The Epistle to the Hebrews

I. THE OCCASION FOR WRITING

The Christians to whom the Epistle to the Hebrews was written were passing through a spiritual crisis. Their spiritual immaturity kept them from seeing clearly the true worth and value of Christianity. Suffering awaited them if they went on following Christ. In fact, they had already suffered. Christianity was separating itself from Judaism. The hostility of the non-Christian Jews made it impossible for the Jewish Christians to worship in the area of the temple in Jerusalem. And we know from Acts, from Galatians, and from other epistles that the Judaizers were constantly creating problems for the Christians in other cities as well. The tension between Jews and Gentiles, which had been felt throughout all the first thirty years of the history of Christianity, grew sharper when the churches began to rival the synagogues in the number of their adherents and in their spread throughout the whole world. The Jewish Christians were under constant pressure from their fellow countrymen to keep on maintaining their faith in the law of Moses with its rituals and sacrifices. At the same time the apostle Paul was teaching that Christ is the end, the fulfillment of the law for all who believe in Him. The Jewish Christians could not go on being part of both Judaism and Christianity at once. So, what were they to do — return to Judaism, or separate from it completely, bearing all the heavy consequences of that act?

Their problem was made more complex by the fact that the whole Jewish nation was in a serious crisis. Political tensions often had their effect upon the churches and upon the spiritual life of their members. Judaism was the official, traditional religion of the Jewish people. How, then, was a Jewish patriot — whose country was rebelling and rising up against Roman rule — to abandon, and perhaps even turn away from, his national religion? And all the more at such a moment, when loyalty and devotion to everything Jewish was so greatly needed? How could he treat the Romans, who stood in the position of oppressors, as brothers and sisters in the Lord?

Two questions stood before the Jewish Christians. The first was the question of faith. All of them — both the Judaizers and the Christians — believed in the divine authority of the Old Testament writings and used them as the foundation for their faith and practice. Their approach to Scripture, however, and their manner of interpreting it were different. Whom should the Jewish Christians follow? Were they to keep following the rabbis in their frozen interpretation, or were they as Christians to view the whole of Scripture in the light of the new revelation of Jesus as Messiah?

The other question touched their position on the national issue. If they separated from the law and passed over entirely to grace alone; if they renounced Jerusalem as the center of worship and turned finally to their Christian churches alone as the place where God’s presence dwells — then they would be regarded as traitors by their countrymen who had remained faithful to the traditions and the law. But if they returned to legalism, they would abandon Christ and would lose everything He had come to bring.

The Jewish Christians stood at a crossroads — whether to go on along the narrow path of life, or to turn back into the traditions and the “shadows” of Judaism. The Epistle to the Hebrews was written to help them resolve precisely this dilemma.

II. THE AUTHOR

The author of this great epistle never mentions his own name, nor is there in the epistle any direct evidence that would help us to identify him with full certainty.

Like the strange and mysterious figure of Melchizedek, who suddenly appears on the stage of human history and just as suddenly disappears, and yet through a single act remains unforgettable, so too the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, through the writing of this majestic epistle, remains in history forever. But who he is, to whom he addresses his letter, and the destination to which it was originally sent are questions that seem insoluble because of the scarcity of the information we have at our disposal to this day.

Although the epistle is anonymous, there is not the slightest sign in it that the author wishes to hide his identity. Even if the author of Hebrews became anonymous to later Christians, he was not anonymous to his readers. He knew them personally. The following passages show that the author knew the past of his readers very well.

He knew exactly when the recipients of his epistle had turned to God (5:11-12):

11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! (Hebrews 5:11-12)

He knew exactly how the conversion of the recipients of his epistle to God had taken place (10:32-34):

32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. (Hebrews 10:32-34)

He knew their ministry up to that point (Hebrews 6:10):

10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. (Hebrews 6:10)

The author knew very well who their spiritual mentors had been (Hebrews 13:7).

7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7)

He entreats the recipients of the epistle to pray for him as though he had been one of them (Hebrews 13:18-19).

18 Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon. (Hebrews 13:18-19)

Moreover, it appears that Timothy was known both to the author and to the readers (Hebrews 13:23).

23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. (Hebrews 13:23)

A study of the epistle shows that the author was a man of great literary ability. His manner of expression is closer to the classical Greek style than that of any other New Testament author. This can be seen from the precise use of the tenses, from the fuller and more skillful use of participles and conjunctions, and from the more complex structure of the sentences. According to Westcott, “It would be hard to find passages more precise and apt in their expression than 1:4; 2:14-18; 7:26-28; 12:18-24. The language, the fervor, the rhythm, the parenthetical asides — all of this supports the thesis that the writer was classically educated.”

The author was not an immediate disciple of Christ. Like his readers, he too was most likely a second-generation Christian (Hebrews 2:3).

3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (Hebrews 2:3-4)

The author was well acquainted with the Old Testament, which he quotes from the Septuagint (LXX). He may have been a Jew, since he often uses the pronoun “we” when he addresses his Jewish readers.

The disagreement among scholars concerning the authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews traces its beginning back to the second century and continues to this day. As Origen says, “Only God knows who actually wrote this epistle.”

The hypotheses are various, and briefly they are the following.

There is the suggestion that it is Paul, but there are also many arguments against it.

Another suggestion is Apollos. Martin Luther held that it was he, because in the epistle there is an Alexandrian influence in the thought and in the manner of interpreting the Old Testament. And Apollos was from Alexandria, was a good teacher, and knew the Old Testament very well. One of the main arguments against Apollos is that the Alexandrian church itself does not accept his authorship.

Luke is rejected mainly because he was a Gentile, whereas the internal witness of the epistle is that the author was a Jew.

Another hypothesis is the authorship of Barnabas, since in 13:22 the epistle is called a “word of exhortation,” and the name Barnabas means “son of encouragement” in Acts 4:36. This hypothesis, however, does not fit with the assumption that the author was not a member of the apostolic circle, but a second-generation Christian leader.

One of the most probable suggestions is Silas. He took part in the writing of the epistles to the Thessalonians and in all likelihood was the scribe of First Peter. That epistle too is called an exhortation. There is a similarity in vocabulary as well. And Silas was a fellow worker of Paul and could have composed the epistle with his help, writing it himself at a later time. But all of this remains within the bounds of hypothesis.

It is important, however, to remember what Hayes has said: “Even if the author of this epistle is unknown, its divine inspiration is beyond dispute!” (D. A. Hayes, The New Testament Epistles, p.76)

III. THE RECIPIENTS

The evidence at our disposal strongly supports the view that the readers were Jewish Christians.

1. Although the title “Pros Hebraious,” “To the Hebrews,” may not be original, it must belong to a very early tradition, because it is found in the manuscripts of Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus, which are from the fourth century, as well as in the Chester Beatty papyrus, which is from the third century. The person who added the title certainly believed that it was addressed to Jewish Christians.

The internal evidence shows that the epistle was not written to the Jewish people as a whole, but to a particular community or group of readers who had firmly withstood persecution and had endured the seizure of their property, but were not yet ready to give their lives for their faith (10:32-34; 12:4).

According to 5:11-6:3 the readers are still spiritual infants, when, for the period from their conversion to the time of the writing of the epistle, they ought to have grown to the point of teaching others. Such a thing can in no way be said of the Christians of the Jerusalem church at any period of its development. Therefore the recipients most likely were not from Jerusalem.

2. The author constantly addresses the readers using their own sacred Scripture — the Old Testament — taking it for granted that they know well not only it, but also the temple system of sacrifices.

3. The group consisted of a small number of people who were part of a larger community. They are exhorted not to abandon the worship services of the church and to submit to their spiritual leaders.

25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)

17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. (Hebrews 13:17)

4. The readers were second-generation Christians (2:3; 13:7).

5. The geographical location of the recipients is a matter of dispute and depends to a large degree on the interpretation of Hebrews 13:24.

24 Greet all your leaders and all the Lord’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings. (Hebrews 13:24)

There are two possibilities. The first is that the author, at the moment of writing, is in Italy, and those who are with him are sending greetings to the recipients, wherever they may be. The second is that the recipients are from Italy, that is, Rome, while the author is outside Italy and has with him people who are from Italy and who send greetings to their countrymen there. The preposition “apo,” translated “from” rather than “in,” supports the second possibility.

On the basis of this not very solid evidence, and on the basis of the fact that the earliest known quotation from this epistle appears in the First Epistle of Clement, which is known with certainty to have been written in Rome, some scholars have concluded that “To the Hebrews” was sent to a small group of Jewish Christians in Rome who were uncertain whether to go on confessing Christ or to return to the synagogue. According to the older hypothesis, it was written to the Jewish Christians in Palestine for the same reason.

One thing is certain — according to Hebrews 13:24 the epistle was written either to Rome or from Rome.

IV. THE TIME OF WRITING

According to Hebrews 2:1-4 and 5:12 the epistle was written in the time of the second generation of Christians and after a considerable interval of time following their conversion. One generation of Christians had already passed (Hebrews 13:7), and the recipients had been Christians long enough to be able to mature spiritually, even though they had not yet reached this stage. They had forgotten their “earlier days” (10:32). Timothy had been in prison for a time, but afterward had been released and was still alive (13:23). The Levitical system of sacrifices is spoken of as though it still exists and functions (8:4; 9:6-9). This means that the temple had not yet been destroyed, that is, the epistle was written before A.D. 70. If the destruction by Titus had already taken place, the author would not have used the present tense to describe the ritual system. The epistle fits best the situation of the late sixties of the first century, when the church in Rome feared persecution and the destruction of the Jewish community was inevitable.

The external evidence for the date of writing indicates that “To the Hebrews” was written before A.D. 96, because Clement of Rome quotes it in his epistle to the Corinthian church, which he wrote in that same year. From the external and internal evidence for the dating of the epistle we can conclude that it was written sometime between A.D. 65 and 69.

I. THE OCCASION FOR WRITING

II. THE AUTHOR

III. THE RECIPIENTS

IV. THE TIME OF WRITING

V. OUTLINE