HEBREWS THE BOOK OF THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST 

 Hebrews has is thought of by many as one of the greatest theological treatises in the New Testament”, secondly only to the Gospel of John. It is without doubt a profound work. 

Author 

 The text does not mention the name of its author but was traditionally attributed to Paul the Apostle. However, doubt on Pauls authorship was reported as early as the 4th century by Eusebius. Modern biblical scholarship considers its authorship unknown. Although the writer's style reflects some characteristics of Paul's writing, there are some differences.The two leading candidates today are Paul and Barnabas.  

 The arguments for the author being Paul are: 

 1)  He was an educated Jew. 

2)  There is a similarity of thought between Hebrews and Paul’s epistles. 

3)  The author had been in bonds (Heb. 10:34), wrote from Italy (Heb. 13:24), and was strongly associated with Timothy (Heb. 13:23). 

4)  Since Pantaenus (d. 190 AD), there has been a tradition that Paul wrote Hebrews. 

 The arguments for Barnabas being the author are:  

 1)  He was a Levite. 

2)  He was familiar with the teachings of Paul. 

3)  He knew Timothy. 

4)  This is a word of exhortation and encouragement (Heb. 13:22), the designation of Barnabas position in the early church (Acts 4:36). 

5)  The earliest tradition (Tertullian) favors Barnabas. 

 The current view favoured by many is that Barnabas was more than likely the author. All the arguments in favor of Paul also fit Barnabas. Furthermore, Paul signed all his letters (2 Thess. 3:17), but Hebrews is anonymous. Barnabas consistently stayed in the background, anyway, not signing his name. Origen said, “Who it was that really wrote the epistle, God only knows.” Maybe that is best to be at happy to accept an anonymous authorship as it does not change its meaning or it’s content. 

 Recipients 

 At the time Hebrews was written, the sacrificial system was still in operation (Heb. 8:4; 13;9:6-9; 10:1-3). Therefore, since the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, Hebrews must have been written before 70 AD. Also, Hebrews mentions Timothy (Heb. 13:23). If Paul is not the author, this suggests Paul was dead. Otherwise, Timothy would have been expected to join him. Hebrews was written between the death of Paul and the destruction of Jerusalem in 68 or 69 AD. The recipients were Jewish Christians.  

 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. The letter to the Hebrews was written to reassure the Jewish believers and prevent them from slipping back to their former religious practices  

 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 10:1213). 

 Message 

 Present-day readers sometimes find the book of Hebrews difficult to understand, because the writer refers repeatedly to the regulations and ceremonies of the ancient Israelite religion. His readers were familiar with what he was talking about. 

 The writer of Hebrews wants to show that once Christ came, the old covenant was of no further use. His death on the cross did what all Israel's laws and ceremonies could not do. It brought cleansing from sin and the right to enter God's presence. Christ's death established a new covenant, one that is perfect and lasts for ever (Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 13:20). 

 The message is since Jesus is the divine King/Priest, who is superior to Judaism, believers should not go back to Judaism, but should, by faith, endure so that they will reach maturity and be rewarded. 

 Structure 

  The literary structure is quite distinctive.  It is generally classified as an epistle, but it lacks a salutation, beginning more like an essay than a letter. It ends like a letter. The contents of Hebrews suggest that it is a sermon placed within a letter format. 

 OUTLINE 

 I.              1: 1-4 Prologue 

II.            1:1-5:18 Salvation through Christ 

III.          3:1-5:10 God's true people 

IV.          13:1-17Personal Greetings V.      13:18-25 Benediction 

 Purposes 

 The first purpose of Hebrews is to check the drift from Christ back to legalistic Judaism. Christ is shown to be superior to prevent this from occurring. The old covenant was never intended to be a way of salvation. The law of Moses was not a means by which people could earn forgiveness. However, it helped them see their sin and God's holiness, and so encouraged them to turn in faith to God and ask for mercy (Romans 3:19; Galatians 3:19). When Christ came, he did what the law could not do, for by paying sin's penalty he made forgiveness possible for the repentant (Romans 8:3-4; Galatians 3:23-25). 

 No one can be saved by keeping the law (Romans 3:20; Romans 3:27-28; Ephesians 2:8-9). Abraham lived before the old covenant was established, whereas David lived under the old covenant, but both were saved in the same way, by faith (Romans 4:1-16; Galatians 3:17-18). 

Under the old testament laws people offered sacrifices (or offerings) to God as expressions of their devotion to him. Different sacrifices were appointed for different purposes, but all contained some element of atonement; that is, some part of the ritual symbolically dealt with sin's penalty so that the one offering the sacrifice could be restored to a right relationship with God. In the sacrifice of an animal, for example, the worshipper may have presented it as a personal substitute, and based on the animal's death, asked God's forgiveness. The person knew that because death was the penalty for sin, there could be no forgiveness of sin apart from death. The sacrifice was the God-given means of expressing faith (Leviticus 17:11). 

 Forgiveness through blood meant, in other words, forgiveness through the death of a guiltless substitute (Hebrews 9:22). Yet animal sacrifices could not take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). They were a temporary arrangement for Old Testament times that gave people a way to demonstrate their repentance, faith, and obedience. They also taught people what their atonement involved. But whether people knew it or not, the sacrifice of Christ was the means by which God forgave them when they turned to him in faith (Romans 3:21-26). 

 The second purpose of Hebrews is to challenge them to remain resolute and gain maturity. They are to be steadfast and mature because if they do will be rewarded (Heb. 10:35-36). 

 Summary: 

 A writer perhaps Barnabas or Paul wrote to Jewish Christians arguing that since Christ is the Son/King and Son/Priest, who is superior to Judaism, they should not go back to Judaism, but should, by faith, endure so that they will be rewarded. Believers who, by faith, endure will grow to maturity and be rewarded. 

 The writer of Hebrews has a special concern for these new Jewish Christians. He wants to impress upon them that although Israel's religious system prepared the way for Christ, it could never save guilty sinners. Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation.