Did Paul write the book of Hebrews? Why would anyone question such a thing? The answer requires some knowledge of "higher Biblical criticism."
What is higher criticism? Higher criticism is the analysis of the origins of the texts in the Bible by scholars. Higher criticism tends to examine the Bible as mere ancient poetry, old myths, and figurative stories not to be taken too literally. “Criticism” in this context merely means “analysis.” (As long as we do NOT lend the professors too much authority, then they have MUCH to teach us).
One of the characteristic features of higher criticism is skeptical expression about who really wrote given books of the Bible. Indeed, one can often see why. For example, in Deuteronomy, the fifth book of Moses, chapter 34 verse 7 says, “And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died… .” Who wrote the obituary of Moses in Deuteronomy? Not Moses.
One of my most used references, the Oxford Companion to the Bible (OCB; Metzger and Coogan, Eds.), is essentially a compendium of higher criticism. If the Bible can be read "critically," then so can the literature of the "higher critics." For example, a theology Professor, Andrew Sledd of Emory University, once indicated that the title of the Book of Hebrews (“The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews”) was an excellent one, except that “it was not an epistle; it was not written by Paul; Paul was not an Apostle; and it was not addressed to the Hebrews” (E.F. Scott. The literature of the New Testament. New York: Columbia Univ. Press, 1936, p. 199). Of course, all of these points are disputable, but it was a good joke that I am sure made Professor’s Sledd’s students chuckle.
Let’s take each of Professor Sledd’s points and see what the Bible actually has to say:
Hebrews was not an Epistle???Relative to the Hebrews controversy, there is less debate whether Paul wrote the following epistles: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Phillippeans, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. You can turn to the first verse of any of those books and see that Paul clearly identifies himself. Note that Hebrews shows no such salutation. It just dives into the topic at hand, and the author never identifies himself directly.
Many of my essays over the years were written as letters to my boys serving a mission or in Army deployment. Is it fair to refer to these texts as letters? Are they better called essays? Or, are they both? It is important to me personally to think of some of these essays as “letters to my boys," but also as letters to my posterity.
The author of Hebrews clearly calls what he wrote a letter:
Hebrews 13:22
22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
Hebrews is an essay, but if the author wants to call his Book a letter, then that is good enough for me. Epistle it is!
Epistle or not, it would have been nice if Paul could have identified himself. Readers of the Bible have been debating the authorship of Hebrews for centuries and centuries.
Hebrews was not written by Paul??? Skepticism by higher critics about authorship is not always substantiated. The OCB (p. 275) says:
But there are adequate reasons for rejecting Paul as [Hebrew’s] author. First, the writer‘s style is different from Paul’s; second, the issue seems to be settled by his assertion that he (together, apparently, with his readers) received the gospel from those who heard the Lord (Heb. 2:3).
Well, it would be easy to accept that citation, believe it, and move on. Instead, we should look up the verse, which reads:
Hebrews 2:3
3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard [him].
I really fail to see why Paul could not have written those very words. Upon his conversion, Paul was taught by Ananias (Acts 9:18; 22: 12) and many others, including the Apostles. For a good brief history of Paul, read the LDS Bible Dictionary (“Paul”). In sum, Paul met with and learned from those who heard Jesus during his earthly sojourn.
Another issue is that the author of Hebrews hints that he may be in bondage, meaning prison. Scholars have not figured out how many times Paul was imprisoned. In many of his writings Paul references the fact that he has been placed in jail (e.g., Philippeans 1: 12-19; see also Acts 16: 23). Hebrews says the following:
Hebrews 10:34
34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
Hebrews 13:18-19
18 ¶ Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
19 But I beseech [you] the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Another hint of authorship comes from the way in which Paul signed his letters. In the book of 2nd Thessalonians Paul expresses concern for a developing apostasy. He said:
2 Thessalonians 2:2-3 [brackets are mine]
2 … be [NOT] troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter [purporting to be] from us … that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 ¶ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Evidently, there was a problem with deception and false letters. Paul indicated how to determine whether his letters were authentic. He said at the end of the same book:
2 Thessalonians 3:16-18
16 ¶ Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord [be] with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you all. Amen.
Yes, Paul was writing in his own hand, but he also may have had a password. He seemed to indicate that he would end his letters with the “grace of our Lord…” to be with you. Such words at the end might be useful in helping to authenticate his letters. In fourteen letters thought to be from Paul, all have this sort of ending: Here they are:
Rom. 16:20
20 … The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
1 Cor. 16:23
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
2 Cor. 13:14
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
Gal. 6:18
18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Eph. 6:24
24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
Phil. 4:23
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Col. 4:18
18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
1 Thess. 5:28
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
II Thess. 3:18
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
1 Tim. 6:21
21 … Grace be with thee. Amen.
2 Tim. 4:22
22 … Grace be with you. Amen.
Titus 3:15
15 … Grace be with you all. Amen.
Philemon 1:25
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
How does Hebrews end? Well, here it is:
Heb 13:25
25 Grace be with you all. Amen.
Only books written by Paul have that particular ending, and Paul seemed to declare, as cited above, that this phrase was his signature.
Another line of evidence that Hebrews was written by Paul comes from the following:
Hebrews 13:23
23 Know ye that [our] brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.
The verse above indicates a strong relationship with Timothy, something that Paul did have, as indicated elsewhere (e.g., 2 Corinthians 1:1; his letters to Timothy: 1 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 1:2; and Philemon 1:1).
*****There is an argument in the literature about whether Hebrews is written in a different style than Paul’s other writings. I think there are important differences. Some have said that Hebrews is written in a formal Greek style and quotes from the Greek Old Testament. Paul’s other letters are written in an informal Greek style and more often quotes from the Hebrew Old Testament. Hebrews is highly organized and written with precision. In Paul’s other letters he tends to ramble parenthetically (e.g., Rom. 2:13-15; 5:13-17; 9:1 - 11:36; 2 Cor. 6:2; 9:9-10; Gal. 2:9; Eph. 4:9, 10; Phil. 3:15, 19). Not so in Hebrews!!
Authors do vary styles. Most of the essays on this blog are fairly formal, but occasionally I let my hair down and write a humorous piece about my 14 year old (or whatever). I see no reason why Paul could not vary his style.
Nonetheless, I think there is enough correspondence between Hebrews and Paul’s other writings that it is plausible to say that he could have written Hebrews. Compare the following verses printed contiguously [emphasis mine]:
----------COMPARE:
Hebrews 1:4
4 ¶ Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
WITH:
Philippians 2:9
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
----------COMPARE:
Hebrews 2:2-3
2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;
WITH:
Galatians 3:19
19 ¶ Wherefore then [serveth] the law? It was added because of
transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was] ordained by
angels in the hand of a mediator.
----------COMPARE:
Hebrews 12:3
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
WITH:
Galatians 6:9
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
----------COMPARE:
Hebrews 12:14
14 Follow peace with all [men] , and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
WITH:
Romans 12:18
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
----------COMPARE:
Hebrews 8:13
13 In that he saith,
A new [covenant], he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away.
WITH:
2 Corinthians 3:11
11 For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious.
----------COMPARE:
Hebrews 12:1
1 ¶ WHEREFORE seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
WITH:
1 Corinthians 9:24
24 ¶ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
----------COMPARE:
Hebrews 5:12
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
WITH:
1 Corinthians 3:2
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
----------COMPARE:
Hebrews 8:1
1 ¶ NOW of the things which we have spoken [this is] the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
WITH:
Ephesians 1:20
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.
*****In sum, one must conclude that there is a real possibility that Hebrews was written by Paul. There is enough correspondence between Hebrews and other recognized epistles of Paul to be assured that he must be considered as a potential author. Given that Latter-day prophets merely assume Paul’s authorship, we are probably on safe ground not to worry about the matter too much more.
Paul was not an Apostle??? Some Protestants are motivated to make this argument because their theology dictates that there was never any intention for the apostolic quorum to continue. If such Protestants admitted this fact, then that would give the Catholic church more credence than would make them comfortable. St. Peter and his priesthood lineage would suddenly become critical. Thus, Protestants often claim that the apostolate was not designed to continue and that Jesus was the last high priest (see my essay: Cessationism. Since Paul was not among the original twelve, then (according to this view) he was only loosely “an apostle” (with a lowercase), which to many Protestants means “disciple.”
The scriptures are clear. Paul repeatedly describes himself as an Apostle at the beginning of each of his epistles, except Hebrews. Further, Luke describes Paul as an apostle (Acts 14:14). This calling is further confirmed in the D&C (see Section 18:9).
The claim that “Paul was not an apostle” has no leg to stand upon, and will not be commented upon any further.
Paul was not writing to the Hebrews??? Was Paul writing to the Hebrews? Well, read the book for yourself. One would need to know a lot about Judaism to understand the Book of Hebrews. There are many complicated scriptural citations and Jewish allusions. It seems to me that Paul could only be writing to Christian Jews, as I read the text.
Take the following passage, for example:
Hebrews 3:7-9
7 ¶ Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Above, Paul warns his readers of the potential of wandering the wilderness (an allusion to Moses and the Israelites) like their fathers (ancestors). If the readers’ fathers were the Israelites, then this would make Paul’s intended audience Hebrews.
Paul reminds his readers not to sell their birthright by failing to keep the commandments:
Hebrews 12:14-16
14 Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled;
16 Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
The original Jewish readers of the passage above would remember that Esau traded his birthright for a short-term attraction.
The intended audience of Hebrews had to have a sophisticated knowledge of not only the different priesthoods (see: Hebrews chapter 7), but also temple practices on the Day of Atonement. The OCB (p.276) gives this description:
This [Jewish] expectation [of a perfect high priest] was made a reality by the coming of Christ, the uniquely great high priest (4:14; 7:4), who, being entirely holy and free from sin (4:15; 7:26), had no need, like the Levitical priests, to offer any sacrifice first for his own sins (7:27), and who offered up not an animal but himself, making atonement for sin by his own blood. His sacrifice avails once for all and need never be repeated (10:10-14).
Such a sacrifice brings the whole of humankind into access of God, not just a single high priest on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
Some Protestants want to believe that Paul’s calling was limited to the gentiles. Therefore, he would not have written a book to the Hebrews. The calling of an Apostle is to the world, even if Paul emphasized the gentiles in his work.
In sum, we are on good grounds to conclude that the Hebrews (Jewish saints) were at least one intended audience of Paul.
ConclusionsIn scholarly debate, we must decide for ourselves. Let’s not automatically reject higher criticism, but let’s also not just swallow it whole either.
As often happens in scholarly debates about the Bible, we can lose track of the central message. The issues raised in this essay are interesting, but they are also peripheral. The central message of Hebrews is that Jesus is the Christ, foretold by the Old Testament, and further, Judaism established a foundation for the first coming of the Christ.
It is fine to learn from the scholars and their scholarly debates. However, as we do so, it is essential to keep in mind the central messages of the scriptures being discussed. Scholars sometimes lose the forest though the trees.
In the case of the Book of Hebrews, I think some scholars have lost the forest. I think Hebrews is an epistle by the Apostle Paul to Jewish Christians.
*****Copyright 2008 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] com; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.
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