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[Poll]
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Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews?
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| Paul |
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| Apollos |
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| Barnabas |
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| Luke |
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| Aquila and Priscilla |
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| I don't know |
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Total Votes : 40
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(last vote on : 8/11/2008 9:10:18 AM)
(Poll will run till: -- )
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Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 6/25/2008 4:13:22 PM
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bgwill3
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Just wondering what others thought. I searched for "Hebrews" in this forum, but couldn't find any thread on it.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 6/25/2008 4:14:53 PM
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bgwill3
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I put "I don't know" as an option.
But none of us know.
So that was silly. I'm sorry. (Forgive me for being the new kid.)
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 6/25/2008 4:40:56 PM
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fiat_lux
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I'd go with Origen's answer to this question: as to who wrote the epistle, God knows the truth.
Actually, I think Origen argued that the teaching was from Paul but the epistle itself had been penned for him by another writer.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 6/25/2008 4:47:18 PM
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Bluethread
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Looks like we have a classic clash of rabbis
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 6/25/2008 4:55:16 PM
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bgwill3
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quote:
ORIGINAL: fiat_lux
I'd go with Origen's answer to this question: as to who wrote the epistle, God knows the truth.
Actually, I think Origen argued that the teaching was from Paul but the epistle itself had been penned for him by another writer.
I agree.
I put Apollos. But I agree. I have also wondered, for some time, why the author of Hebrews refers to the Tabernacle that Moses erected in the wilderness, and uses it as a model for his argument, without mentioning the Temple. I came to the conclusion that it's possible this was written shortly after the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. For some reason or another, the author decided to avoid mention of it.
I have a few reasons why I think it wasn't penned by Paul himself. It's possible that it was Paul's words filtered through an amanuensis, but he wrote other letters in this manner, and they kept all of his style.
I find it to be one of the most articulate and supremely written books of the Bible.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 6/26/2008 9:43:26 AM
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bgwill3
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Thanks Tricia.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 7/2/2008 4:37:42 PM
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bgwill3
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[DISCLAIMER: I have used the King James Version for this study. Other translations may vary with respect to word counts, etc. I have broken up this study into a couple of posts. This is my own work; I haven’t gotten any facts/figures from any source other than the Bible. Thus, whether it stands or falls, the argument is wholly mine. Also, this is coming so late after the initial poll because it took me this long to devote enough time and prayer to the study.]
Hebrews was written by someone who was familiar with and, ostensibly, wont to travel with, Timothy (13:23). The author of Hebrews had ample knowledge of the Law of Moses, and seems to have been quoting the Septuagint (LXX). Paul meets both criteria.
The epistle, though, diverges from Pauline style. There is no introductory portion; all of Paul’s epistles begin with an introduction. If Hebrews were written by Paul, it would be only one of his epistles written anonymously. (Some people believe that there may have been an introductory passage that was lost at some point. This I have learned from a simple peruse of some Bible web sites with info on the biblical authors.)
Also, the author of Hebrews refers to the message of salvation which was “spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost…” (2:3-4). The author, thus, appeals to two “witnesses” confirming the authentic message of salvation: the apostolic witness (“them that heard him”) and the witness of the Holy Spirit. The author admits that his message is received second hand: the Lord Jesus taught his apostles; the apostles taught the author of Hebrews; and God confirmed the apostles’ message supernaturally. (The author of Hebrews doesn’t use the word “apostles” to refer to them. We will visit this point later.) Paul, however, was wont to appeal to his own authority as an apostle who had seen the resurrected Lord, declaring himself to be on par with Peter, James, and John of the Jerusalem assembly (1 Corinthians 9; 2 Corinthians 4; Galatians 1-2). Paul’s message was not received second-hand, but from the Lord himself, by special revelation. He doesn’t appeal to the authority of others to validate or authenticate his message.
Consider the use of kurios in Hebrews and in other Pauline epistles. The author of Hebrews uses “Lord” [Gk., kurios, including varying cases] 16 times in the text of Hebrews. Three times he refers to Jesus as kurios: Hebrews 2:3 (“the Lord”); 7:14 (“our Lord”); 13:20 (“our Lord Jesus”). The author quotes “Lord” from the LXX and applies it to Jesus only in the first chapter (i.e. “YHWH” in the Hebrew text = kurios in the LXX text = Jesus in Hebrews): Hebrews 1:10-12. Thus, in four of 16 occurences (25%), the author unambiguously refers to Jesus as kurios. Only once does the author combine kurios with the name “Jesus” (13:20).
Two instances of kurios are ambiguous, one likely referring to the Father (8:2), and one to the Son (12:14). If we included these two as referring to Jesus, that would bring us to six of 16 instances of Jesus called kurios (37.5%).
All other uses of kurios appear in quotations of the LXX, and are referring to YHWH, with no direct application to the Son: 7:21 [1 instance]; 8:8-11 [4]; 10:16, 30 [2]; 12:5-6 [2]; 13:6 [1]. This usage accounts for ten of 16 occurences (62.5%). Thus, the vast majority of the occurences of kurios in the text of Hebrews are in quotes of the LXX, and do not specifically refer to Jesus as kurios.
This use of kurios diverges greatly from Paul’s. Paul more often uses kurios to refer to Jesus, as distinct from the Father. In fact, Paul is wont to use kurios in some combination with “Jesus Christ,” especially “[our/the] Lord Jesus Christ.” This phrase, or one of its variants (“our Lord Jesus Christ,” “Jesus Christ our Lord,” “Christ Jesus our Lord,” e.g.) is found at least once in every Pauline epistle, from the longest (Romans, the Corinthian epistles) to the shortest (Philemon, e.g.). Moreover, the phrase, or a variant of it, is found at least once in all the general epistles, excluding 1 John and 3 John (James, the Petrine letters, 2 John, and Jude) and in Revelation. Considering its pervading presence in the NT epistles, the absence of this phrase in Hebrews would seem to be an ironic aspect of the anonymous epistle.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 7/2/2008 4:45:24 PM
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bgwill3
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With respect to kurios usage, I compare Romans to Hebrews for a few reasons: (1) they both would seem to address a large community of believers; (2) neither is particularly occasional, like the Corinthian letters, Galatians, and other Pauline epistles; and (3) they deal systematically with theological concepts.
In Paul’s epistle to the Romans, I count kurios (including varying cases) translated as “Lord” 45 times. Of these 45 instances, nearly two-thirds (29 of 45) refer specifically and unambiguously to Jesus as distinguished from the Father. These 29 occurrences can be categorized as follows:
Fifteen appear in connection with “Jesus Christ” (“our Lord Jesus Christ,” “Jesus Christ our Lord,” “Christ Jesus our Lord,” e.g.). Three instances occur with the name “Jesus” (without the term “Christ”). Nine times, Paul uses kurios alone, but its context points to Jesus (eight times in 14:6-9, where v. 9 gives us the context). In two instances, Paul quotes the LXX, applying a kurios (“YHWH” in the Hebrew text) passage to Jesus specifically.
Of the remaining 16 occurrences of kurios in Romans, eight are quotations from the LXX. The other eight are ambiguous with no reference to the LXX. Seven of these eight ambiguous instances are in chapter 16, and, though ambiguous, their use implies reference to Jesus.
If we include these eight ambiguous instances as referring to Jesus, we have 37 of 45 instances of the word kurios in Romans specifically referring to Jesus as kurios (about 82.2%), and only eight of 45 instances from quotes of the LXX, not specifically referring to Jesus as kurios (about 17.8%).
Thus, it appears that Paul, in his writings, more readily refers to Jesus as kurios. Truly, the term kurios, by the end of the first century, seems to have become a specialized term, used more as a referent to Jesus than to God the Father. I have not examined the statistical information of kurios in the entire NT, but it seems apparent from Romans and from Hebrews that the word was seldom used to refer to God the Father, except in quotation of the LXX. That being said, the fact that the author of Hebrews employs the word so seldom with reference to Jesus is another departure from Paul’s usage of kurios.
Also, consider the phrase “Son of God.” In all of the Pauline epistles (excl. Hebrews), we find the very phrase four times: Romans 1:4; 2 Corinthians 1:19; Galatians 2:20; and Ephesians 4:13. Ironically, in Hebrews alone, we also find the phrase four times: 4:14; 6:6; 7:3; and 10:29.
There are other differences in vocabulary between Hebrews and the Pauline epistles. Hebrews calls Jesus “the Apostle and High Priest of our profession” (3:1). The author uses “high priest” as an aspect of his greater context—the tabernacle of Moses and its system of worship, as inferior to the ministry of Jesus, the Son of God. The entire vocabulary of the tabernacle worship is missing from the other epistles of Paul. Conceivably, it is the special subject of the tabernacle of Moses in the wilderness that accounts for the dependence on a vocabulary in Hebrews markedly different from the vocabulary in other epistles.
However, Paul never calls Jesus an apostle in any other epistle, and would seem to have a categorical definition of the word “apostle” that would exclude Jesus himself (cf. 1 Cor. 9:1-5; 12:28; 15:7-9; 2 Cor. 12:12, et al). Further, Paul repeatedly refers to his own apostleship. He calls himself an apostle several times, but never uses the term to describe Jesus.
Yet, in Hebrews, the author uses the word “apostle” only once, in a description of Jesus. Ironically, he doesn’t use the word to describe the group who heard and received the message of salvation firsthand (Heb. 2:3), and he excludes himself even from that group. This particular point seems salient in the determination of Pauline authorship.
Twice, the author of Hebrews refers to Jesus as seated on the right hand of the “Majesty” (1:3; 8:1). Twice, he simply says “on the right hand of God” (10:12) or “at the right hand of the throne of God” (12:2). In Paul’s other epistles, he never uses the word “Majesty” to refer to the Father or his throne (cf. Rom. 8:34; Col. 3:1).
Clearly, the author of Hebrews uses some metaphors that Paul used in his other epistles. At Hebrews 10:1, we find the description of the (Mosaic) Law as a “shadow of good things to come,” very similar to Colossians 2:16-17. At Hebrews 5:12ff., the author reproves his readers for their inability to receive the “meat” of his message, and their continuing need for “milk.” This metaphor is found in the Corinthian correspondence (1 Cor. 3:1-4). The author of Hebrews describes the word of God as “sharper than any twoedged sword” (4:12). Paul uses similar language elsewhere (Eph. 6:17).
I believe that the presence of similar metaphors but differing styles is explained simply: the author of Hebrews was a student of Paul. He learned from Paul certain metaphors, and employed these metaphors in his epistle. But he maintains his own style throughout. I would be interested if someone had any response to these comments I have made.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 7/2/2008 4:50:28 PM
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bgwill3
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I should also have said, in my disclaimer, that I used the KJV as available online at Crosswalk, and at BibleGateway. I used the "keyword search" features on each site.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 7/2/2008 9:19:16 PM
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turtleman
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I chose Barnabas. While the style of Hebrews is similar to Paul's it is also different. I think it was written by someone who had been in close association with Paul. Barnabas is the only person I know of that had been in consant personal contact with Paul. Also he is the only one who would be Paul's equal in knowledge and ability.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 7/3/2008 7:11:05 AM
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BibleL7
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Though you have pointed to many things in style and similarities and differences it would seem you would have a definite problem of Paul and it being written after 70 AD as Paul died about 65 AD by best estimates. It is very possible that it was someone else entirely and remember any one who was in leadership at the time would have probably known of Timothy particularly in Asia Minor or Macedonia area. The earliest translators of Bible did not put name to it so I will not. I always liked Matthew or John for it myself but then we will all find out when we get there.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 7/3/2008 8:53:29 AM
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bgwill3
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quote:
ORIGINAL: BibleL7
Though you have pointed to many things in style and similarities and differences it would seem you would have a definite problem of Paul and it being written after 70 AD as Paul died about 65 AD by best estimates. It is very possible that it was someone else entirely and remember any one who was in leadership at the time would have probably known of Timothy particularly in Asia Minor or Macedonia area. The earliest translators of Bible did not put name to it so I will not. I always liked Matthew or John for it myself but then we will all find out when we get there.
True, We will find out when we get there.
But, for the record, I was trotting out all that info to explain why I believe Paul did not write Hebrews. I hope that is clear from what I wrote; but if not, I am clarifying now. 
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 7/3/2008 3:00:24 PM
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DaveW
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quote:
ORIGINAL: turtleman
I chose Barnabas. While the style of Hebrews is similar to Paul's it is also different. I think it was written by someone who had been in close association with Paul. Barnabas is the only person I know of that had been in consant personal contact with Paul. Also he is the only one who would be Paul's equal in knowledge and ability. I picked Apollos who was also taught by Paul and Priscilla and Aquilla who both were companions of Paul.
Acts says Apollos was very elequant and mighty in the scriptures, proving to the traditional Jews Jesus' messiahship. Paul was a plain writer and speaker, whereas the language of Hebrews (even translated into English) seems to soar. We know little of Baranabas' writing or speaking style. The epistle written in his name seems to have been written circa ad 130, long after the man would have died.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 7/7/2008 3:01:54 PM
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Beanteaser
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HERE is another thread about this that I started several months ago.
[Link edited by mod to make it usable by all portals]
< Message edited by ta_mosquito -- 7/7/2008 3:14:26 PM >
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 7/7/2008 3:35:53 PM
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bgwill3
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Thanks Beanteaser!
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 7/28/2008 7:49:53 PM
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Shumby
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WOULD HEBREWS 10:34 DISCLOSE THE ANSWER?
"For ye had compassion of me IN MY BONDS, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance."
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 8/6/2008 9:24:21 PM
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austinmark
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I don't know ...
But I do believe it was written before A.D. 70 and I also believe it was written by a second generation Christian in Paul's lifetime.....My guess and belief is that it was written by Paul's prodigy, Timothy.
Just a semi-educated guess...
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 8/6/2008 10:45:28 PM
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Stephanos
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quote:
ORIGINAL: austinmark
I don't know ...
But I do believe it was written before A.D. 70 and I also believe it was written by a second generation Christian in Paul's lifetime.....My guess and belief is that it was written by Paul's prodigy, Timothy.
Just a semi-educated guess...
Problem is that in the book of Hebrews, it mentions Timothy by name. I doubt that Timothy would reference himself in the third person in this fashion.
"Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you" -Heb 13:23.
Notice that second part. The author of Hebrews can not possibly be Timothy, because he will be coming WITH Timothy.
Personally I side with the "who cares". If God wanted us to know the name of the author of Hebrews, He would have made sure we know.
As it is, we know several things about the author of Hebrews.
1) He is clearly of Jewish decent himself.
2) He did NOT see Christ Jesus personally (Heb 2:3 says that those who heard the word of Christ Jesus, then told this to the author and others. If this was Paul he would have made mention of him actually seeing Christ Jesus himself).
3) He wrote Hebrews before the fall of Jerusalem and the Temple. Seeing as one of the main themes of Hebrews is faith, had the Temple fallen prior to the writing of this epistle, it would have made mention of this and the fact that our faith is in Christ Jesus not the temple. In fact, in Chapter 13 the author actually mentions sacrifices which ARE BEING given, not WERE GIVEN.
4) Author wrote this from Italy (Heb 13:24).
From these points, It is safe to make an educated guess that the author was a follower/assistant of Paul (this would explain the similar but different form of writing between the author and Paul).
But again, if it really mattered, God would have told us.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 8/6/2008 10:47:55 PM
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GroupW
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Stephanos
But again, if it really mattered, God would have told us.
Pretty much. While it would be nice and would probably add to our ability to grasp some of the nuances of meaning that exist in any written work, we have what is sufficient for our faith.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 8/7/2008 12:40:38 AM
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Okami
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Some topics seem to always return.
I myself go for Apollos, but that is just a "best guess".
The text itself iliminates any apostle, including Paul, because the author, whether by dictation or not, indicates that their info wasn't from Jesus firsthand.
Timothy is also eliminated by the third-person references, even though the original KJV artificially added "written by Timothy from Italy" as the last verse.
Both Barnabas and Apollos would have similarities to Paul's styles, as they were both around Paul and Timothy.
The epistle does imply a certain level of education, as well as familiarity with Jewish custom. Barnabas and Apollos would fit for different reasons.
In Acts, there was the reference to people following different writings, mentioning the following of Peter, Paul, and Apollos. We know what Peter and Paul were doing, and what they wrote.
Also, Paul always uses both "grace and peace" together. He felt he was the apostle for both Jewish and Gentile, and so used both trditional greetings / closings. However, Hebrews, written to the Jewish, uses only the traditional greek one, which would fit with Apollos more than Barnabas.
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RE: Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? - 8/10/2008 12:22:38 PM
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rcjones
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quote:
I believe that the presence of similar metaphors but differing styles is explained simply: the author of Hebrews was a student of Paul. He learned from Paul certain metaphors, and employed these metaphors in his epistle. But he maintains his own style throughout. I would be interested if someone had any response to these comments I have made.
I chose Paul and attribute the stylistic differences to the different audience. He had intros to the other e | | |
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