Dr. Benjamin Ribbens

Dr. Ben Ribbens hopes that students in his theology classes develop a new or renewed passion for reading and investigating the Bible by investigating Scripture together and acquiring skills for reading. “I also hope that through their engagement with Scripture, they have an experience with the Word, i.e., the Son, and that they are transformed more and more into his likeness. And I hope that my students see that what they believe about God and the cosmos impacts every part of their life: their hopes and dreams, their jobs and vocations, their relationships and communities, their joys and sufferings.”

What drew him to Trinity:

Ribbens loves teaching at Trinity because he gets to share his passion with students. “Every day I get to open Scripture with my students and share with them the beauty, depth, and richness of God’s self-revelation.”

Research interests:

His research interests include Hebrews; sacrifice and atonement; ascension; general epistles; Revelation; Theological Interpretation of Scripture; Biblical Theology; Pauline justification; and the Pauline epistles.

When he’s not teaching:

He enjoys outdoor activities like running, biking, and hiking. “I love to travel with my wife and to enjoy events in Chicago. I am also a Chicago Cubs fanatic.”

Book

Levitical Sacrifice and Heavenly Cult in Hebrews. BZNW 222. Berlin: deGruyter, 2016.

 Articles and Essays

“Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice and Hebrews 9:11–28: Heavenly Sanctuary, Priest, and Sacrifice.” Pages 116-23 in Reading Hebrews in Context: The Sermon and Second Temple Judaism. Edited by Ben C. Blackwell, John K. Goodrich, and Jason Maston. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2023.

“Partakers of Christ: Union with Christ in Hebrews.” Pro Ecclesia 31 (2022): 282–301.

“The Sacrifice God Desired: Psalm 40.6–8 in Hebrews 10.” New Testament Studies 67 (2021):  284–304.

“Hebrews as Participatory Exegesis.” Journal of Theological Interpretation 15 (2021): 101–120.

“He Still Speaks! The Authority of Scripture in Hebrews.” Pages 189–207 in Authoritative Writings in Early Judaism and Early Christianity: Their Origin, Collection and Meaning. Edited by Tobias Nicklas and Jens Schröter. WUNT 1/441. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2020.

“The Positive Functions of Levitical Sacrifice in Hebrews.” Pages 95–113 in Son, Sacrifice, and Great Shepherd: Studies on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Edited by David Moffitt and Eric Mason. WUNT 2/510. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2020.

“Whose ‘Mercy?’ What ‘Sacrifice’? A Proposed Reading of Matthew’s Hosea 6:6 Quotations.” Bulletin of Biblical Research 28 (2018): 381–404.

“Ascension and Atonement: The Significance of Post-Reformation, Reformed Responses to Socinians for Contemporary Atonement Debates in Hebrews.” Westminster Theological Journal 80 (2018): 1–23.

“Forensic-Retributive Justification in Romans 3:21–26: Paul’s Doctrine of Justification in Dialogue with Hebrews.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 74 (2012): 548–67.

“A Typology of Types: Typology in Dialogue.” Journal of Theological Interpretation 5 (2011): 81–96.

 Public Presentations and Publications

“Hebrews and Union with Christ.” Paper delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical

Literature, San Antonio, TX. November 20, 2021.

“Hebrews as Participatory Exegesis of the Old Testament.” Paper delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Institute for Biblical Research, Virtual, December 1, 2020.

“‘Sacrifice and Offering You Did Not Desire’: Psalm 40:6–8 in Hebrews and the Sacrifice God Desired.” Paper to be delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, Denver, CO, November 13–15, 2018.

“The Ascension and Atonement: Johannes Cocceius and John Owen respond to Socinian Ideas of Christ’s Atonement.” Paper delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, San Antonio, TX, November 19–22, 2016.

“The Significance of Post-Reformation, Dutch Reformed Debates for Contemporary Atonement Debates in Hebrews.” Paper delivered at Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, Atlanta, GA, November 17–19, 2015.

“Whose ‘Mercy?’ What ‘Sacrifice’? A Proposed Reading of Matthew’s Hosea 6:6 Quotations.” Paper delivered at Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, San Diego, CA, November 22–25, 2014.

“The Function of the Heavenly Cult in Hebrews and its Predecessors.” Paper delivered at Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, San Diego, CA, November 22–25, 2014.

“Does Christ Atone for Sins in Heb 2:17.” Paper delivered at Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, San Diego, CA, November 19–21, 2014.

“The Positive Functions of Levitical Sacrifice in Hebrews.” Paper delivered at International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, St. Andrews, Scotland, July 10, 2013.

“Levitical Sacrifices in Hebrews: Does Hebrews Violate the Literal Sense of Leviticus?” Paper delivered at Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, Chicago, IL, November 19, 2012.

“Philo’s Sacrifice Theology: Spec. Laws 1.269–72 as a Test Case.” Paper delivered at Annual Midwest Regional Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, Bourbonnais, IL, February 12, 2012.

“Conceptual Backgrounds and Sacrifice Theology in Hebrews.” Paper delivered at Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, San Francisco, CA, November 18, 2011.

“Daniel 3:17, ‘If Our God Exists’: A Syntactical and Theological Examination.” Paper delivered at Annual Midwest Regional Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, Bourbonnais, IL, February 13, 2011.

“The Eschatological Origin of the Ἄτακτοι in Thessalonica.” Paper delivered at Annual Midwest Regional Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, Bourbonnais, IL, February 12, 2011.

“Forensic-Retributive Justification in Romans 3:21–26: Paul’s Doctrine of Justification in Dialogue with Hebrews.” Paper delivered at Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, Atlanta, GA, November 19, 2010.

Chicago Society of Biblical Research
Evangelical Theological Society
Institute of Biblical Research
Society of Biblical Literature