Inter-Varsity Press

CONTENTS

General preface

Author’s preface

Introduction

The enigma of the letter

The letter in the ancient church

Authorship

The readers

The destination

Date

The purpose of the letter

The background

The theology of the letter

Analysis

Commentary

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(From the) INTRODUCTION

1. The enigma of the letter

For various reasons this book poses more problems than any other New Testament book. So many of the questions which the investigator is bound to ask cannot be satisfactorily resolved. Who wrote it? Who were the original readers? What was the precise historical occasion on which it was written? What was the date of writing? What was the dominant influence behind the presentation? These are some of the questions to which no conclusive answers can be given, although some are not quite as elusive as others. What is most important for the commentator to discover is the present message and relevance of the letter, but he can do this only when he has investigated the historical setting. Some attempt must therefore be made to answer the questions posed, if only to provide some framework against which to set about the task of understanding the message.

There is no denying that the general drift of the argument within the letter strikes the reader as difficult. This is mainly because the train of thought is clothed in language and allusions drawn from the cultic background of the Old Testament. The priesthood of Christ is directly linked to the old Levitical order, but is clearly intended to supersede it. More than most New Testament books, Hebrews requires detailed explanation of the significance of the background allusions. This is the main task of the commentator. In reply to the question, ‘Why is such a difficult book included in the New Testament?, the answer is that it deals with what must be regarded as the most important question which constantly faces man, i.e. how can we approach God? It is because of the significant contribution of Hebrews to this ever-present problem that it repays the necessary effort to unravel its message and to express it in contemporary terms.

2. The letter in the ancient church

We begin by looking at the way the early Christians regarded this letter because this will enable us to trace the steps by which it became a part of the New Testament. It will also show that even the early church was not without its difficulties over it. …

(This) survey of the somewhat chequered history of this epistle has thrown up certain factors which must affect our approach to its exegesis. It has shown that it was generally believed that Hebrews reflects an apostolic authority, even although no specific name can be attached to it. Where there was reluctance to receive it, it was in all probability because apostolic authority was too closely linked with apostolic authorship. It is also understandable that the style and content of the letter would appeal less to the more matter-of-fact Westerners than to the more eclectic easterners. Its ultimate acceptance in spite of serious doubts testifies to the intrinsic power of the epistle itself.

A footnote to this early survey may be added from the Reformation period. During this period the epistle again came under attack over its Pauline authorship. This was especially true of Martin Luther, who suggested that Apollos would make amore probable author. In reaction to his opinions, the Council of Trent declared emphatically that the epistle was written by the apostle Paul, thus using the stamp of ecclesiastical authority in an attempt to settle the question. …