Hebrews

HEBREWS

The letter to the Hebrews is considered one of the epistles regardless of the absence of salutation part because of the end part, which has benediction and final greetings. It is more likely that it was written in the first century despite the definite time within that period.  This epistle, without a doubt, is written by the one who is well oriented with the Old Testament writings, and it is for the Jewish Christian based on its content. 

Authorship

For centuries, many attempted to find out the author of the epistle to the Hebrews. Some believe it was Barnabas or Apollos or even Luke. Others ascribe the letter to Clement of Rome, Silvanus, Philip, Pricilla and Aquila, Jude and Aristion. However, majority of scholars attributes this epistle to Apostle Paul. In the late fourth century and early fifth century, many scholars disputes the Pauline authorship of the epistle to the Hebrews (Donald A. Hagner, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series: Hebrews, 9) and from that time on the authorship has been questioned throughout the history of the church.  William Lane strongly believes that it is  more likely not Paul (William L. Lane, Word Biblical Commentary, Intro xlix), but someone who witnessed the release of Timothy from imprisonment. While it is hard to pinpoint the author of Hebrews, the epistle provides information about the author.

One of the provided information about the author is that he is a Jew. There are two internal evidences that authenticates that the author is a Jew. First, he is well oriented about the Old Testament writings. The epistle to the Hebrews have ample quotations and allusions from the Old Testament. The author quotes forty quotations from the Old Testament (Stephen Voorwinde, Hebrews The Use of the Old Testament, p.60). Unlike with other quotations from other epistles, the quotations from the epistle to the Hebrews are longer. This proves that the author is a Jew. Second, he associates himself with the Jews. The author is more likely a descendant from the Jewish people of the Old Testament (1:1). Another provided information about the author is that he is definitely a second-generation Christian (F.F. Bruce, The New International Commentary of the New Testament: The Epistle to the Hebrews, 20). The statement 2:3c ". . .it was attested to us by those who heard" identifies the author as one of those who received the attestation by the first hand witnesses. Whoever the author was, he is a second-generation Jewish Christians who really understands well who Jesus Christ is in the light of Old Testament writings, and he possibly wrote this letter in Italy  based on 13:24. The verse gives the idea that the author is with the people who came from Italy as they send their greetings to whom the letter were addressed.

Original Recipients

There is no doubt that the original recipients of the letter are Jewish Christians. First, they are Jews. The very first verse, "spoke to our fathers through the prophets" affirms that the they are Jews. They are descendants of the Jewish people of the Old Testament. In addition to that, the content of the epistle such as OT quotations, allusions, traditions, ceremonials, characters, objects such as tabernacle and bulls and OT events prove the claim. Second, they are Christians. The word "brothers" affirms the claim that the recipients are Christians (3:1, 12, 10:19, 13:22).

While there are many assumptions about the location of the recipients of the epistle, the most probable locations of recipients of the epistle are Palestine and Rome. The latter assumption is based on 13:24. It is more likely that the author was in Italy together with other Jewish Christians who greets their brothers who are in Rome (Donald A. Hagner, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series: Hebrews, 5).

Date of Writing

While the epistle to the Hebrews is definitely written sometime in the first century, the question is that whether the epistle is written before or after the Destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. There are two interpretations of 8:13 as the basis of the date of composition is concerned. The idea that the Old Covenant is obsolete suggests that the writing is after AD 70, while the present tense of becoming and growing old of the Old Covenant suggest that the writing is before AD 70 (Craig R. Koester, Hebrews: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, 50-54).

Those who stand for the pre-dated composition of the epistle support their view in terms of persecution that the recipients are experiencing (10:32-34). The sufferings in 12:4 in view of the absence of bloodshed suggests that  the suffering they are experiencing is less severe than the suffering after AD 70 (Craig Blomberg, From Pentecost to Patmos, 413). In addition to the suffering, the mentioned of the temple and Jewish sacrificial system in present tense suggest the idea that Jerusalem Temple stands still (F.F. Bruce, The New International Commentary of the New Testament: The Epistle to the Hebrews, 20).

On the other hand, those who stand for the post-dated composition of the epistle find their support in the way they interpret the sufferings, temple, and sacrificial system of the Jews. First, the less severity of the persecution in 12:4 is more likely during the early or late  70's, while the most severity is during 80's and 90's especially in time of Emperor Domitian. Second the mentioned of the Old Covenant as obsolete wherein the temple and sacrificial system are included gives the ground for the Temple Destruction in AD 70.

The Occasion of Writing

The series of warnings about falling away, which is called apostasy, is conspicuous in the first part of the epistles (2:1; 3:12; 6:4-6). The author records the causes of falling away. First (2:1-3), the negligence to pay a closer attention to the Gospel (which is what they have heard) makes a person to fall away or to drift away from the teachings. This warning is in relation to salvation (2:3). Second, the unbelief or hardening of the heart (3:12-19) is another cause to fall away in relation to the idea of entering into the rest. Finally, the spiritual immaturity (6:1-6) is also the cause to fall away in relation to the idea of impossibility to be restored. These causes to fall away are reinforced by leading them away by false teachings (13:9).

While Judaism was allowed by Roman law in the first century, and Christianity was not (Harold L. Willmington, Bible Handbook, 753), the former became one of persecutors of Christians especially the Jewish Christians in that era. The persecution in this epistle begins to refusal to go back to Judaism. The entire epistle proves that there is persuasion to go back to Judaism by discrediting Jesus' identity as the Christ promised from the Old Testament and to go back to Judaism's practice, rituals, and ceremonial cleansings. Because of the strong persuasion to deny Jesus Christ and to return from their previous faith, many become victims of apostasy while those who stand for Jesus Christ as their object of faith experience suffering and persecution (10:32-34). 

    

The Purpose of Writing

The crises in the epistle to the Hebrews are apostasy (falling away) of those who are negligent of paying a closer attention to the gospel message, who have unbelieving and hardened heart, and who are immature, and suffering and persecutions to those continually stand for Jesus Christ. For this reason the author writes this epistle to prevent apostasy and to exhort those who continually living in faith in Jesus Christ. To accomplish his intentions, the main purpose of this epistle is to encourage them to hold on the confession they cling to.

Five times the word "hold fast" is mentioned in this epistle (3:6, 14; 4:14; 6:18, 10:23). The author has used two Greek words for hold fast namely, tacew and kratew. The former has the idea of possession (claim or having) while the latter is more on the manner of holding with a great strength in order not to slip away. Basically, the author wants them to have that confession as their possession and to hold that possession as if it would not depart from them. To hold to the confession about Jesus Christ in relation to the hope of the future is what the author intended them to do. It is only to hold to the confession about Jesus as apostle and priest that someone will avoid to be a victim of apostasy and to continue to live as Christian amidst suffering and persecution. For this reason he presents the confession as the one sent from God the Father as a Son to bring the message of salvation and to lead them into rest. In addition he explains well the ministry of Jesus as a eternal high priest of the better covenant with better sacrifice, which is His own blood.

Therefore, the main purpose of the author is for them to hold fast the confession with confidence about Jesus. 

Outline

1:1-3a     Introduction of Christ as the Better Revealer of God's Glory

A. Jesus Christ is the Better Mediator Between God and Man as Priest in Relation to Salvation

1:3b-6:8    Holding Fast to the Superiority of Jesus Christ as Priest in Relation to the Warnings Against Falling Away

• (1:3b-2:18) Jesus is Better than the Angels as Priest (Neglecting the Message of Jesus Christ in Giving Salvation)

• (3:14:13) Jesus is Better than Moses as Priest (Hardening of Hearts to Listen to the Voice of Jesus Christ in Giving Rest)

• (4:14-6:8) Jesus is Better than Aaron as Priest (Spiritual Immaturity to the Teaching about Jesus Christ as High Priest)

6:9-7:28   Holding Fast to the Superiority of Jesus Christ as High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek

• (6:9-20) The Certainty of the Promise through Jesus Christ as High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
• (7:1-10) The Description of Melchizedek as High Priest

• (7:11-28) The Comparison between Jesus Christ and Melchizedek as High Priest

8:1-10:18    Holding Fast to the Superiority of Jesus Christ as High Priest of the Better Covenant in Relation with the Judgment

• 8:1-13    The Old Covenant and The New Covenant

• 9:1-10:18  The Tent, Sacrifice for Sins and Effect of Sacrificial Ceremony

• 10:19-39    The Assurance of God's Promise and The Fury of God's Judgment

11:1-13:19    The Exhortation on the Basis of the Superiority of Jesus Christ as the High Priest

• 11:1-40    Faith and the Hall of Faith

• 12:1-19    The Exhortation to Live a Life of Faith in Christ Jesus

13:20-21        Doxology

13:22-24      Final Greetings