39)
- —Preliminary exhortation (5:11–6:20)
- 4a The faith of men of old (11:1–40)
- 2b Jesus, the compassionate high priest (4:15–5:10)
- 4b Endurance is necessary (12:1–13)
- 2a Jesus, the faithful one (3:1–4:14)
- 5 The fruit of righteousness (12:14–13:19)
- 1 The name above that of angels (1:5–2:18)
- z Conclusion (13:20–25).
Central section: (Which does not make sense—the New Covenant 8:10–13, is put in b.)
- c. The old worship, earthly and figurative (8:1–6)
- b. The first covenant, imperfect and provisional: (8:7–13)
- The old and powerless institutions of worship (9:1–10)
- The new, efficacious institutions (9:11–14)
- B. The new covenant (9:15–23)
- b. The first covenant, imperfect and provisional: (8:7–13)
- C. The entrance to heaven (9:24–28).21
1991 George H. Guthrie
- nt538.biblicaltraining.org/…df
- In a 1994 review, Matthew Kent (Seminary Studies) says: “While Guthrie significantly advances the discussion, there are areas for further work.” and points out a number of areas of weakness.
2010 John Paul Heil
- p.13 Second Macrochiastic Level
- Seems pretty useless, missing even the most basic things. There is virtually no correspondence between him and Heath.
2011 David Mark Heath
- www.academia.edu/…al_Discourse
- Compares all the structures
- PROPOSED BOOK-LEVEL STRUCTURE
p.39 acts 13 chiasm
- p.122 comparison of schemas
- p.306 Book level structure