Hebrews Part 1 - Intorduction

THE 4 W’s a) Who is it written to? Hebrews, Jews, Israel. • Peter’s Pentecost group – Heb1:1-2, 2:3-4, 6:4-6 b) What is written about? • The need for the Messiah to suffer as incarnate man, Jesus fulfilled that 1-5 • A better promise, priest, covenant, blood, sacrifice 6-10 • The need for faith, patience, & endurance to enter into the holy city, kingdom 11-13. c) When was it written? We do not know the exact date or time, but the dispensational context is the same as the other Hebrew epistles and concerns: • “a world to come” & a future fulfilling of the new covenant – Heb 2:5, 6:5, 8:13,9:11, 10:1 • People waiting for a kingdom to come – Heb 12:28, 13:14 – Acts 1:6, 3:19-21, 1Pet 1:5-11, 2Pet 3:12-13 d) Who wrote the book? We simply do not know. Most say Paul but the Bible does not. • Arguments for Paul: i. Hebrews deals with a transition for Israel’s OC to the NC and talks about Israel’s transition away from the law, temple, priest, etc.. ii. Hebrews mentions the blood of Jesus more than any other NT book (Rev is 2nd & Lev has the most references) and talks about Jesus death and better heavenly things. iii. Heb 13:20-25 most attributed to Paul and say is the best evidence. iv. 2Peter 3:15 is said to be a reference to the book of Hebrews. • Arguments against Paul: i. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles and was given the ministry of laying the foundation of the BoC/mystery/Disp grace. If he wrote Hebrews then he wrote an epistle not to Gentiles/BoC- Eph 3:1-5, 1Cor 3:10, Gal2:7-9 ii. All of Paul’s epistles are identified as Paul’s containing his name. iii. Compare Heb 13:22 to Gal 6:11 – Heb = 4953 words > Gal = 2230 words iv. 2Pet 3:15-16 – Hebrews distinct from Paul’s epistles so 2Pet 3:15-16 does not make sense if speaking of Hebrews. 1) Paul speaks to Jews in Rom 2, 9-11. 2) Paul wrote more than 2 letters to the Corinthians, that doesn’t mean they were inspired by God – 1Cor 5:9-11. v. Heb 13:23 – What of Hebrews was written before Acts 16? Or, like James, Mary, and others, what if there is more than one Timothy? Or what if Timothy was helping the remnant with something? 1Cor 4:17, 16:1-3, 2Cor 8:18-20, 12:18. Point being Heb 13:23 does not prove Paul write the book. e) If Paul wrote Hebrews the Holy Spirit did not want us to know. It would also cause confusion if he did since it is not a book to Gentiles/BoC – Gal 3:28 – There is no such thing as Hebrew Christian’s according to Paul. • If Paul wrote Hebrews then we have the danger of making ourselves the recipients of the covenants and spiritual Israel. • If Paul wrote Hebrews then he wrote a book to the remnant concerning the kingdom and covenants. The content does not apply to us today regardless of who wrote it. f) Answering the 4 questions above can help to get the context of a book. Hebrews is written to Hebrews about their Messiah, better covenant, and the need for faith, obedience, and endurance to enter the Kingdom.