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The Three-fold Hope

Mar 24

Written by: gfackre
3/24/2009 3:38 PM

Pursuing the thesis that New Testament understandings of hope come in three forms, let’s return to one of the classical passages on hope : “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen.” (Hebrews 11:1) A remarkable verse. Read in the light of the triple typology of hope, it contains all three-- the grounds, the object and the act.

“Faith is the assurance….” The well-known chapter runs through a company of the faithful from Abel to “the prophets.” “Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised…” (11:39) Something else had to happen to create the “assurance” of promises made. So we are told to look to the Alpha and Omega of the matter, “Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith…..” What else can that mean in our three-fold understanding than that Jesus Christ is the grounds of Christian hope? Faith in him assures us of the fulfillment of hope..

But what is this fulfillment? “Things hoped for.” What things? They gather within “a kingdom that cannot be shaken” according to our author. Or in larger New Testament compass, the End when God is all in all, humanity is reconciled and creation redeemed. This in our taxonomy is hope as the defining object , The Great Hope” discerned by the eyes of faith in Jesus Christ.

And the third form is the act in which we engage, as we look toward the “hoped for” with the assurance of faith in Christ.

“Christ the Hope of the World” said the second assembly of the World Council of Churches earlier noted. Using our three-fold schema the noun could mean that he is the grounds for any right hoping the world might do. Or it could mean whatever will ultimately be right for the world, whether it knows it or not, is the One we meet at the End—Christ and “all his benefits.” Indications are that the assembly meant both.