HebrewsIntroduction...

• The study of any Bible book will seek to answer these questions:

- Who wrote it?- To whom was it written?- Why was it written?- When was it written?- From where was it written?

HebrewsIntroduction...

• Who wrote Hebrews?- There have been many answers suggested:

Clement of Rome (an early church leader); Barnabas; Silas; Mark; Apollos, and others. Many scholars have agreed for various reasons that Paul the apostle is most likely the author.

HebrewsIntroduction...

• Who wrote Hebrews?- The case for Paul’s authorship of Hebrews:

- Many of the “church fathers” attributed the book to Paul.

- The internal evidence of Paul’s authorship:- The style of writing.- The author’s friendship with Timothy.- The Hebrew writer used the word “mediator,”employed only by Paul elsewhere.

HebrewsIntroduction...

• Who wrote Hebrews?- The case for Paul’s authorship of Hebrews:

- Many of the “church fathers” attributed the book to Paul.

- A negative argument against Paul”s authorship: Why did Paul not identify himself since he always did so in other letters?

HebrewsIntroduction...

• To whom was the book written?- No salutation is affixed to the letter.- “To the Hebrews” was attached at an early

date after its writing.- It is generally agreed that it was addressed

to Jewish Christians in Palestine.

HebrewsIntroduction...

• To whom was the book written?- Internal evidence suggests strongly that

Jewish Christians received the letter:- It assumed that the recipients were

familiar with Jewish history- It assumed familiarity with the Jewish Law- It assumed familiarity with Jewish

ceremonial activities

HebrewsIntroduction...

• Why was the book written?- To show the unquestioned superiority of the

New Covenant over the Old.- To encourage wavering Jewish Christians to

be faithful to Christ:

HebrewsIntroduction...

• When was it written?- The temple service seems to have been in

place at the time of writing (8:4; 10:11).- The temple was destroyed by the Romans in

70 A.D. Hebrews must have been written prior to that date, possibly between A.D. 63 and A.D. 65.

• From where was it written?- It probably was sent from a Roman prison

prior to Paul’s release (13:19,24).