Jesus Is Greater Than….

What this episode covers

Jesus Is Greater Than… (Hebrews) It is anathema to compare two cultures and declare one to be superior. Cultural relativists will accuse you of ethnocentrism before you can finish your sentence. The author of Hebrews, himself a Jew, unashamedly argues that Jesus is greater than every prophet, priest, and king who came before him. He points to the supremacy of Christ over everyone and everything belonging to the old covenant. 1. Jesus > Prophets 2. Jesus > Angels 3. Jesus > Moses 4. Jesus > Priests and the sacrificial system In other words, Christ supersedes and concludes the old covenant (Heb 12:18-24). He ushers his people into a superior covenant, a better hope. The author of Hebrews shows how the old covenant served as a shadow of the things that have now found fulfillment in Christ. This was precisely what the recipients needed to understand as they struggled to adapt to a hostile culture. They needed to heed the warnings about returning to the expired practices of the old covenant. Although they had received the gospel decades ago, they were like infant believers, still in need of milk (Heb 5:12). Hebrews addresses Christians who are tempted to accommodate their faith in order to relieve cultural pressure. Every believer needs to know that Jesus is greater than every alternative. Read Heb 1:1-4. One sentence in the Greek. An Inspired Author We know the author is male because he uses a masculine participle in Heb 11:32. Paul • 2C: Clement of Alexandria attributed differences in style to Greek translation from original Hebrew by Luke. • 3C: Origen offered that Paul’s student wrote the teaching from memory. However, Hebrews contains no characteristics of a translated document. • 4C: Greeks settled on Paul with the exception of Irenaeus, Gaius, and Hippolytus. But, Latin fathers were less confident until Jerome and Augustine affirmed Pauline authority. Desired to solidify canon. Most early church fathers accepted their position. • 13C: Aquinas accepts tradition of Pauline authorship. 18C Scottish minister, John Brown, argues that we should favor tradition without strong internal evidence to the contrary. I agree. The strong internal evidence is why I don’t think Paul wrote it. • 16C: Reformers not unanimous. While Zwingli accepted Pauline authorship, Martin Luther and John Calvin were confident the author was not Paul (following Cardinal Cajetan and Erasmus). • Why suddenly anonymous? If safety, why throw Timothy under the bus (Heb 13:23)? • Lacks Paul’s style, imagery, and argumentation. • Different apostolic description (Heb. 2:3; cf. Gal. 1:11-12). Barnabas – Tertullian (2C) presented as the accepted author. The “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36) makes him a good candidate for writing “a word of encouragement” (Heb. 13:22). Paul’s early missionary partner would have own style, with similar theology. As a Levite, he would have had extensive knowledge of the OT sacrificial system. Apollos – Luther proposed because he was a highly educated Alexandrian Jew known for his eloquent speech (Acts 18:24). In Paul’s missionary sphere. Garnered considerable support from reformers. Luke, Clement of Rome – Calvin and many Pauline doubters land here. Peter, Jude, Stephen, Philip, Aristion (associated with the longer ending of Mark), Priscilla (and Aquila), Mary, and Epaphras – Honestly, at this point, just pick any name mentioned in the New Testament, and there is a strong possibility that someone has a theory about their authorship of Hebrews. Origen ultimately concluded, “Who wrote it, God only knows certainly.” While any of these authors would be permissible, none of them have any impact on the authority. Edward Dering is right, “And for my part, who wrote this epistle, I cannot tell, nor I see no cause why I should seek it. For if the Spirit of God had left it out, can I think it better, if I should add it?” Holy Spirit – (Heb 3:7; 4:7).

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