This Sunday we’re starting a new teaching series through the book of Hebrews! There’s always something special about the first Sunday of a new study. Gathering on that first Sunday always renews an excitement in my heart to teach God’s people. However, this weekend feels a little awkward though doesn’t it? Here we sit in a stay-home order that’s sure to last the entire month of April. I don’t like that we can’t physically gather, it’s not ideal. I’m not cut out to be a YouTube-preacher and I miss seeing your faces more than you know. All that being said, I’m no less excited to study through this season together!

     Life often takes unforeseen turns but let’s just make sure we develop healthy rhythms of worship in the midst of it. Though we aren’t physically together we’re together in spirit, and we have some studying to do! Let’s dig deeply into Hebrews and mine the wealth of knowledge that exists there to strengthen our faith. Below are a couple questions and answers to get our gears turning with regard to this book. I’ll also provide a list of resources that are on my shelf as I craft each message. 

Common questions and answers about Hebrews:

1. Who wrote the book of Hebrews?

     Unlike the other New Testament epistles the author of Hebrews isn’t abundantly clear. With that said, there are clues that have led to several theories of authorship.

Paul - This is the most popular choice amongst Christians. Paul makes sense in a lot of ways when you consider the doctrinal depth of the book and his reputation. Opponents of this view point out that Paul always identifies himself in his other epistles so it would be radically uncharacteristic of him to leave that out. They also point out differences in writing styles when compared to the lingo he uses in books we know he wrote. Some scholars say these differences are there because Paul originally wrote the letter in Hebrew and then Luke translated the letter into Greek so that a wider audience of Christians could read it. 

Luke - Some scholars take the position that Luke didn’t translate Paul’s letter from Hebrew to Greek. Rather, they believe Luke himself wrote the letter. Luke spent a tremendous amount of time with Paul and it’s possible he leaned on Paul’s teaching to write a letter to encourage Christians. 

Apollos - Anyone who’s read about Martin Luther knows that he was the first to suggest that Apollos wrote the book of Hebrews. After all, Acts 18:24 says that Apollos was, “an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.” That description would at the very least describe the author of this book. 

Silvanus (Silas) - Anyone connected with Paul seems to be a suspect when it comes to figuring out who wrote this book. Silas fits the bill. He did ministry with Paul and was even described as a prophet (Acts 15:32). However, what makes his candidacy legitimate is contributions to 1 & 2 Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:1). Not to mention under the guidance of Peter he penned the epistle of 1 Peter (1 Peter 5:12).

Clement of Rome - This option doesn’t seem as likely as the others however it’s thrown around as a possibility because of his later writings. Clement wrote letters to the Corinthian church in the 90’s AD. In those letters he evidently quotes from Hebrews several times. He was so overly familiar with the writings of Hebrews that some scholars believe Clement actually wrote Hebrews under the guidance of Paul. This theory is helped along with passages like Philippians 4:3 that mention their ministry together. 

2. Who was the book of Hebrews targeting?

     In addition to the mystery surrounding the the authorship of this letter there’s also questions about to whom it was written. However, as in the question above, we have clues to consider. First of all, content of the book is riddled with historic Jewish belief. One thing we know for sure is that the people receiving this letter grew up Jews. This would have to be the case for the letter to make any sense. This is so obviously the case that we even refer to this book as “The Letter to the Hebrews.” 

     We also have a clue as to where these believers were when they received this letter. The clue lies in the last chapter of the book. Hebrews 13:24 says, “Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings.” It’s believed that the author of Hebrews was saying the Italians were traveling with the author and were sending their greetings back to their home country, where the letter was being sent. 

     All that to say, we can safely speculate 2 things about the recipients. They were Jewish-Christian converts and they were living in Italy.

Resources for further study:

The Epistle to the Hebrews, by FF Bruce

Hebrews Reformed Expository Commentary, by Richard D Phillips

Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul, by R. Kent Hughes

Living Insights: New Testament Commentary, by Charles R. Swindoll

Spurgeon Commentary, edited by Elliot Ritzema & Jessi Strong

Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews, by R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Hebrews Christ—Perfect Sacrifice, Perfect Priest, by John MacArthur