![]() ![]() Therefore, it seems best to accept the epistle’s anonymity. Even the early church expressed various opinions on authorship, and current scholarship admits the puzzle still has no solution. Whoever the author was, he preferred citing Old Testament references from the Greek Old Testament (LXX), rather than from the Hebrew text. That would seem to rule out someone like Paul who claimed that he had received such confirmation directly from God and not from men (Gal. It is significant that the writer includes himself among those people who had received confirmation of Christ’s message from others (2:3). Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Apollos, Luke, Philip, Priscilla, Aquila, and Clement of Rome have been suggested by different scholars, but the epistle’s vocabulary, style, and various literary characteristics do not clearly support any particular claim. These and other factors will help to show the strengths and weaknesses of the more common views of authorship. Yet he does seem to be Jewish in that he apparently identifies himself with his Jewish readers by writing: “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp” (13:13 see the note on this verse). The author, whether Jew or Gentile, had a superb knowledge both of Jewish Levitical thought and also of Greek literary style (which is often regarded as the finest in the New Testament). Indeed, the great critical scholar of the third century, Origen of Alexandria, had to concede that only God truly knows who the author of this epistle is. Discussion of the author’s identity dates back to the second century, but convincing evidence was lacking even then. For some unknown reason the author remains anonymous to us, though he was known to his original readers (13:23). Since the epistle is filled with references to Hebrew history and religion and does not address any particular Gentile or pagan practice, the traditional title has been maintained.Īuthorship – Date: One of the great mysteries surrounding the Book of Hebrews concerns its authorship. Within the epistle itself, however, there is no identification of the recipients as either Hebrews (Jews), or Gentiles. This epistle’s title bears the traditional Greek title, “To the Hebrews,” which was attested by at least in the second century A.D. 100, the titles were added for convenience. Title: When the various New Testament books were formally brought together into one collection shortly after A.D. ![]()
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