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As with almost every other Bible book, critics are quick to question the authorship of Hebrews. For, while the writing of this epistle (letter) has traditionally been attributed to Paul, they claim that the writing style isn’t consistent with other writings attributed to Paul. And it’s a fact that this letter and its style is quite different from his other letters, for Hebrews doesn’t start out with the opening greetings, which are traditional to his other epistles. So, did Paul write this book or not?

If you simply look at the closing greetings and salutations, you can see that the letter could only have been written by Paul. For, the stated location of the writing, Italy (see 13:24), and mention of the safety of Paul’s trustworthy traveling companion, Timothy (13:23), prove that the writer had to be Paul, ‘the Apostle to the nations,’ who had been taken to Rome and likely lived in that area until his death as a martyr.

So, why is the writing style different? For two reasons:
1. Content – It was a strong letter (and probably his last) that was written to the congregation of Christian ‘pillars’ in Jerusalem (the home of most of the other Apostles), where the congregation had grown spiritually weak (see 5:11-14).
2. Circumstances – Due to his extremely poor eye sight (see the Note Who Wrote the Epistles?), Paul clearly had to use his traveling companions (men such as Luke, BarNabas, Titus, Sosthenes, Timothy, and others) to actually do the writing, and they were allowed considerable latitude in the word choices and phrasing.

But, regardless of who it was that actually wrote Hebrews (under Paul’s direction), Hebrews stands out as his most masterful work.

Dear JWHVACR,

Happy to comment on your post!
God be praised for Paul, what an instrument for the Almighty.
The one man who single handedly took upon himself the stupendous task of explaining The Bible and did a wonerful job.

In his letters Paul alludes to events reported in nearly all 39 books of the Old Testament. Paul did not become a Christian to ride upon a wave of success and glory, when he became a Christian it was a most despised sect and an infamy.

The founding father of the sect was an ex-carpenter turned holy man who was executed and done away with or so thought the world at that time.

His followers a bunch of fishermen and nobodies!

And then comes along this towering personality, a pupil of a scholar, the worldy wise, educated, probably aristocratic man who was pulled against his wishes into something he thoroughly despised.

And then to become the greatest mouth piece of Christianity, Paul is truly a phenomenon. And a testimony to God's impartiality that it is His mercy and independent choice that determines who will be saved and given direction.

Thank you for your post

Farhat Zubair

If Paul wrote Hebrews, then can you explain Heb 2:3. Here the author does not count himself as one who heard Jesus, but as one who had Jesus' words "verified for us by those who heard him." Wereas in Gal 1:12, Paul states that he received the good news through a revelation from Jesus and not from any man.

Hebrews 1:1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,
2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
13 But to which of the angels has He ever said,
"SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES
A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET"?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

Hebrews 2:1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.
2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty,
3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,
4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

I'm not reading into it what you are, evidently, DCG. Here the writer is simply testifying to all the witnesses who heard Jesus' words as confirmation of the truth - not, I don't think, discounting himself. Even so, Paul didn't hear Jesus' teachings when he was alive as the other apostles did, only what words were directly spoken to him at the time of his revelation. There must've been a whole lot of other good stuff revealed to him by the eye-witnesses of Jesus' life and ministry. :yes: Filling in the blanks, so-to-speak. I don't think that alone would discount Paul as the author of this letter - but as always - I could be wrong! :whistle:

:peace:

Yes, Willa.

Admittedly, anyone who traveled with Paul could have written the letter, but who else would have had the (guts? moxie? .....?) to stand up to the congregation in Jerusalem like that?

The Book of Clement, though obviously not inspired, has a very similar writting style and similar content.

As to its authorship.....it is God's work.

As to its writership...no one knows but God.

As to speculation about its possible writership? Every theologian has a speculative notion. :)