Hey Friends. Here is another Bible Thought for you. 🙂
I hope these thoughts are interesting and help you
and make you think.
And I truly hope they encourage you.
Who wrote the letter to the Hebrews?
Boy that one is a question to Look At!!
I’ve looked around Online and I think that the site
Got Questions has a good overall review of this matter.
https://www.gotquestions.org/author-Hebrews.html
If I might take a lengthy quote from this site –
“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 ). . . .
Church tradition teaches that Paul wrote the book of Hebrews, and until the
1800s that issue was closed. However, though a vast majority of Christians
scholar still believe Paul wrote the book, there are some tempting reasons to
think otherwise. ”
Some don’t think Paul wrote this letter to the Hebrews because there isn’t a
salutation like in Paul’s known letters. Paul didn’t write anonymously.
And because the style of writing in Hebrews is sophisticated it can’t be the Paul
who intentionally wrote more simply (See 1 Cor. 1:17; 2:1; 2 Cor. 11:6) for the
understanding of his audience.
Also, they say that Paul used the Masoretic Text or Paraphrased from it. But the
writer of the Hebrews letter used the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the
Old Testament).
So they suggest that Luke wrote it from a sermon of Paul’s, or Barnabas, Apollo,
and even Priscilla and Clement of Rome.
But, as the article points out – Paul did write a letter to the Hebrews (the Jewish
Christians). Peter mentions it in 2 Peter 3:15 –
2Pet 3:15 ESV2011 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our
beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,
And Peter did write and Minister more to the Jewish Believers (Hebrews) –
Gal 2:7 ESV2011 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted
with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the
gospel to the circumcised.
Gal 2:8 ESV2011 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to
the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles),
The article points out that salvation by faith alone – Which Paul taught Eph. 2:8-
9 – is mentioned strongly in the Hebrews letter (See Hebrews 4:2, 6:12, 10:19-
22, 10:37-39, and 11:1-40).
And Hebrews 13:23 mentions Timothy which only Paul does in his letters.
Heb 13:23 ESV2011 You should know that our brother Timothy has been
released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon.
To all of that I would add that when I read the letter to the Hebrews I hear Paul.
It is a different Paul than we hear in his known epistles. But it still sounds like
Paul to me.
He is writing more carefully and thoughtfully. And he does not sign it or give any
indication of his identity. But there is a good reason for that. I don’t believe that
all of the Jewish Believers in Jerusalem – and maybe in other Jewish
communities – accepted Paul the way the Gentile Christians did.
So he didn’t want to emphasize this as an epistle from himself. Rather, he
wanted to emphasize that the God who talked through the prophets in the
ancient times – and the Jewish Christians were well aware of that – was NOW
talking to mankind through Jesus Christ.
Hope that gives you something to chew on for awhile.
And I hope that you enjoy these Posts as much as I enjoy making them for you.
<3
God Bless You All.
Amen.
