Who wrote Hebrews?

[GoldenEagle]

Golden Eagle,

That was an excellent find! Thanks for posting that.

Do you think it's possible that some of Hebrews is missing? I also have always wondered if there were NT writings after 70 AD that were destroyed. Also do you think the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD was a judgement from God? I have read some of Josephus writings on the Roman/Jewish war and some of the things he witnessed are strikingly similar to what John saw in Revelation.

 

Re: The Temple

As to the desctruction of the temple in AD 70... Some would say that the Book of Revelations was written sometime bettween AD 70 and AD 95. That said no books of the BIble make clear reference to the destruction of the temple.

 

Was the temple in AD 70 a judgement from God? Well, on a practical level there had been Jewish revolts against Rome. First Jewish revolt was AD 66-73 over arguments about sacrificing to false gods in the Temple. This revolt didn't end well for the Jews. Emperor Nero sent Vespasian and Titus to end the rebellion.

 

Of interest there were occasional rebellions from AD 73 to AD 132. The Temple tax (tithe) is believed to still have been collected but the money was sent to Rome. Emperor Hadrian banned the Jewish religion which led Simon bar Cochba into guerilla warfare in AD 132. Of interest Simon bar Chocbha claimed to be the Messiah. Rome killed nearly 600,000 Jews and sold many into slavery. Rome destroyed about 50 fortresses and levelled nearly 1000 villages. The result was Jersualem became a Roman city. The pagan temple to Jupiter was erected on the Temple site. And to add insult to injury Jews were banned from entering the city.

 

The Temple was a symbol of the identity of Israel. Rome wanted no more revolts. Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple in Mark 13:1-4.

 

Mark 13:1-4

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

13 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” ² And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Signs of the Close of the Age

³ And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”

Micah 3:12 also predicts the destruction Jersualem and by default of the temple.

What do you think?

God bless,

GE

[Inchrist1]

GE,

Sorry i kind of went off topic in my last post. The section on Paul makes it more clear to me that Paul wasn't the writer.

I used to think it was Possibly Luke, but after reading what you posted i don't have a clue.

[Inchrist1]

Why do I think part of Hebrews is missing? I was just thinking maybe the part about who the writer was was missing.

I defiantly have always thought the Destruction of the temple was a judgment from God, i just wanted to get your take. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me.

[Inchrist1]

This is what Josephus saw before the destruction of the temple.

"Besides these [signs], a few days after that feast, on the one- and-twentieth day of the month Artemisius, [Jyar,] a certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared; I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armour were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities. Moreover, at that feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the] temple, as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a great multitude, saying, "Let us remove hence" (Jewish Wars, VI-V-3)."

[Butch5]

I always thought it was Paul because that is what I was taught. After reading these 2 verse i don't think Paul wrote it. Am i wrong?

"For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:12 ESV"

This is from the writer of Hebrews:

"how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (Hebrews 2:3, 4 ESV)"

it was attested to us by those who heard.

Please correct me if i am wrong.

Thanks,

Inchrist

Hi InChrist,

 

I'm inclined to believe that Paul is the author of the epistle. There is some evidence among the early church that attributes it to Paul. However, the main reason I believe it is from Paul is the extensive knowledge of the Law that is seen in the writer, Paul being a Pharisee of Pharisees would have this knowledge. Also, some have said that the writing is very similar to that or Luke. If Paul is the author it is possible that it was dictated to Luke.There is also, I believe evidence from Peter. Peter's first epistle was addressed to the Jewish believers who scattered in the dispersion. I believe his second epistle was also written to Jewish believers, he says,

 

KJV  2 Peter 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: (2Pe 3:1-2 KJV)

 

It seems to me that this is a second epistle to the Jewish believers. Consider Peter's, he wants them to remember the words of the prophets. The Gentiles didn't study the words of the prophets, however, the Jews did. Having said that consider what he says later in the letter,

 

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (2Pe 3:13-16 KJV)

 

Now, this doesn't prove that Peter is referring to the epistle to the Hebrews but I do believe it is a possibility. After all Hebrews is addressed specifically to the Jewish believers.

 

Given the evidence I believe there is ample evidence to suggest that Paul is the author of the epistle.

 

 

Concerning the specific passage, that was a concern of mine at first also. He says it was first attested to us by them that heard, remember the when Paul first heard the Gospel he was a Pharisee and persecuted the church,so it was first attested to to him from those who had heard the apostles. I believe by "us" he means his Jewish brethren.

 

 

I hope this helps.

[GoldenEagle]

Why do I think part of Hebrews is missing? I was just thinking maybe the part about who the writer was was missing.

I defiantly have always thought the Destruction of the temple was a judgment from God, i just wanted to get your take. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me.

Re: Hebrews

I'd probably lean towards Appollos being the author of Hebrews inChrist1.

 

Re: Temple

Sure no problem.

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

Given the evidence I believe there is ample evidence to suggest that Paul is the author of the epistle.

 

 

The full title of the book is "The Epistle Of Paul To The Hebrews."  It says that in my 1611 King James Bible and my Authorized King James Bible.  I have no reason to doubt that is the case. 

 

 

 

What about the specific issues mentioned here

 

Evidence Against (internal):

a. The letter is anonymous, yet all 13 of Paul’s NT letters mention him as the author in the first sentence.

b. The writer made no claim to apostolic authority, unlike Paul. Instead, the writer appealed to eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry (Heb. 2:3).

c. Hebrews has a highly polished Greek, which is different from Paul's abrupt style.

d. The theological emphasis is not characteristically Pauline (such as saying Jesus was the great high priest: Heb. 4:14-16).

e. OT quotations in Hebrews are usually from the LXX, but Paul did not always follow this practice.

f. Hebrews’ place in NT seems to question authorship.

Evidence Against (external):

a. Both the Council of Hippo (AD 393) and the 3^rd Council of Carthage (AD 397) listed Hebrews separately from Paul’s 13 letters.

b. During the Reformation, Calvin claimed Clement of Rome or Luke wrote Hebrews.

c. Lea says virtually no NT scholar today proposes Pauline authorship.

 

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

 I do think that we get too carried away worrying about the human author of any of the books of the Bible, given that God is the true author, and that he only used these individuals to pen his words. 

It is really more of just an interest. I don't think anyone on the thread is questioning that the Holy Spirit inspired the book of Hebrews...

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

Fair enough Butero. Ignoring internal and external evidence because of the title assigned to a book by the KJV seems... Well anyway.

Of note: The KJV's attribution to Paul was only a guess and not a very good one according to internal and external factors.

Pauline writings are more like common letters (private; personal) while Hebrews was written more for public use and the Church in general.
 

 

Perhaps then we CAN agree though on the theme and purpose of the book then?

Theme:
The main point of the book is to show the supremecy and finality of Jesus Christ.

He was and is both the Son of God and the High Priest.

Purpose:
It was a warning against relapsing into Judaism and avoiding apostacy. 

It was also a challenge to break out of a restricted Jewish outlook.

To announce the absolute character of Christ to Gentile Christians.

Finally, it was a polemic against a heresy like in Colossians.

God bless,

GE

 

Edit: repeated one sentence twice. corrected in bold.

Edited June 4, 2014 by GoldenEagle

[Guest shiloh357]

I went back and read that post, all of the things for and against Paul writing Hebrews, and when the dust settles, you have no answers.  It still comes back to no definite proof one way or the other, and to me, since the title of the book is "The Epistle Of Paul To The Hebrews," the most obvious answer is the best answer.  It is hardly a topic to take a hard nosed stand on, so if you don't think Paul wrote it, I am not going to argue the point.  I think he did, but it doesn't really matter since God is it's true author. 

That title was put there by human beings.  it is not part of the inspired text.  The Greek manuscripts from which the English text is taken do not contain that title.