Trust in Eschatological Judgment: Pistis in Hebrews 10:36–39

Abstract

Recent studies on πίστις in Hebrews have suggested two approaches to the term. Some take it to designate ‘faithfulness’, a view that is seemingly buttressed by the warning passages, while others view it as ‘faith’ that is directed narrowly toward God’s power to resurrect. This study argues that the Old Testament passages adduced in the warning passages are an underappreciated lens for understanding πίστις in Hebrews. Using Heb 10:36–39’s use of Isa 26:20 and Hab 2:3–4 as a test case, this study argues that Hebrews expects a discriminating judgment that will separate the righteous and the wicked, judging the wicked and rewarding or vindicating the righteous. The author’s exhortation to πίστις is an exhortation to faith in the reality and truth of the coming judgment, a propositional belief that reorders earthly life and generates perseverance in the face of hardship. This view satisfactorily unites the author’s twin emphases on the judgment that befalls apostates with his overall imperative to πίστις.