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INTRODUCTION TO

THE LETTER TO THE HEBREWS

Author The authorship of the Letter to the Hebrews has long been a matter of debate. This is hardly surprising, since the work is formally anonymous and it stands out as one of the most unique writings in the NT. Early on, Eastern Christianity believed that the Apostle Paul authored the book, either in the strict sense that he wrote it himself (Pantaenus, St. John Chrysostom) or in the broad sense that someone else—a secretary or disciple— either translated the work from a Semitic original or expressed the substance of Paul's theology in his own personal way (St. Clement of Alexandria, Origen, St. John of Damascus). The Western Church, by contrast, did not initially accept the letter as the work of Paul. Some quietly excluded Hebrews from the collection of Paul's writings (Muratorian Canon, St. Cyprian), while others openly denied its attribution to the apostle (Tertullian). The fourth century, however, witnessed a decisive shift of opinion in the West. Several theologians, including St. Augustine and St. Jerome, came to embrace the Eastern tradition. Subsequently, the Pauline authorship of Hebrews became the most widely accepted view in medieval Christendom (St. Thomas Aquinas, etc.). It was not until the sixteenth century that serious doubts about Paul's authorship of Hebrews resurfaced. Martin Luther claimed that Hebrews had been written by Paul's contemporary Apollos of Alexandria (Acts 18:24). A few Catholic scholars, such as Erasmus and Cajetan, also denied Pauline authorship. Nevertheless, the Council of Trent (Fourth Session) listed Hebrews among the letters of Paul, although that statement does not amount to a dogmatically binding attribution.

The majority of scholars today reject a strict view of the Pauline authorship of Hebrews. These scholars underscore that Hebrews does not claim Paul as its author, as do the letters he is known to have written. Furthermore, many scholars contend that the polished style of the letter, along with its unique subject matter, differs so markedly from Paul's recognized letters that it must be the work of someone else. At the same time, there is no consensus among biblical specialists regarding who did write Hebrews. Popular suggestions include Luke, Barnabas, Apollos, Silas, and Clement of Rome, among a few others. Unfortunately, these alternative proposals rest on limited evidence, both internal and external; they therefore remain conjectural.

It would seem that a balanced assessment of authorship must neither deny the uniqueness of Hebrews nor overemphasize the distinctiveness of the work at the expense of its notable affinities with Paul's recognized writings. Several similarities in thought, expression, and theology make it all but certain that some connection exists between Hebrews and the Pauline tradition. Some read the reference to Timothy in 13:23 as confirmation that its author stands within the circle of Paul and his missionary associates (Acts 16:1-3; Phil 2:1924). For the vast majority of modern scholars, the combination of traces of Pauline thought and elements of non-Pauline style is best explained by the hypothesis that identifies the author with a Pauline disciple. Thus, the tradition of Pauline authorship remains reasonable, if we take it to mean that Hebrews' doctrinal content is Paul's, even if its literary composition is the work of an unnamed collaborator who expressed Paul's teaching in a particularly elegant way. In this way, the "Pauline origin" of Hebrews can be maintained without defining the exact nature of Paul's relationship to the work.

Date It is difficult to date the Letter to the Hebrews with precision, but it seems likely that the Jerusalem Temple was still standing at the time of its composition. This is suggested by the combined weight of several factors. (1) The present tense is used in 10:1-3, implying that the sacrificial services of the Temple were still being conducted at the time of writing. (2) The comment at 8:13 indicates that the Old Covenant was on the verge of disappearing but had not yet vanished from sight. (3) The author says nothing about the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple and the consequent cessation of animal sacrifice that occurred in A.D. 70. This silence speaks loudly, especially since the demise of the sanctuary would have been the book's strongest argument that the Old Covenant had now been superseded by the New and that its ancient forms of worship were obsolete, not just in principle, but in fact. It is probable, then, that Hebrews was written in the 60s of the first century. Many scholars, it should be noted, read this evidence differently and prefer to date it in the 80s of the first century.

Destination and Purpose The Letter to the Hebrews neither identifies its readers nor specifies their whereabouts at the time of writing. Information on these counts must be gleaned from hints within the letter itself. It is clear that the recipients were believers who "share in Christ" (3:14) and who had already suffered persecution for their faith (10:32-34). The traditional view is that these believers were Jewish Christians living in Palestine. This is supported in part by the overall perspective of the book, especially its sustained comparison between the Old Covenant and the New, as well as its extensive and sophisticated use of the OT. Repeated emphasis on priestly and sacrificial issues throughout the work may further indicate that Hebrews was written to a community of Levitical priests who had recently converted to Christianity (cf. Acts 6:7). Others contend, on a particular understanding of Heb 13:24, that Hebrews was written to a Jewish Christian community in Italy. Either way, the letter is presumably addressed to Jewish converts, who, because of persecution from without and nagging doubts from within, were tempted to revert to traditional Judaism and its Temple-centered worship (3:12). The epistle attempts to dissuade them by stressing the inability of the Old Covenant to free us from sin (10:1-4). This is in sharp contrast to the absolute sufficiency of the New Covenant to cleanse our consciences and bring us into God's presence through the covenant mediation of Jesus Christ (10:19-22).

Themes and Characteristics The Letter to the Hebrews reads more like a homily than a letter. With the exception of its epistolary ending (13:2225), it lacks the formal features of an ancient letter, such as an introduction by the sender to the recipients and an opening word of thanksgiving. The view that Hebrews resembles a homily is also borne out by the literary rhythm of the work, which alternates back and forth between doctrinal exposition and moral exhortation, just as oral preaching tends to do. Curiously, the author calls his work a "word of exhortation" (13:22), an expression used elsewhere in the NT for a synagogue sermon (Acts 13:15). Whether the Letter to the Hebrews was preached before it was written is uncertain. Nearly all scholars agree, however, that it follows a carefully planned literary structure and is expressed with a rhetorical finesse that is unmatched in the other writings of the NT.

Distinctive in its style, Hebrews is also unique in its subject matter. Of all the NT writings, none reflects more deeply on the priesthood of Jesus Christ, and none gives more attention or puts more emphasis on covenant theology. (1) The Priesthood of Christ. Hebrews envisions Jesus Christ as the high priest of heaven (4:14), where he offered his blood once for all for our redemption (9:11-14) and now intercedes to the Father on our behalf (7:25). His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary (8:1-6) was made possible by his rising to an immortal life (7:16) and his ascension into the presence of God (9:24). He is the coming One who fits the description of the eternal priest of Ps 110:4, who is enthroned as a king next to the Lord and ordained as a priest in the likeness of Melchizedek (Heb 7:1-19). This Melchizedekian priesthood of Christ is in every way superior to the priesthood of Aaron and his descendants established under Moses. Among the deficiencies of the Aaronic order: its ministers officiate on earth (8:4); they are beset with sin (5:3); they are continually replaced with successors because of death (7:23); their office is not guaranteed by oath (7:21); and their sacrifices are powerless to take away sin (7:27; 10:1-4). Christ, by contrast, ministers in the sanctuary of heaven (8:1-2); he is completely sinless (4:15); his immortality eliminates the need for successors (7:24); his priesthood is established by divine oath (7:20-21); and his single sacrifice is the definitive means of expiating sin (10:5-18). (2) Covenant Theology. The superior excellence of the New Covenant over the Old is extensively developed in Hebrews. For the author, this is rooted in the saving mission of Christ, who bore the curses of death triggered by the broken covenants made with Adam (2:5-15) and Israel (9:15-17) and who poured out the blessings of the divine covenants made with Abraham (2:16-18; 6:12-18) and David (1:5; 5:5-6). Attention is thus given to those momentous occasions in biblical history when God himself swore a covenant oath to bless the world through the offspring of Abraham (Gen 22:16-18) and to consecrate the royal Messiah from David's line as an eternal priest (Ps 110:4). As argued throughout the sermon, this is something already envisioned in the OT, which speaks of a New Covenant (Heb 8:8-12; Jer 31:31-34), a new priest (Heb 7:11-17; Ps 110:4), a new form of sacrifice (Heb 10:5-7; Ps 40:6-8), and a new invitation to enter God's rest (Heb 3:7-11; Ps 95:7-11). «