Grailhunter
Well-Known Member
Hebrews
Once again we visit the topic of Christian history. For the Protestants this is nearly an irrelevant point. Fundamentalism is a concept born of the desire to stay true to the scriptures and only the scriptures. I still say, what is wrong with that? Until Protestants want to comment on Christian history, that is almost an oxymoron. If you establish a religion that is 1500 years to 1700 years after the fact, and is born of a protest against the Catholic Church which involved a lot hate, what else are you going to do. At that point that is all you have is the scriptures. Not disputing the fact that they had several reasons. But still, if they deny Christian history all the way back to the close the Bible, it is only honest to admit their limitations thereof. It is an irrefutable fact that Christianity continued on after the close of the Bible. God did not become a cardboard cut out between the 1st century and the 16th century. So as it is, they deny the ECF’s and all of those that were taught by the Apostles. They did not call themselves Early Church Fathers, that was a designation that was given to them by Christians that were living the on going history of Christianity. Again, I do not have any issues with those that want to stay true to the scriptures only. That approach has saved millions and that is what is important. On the topic of the authorship of Hebrews it is a good discussion. But a discussion is all it can be, because there is no proof, and the more important point is that it is a true and valid book of the New Testament. So then….
Hebrews is a treasure trove of theologies and some uniquenesses. Concepts and words used, High Priest, great shepherd, the last sacrifice, saving grace of Christ’s blood, propitiation, redemption, salvation, sanctified, eternal inheritance, the family of God and good deeds
The words Hebrew, or Jew, or Jewish, or Christian, does not appear in the book of Hebrews. So it maybe intended to be a neutral book, to appeal to Jews and Christians. Keeping in mind that the titles of all the books were added later.
The book is written in such a fashion as to appeal to the Jews and Jewish-Christians, also. The writer of Hebrews sights Jewish wisdom through frequent OT quotes, characters, and scenarios.
Uniqueness
The word enlightened appears in the book of Hebrews. (6:4 & 10:32) This would be a red flag for the ECF’s because the words and concepts of enlighten, enlightened, and enlightenment are used extensively in Gnostic texts. The only other book of the Bible that includes this word is Ephesians (1:18) Not a negative, just a point.
Christians as a whole do not like secrets, and like secret organizations even less. For Christ to be a High Priest of the Order of Melchizedek, it means he is a member of a secret organization. (Hebrews 7:3 is referring to the secrecy of Melchizedek and this organization. Most study notes will more or less explain this.) History does not track this organization and the OT only mentions it once. (Psalm 110:4)
Another thing that most Christians do not like, is the insinuation that God is not perfect. Well depending on how you look at it, Hebrews indicates that the Old Covenant had flaws, but that it had been intended to proclaim a New Covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31-34 Hebrews 8:6-13)
Next, Hebrews describes a theology that is not standard Christian theology. (Also take note of the wording (That the writer speaks of others being feed milk and their knowledge being elementary and then he speaks of the enlightened, so the writer is implying that his writing is above the “basic” level.)
Hebrews 6:1-8
Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.
And
Hebrews 10:26-31
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God…….Most of the theologies in mainstream Christianity are a little more giving on the forgiveness side of sinning and those that would “backslide”.
So then we have the Lamb....
Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of world. This scripture is reaffirmed here. (10:10-14) By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, WAITING FROM THAT TIME ONWARD UNTIL His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has perfected for all time whose who are sanctified. (Notice….His enemies be made a footstool for His feet….that is pointed at the Jewish-Christians because that is what they want.
Made for a little while lower than angels (Hebrew 2:7 & 2:9) This phrase is unique to Hebrews.
Hebrews also reaffirms the concept of the friends and family of God (2:5 2:14 12:7) and also Good Deeds (13:16)
Authorship…
A 3rd century ECF, Origen wrote this letter.
"In the epistle entitled To The Hebrews the diction does not exhibit the characteristic roughness of speech or phraseology admitted by the Apostle [Paul] himself, the construction of the sentences is closer to the Greek usage, as anyone capable of recognizing differences of style would agree. On the other hand the matter of the epistle is wonderful, and quite equal to the Apostle's acknowledged writings: the truth of this would be admitted by anyone who has read the Apostle carefully... If I were asked my personal opinion, I would say that the matter is the Apostle's but the phraseology and construction are those of someone who remembered the Apostle's teaching and wrote his own interpretation of what his master had said. So if any church regards this epistle as Paul's, it should be commended for so doing, for the primitive Church had every justification for handing it down as his. Who wrote the epistle is known to God alone: the accounts that have reached us suggest that it was either Clement, who became Bishop of Rome, or Luke, who wrote the gospel and the Acts."
People quote Origen may times saying, “Only God knows who wrote Hebrew.”
Now only as a suggestion…with no proof, I think that Apollos could have been the author of Hebrews. He was a Jewish-Christian that was preaching the Gospel parallel to Paul and he had a good reputation as being knowledgeable and a good speaker. Apollos knew of Paul’s teachings and they had mutual friends. I am not going to suggest they were totally on the same page, just close.
Then again and also, Paul would have quoted the scriptures with a little more confidence. In Hebrews the writer says things like this before quoting OT scriptures; [But one has testified somewhere saying….or Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says…..or While it is said…..As has been said before…. Just (a saying)] So it does not appear that he had the confidence and accuracy of Paul. As it is, over the centuries several have noted that the style of writing and use of the Greek is different, style of Greek maybe regional. (Apollos appearance in NT… Acts 18:24, 19:1, 1st Corinthians 1:12, 3:4-6, 3:22, 4:6, and 16:12)
It is still just a suggestion, as with much of this it is a matter of opinion and speculation, other than that Hebrews is a valid and important book of the NT.
Once again we visit the topic of Christian history. For the Protestants this is nearly an irrelevant point. Fundamentalism is a concept born of the desire to stay true to the scriptures and only the scriptures. I still say, what is wrong with that? Until Protestants want to comment on Christian history, that is almost an oxymoron. If you establish a religion that is 1500 years to 1700 years after the fact, and is born of a protest against the Catholic Church which involved a lot hate, what else are you going to do. At that point that is all you have is the scriptures. Not disputing the fact that they had several reasons. But still, if they deny Christian history all the way back to the close the Bible, it is only honest to admit their limitations thereof. It is an irrefutable fact that Christianity continued on after the close of the Bible. God did not become a cardboard cut out between the 1st century and the 16th century. So as it is, they deny the ECF’s and all of those that were taught by the Apostles. They did not call themselves Early Church Fathers, that was a designation that was given to them by Christians that were living the on going history of Christianity. Again, I do not have any issues with those that want to stay true to the scriptures only. That approach has saved millions and that is what is important. On the topic of the authorship of Hebrews it is a good discussion. But a discussion is all it can be, because there is no proof, and the more important point is that it is a true and valid book of the New Testament. So then….
Hebrews is a treasure trove of theologies and some uniquenesses. Concepts and words used, High Priest, great shepherd, the last sacrifice, saving grace of Christ’s blood, propitiation, redemption, salvation, sanctified, eternal inheritance, the family of God and good deeds
The words Hebrew, or Jew, or Jewish, or Christian, does not appear in the book of Hebrews. So it maybe intended to be a neutral book, to appeal to Jews and Christians. Keeping in mind that the titles of all the books were added later.
The book is written in such a fashion as to appeal to the Jews and Jewish-Christians, also. The writer of Hebrews sights Jewish wisdom through frequent OT quotes, characters, and scenarios.
Uniqueness
The word enlightened appears in the book of Hebrews. (6:4 & 10:32) This would be a red flag for the ECF’s because the words and concepts of enlighten, enlightened, and enlightenment are used extensively in Gnostic texts. The only other book of the Bible that includes this word is Ephesians (1:18) Not a negative, just a point.
Christians as a whole do not like secrets, and like secret organizations even less. For Christ to be a High Priest of the Order of Melchizedek, it means he is a member of a secret organization. (Hebrews 7:3 is referring to the secrecy of Melchizedek and this organization. Most study notes will more or less explain this.) History does not track this organization and the OT only mentions it once. (Psalm 110:4)
Another thing that most Christians do not like, is the insinuation that God is not perfect. Well depending on how you look at it, Hebrews indicates that the Old Covenant had flaws, but that it had been intended to proclaim a New Covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31-34 Hebrews 8:6-13)
Next, Hebrews describes a theology that is not standard Christian theology. (Also take note of the wording (That the writer speaks of others being feed milk and their knowledge being elementary and then he speaks of the enlightened, so the writer is implying that his writing is above the “basic” level.)
Hebrews 6:1-8
Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.
And
Hebrews 10:26-31
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God…….Most of the theologies in mainstream Christianity are a little more giving on the forgiveness side of sinning and those that would “backslide”.
So then we have the Lamb....
Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of world. This scripture is reaffirmed here. (10:10-14) By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, WAITING FROM THAT TIME ONWARD UNTIL His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has perfected for all time whose who are sanctified. (Notice….His enemies be made a footstool for His feet….that is pointed at the Jewish-Christians because that is what they want.
Made for a little while lower than angels (Hebrew 2:7 & 2:9) This phrase is unique to Hebrews.
Hebrews also reaffirms the concept of the friends and family of God (2:5 2:14 12:7) and also Good Deeds (13:16)
Authorship…
A 3rd century ECF, Origen wrote this letter.
"In the epistle entitled To The Hebrews the diction does not exhibit the characteristic roughness of speech or phraseology admitted by the Apostle [Paul] himself, the construction of the sentences is closer to the Greek usage, as anyone capable of recognizing differences of style would agree. On the other hand the matter of the epistle is wonderful, and quite equal to the Apostle's acknowledged writings: the truth of this would be admitted by anyone who has read the Apostle carefully... If I were asked my personal opinion, I would say that the matter is the Apostle's but the phraseology and construction are those of someone who remembered the Apostle's teaching and wrote his own interpretation of what his master had said. So if any church regards this epistle as Paul's, it should be commended for so doing, for the primitive Church had every justification for handing it down as his. Who wrote the epistle is known to God alone: the accounts that have reached us suggest that it was either Clement, who became Bishop of Rome, or Luke, who wrote the gospel and the Acts."
People quote Origen may times saying, “Only God knows who wrote Hebrew.”
Now only as a suggestion…with no proof, I think that Apollos could have been the author of Hebrews. He was a Jewish-Christian that was preaching the Gospel parallel to Paul and he had a good reputation as being knowledgeable and a good speaker. Apollos knew of Paul’s teachings and they had mutual friends. I am not going to suggest they were totally on the same page, just close.
Then again and also, Paul would have quoted the scriptures with a little more confidence. In Hebrews the writer says things like this before quoting OT scriptures; [But one has testified somewhere saying….or Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says…..or While it is said…..As has been said before…. Just (a saying)] So it does not appear that he had the confidence and accuracy of Paul. As it is, over the centuries several have noted that the style of writing and use of the Greek is different, style of Greek maybe regional. (Apollos appearance in NT… Acts 18:24, 19:1, 1st Corinthians 1:12, 3:4-6, 3:22, 4:6, and 16:12)
It is still just a suggestion, as with much of this it is a matter of opinion and speculation, other than that Hebrews is a valid and important book of the NT.
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