What is not so often seen is that the list of ‘heroes of faith’ in Hebrews 11 is designed to make the same point, by means of its clear subversion of the story in Ben-Sirach 44–50. Instead of the present high priest in the Temple being the point towards which all Israel’s history was tending, it is Jesus, the true High Priest: Hebrews 12:1–3 stands to 11:4–40 as Sirach 50:1–21 does to 44:1–49:16.130
