The Letter to the Hebrews
A Brief Introduction
by Lane Rogers
THE AUTHOR
There are at least 13 commonly held positions as to who wrote the Book of Hebrews and I will give an overview only of the main opinions and withhold what I think for last.
Paul: According to most recent scholarship the idea of Paul being the author of the book of Hebrews is almost universally abandoned. I find this fact ironic since the book of Hebrews would have never been accepted in the canon of Scripture except for the fact that it was assumed to be written by Paul.
Clement of Alexandria (150-211,220) claims the letter was originally written by Paul in Hebrew and later translated into Greek by Luke. Like Clement, Origen (185-254) affirmed the authorship of Paul. Eusebius (c.450) affirmed the Pauline authorship but did mention that this was disputed.
The
internal evidence seems to be against Pauline authorship. One passage
in particular (Heb.2:3) eliminates Paul.
The author of the book
of Hebrews received his message indirectly from "those who
heard" Jesus. This does not sound like Paul. Paul has already
made a statement that he received his message direct from Jesus (Gal.
1:1). It might also be noted that there are vast differences between
the vocabulary in Paul's other letters and the book of Hebrews.
Without beleaguering the point, Pauline authorship must be rejected.
Peter: There was no indication in ancient times that Peter was the author of Hebrews. It has been somewhat more plausibly suggested that Hebrews was the work of Silas, the successor of Barnabas as Paul's traveling companion (Acts 15:40) and Peter's amanuensis (1st Peter 5:12). The problem with this idea is that there is no evidence and not even a credible theory based on language analysis.
Jude: The first person we know of to attribute this work to Jude was in 1984. These people believe that the "letter of encouragement" mentioned in Hebrews 13:22 was the book of Jude. I personally find this not credible. Jude is a highly polemic book. Full of fire and brimstone. Hebrews on the other hand is a book of gentle persuasion. In the book of Jude, he introduces himself as Jesus's half brother. Would this same author pen the letter we call Hebrews and not identify himself? There is one rare word found in Jude that we find in Hebrews. It is found only in the book of Hebrews and Jude (Hebrews 6:6; 7:7; 12:3; Jude 11) and no where else in the Bible. Both times as a reference to the Rebellion of Korah.
Stephen: The similarities between Stephen's speech in Acts 7 and Heb.11 are indeed striking. The two texts have a number of hapax legomena or rare words in common. But, once again, both accounts are in the general context of recounting Israel's history and one might expect some of the same words to be mentioned.
There are many other suggested writers whom I will mention but to a person, all have a problem being the author of Hebrews:
Phillip the Deacon (Acts 6:5): Did not live long enough to pen the letter.
Aristion: He is found in an obscure Armenian manuscript and believed to be the individual who added the last section of the gospel of Mark (Mark 16:9-20). There simply is no evidence to suggest this man wrote the book of Hebrews.
Priscilla and Aquila: Mass speculation by feminist groups wanting a female apostle.
I will stop here since the main ones have been mentioned yet there are many more but I don't think they are worth mentioning.
Luke: I think the book was written by Paul in Hebrew and sometime later translated into the wonderful Greek we read by the only Greek disciple, Luke. According to Gerald Paden of Sunset International Bible Institute, a language analysis reveals that one third of all the medical terminology found in the NT is found in Hebrews. The overwhelming bulk of the rest of the medical terminology is found in Luke and Acts. Since Luke was a doctor, he must be a candidate.
A. The options are limited for who wrote the book if we consider that in Hebrews 13:22 it is called an “exhortation.”
B. Since Timothy was in Prison the Letter of Hebrews was probably written from Italy. Paul was the author of the material but Luke was the writer. The Apostles were already dead (Hebrews 13:7). Written in the past tense. Also, see Acts 20 for Luke joining up with Paul.
C. The men-de arguments are the style of Paul (on the one hand and on the other hand). In Heb.7:23 we find the qual-washer —from the lessor to the greater argument.
D. Where did the writer get his information? It was passed on to him (see Luke 1:1). It came from “those who heard him" or the Apostles.
E. Many uses of 2nd generation medical terms. The Elders of the church were ruling (Hebrews 13:7) which begs the question, why was Paul not mentioned in this letter?
1. The letter was written only to Jewish Christians who had turned their back on Jesus and went back to the Temple to worship. Paul was considered a traitor by the Jewish community.
2. Paul executed around 65 or 66 A.D. The Temple was to be destroyed “in a little while” (10:37) which happened in 70 A.D.
“Your house has been left desolate” meaning God has abandoned the Temple of Jerusalem. I suspect the letter mentioned in II Peter 3:15 is the letter of Hebrews.
The First Readers
As with the question of the author of this book, the subject of who were the first readers is also controversial. We will look at the internal evidence and decide who those readers were.
The title 'Ebrews is attested in all Greek manuscripts and in the ancient versions. The is no evidence that this writing was ever under any other name. There is however a long gap between the writing of Hebrews and the first mention of the book by Tertullian in the 3rd century.
The modern suggestion that 'Ebrews means "against the Hebrews" is unlikely if not silly. It has become very stylish of late to claim the the Letter to the Hebrews was written to Greeks wandering around in the Syrian desert.
The letter was written to Christians: people who believed that Jesus was the Son of God (1:2) and "the Lord" (2:3). Their faith was deficient and they needed further instruction about the person and work of Christ (5:11-6:3). These were people who were throughly versed in the OT, particularly the Law of Moses and the Temple (9:1-10). The readers accepted the authority of the OT without question. Moreover, the arguments in Hebrews are marked at many places by typical if not uniquely rabbinic procedures, such as the argument from the silence of the Scripture (e.g., 7:3, 14).
I. There are two possible time slots for writing the book of Hebrews, based on internal evidence.
1. 100 A.D. to 110 A.D. but very unlikely.
2. It is my view as well as that of my former teacher, the book of Hebrews was written around 69 A.D. based on internal evidence. Notice the verse below!
Hebrews 10:11, Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;
Notice, that when the author was writing this letter, the Priests were still standing (hesteken i.e. verb 3rd sing. Indic perf. act) [The perfect tense expresses perfective action. Perfective action involves a present state which has resulted from a past action. The present state is a continuing state; the past action is a completed action.]
The verb tenses testify to the condition stated.
3. If the priests were still offering sacrifices, then the Temple was still standing. Titus destroyed the Temple in the year 70 A.D. and the writer of the Hebrew letter makes it very clear ...the day of the Lord...or they could see the day (of judgment) coming (Hebrews 10:25).
II. THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK
The Jews were looking for a physical interpretation to the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament even as they are to this very day (Isa. 35: destruction of despair). (Isa. 11 and 25, the kingdom will be wonderful and it will be here on earth according to them).
A. The Jewish Christians were looking for the establishment of an earthly kingdom, and when that did not happen they became disenchanted with Christianity and tried to return to the law (See 2nd Peter 3:4).
B. There was a rising national fervor against Rome. Hebrew preachers were saying “let's drive the Romans out.” There were many false Messiahs which caused people to get their hopes up and then they were let down (Matt. 24:24). These poor people never realized that they were (under the law) part of the shadow system (Hebrews 10:1) and our author does his best to explain this to them.
C. Very hard for people who have walked by sight for 1500 years to all of a sudden walk by faith (Hebrews 11:1). In 2nd Corinthians 4, we find we are to search for the unseen. The unseen is eternal and not the seen. So, in Heb.10:4, don’t go back to the law of Moses. Hebrews 6:4, don’t turn your back on Jesus!
D. Hebrews 10:32—been in poverty for 20 or 30 years. Jews lost their land. Chapter 13, be free from money and establish your hearts. In chapter 12:1ff—one can fall short by trading the spiritual for the physical.
E. Verse 25 “do not forsake (divorce) the assembly.” They were leaving Christianity and returning to Temple (10:11).
F. Hebrew Priests were not typology. Melchezidek was! Priests were always required to stand. Could never sit. Jesus sat down (Heb. 9:12-13) His job was finished.
by Lane Rogers