Hebrews

Although Hebrews is included in the Pauline corpus and was part of that corpus in its earliest attested form, its authorship is perhaps the most debated since the book is anonymous and because of stylistic differences with Paul's writings. Some patristic authors defended the traditional Pauline attribution with theories of scribal assistants such as Clement of Rome or Luke. Numerous alternative candidates for authorship have been proposed. The most prominent have been Barnabas, to whom Tertullian assigned the work; Apollos, defended by Luther and many moderns; Priscilla, suggested by von Harnack; Epaphras; and Silas. Arguments for none are decisive, and Origen's judgment that "God only knows" who composed the work is sound.

This is what we do know. The writer is a Hellenistic Jewish Christian, and his arguments presuppose that he is writing to others who think as he does, i.e., to a Hellenistic Jewish Christian community. Since Clement of Rome knows and quotes the text within what could only have been a few years of its writing, that community may well have been in Rome. This view is supported by the greetings from 'those who have come from Italy' in Heb 13:24.

The primary purpose of the Letter to the Hebrews is to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. The central thought of the entire Epistle is the doctrine of the Person of Christ and his role as mediator between God and humanity.

The epistle opens with an exaltation of Jesus as "the radiance of God's glory, the express image of his being, and upholding all things by his powerful word."[1:3] The epistle presents Jesus with the titles "pioneer" or "forerunner," "Son" and "Son of God," "priest" and "high priest." It has been described as an "intricate" New Testament book. The epistle casts Jesus as both exalted Son and high priest, a unique dual Christology.

One of the favorite sections of Hebrews is chapter 11. This chapter in a way sums up the theme of the book. The Hebrew people of the Old Testament had faith that something better was coming, and now that faith has been fulfilled in the Messiah Jesus. Jesus is the answer that all Hebrews have hoped for in their lives of faith.