Posted on 11/29/2025 7:26:25 PM PST by Red Badger
Theologically speaking, scholars generally regard the book of Hebrews to be second in importance only to Paul’s letter to the Romans in the New Testament. No other book so eloquently defines Christ as high priest of Christianity, superior to the Aaronic priesthood, and the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. This book presents Christ as the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). However, both the authorship and audience are in question.
VIDEO AT LINK...................
The title “To the Hebrews,” which appears in the earliest known copy of the epistle, is not a part of the original manuscript. There is no salutation; the letter simply begins with the assertion that Jesus, the Son of God, has appeared, atoned for our sins, and is now seated at the right hand of God in heaven (Hebrews 1:1-4).
The letter closes with the words “Grace be with you all” (Hebrews 13:25), which is the same closing found in each of Paul’s known letters (see Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 16:23; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 6:18; Ephesians 6:24; Philippians 4:23; Colossians 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; 1 Timothy 6:21; 2 Timothy 4:22; Titus 3:15; and Philemon 25). However, it should be noted that Peter (1 Peter 5:14; 2 Peter 3:18) used similar—though not identical—closings. It is possible that it was simply customary to close letters like this with the words “Grace be with you all” during this time period.
Church tradition teaches that Paul wrote the book of Hebrews, and until the 1800s that issue was closed. However, though some Christian scholars still believe Paul wrote the book, there are some tempting reasons to think otherwise.
First and foremost is the lack of a salutation. Some sort of personal salutation from Paul appears in all of his letters. So it would seem that writing anonymously is not his usual method; therefore, the reasoning goes, Hebrews cannot be one of his letters. Second, the overall composition and style is of a person who is a very sophisticated writer. Even though he was certainly a sophisticated communicator, Paul stated that he purposely did not speak with a commanding vocabulary (1 Corinthians 1:17; 2:1; 2 Corinthians 11:6).
The book of Hebrews quotes extensively from the Old Testament. Paul, as a Pharisee, would have been familiar with the Scripture in its original Hebrew language. In other letters, Paul either quotes the Masoretic Text (the original Hebrew) or paraphrases it. However, all of the quotes in this epistle are taken out of the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), which is inconsistent with Paul’s usage. Finally, Paul was an apostle who claimed to receive his revelations directly from the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:23; Galatians 1:12). The writer of Hebrews specifically says that he was taught by an apostle (Hebrews 2:3).
If Paul didn’t write the letter, who did? The most plausible suggestion is that this was actually a sermon Paul gave and it was transcribed later by Luke, a person who would have had the command of the Greek language that the writer shows. Barnabas is another likely prospect, since he was a Levite and would have been speaking on a subject that he knew much about. Martin Luther suggested Apollos, since he would have had the education the writer of this letter must have had. Priscilla and Clement of Rome have been suggested by other scholars.
However, there is still much evidence that Paul wrote the letter. The most compelling comes from Scripture itself. Remember that Peter wrote to the Hebrews (that is, the Jews; see Galatians 2:7, 9 and 1 Peter 1:1). Peter wrote, “Just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him” (2 Peter 3:15). In that last verse, Peter is confirming that Paul had also written a letter to the Hebrews!
The theology presented in Hebrews is consistent with Paul’s. Paul was a proponent of salvation by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8, 9), and that message is strongly communicated in this epistle (Hebrews 4:2, 6:12, 10:19-22, 10:37-39, and 11:1-40), indicating that either Paul wrote the epistle or the writer was trained by Paul. Although it is a small detail, this epistle makes mention of Timothy (Hebrews 13:23), and Paul is the only apostle known to have ever done that in any letter.
So, who actually wrote Hebrews? The letter fills a needed space in Scripture and both outlines our faith and defines faith itself in the same way that Romans defines the tenets of Christian living. It closes the chapters of faith alone and serves as a prelude to the chapters on good works built on a foundation of faith in God. In short, this book belongs in the Bible. Therefore, its human author is unimportant. What is important is to treat the book as inspired Scripture as defined in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The Holy Spirit was the divine author of Hebrews and of all Scripture, even though we don’t know who put the physical pen to the physical paper and traced the words.
Interesting history Ping!...............
Now do Ecclesiastes.
Which part?
Brain is saying I need to get some sleep.
While you’re at it,
Who?
Who?
Who wrote the Book of Love?
They don’t know. I like the mystery. IMO, it was not Paul.
I think it was Luke.
I think it was Timothy, or possibly even Silas...............
I thought the Masoretic text was compiled hundreds of years after Paul.
Yes, they were ‘compiled’, but the individual texts were extant for centuries............
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masoretic_Text
My issue was the specific reference to the “Masoretic text,” which wasn’t a thing in Paul’s day.
This is my position. It is the traditional one going back to antiquity and there is no solid evidence against it. My own pet theory about Hebrews is that Paul dictated this to Luke, not as a letter, but as a treatise to Jewish Christians in Jerusalem (where he had caused a riot and was in danger of assassination) and Caesarea while he was in protective custody there while waiting to travel to Rome to appeal his case (Acts 23-26).
Barnabas is another likely prospect, since he was a Levite and would have been speaking on a subject that he knew much about. Martin Luther suggested Apollos, since he would have had the education the writer of this letter must have had. Priscilla and Clement of Rome have been suggested by other scholars.
I have never given any credence to any of these suggested writers because I have seen no evidence for it, internal or external. It's just speculation on the part of those who reject Paul's authorship.
In the end, we may have to go with the words of the early Church writer, Origen, who famously said, 'But as to who wrote the epistle, only God knows the truth.'"
It doesn’t matter who wrote the letter to the Hebrews.
The letter was considered inspired and the Holy Spirit directed the Church to add the book to the collection of books we call the Bible.
True, but Paul was trained as a Pharisee rabbi and he knew the original Hebrew texts, probably had to memorize them, and would have to have sung them aloud. These vocalizations that were handed down from generation to generation were what eventually became the Masoretic Texts, gathered together and written down in the then current Hebrew language of the time.
The Septuagint texts were written in Greek from Hebrew translations a couple hundred years before Paul, because the Jews of the time mostly spoke Greek or Aramaic......
Hebrews is wonderful, with so much teaching about Jesus Christ.
*Paul was a proponent of salvation by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8, 9), and that message is strongly communicated in this epistle**
Paul preached the same message as Peter and the other apostles. They preached Christ (his death, burial, resurrection, and his commands , including rebirth).
The Hebrew converts needed more instruction about who Jesus Christ is, what he does, and what he expects from his followers. (For example: Heb. 5:10-13)
However, once born again, one does not need to be born again... again. That’s part of the theme in Hebrews 6:1-3, (which mentions “..not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment..).
Paul
Scholars do what scholars do; the human hand that put pen to paper is unimportant, as what the book contains is the lesson we all need.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.