# To whom was Hebrews written?



## Tom Hart (Nov 4, 2018)

To whom was the Epistle to the Hebrews written?

1) Jewish believers in Palestine
2) Jewish believers abroad
3) Gentile believers


Please share your reasons!


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## Scottish Presbyterian (Nov 4, 2018)

I voted other because I think it was likely written to Jewish believers in Judea (possibly to those abroad). Palestine didn't exist at the time the Epistle to the Hebrews was written.


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## Taylor (Nov 4, 2018)

Does this poll assume that the “Epistle” to the Hebrews is in fact an “epistle,” and not, as some have posited, a transcribed sermon?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Nov 4, 2018)

I think the Book of Hebrews is a sermon of Paul's transcribed by Luke and sent to Jewish believers in general.

Reactions: Like 4


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## Taylor (Nov 4, 2018)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> I think the Book of Hebrews is a sermon of Paul's transcribed by Luke and sent to Jewish believers in general.



This is how I lean, as well.


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## Smeagol (Nov 4, 2018)

From the title of the book and the content itself, I feel safest in saying the original audience were Jewish believers as well. I voted Jewish believers abroad.


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## Regi Addictissimus (Nov 4, 2018)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> I think the Book of Hebrews is a sermon of Paul's transcribed by Luke and sent to Jewish believers in general.


How do you reconcile Pauline authorship with this verse, "It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard?" Paul was pretty adamant he didn't receive his knowledge from man but directly from Christ, as we see in Galatians 1:12, "For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." I personally believe it was Apollos but ultimately the Holy Spirit.
Anywho, I have a deep fondness of Hebrews. It is my favorite portion of Scriptures. I, along with many commentators, believe it was a sermon or an exhortation. I believe it was written to Jewish Christians in Rome. There is evidence that rules out Jewish Christians in Palestine. I can't recommend Richard D. Phillips' sermons on Hebrews enough. He does a great job with the question this thread raises in the first sermon. Please forgive any typos. I just got a new phone and struggling with the keyboard.

https://www.sermonaudio.com/search....ries+on+Hebrews&keyworddesc=Series+on+Hebrews

Reactions: Like 2


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## Regi Addictissimus (Nov 4, 2018)

Taylor Sexton said:


> This is how I lean, as well.


The Greek is more advanced than what is found in Luke's writings. Also, see my proposed question in my previous response.


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## Regi Addictissimus (Nov 4, 2018)

Grant Jones said:


> Then why did you link them?


I fixed the post and added an ending to forgive any errors as I adjust to my new phone.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tom Hart (Nov 4, 2018)

ScottishPresbyterian said:


> Palestine didn't exist at the time the Epistle to the Hebrews was written.



Palestine as a region, not a political entity.


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## Tom Hart (Nov 4, 2018)

ScottishPresbyterian said:


> I voted other because I think it was likely written to Jewish believers in Judea (possibly to those abroad). Palestine didn't exist at the time the Epistle to the Hebrews was written.



Question: Why should the author have written in Greek if he was addressing principally Hebrew- or Aramaic-speaking readers?


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## Tom Hart (Nov 4, 2018)

Taylor Sexton said:


> Does this poll assume that the “Epistle” to the Hebrews is in fact an “epistle,” and not, as some have posited, a transcribed sermon?



I just went with the common name given to the book. Call it "Sermon to the Hebrews" if you like.


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## Tom Hart (Nov 4, 2018)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> I think the Book of Hebrews is a sermon of Paul's transcribed by Luke and sent to Jewish believers in general.



Could you give some reasons for that view?


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## bookslover (Nov 4, 2018)

It was written to Jewish believers abroad, per Hebrews 3.1 ("holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession") and Hebrews 13.22 ("brothers"). This would not exclude Jewish believers in Judea, necessarily, but I think the main audience for the letter is Jewish believers external to Palestine.


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## bookslover (Nov 4, 2018)

Tom Hart said:


> Question: Why should the author have written in Greek if he was addressing principally Hebrew- or Aramaic-speaking readers?



Because Jewish Christians living outside Palestine would, of necessity, have known Greek (and, possibly, Latin, as well) in order to communicate with the wider world they were living in. Greek was the common language of the Mediterranean world.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Taylor (Nov 4, 2018)

Tom Hart said:


> Could you give some reasons for that view?



Mainly the form of the work. It has no greeting in the beginning, which is strange for epistles of that time (and really any time, for that matter). Plus, it has several sections where a large portion of text is quoted, and then smaller portions of that same text is quoted and commented on, much like an expository sermon would be (anachronistic, I know).

I’ll have to review the relevant section in Carson and Moo for other reasons.


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## Taylor (Nov 4, 2018)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> The Greek is more advanced than what is found in Luke's writings.



I would like to clarify. I don’t necessarily believe it was transcribed by Luke (although Luke’s Greek was rather advanced in comparison to the rest of the NT). I just meant that I lean toward Hebrews being a transcribed sermon. Who preached and who transcribed, just like the issue of authorship in general, is a mystery to everyone, a mystery that will probably never be resolved. Who knows?


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## Regi Addictissimus (Nov 4, 2018)

Taylor Sexton said:


> I would like to clarify. I don’t necessarily believe it was transcribed by Luke (although Luke’s Greek was rather advanced in comparison to the rest of the NT). I just meant that I lean toward Hebrews being a transcribed sermon. Who preached and who transcribed, just like the issue of authorship in general, is a mystery to everyone, a mystery that will probably never be resolved. Who knows?



Oh, got you. I would agree it is a transcribed sermon. At the end of the day we can all agree that it was written by the Holy Spirit.

Reactions: Amen 1


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## TheOldCourse (Nov 4, 2018)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> How do you reconcile Pauline authorship with this verse, "It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard?" Paul was pretty adamant he didn't receive his knowledge from man but directly from Christ, as we see in Galatians 1:12, "For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." I personally believe it was Apollos but ultimately the Holy Spirit.
> Anywho, I have a deep fondness of Hebrews. It is my favorite portion of Scriptures. I, along with many commentators, believe it was a sermon or an exhortation. I believe it was written to Jewish Christians in Rome. There is evidence that rules out Jewish Christians in Palestine. I can't recommend Richard D. Phillips' sermons on Hebrews enough. He does a great job with the question this thread raises in the first sermon. Please forgive any typos. I just got a new phone and struggling with the keyboard.
> 
> https://www.sermonaudio.com/search....ries+on+Hebrews&keyworddesc=Series+on+Hebrews



Owen argues Pauline authorship in detail, but here is a brief take on it that includes a couple of approaches to that verse:

http://www.dr-bacon.net/blue_banner_articles/Who-Wrote-Hebrews.htm#_ftnref9

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tom Hart (Nov 4, 2018)

bookslover said:


> Because Jewish Christians living outside Palestine would, of necessity, have known Greek (and, possibly, Latin, as well) in order to communicate with the wider world they were living in. Greek was the common language of the Mediterranean world.



I was replying to the view expressed that Hebrews was written to Jews in Judea.


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## Scottish Presbyterian (Nov 5, 2018)

Tom Hart said:


> Palestine as a region, not a political entity.



Still didn't exist, unless you believe the Epistle was written after 135 AD.


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## Tom Hart (Nov 5, 2018)

ScottishPresbyterian said:


> Still didn't exist, unless you believe the Epistle was written after 135 AD.



Palestine is the English version of the Latin name based on the ancient Greek for Philistia, meaning that, in its Greek form, it long predates the creation of the Roman province. The name is attested as early as Herodotus (5th c. B.C.) and is also used by plenty of other authors, including Aristotle and Pausanias. Only if we're being pedantic must we discard the use of the term Palestine.

Have a look here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_name_"Palestine"

Reactions: Like 1


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## Berean by Grace (Nov 5, 2018)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> How do you reconcile Pauline authorship with this verse, "It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard?" Paul was pretty adamant he didn't receive his knowledge from man but directly from Christ, as we see in Galatians 1:12, "For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." I personally believe it was Apollos but ultimately the Holy Spirit....
> 
> Written to Jewish believers through out the empire. I believe it was written by Appollos, too. I have a whole slew of reasons and one of which is listed above.
> Signed,
> Bearded Pap Paw!


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