WHO WROTE THE BOOK OF HEBREWS? “Both Luke and the author of Hebrews are described by most New Testament scholars as the most literary writers of the New Testament” (139). Some parts were amazingly convincing, like the chiastic framework of all three books, the similarities in their prologues, the use of vocabulary, and the comparison of Acts 7 and Hebrews 11. Jude started to write an epistle about the “salvation” he shared in common with his readers but changed to writing his shorter epistle (Jude 3). Well, he had me by page 31. When the internal evidence is examined, it overcomes easily issues of style. We do not know who wrote the book of Hebrews, though it appears that it was probably Paul. Some have suggested that Luke was its writer. By doing this, he gets 1,000 more credibility points. Date and destination 3. Of course, I want it to be true. The historical reconstruction that he gives at the end of the book is also conceivable. Because of where it's placed following Paul's epistles, and some of the ( Log Out /  What if the mystery disciple on the road to Emmaus was also the writer to the Hebrews? - Hebrews 4:11–13 Throughout most of church history, there has been some question as to the identity of the writer of Hebrews. One thing about this book that really impressed me is the tone. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. In chapter one, Allen discusses how the church viewed the authorship of Hebrews from the early fathers to the … I used to think Barnabas was the author, but since Barnabas was an early Christian and the author of Hebrews is a second-generation Christian, I no longer think that is the case. The Epistle to the Hebrew is anonymous. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. What I only hinted at then is my cockamamie housewife theologian theory. Since it mentions “Timothy” as a companion, it is written “from Italy,” and it has essentially the same theology as Galatians, it is presumed to a prison epistle of Saint Paul – perhaps penned by Saint Luke on the Apostle’s behalf. Clement of Alexandria suggests that Paul wrote the book originally in Hebrew and that Luke translated it into Greek, though the Greek of Hebrews bears no resemblance to … My own theory is that Luke-Acts-Hebrew is … It’s inspiring. The letter itself does not indicate who the writer was. . Internal evidence on authorship (is Hebrews an epistle or treatise?) I’m happily persuaded, especially with my underlying, biased theory. I suggest that he later completed this postponed work and it is the Epistle to the Hebrews. Reasons to conclude that Jesus wrote this book are: 1. the author quotes Jesus in the first person: "Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” 2. the author makes observations about Jesus that only Jesus himself could make, and does so in the present perfect progressive tense to convey his ongoing presence at the time, such as "in every respect [Jesus] has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." He gives us a polite scholarly smack down. THE AUTHORSHIP OF HEBREWS or DID PAUL WRITE HEBREWS? When he is breaking down Greek phrases, along with the use of Greek present tense form, well, I kind of have to take his word for it. If I were asked my personal opinion, I w… 4:12a). ( Log Out /  Eusebius also summarized Clement of Alexandria’s opinion regarding these problems: “The epistle to the Hebrews he [Clement] attributes to Paul but says that it was written in Hebrew for Hebrews and then carefully translated by Luke for the Greeks. I have a whole new appreciation for Luke—doctor, historian, and linguistic master. In the 13th chapter of Hebrews, Timothy is referred to as a companion. by Shawn Brasseaux Various church fathers and theologians down through the ages have speculated as to the writer of the book of Hebrews. ), Categories: Book Reviews•Tags: David Allan, Lukan Authorship of Hebrews•. ( Log Out /  “Both Luke and the author of Hebrews are described by most New Testament scholars as the most literary writers of the New Testament” (139). It is Paul’s theology… and continues his logic. 2. Friday, March 29, 2013, The Surprising Transformation of the Disciples of Jesus. If Paul didn’t write the letter, who did? And, as such, Hebrews 2:3 contradicts what Paul says in Galatians 1:11–12 and, thus, suggests that Paul did not write Hebrews. ( Log Out /  And although we will probably not know the identity of this writer with 100% surety in this life, I have just learned a wealth of information from Allen in the process of discovery. While the book includes a “paradigm composed of several hypotheses,” the crux of the argument is that Luke, the physician and companion of the apostle Paul, wrote both Luke-Acts and the epistle to the Hebrews (p. 8). Paul's letters are decent Greek, but if you compare Paul's Greek with the text of Hebrews you see a real difference. Certain Bibles have titled the book “The… Their community was a result of the apostolic mission. so this too must be deduced. Until about 200 years ago it was widely believed that Paul wrote Hebrews. Hebrews infographic. The writer of Hebrews specifically says that he was taught by an apostle (Hebrews 2:3). In the end, though, God knows. I was too embarrassed. Luke is doing so much more than telling a story in his Luke-Acts narratives. “Both Luke and the author of Hebrews are described by most New Testament scholars as the most literary writers of the New Testament” (139). Both Luke and the writer of Hebrews reveal a masterful use of the Septuagint. The most reasonable explanation, recognized early in Church history, is Paul wrote Hebrews. Clement of Alexandria suggests that Paul wrote the book originally in Hebrew and that Luke translated it into Greek, though the Greek of Hebrews bears no resemblance to translation Greek (e.g., that of the Septuagint). Matthew, therefore, had to write to Jews and for Jews; therefore he must adopt a Jew"s manner. I also found Allen’s notion on the identity of Theophilus and the recipients of Hebrews as converted high priests to be quite interesting. Allen also looks at the main candidates for Hebrew’s authorship (with the presupposition of the Holy Spirit’s inspiration) like Paul, Barnabas, and Apollos, and highlights where they are wanting. 2. Who wrote the book of Hebrews? Neither the Gospel of Luke nor The Book of Acts indicates when they were written. In short, Hebrews 2:3 talks about the author and his audience’s initial evangelization. “Both Luke and the author of Hebrews are described by most New Testament scholars as the most literary writers of the New Testament” (139). Scholars have noted that Paul’s first Roman imprisonment is mentioned at the end of Acts (Acts 28:30) so the earliest date for Acts being written could be 62AD. When Did Luke Write? He “plays the ball” of the argument, and gives both opposing and supporting scholarly arguments their playing time. The purpose of David L. Allen’s Lukan Authorship of Hebrews is self-explanatory. But let’s move on to this wonderful, well-written book. Author, speaker, thinker, old school blogger. Based on the writing, I began to wonder if it was Luke, as the Greek of Luke-Acts and Hebrews are so perfect. The debate has been going on for a long time. Or that it may have been written as a sermon first and then sent around to churches? Luke tells the same story of the kingdom, yet he hardly says one word that Matthew says; he hardly ever comes upon the … The book presents Christ as the final High Priest and eloquently explains the Old Testament sacrificial system in light of the atonement of Christ. Allen gives us much more than a theory on the writer of Hebrews. The most plausible suggestion is that this was actually a sermon Paul gave and it was transcribed later by Luke, a person who would have had the command of the Greek language which the writer shows. It is possible Luke worked with Paul and penned it but that is the only thing in doubt. Change ). 2) The emphasis of theology is different. So with all that preliminary stuff out of the way… WHO WROTE THE BOOK OF HEBREWS? Why did Luke stop writing Acts in Rome before Paul was acquitted in late 61AD? Just saying. Luke did not write to the Jews; Luke wrote for Gentiles and to Gentiles. Whoever wrote Hebrews must have been well known to those early Christians. So what are his arguments for the case of Lukan authorship of Hebrews? Let us commence. As evidence of Priscilla’s skill, Luke did not hesitate to record her capabilities as a teacher of the great orator Apollos. You see, after teaching Hebrews for the last year (or so), I couldn’t shake the suspicion that we were getting something very similar to the “explanation” Jesus gave to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. 1. A writer would do well just studying the prologues of Luke, Acts, and Hebrews. Yet the account that has reached us, some saying that Clement, bishop of Rome, wrote the Epistle, and others that it was Luke, the one who wrote the Gospel and Acts. . Whether one agrees with Allen’s conclusions or not, they will definitely have to wrestle with his work. The letter was composed sometime during the latter half of the 1st century and is … Letter to the Hebrews, New Testament letter traditionally attributed to St. Paul the Apostle but now widely believed to be the work of another Jewish Christian, perhaps one of Paul’s associates. It also stimulates the reader to use Allen’s research to think for themselves. Luke is doing so much more than telling a story in his Luke-Acts narratives. Paul wrote Hebrews. The King James Version of the Bible titles this book “The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews.” Many of the church fathers believed that Paul wrote Hebrews in the Hebrew or Aramaic language. “He (Clement) says that the Epistle to the Hebrews is the work of Paul, and that it was written to the Hebrews in the Hebrew language; but that Luke translated it carefully and published it for the Greeks, and hence the same style of expression is found in this epistle (Hebrews) and in the Acts (written by Luke c. 60’s to 80’s AD).” In interacting with the opposition, he doesn’t discredit the people, he takes their work seriously and even concedes to other possibilities. The early church thought he did. 3. this sermon appears identical to the sermon given by J… And although the genres are different, Luke seems to have a sermon peppered through his narrative. And yet, Allen doesn’t let this passion take the front seat. ... Paul did write more books, but the two books Luke wrote (the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts) are longer than all those books combined. Totally Awesome. Luke's writings (Luke and Acts) are noticibly written in better Greek than almost all the other NT texts, certainly better than the letters of the Apostle Paul. Whoever wrote Hebrews says in Hebrews 2:3 that he was a second generation Christian. Martin Luther believed it was Apollos. Although it’s merely a theory, some people believe the unnamed disciple to be Luke. A writer would do well just studying the prologues of Luke, Acts, and Hebrews. *(This article was first posted in March, 2013. Allen is confident enough in his work to reveal the solid evidence, be honest about the educated guesses, as well as reveal which arguments are based more on creativity and possibilities rather than absolute certainty. Biblical scholars argue that Hebrews was written by a highly educated teacher, one who was well acquainted with the various philosophical debates of the day. But now, thanks to David Allen, I am going loud and proud. It’s a pretty exciting read for theological dorks like me. The Epistle to the Hebrews presents many moot problems. Luke is doing so much more than telling a story in his Luke-Acts narratives. Did you know that the book of Hebrews is the second-most doctrine-heavy book of the New Testament? In all likelihood, I believe Luke to have been the author of the book. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. And even if Luke wasn’t the unnamed disciple, he is the one who gives us the most detailed account of the Emmaus event, showing a knowledge and interest in this amazing exposition Jesus gave about how all the Scriptures pointed to and found their fulfillment in him. For example, Paul always writes of Jesus' sacrifice being on Earth. I doubt Allen had housewife theologians in mind when he wrote this almost 400 page, scholarly hardback. Note that the order is in harmony with how the Gospels are arranged in the Canon and not in line with modern liberal theories. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb. He has thrown a respectable pitch into the discussion and wondrous study regarding the writer to the masterpiece of Hebrews. There are at least five statements in Hebrews that prove Paul didn't write Hebrews, and several proofs that Silas wrote Hebrews. Hebrews talks about Jesus' sacrifice from a heavenly standpoint (Hebrews 10). Luke is doing so much more than telling a story in his Luke-Acts narratives. It’s easier to read a scholarly work when the passion of the author is apparent. Therefore the … A while back ago, I wrote an article about my top three questions I have when I get to heaven. And I can only review it as an inquiring lay person. Some of them are in conjunction with the question of authorship, which we shall consider under the following divisions: 1. A writer would do well just studying the prologues of Luke, Acts, and Hebrews. The epistle to the Hebrews he asserted was written by Paul to the Hebrews in the Hebrew tongue, but it was carefully translated by Luke and published among the Greeks since one finds the same character of style and of phraseology in the epistle as in the Acts: “But it is probable that the title, Paul the Apostle, was not prefixed to it. But now scholars are almost of one mind that Paul did NOT write it. Not only did Irenaeus teach that Matthew’s Gospel was first written in the Hebrew dialect, he also provided the order in which all four of the Gospels were written. Log in, Written by Aimee Byrd | It is possible Paul wrote the book of Hebrews. Why I Believe Paul Did Not Write Hebrews Preface Every book in the New Testament section of the Bible has a human author (i.e., a man who either wrote the revelation down himself, or spoke it to a scribe who did) assigned to it except one,1 the letter to the Hebrews. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. They theorize that the stylistic differences from Paul’s other letters are attributed to his writing in Hebrew to the Hebrews, and that the letter was translated into Greek by Luke. As far back as the third century, Origen3 wrote: “In the epistle entitled To the Hebrews the diction does not exhibit the characteristic roughness of speech or phraseology admitted by the Apostle [Paul] himself, the construction of the sentences is closer to the Greek usage, as anyone capable of recognizing differences of style would agree . For many years I have been curious about who wrote Hebrews, and I prayed for God to show someone? If there are any smarticle (my daughter’s word) people who are reading this post, I’m sure you will benefit from Allen’s work much more than I did, but I am very grateful for the education it gave me. A writer would do well just studying the prologues of Luke, Acts, and Hebrews. In fact, in the KJV, you’ll find… Ahem, I mean, they are historical (yep, some fellers in the early church suspected Luke), linguistic (“lexical, stylistic, and textlinguistic evidence), theological, and, drum roll…pretty darn convincing that Luke was in fact a Jew, and not the Gentile that modern scholars have made him out to be. But, without sacrificing the academic integrity of his work, Allen has written accessibly enough for an interested lay person such as myself. Luke’s purpose to writing to Theophilus in his two-volume work seems to be the same as the sermon to the Hebrews: to motivate him to persevere in the faith by explaining how “Christianity is the fulfillment of the Old Testament hope of Israel” (176). Then, under divine guidance, it was translated into Greek by Luke … It is a book of no small size, has a doctrinal content which presupposes a solid grasp of Old Testament concepts, and provides clarification and a key to understanding Hebrew believers in the first century. Eusebius also reports Origen believed Paul wrote Hebrews but also said there was a tradition held by "others" that Luke was the writer: But who wrote the Epistle in truth, God knows. Timothy was Paul's missionary companion in the same way Jesus sent disciples out in pairs. Tertullian thought Barnabas wrote Hebrews. Book that really impressed me is the only thing in doubt Out of the authorship. 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