Epistle to the Hebrews

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New Testament

The Epistle to the Hebrews is one of the books in the New Testament. Though traditionally credited to the Apostle Paul, the letter is anonymous and most modern scholars, both conservative and critical, believe its author was not Paul himself but some other member of his Pauline community.

Authorship

Paul of Tarsus, the traditional author, as dipicted by Rembrandt. Most scholars today do not believe Paul was the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, which was written anonymously.

The author of Hebrews is not known. The text as it has been passed down to the present time is internally anonymous, though ancient title headings often attribute it to the Apostle Paul.[1] However, even in antiquity doubts were raised about Paul's alleged authorship.

The reasons for this controversy are fairly plain. All of Paul's other his letters—whether disputed as authentically Pauline or not—contain an introduction stating authorship, yet Hebrews does not. Also, while much of its theology and teachings are considered Pauline, Hebrews contains many other ideas which seem to have no such root or influence. Moreover, the writing style is substantially different from that of Paul's authentic epistles, a characteristic first noticed by Clement of Alexandria (c. 210). In particular, Hebrews claims to have been written by a person who received the Christian message from others,[2] while in his letter to the Galatians Paul forcefully defends his claim that he received his gospel directly from the resurrected Jesus himself.

In response to the doubts raised about Paul's involvement, other possible authors were suggested as early as the third century C.E. Origen (c. 240) suggested that either Luke the Evangelist or Clement of Rome might be the author.[3] Tertullian proposed Paul's companion Barnabas.

Nevertheless, in the fourth century, the church largely agreed to include Hebrews as the fourteenth letter of Paul. Jerome and Augustine of Hippo were influential in affirming Paul's authorship,[4] and the Church affirmed this authorship until the Reformation. Arguing in favor of Paul's authorship are such factors as the letter's basic Pauline theology, many Pauline themes, the use of language very similar or the same as Paul's, and a reference to Paul's frequent companion Timothy in the closing lines.

Martin Luther proposed Apollos—"a learned man" (Acts 18:24), popular in Corinth (1 Cor 1:12), and adept at using the scriptures and arguing for Christianity while "refuting the Jews" (Acts 18:27–28)—as its author. In more recent times, some scholars have advanced a case for the authorship of Hebrews belonging to Priscilla or Silas.

In general, the evidence against Pauline authorship has convinced most scholars that the letter is not by Paul.

Audience and date

The King James Bible 1611 ed. ends the Epistle to the Hebrews with "Written to the Hebrewes, from Italy, by Timothie"

Hebrews was written to a an audience facing very specific circumstances:

  • The original readers of the letter were conversant in the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, as the author's usage shows.
  • The types of sins listed in chapter 13 suggest they lived in a city.
  • They had once faced persecution (10:32–34), but not to the point of shedding blood (12:4).
  • Some had stopped assembling together because of persecution (10:25).
  • As the author saw it, at least some among them were being tempted to avoid severe persecution by "shrinking back" [10:32-39] from the apostolic witness to Jesus Christ. It is debated whether the anticipated persecution was from secular (i.e., Roman) authorities or Jewish authorities, or both.
  • In 13:24 the author says that those from Italy greet the readers, implying this as the place of writing.

The letter's audience is thought to be Jewish Christians. It emphasizes that non-Jewish followers of Jesus do not need to convert to Judaism to share in all of God's promises to Jews.

Hebrews has been dated to shortly after the Pauline epistles were collected and began to circulate, c. 95 C.E.

Style

Hebrews is a very consciously "literary" document. The purity of its Greek was noted by Clement of Alexandria, and Origen asserted that every competent judge must recognize a great difference between this epistle and Paul's (Eusebius, VI, xxv). However, Hebrews does not fit the form of a traditional Hellenistic epistle, lacking a proper prescript. Modern scholars generally believe this book was originally a sermon or homily, although possibly modified after it was delivered to include the travel plans, greetings and closing (13:20-25).[5]

This letter consists of two strands: an expositional or doctrinal strand (1:1–14; 2:5–18; 5:1–14; 6:13–9:28; 13:18–25), and a hortatory or ethical strand which punctuates the exposition parenthetically at key points as warnings to the readers (2:1–4; 3:1–4:16; 6:1–12; 10:1–13:17).

Summary

In the past God spoke through the prophets, but in these "last days," he speaks through his Son, who sits at God's right hand and is even higher than the angels. (Chapter 1) Care must be taken not to "drift away" from the Son, for the teachings of angel, who are merely "ministering spirits" is not binding. Although Jesus became lower than the angels when he lived on earth and suffered death, God has now made all things subject to him. Although Jesus is our savior he is also our brother, for he has made us all one family. He was made like his brothers in every way, suffering not only death but temptation, in order to atone for their sins.(Chapter 2)

As a faithful son of God, Jesus is worthy of even greater honor than Moses. Those who know him must not lose faith and turn back, like those Israelites who rebelled against Moses and wished to return to Egypt. (Chapter 3) God has promised a Sabbath to those who are faithful, and today that promise if fulfilled to those found worthy to enter his "rest." Jesus is the great high priest of the current era, a person who was tempted like all of us yet found without sin, so we may approach God's throne with confidence of His grace. (Chapter 4) Jesus' priesthood is of the "order of Melchizedek." The writer's audience has too immature to learn much more of this, being like infants who need "milk, not solid food." (Chapter 5) Now it is time for more advanced instruction.

Are hard teaching follows: Those who fall away from faith in the gospel after having believed can never be brought back to rpentance, because "they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace." However, the writer is confident that his audience will persevere. Moreover, the promises of God—who swore an oath by his own Name with Abraham and fulfilled it—are faithful. (Chapter 6)

Melchizedek was not only a priest by the King of Salem, which means King of Peace; and to him Abraham offered a tenth of his plunder. Jesus, being of the tribe of Judah, is not of the Levite priesthood, but belongs to that of Melchizedek, not because of his ancestry but "on the basis of the power of an indestructible life." In this way, the former levitical law has been set aside, because "it was weak and useless." Earthly priests' offices end when they die, but Jesus lives forever. Moreover, his sacrifice is not made daily, as with levitical priests, but was made once and for all time. (Chapter 7)

Priest he served in the tabernacle ministered in but the shadow of a heavenly sanctuary. Moreover, "if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another." Yet God promised that he would institute a New Covenant with Israel and Judah: "I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts... I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." The previous covenant is thus "obsolete." (Chapter 8) Under the first covenant, the high priest alone could enter the Holy Place once per year, and only offering a blood sacrifice for the sins of himself and he people. Christ's sacrifice of his own blood opens the way for those who are called to be cleansed in their consciences and serve God, for "he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." His sacrifice was offered not in an earthly temple but in heaven; and it is not made again and again. "Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people." Moreover, he will appear second time, not to bear sin this time, but "to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (Chapter 9)

The law is merely the shadow of good things to come, and can never bring perfection; otherwise sacrifices would no longer be necessary. In reality the blood of goats and bulls cannot take away sin. Christ taught that God is not pleased with burnt offerings, but by the accomplishment of His will. It is as a result of God's will that "we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Christ's body is the "curtain" through which we may enter the Holy Place with confidence, our hearts being made pure through the sprinkling of his blood, and our bodies purified through the washing of baptism. We must therefore "hold unswervingly to the hope we profess." Those who persist in sin or who "shrink back" for the faith will face a terrible fate on the day of judgment, but "shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe will be saved. (Chapter 10)

Faith is "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." It is by faith that the providential figures of the past succeeded, people like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Moses, Rahab the harlot, the judges, kings and prophets. Yet they did not received the results of God's promise, but only saw them from a distance. "God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." (Chapter 11)

This "cloud of witnesses" surrounds us, so we should cast aside the weight of doubt "fix our eyes on Jesus," who endured the shame of the cross for our sake, as well as for the joy he would receive upon ascending to God and His throne. The readers may have suffered in their struggles against sin, but not yet to the point of blood. Whatever hardships may come, they must endure it faithfully, as sons receiving discipline from God, their father. They must therefore "strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees." They must shun those who are sexually immoral or who deny God, like Esau, who sold his inheritance for a single meal.[6]Christians have not come to the physical Mount Zion, like the earlier Israelites, but to the spiritual one, mediated not by Moses, but by Jesus, whose blood speaks even better than that of Abel. We must not refuse him, but should "worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for our "God is a consuming fire." (Chapter 12)

The writer concludes with an exhortation to brotherly love, hospitality, and visiting those in prison. Marriage should be considered honorable, for the marriage bed is pure (some translations read "should be kept pure"), but God will punish adulterers. Christians should not desire money, but be content with what they have.

See also

References
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  1. ↑ A number of mss., namely the earliest extant (P46), bear the title of simply, "To the Hebrews," without Paul's name.
  2. ↑ Heb 2:3–4
  3. ↑ Eusebius, Church History 6.25.11-14
  4. ↑ Lane, William L. Hebrews 1-8 (Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 47A. Dallas, TX: Word Books, 1991), Introduction page cliv.
  5. ↑ Ehrman, Bart D. (2004). The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings. New York: Oxford. ISBN 0-19-515462-2. 
  6. ↑ This may be an reference to those who eat food sacrificed to idols, a practiced banned in the early church.

Further reading

  • Attridge, Harold W. Hebrews. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press, 1989.
  • Hagen, Kenneth. Hebrews Commenting from Erasmus to Beze. Tubingen: J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1981.
  • Heen, Erik M. and Krey, Philip D.W., eds. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Hebrews. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2005.
  • Hughes, P.E. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977.
  • Guthrie, Donald The Letter to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983
  • Phillips, John Exploring Hebrews (Revised). Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1977, 1988
  • Lane, William L. Hebrews 1-8. Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 47A. Dallas, TX: Word Books, 1991.
  • Lane, William L. Hebrews 9-13. Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 47B. Dallas, TX: Word Books, 1991.
  • M'Cheyne, Robert Murray 'The Glory of the Christian Dispensation' (Hebrews 8 & 9) Diggory Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1846857034

External links

Online translations of the Epistle to the Hebrews:

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