The Epistle to the Hebrews (New Testament Collection Book 18)

Usually Hebrews was attached in Greek manuscripts to the collection of letters by Paul. Although no author is mentioned for there is no address , a reference to Timothy Heb Yet the exact audience, the author, and even whether Hebrews is a letter have long been disputed. The author saw the addressees in danger of apostasy from their Christian faith.

This danger was due not to any persecution from outsiders but to a weariness with the demands of Christian life and a growing indifference to their calling Heb 2: Another important theme of the letter is that of the pilgrimage of the people of God to the heavenly Jerusalem Hebrews is probably therefore a written homily, to which the author gave an epistolary ending Heb The author begins with a reminder of the preexistence, incarnation, and exaltation of Jesus Heb 1: He dwells upon the dignity of the person of Christ, superior to the angels Heb 1: Christians are to reflect that it is their humanity that Jesus took upon himself, with all its defects save sinfulness, and that he bore the burden of it until death out of obedience to God.

God declared this work of his Son to be the cause of salvation for all Heb 4: Although Christians recognize this fundamental teaching, they may grow weary of it and of its implications, and therefore require other reflections to stimulate their faith 5: Therefore, the author presents to the readers for their reflection the everlasting priesthood of Christ Heb 7: It also provides the meaning God ultimately intended in the sacrifices of the Old Testament Heb 9: They should also be strengthened by the assurance of his foreordained parousia, and by the fruits of faith that they have already enjoyed Heb It is in the nature of faith to recognize the reality of what is not yet seen and is the object of hope, and the saints of the Old Testament give striking example of that faith Heb The perseverance to which the author exhorts the readers is shown forth in the earthly life of Jesus.

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. The reasons for this controversy are fairly plain. First, all of Paul's other letters contain an introduction that claims Pauline authorship, yet Hebrews does not. Also, while much of its theology and teachings are considered Pauline, Hebrews contains many ideas which seem to have no such root. For example, salvation does not seem to come at the time of baptism , but only by waiting faithfully for Christ's second coming 9: Moreover, this writer goes much farther than Paul in divorcing Christianity from its Jewish roots, declaring not only that Gentile Christians need not become Jews, but that the "old covenant" itself is both flawed and obsolete.

Moreover, the writing style is substantially different from that of Paul's authentic epistles, a characteristic first noticed by Clement of Alexandria c. In addition, Hebrews admits to have been written by a person who received the Christian message from others, [2] while in his letter to the Galatians , Paul adamantly insists 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.

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, and the Catholic Church affirmed this authorship until the Reformation and beyond. Arguing in favor of Paul's authorship are such factors as the letter's basic Pauline theology, many Pauline themes, the use of language often similar or the same as Paul's, and a reference to Paul's frequent companion Timothy in the closing lines.

In more recent times, some scholars have advanced a case for the authorship of Hebrews belonging to Priscilla or Silas.

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In general, the evidence against Pauline authorship has convinced most scholars that the letter is not by Paul, an attitude shared by conservative and critical scholars alike. The letter's audience is often thought to be Jewish Christians , although recent scholarship sometimes question this presumption. In either case, Hebrews affirms that non-Jewish followers of Jesus do not need to convert to Judaism in order to share God's covenant, but it is even more concerned to show that the "old covenant" itself is obsolete.

Hebrews has been dated to shortly after the Pauline epistles were collected and began to circulate, c. 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 This letter consists of two strands: 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.

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1 Care must be taken not to "drift away" from the Son, for angels who are merely "ministering spirits," and their teaching is not binding. Although Jesus became lower than the angels when he lived on earth and even suffered death, God has now made all things subject to him.

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Jesus is our savior, but 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 his brothers' sins. 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.

Chapter 4 Jesus' priesthood is of the "order of Melchizedek. A hard teaching follows: Those who fall away from faith in the gospel after having believed can never be brought back to repentance, because "they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

The Book of Hebrews: The Background and Purpose of Hebrews (high definition video)

Moreover, the promises of God—who swore an oath in his own Name to Abraham and fulfilled it—are faithful. Melchizedek was not only a priest, but the King of Salem, which means King of Peace; and to him Abraham offered a tenth of his plunder.

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Jesus, being from 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. Moreover, his sacrifice is not made daily, as with levitical priests, but was made once and for all time.

The high priest who 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.

I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. 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.

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Moreover, he will appear a second time, not to bear sin this time, but "to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. 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.