Jephthah (and His Daughter?) in Hebrews 11: A Rereading

This paper will explore the seemingly curious appearance of Jephthah in the list of faithful witnesses in Hebrews 11. It will attempt to answer the question or at least advance a proposal as to why the author of Hebrews 11 saw fit to include Jephthah in that list given the rather sordid nature of his story from Judges. In particular, the theme of human sacrifice and its relevance to the portrait of Christ being presented in Hebrews will be scrutinized.