Introduction to Hebrews

ESV 

• Author - Unknown

• Audience - Early manuscripts bear the title “To the Hebrews,” which reflects the ancient assumption that it was written to Jewish Christians

• Setting - Likely written before the destruction of the temple in 70 AD

• Themes:

• The Superiority of Christ - The author shows the superiority of Christ and his new covenant over angels, Moses, the OT priesthood, and the OT sacrificial system. These are so inferior to Christ that it is futile to return to them—or to go anywhere else. Rather, believers should hold fast to their faith, because that faith is grounded in the most superior revelation.

• The Necessity to Endure - The author encourages Christians to endure, and to warn them not to abandon their faith in Christ.

Gospel Coalition

• In antiquity, authorship was attributed to figures such as Barnabas or especially Paul.

• Scholars have suggested other possible authors, such as Clement, Luke, or Apollos. However, most today concede that this author remains anonymous. It seems that the judgment expressed by Origen (d. c. A.D. 254) remains correct: “Who actually wrote the epistle, only God knows” (cited in Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 6.25.14).

• The genre of Hebrews is unusual. The careful rhetorical progression of the book, along with its frequent practical exhortations, has led many to consider it a single sermon. Perhaps Hebrews is best understood as a sermonic letter.

• Hebrews speaks of the Jewish sacrificial system as if it were a still-present reality (Heb. 7:27–28; 8:3–5; 9:7–8, 25; 10:1–3; 13:10–11), which does not seem likely after the cessation of the Jerusalem temple sacrifices in A.D. 70. Admittedly, Hebrews focuses on the Mosaic tabernacle rather than the Solomonic (or the Herodian) temple. Nonetheless, if the writer was attempting to convince his readers of the inferiority of the Mosaic system (and possibly dissuade church members from returning to Jewish practices), an obvious argument would have been to mention the cessation of the temple sacrifices, if they were in fact no longer taking place.

• The book of Hebrews is one of the most stylistically polished books in the NT. The writer is a master of imagery and metaphor, allusions to the OT, comparison and analogy, contrast, and long, flowing sentences that build to a climax and often use parallel construction of clauses.

• The central motif of the book is the formula “better,” with the cluster of words “better,” “more,” and “greater” appearing a combined total of 25 times. The comparative motif, in which one thing is declared superior to another thing, is the main rhetorical strategy of the book.

• Hebrews frequently encourages the audience to endure and warns against leaving Christ (Heb. 2:1–4; 3:7–4:13; 5:11–6:12; 10:19–39; 12:1–29).  The warning passages exhort church participants to remain faithful. The more expository sections of the epistle show the superiority of Christ and his new covenant work to angels, Moses, the tabernacle priesthood, and the sacrificial system. The implication is that these are so inferior to Christ that it is futile to return to them (or to go anywhere else). Thus the book encourages the church to hold fast to its faith, because that faith is grounded in the most superior revelation.

Enduring Word 

• The structure of the Book of Hebrews is different from other New Testament books. It begins like an essay, continues as a sermon, and ends like a letter.

• Hebrews is basically a book that exhorts discouraged Christians to continue on strong with Jesus in light of the complete superiority of who He is and what He did for us.

• Hebrews is a book deeply rooted in the Old Testament. Hebrews has 29 quotations and 53 allusions to the Old Testament, for a total of 82 references.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

• During the reign of Nero (AD 54-68), persecution of Christians increased considerably. This caused some Jewish Christians to wonder if they had done right in giving up their Jewish religion and becoming Christians.  With the increasing persecution, some of the Jewish Christians became discouraged. They began to doubt whether Christianity really was God’s new and victorious way to the eternal kingdom. In their view, Judaism appeared to be as firm as ever, whereas Christianity appeared to be heading for disaster. Some had stopped attending Christian meetings and even given up their Christian faith and gone back to Judaism (Hebrews 10:25-31). The letter to the Hebrews was written to reassure the Jewish believers and prevent them from slipping back to their former religious practices (Hebrews 2:1-3).

• The writer wanted to reassure these discouraged Jewish believers that Jesus Christ was the true fulfilment of the Jewish religion. The Old Testament finds its completion in him. He is far above all prophets, angels, leaders and priests, and his sacrifice has done what all the Israelite sacrifices could never do. Nothing of human initiative or effort can add to God’s way of salvation, for what Christ has done is final (Hebrews 10:12-13).

Thomas Constable

• Some scholars believe that the book must have been written before A.D. 70 since the writer spoke of the sacrifices as being offered when he wrote (Heb_7:27-28; Heb_8:3-5; Heb_9:7-8; Heb_9:25; Heb_10:1-3; Heb_10:8; Heb_13:10-11). However, the writer showed no interest in the temple but spoke of the sacrifices as the Israelites offered them when the tabernacle stood. He evidently used the present tense to give these references a timeless quality rather than indicating that temple worship was still in practice. Nevertheless a date of composition before A.D. 70 seems probable. [Note: William L. Lane, Hebrews 1-8, pp. lxii-lxvi; Andrew H. Trotter Jr., Interpreting the Epistle to the Hebrews, pp. 27-38.]

• The early Christians originally accepted all the New Testament books as inspired by God because they contained teaching from an official apostle. For this reason the writer was probably either an apostle or a close associate of at least one of the apostles.

• The title "The Epistle to the Hebrews" implies that they were Jewish Christians. This title is ancient and is probably a safe guide to the identity of the first readers. References in the epistle also suggest that the original readers were mainly Jewish. The writer assumed that they were very familiar with the institutions of Judaism.

• The writer urged the original readers to persevere in their faith rather than turning from Christianity and returning to Judaism. A note of urgency and pastoral concern permeates the whole letter. This tone comes through especially strongly in the five warning passages and in the encouragements that follow these warnings.

It was a long time before it (Hebrews) became an unquestioned New Testament book. The first list of New Testament books, The Muratorian Canon, compiled about A.D. 170, does not mention it at all. The great Alexandrian scholars Clement and Origen knew it and loved it but agreed that its place as scripture was disputed. Of the great African fathers, Cyprian never mentions it and Tertullian knows that its place was disputed. Eusebius, the great Church historian, says that it ranked among the disputed books. It was not until the time of Athanasius, in the middle of the fourth century, that Hebrews was definitely accepted as a New Testament book, and even Luther was not too sure about it. It is strange to think how long this great book had to wait for full recognition.                       - William Barclay

No other book in the New Testament ties together Old Testament history and practices with the life of Jesus Christ as thoroughly as the book of Hebrews.  Just as Jesus Christ taught that the Old Testament was fulfilled in Himself (Matthew 5:17-18, Luke 24:27), so the author of Hebrews taught that the old Covenant was brought to completion in the New Covenant (7:20-8:13).           - Malcolm B. Yarnell III

The author of Hebrews assumes his audience’s familiarity with Jewish history and religious practice.  The modern reader will need to research as he reads.  In his introduction to Hebrews, Don Fleming (Bridgeway Bible Commentary) includes a simple and accessible explanation of a few of the major components of Judaism referenced in the book.  Tim Mackie (Bible Project) suggests referencing the original text and context of the many old testament quotations in order to fully understand the author’s purpose. 

It is no wonder that early church leaders advocated for this sermon’s inclusion in the biblical canon.  Its early authorship and unique content provide an illuminating window into the early church’s complex transition from its primarily Jewish beginnings into a rapidly-growing, multi-cultural family of Jesus-followers

The verb tenses in this letter can be confusing at times.  Scholars believe it was likely written between Jesus' resurrection and the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.  The author speaks of current old covenant systems of priesthood and sacrifice that are symbols of something better in Jesus.  But he speaks of them as current and yet passing away, as operative and yet being replaced.  - Lineback

Hebrews 8:13 - By saying a new covenant, he has declared that the first is obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old is about to pass away.

The old system of relating to God through ritual and sacrifice and priest and tabernacle "is becoming obsolete and is ready to disappear.”  And the new order, the "reformation" has been inaugurated in Christ and is replacing the old. Very soon the temple in Jerusalem would be utterly destroyed and the entire priestly, sacrificial system would be finished, to this day.           - John Piper