When I read the first verse of the epistle to the Hebrews, I naturally would ask the question again.
In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets (Hebrews 1:1)
Has God ever spoken of old to our ancestors? Is it possible to discover traces of divine revelation in the Chinese ancient documents? Have God ever tried to reveal Himself to the Chinese people but decided to choose Abraham and his descendents instead?
Israelite and Chinese are eastern civilizations. There are a lot of similarities between their modes of thought and ethical teachings. For example, both cultures honour their parents. Both regard their kings the sons of God/Heavens. Of course, there are also millions of points of departures between the two. For example, while the Jews consciously segregate themselves from Gentiles, Han, the majority tribe of China has a great ability to assimilate alien tribes. Even alien rulers (there were only two, the Mongolians and the Manchurians) adapted themselves to the customs and culture of the majority they were ruling. Furthermore, the Jews expected a Messiah to deliver them from alien oppressions. No such Messianic figure has ever appeared in the history of China which is peppered with peasant revolutionaries or disillusioned generals. Change in dynasties is only the passing of the control of the country from one family to another. People did not care who occupied the throne ...
The epistle of the Hebrews relies heavily on the Septuagint. The following quotations from the first chapter have already shown this tendency. The wordings are (nearly) identical!
Thou art my Son, today I have begotten theeυἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε;
(Hebrews 1:5a, Psalm 2:7b LXX)
I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a sonἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν;
(Hebrews 1:5b, 2 Samuel 7:14a)
Let all God's angels worship himκαὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι θεοῦ. (Hebrews 1:6b)
καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες υἱοὶ θεοῦ (Deuteronomy 32:43, LXX)
Praise his people, O you nations; for he avenges the blood of his servants, and takes vengeance on his adversaries, and makes expiation for the land of his people (Deuteronomy 32:43, MT)
In the Old Testament, the term "sons of God" can mean "angels". Therefore, the Greek New Testament text and the Septuagint text agree with each other. While the first two quotations are identical, it is rather difficult to see any similarity between the Greek text (LXX) and the Masoretic Text (MT).
Who makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire
ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματακαὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα, (Hebrews 1:7b)
ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πῦρ φλέγον.
(Psalm 103:4 LXX, 104:4 MT)
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, the righteous scepter is the scepter of thy kingdom.
Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness beyond thy comrades.
ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς εὐθύτητος ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου.
ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν· διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέν σε ὁ θεὸς ὁ θεός σου ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου. (Hebrews 1:8-9)
ὁ θρόνος σου, ὁ θεός, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, ῥάβδος εὐθύτητος ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου.
ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν, διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέν σε ὁ θεὸς ὁ θεός σου ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου. (Psalm 44:7-8 LXX, 45:7-8 MT)
Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of thy hands;
they will perish, but thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment,
like a mantle thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years will never end.
σὺ κατ' ἀρχάς, κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας,καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σού εἰσιν οἱ οὐρανοί·
αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμένεις,καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτούς,ὡς ἱμάτιον καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται·
σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσιν. (Hebrews 1:10-12)
κατ̓ ἀρχὰς σύ, κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας, καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σού εἰσιν οἱ οὐρανοί,
αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμενεῖς, καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἀλλάξεις αὐτούς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται,
σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσιν. (Psalm 101:26-28 LXX, 102:26-28 MT)
Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet
κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου,ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου;
(Hebrews 1:13, Psalm 109:1b LXX, 110:1b MT)
Sorry, I have digressed too afar. What I can't shake off in my head is still the same. God sent His only Son Jesus to become a Jew to speak to the world. This Son had created the world and would inherit all things. After his redemptive work, the Son had returned and sat at the right hand of God (Hebrews 1:1-3). But had God ever visited our Chinese ancestors? Perhaps.
In Genesis 18, we read of the story of three uninvited guests who came to visit Abraham, telling him that his wife Sarah would bore him a son. Interesting, the fifth oracle of I-Ching has a similar reading.
【需】上六，入于穴，有不速之客三人來，敬之終吉。
《象》曰：不速之客來，敬之終吉，雖不當位，未大失也。
Enter the cave (tent?), 3 uninvited guests came, Respect them. Ends well.
In my valedictory speech at the CBI Graduation Ceremony in 2007, I mentioned two other coincidences found in the wisdom story of king Solomon and the parable of unfaithful steward in Luke. I regret not reading enough Bible or Chinese Classics. Otherwise, it would be more fascinating to discover more of these coincidences. It may be possible to shed lights on a better interpretation of the texts in either direction.
Dear Lord, You have spoken to different people in different ways. You invited the 3 Magi with a star. I wonder how You invited our Chinese ancestors. Of course, they did not respond properly and missed the opportunity to be graced by Your incarnation. But I trust You will not give us up. I believe You will bring us salvation at Your time, in Your way. May Your kingdom come to China. Amen.
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