Who Wrote The Book Of Hebrews? Could It Be Paul?

Floyd wrote:

I have always believed the apostle Paul wrote Hebrews, but some question him being the writer. What evidence have you that it was Paul who wrote Hebrews, the way he starts and ends some believe is not Paul's way of writing.

Thanks,
Floyd

Dear Floyd,
God bless you, and thank you for writing. Yes, we believe Paul wrote Hebrews, and we present the following research to show why.

Hebrews

Paul, Its Writer

Paul wrote at least one epistle to the "Dispersion", for Peter says so (2 Pet. 3:15), but that, of course, does not prove that The Epistle to the Hebrews is referred to by Peter, nor does it prove that Paul wrote it. It only assures us that even though he was the Apostle to the Gentiles, he did write at least one Epistle to believers of the Jewish race. His own vehement love manifested in Romans 9:1-5 would also make it very likely that he would write to them as well as pray for them as he did. It has been objected that the style and the vocabulary of Hebrews is unlike that of Paul's other Epistles, but that can be accounted for both from the nature of the subject, and the great amount of the O.T. that is quoted and referred to. There are one or two features that link Hebrews with Paul's other Epistles, which we will set out before going on to the study of the Epistle itself.

If Hebrews be written by Paul, then he is the only writer in the N.T. to quote from Habakkuk two: "The just shall live by his faith". In Romans, the stress is laid upon the word "just" (Rom. 1:16-17). In Galatians, the stress is laid upon "faith" (Gal. 3:11). In Hebrews, the stress is laid upon "live" (Heb. 10:38). No other writer in the N.T. uses Psalm 8 in the way that Paul and the author of the Hebrews does. Notice the peculiar way in which Paul seizes upon the universality of the subjection when the end comes, "It is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him" (1 Cor. 15:27), and with this compare the peculiar argument of Hebrews 2, "For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him" (Heb. 2:8). Surely the same mind is revealed at work in both of these references to Psalm 8. The only other reference is that of Ephesians 1:22, where the theme is the ascended and seated Christ, Head over all things to The Church. Here there are two O.T. passages, handled in a way that suggests a common author.

The way in which a writer quotes Scripture will often prove a guide, and there is one passage, Deuteronomy 32:35, that will link the Epistle to the Hebrews with the Epistles of Paul, by its very peculiar mode of quoting the words "to Me belongeth vengeance and recompense" (Deut. 32:35). Had Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30 contained a literal quotation of the LXX, it would have proved nothing as to common authorship, but if both passages depart from the LXX, and in the same particulars, a very strong case is made out. Here is the LXX of Deuteronomy 32:35:

The reader may demur and object that the two passages are not exactly the same. In this way, they are cheated by the English translators.

Here is the Greek of Romans 12:19:

And the Greek of Hebrews 10:30:

Emoi ekdikesis, ego antapodsoo, legei kurios.

They are exactly the same down to the letter.

If this is not a pro of common authorship, what is? We now draw attention to the way in which certain words are used by Paul and which are used in the same connections in Hebrews.

• Agon, a word borrowed from the Greek games and translated as "conflict," "contention," and "fight" (Phil. 1:30, Col. 2:1, 1 Thess. 2:2, 1 Tim. 6:12 and 2 Tim. 4:7). The only other occurrence is Hebrews 12:1, "the race that is set before us."
  
  
• Athlesis, athleo, and sunathleo are similarly borrowed from the games (Heb. 10:32, Phil. 1:27, 2 Tim. 2:5). In addition, it should be noted that in 1 Corinthians 4:9, Paul uses the word theatron, "spectacle," and in Hebrews 10:33 theatrizomenoi, "gazing stock", which reveal the same shrinking and sensitive mind.
  
  
• Apekdechomai. This word does not occur anywhere else except in Paul's undoubted Epistles and Hebrews. It means always expectation in connection with the second coming of the Lord (Heb. 9:28, 1 Cor. 1:7, Phil. 3:20).
  
  
• Douleia, "bondage," occurs only in Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews. The bondage of corruption and the bondage of the fear of death are associated ideas.
  
  
• Intercession (entugchano) (Rom. 8:27, Heb, 7:25).

One will find other examples, but we pass on to other "proofs."

The writer of Hebrew speaks of our brother Timothy (Heb. 13:23). In the opening of 2 Corinthians and of Colossians, Timothy is called "our brother", while the idea that Timothy would "come" and that "shortly" is found in 1 Corinthians 16:10, 1 Thessalonians 3:6 and Philippians 2:19,24. Timothy, by reason of his parentage, had been circumcised and would be accepted by the Hebrew Christians. These are but a few selected from a mass of parallels accumulated, tabulated, analyzed, and commented on in a book of 670 pages by Forster on Hebrews, a book literally crammed full of evidence for the Pauline authorship of Hebrews. Our space, however, is exceedingly limited, and so we pass on to another proof of the Pauline authorship of Hebrews. It is often said that Paul's name does not occur in the Epistle. That is so, but his sign manual is there for all to see.

Owing to a deception that had been practiced upon the church by someone sending an Epistle purporting to have come from Paul, he drew attention to the fact that he wrote "like this" where not only the handwriting itself is referred to, a proof in itself, and one accepted today in banks, wills, leases, contracts, judgments, marriages, births, and deaths, but also that he adopted a certain phrase, which added to the proof of his identity. "The salutation of Paul WITH MINE OWN HAND."

"Which is the TOKEN in EVERY Epistle: so I write." Something therefore, Paul assured the reader he would write and that he would write it in every Epistle. This necessity would also demand Divine supervision to prevent anyone else from using the same terms at the close of an Epistle; otherwise, the object would be defeated. "So I write" (2 Thess. 3:17). Then follows, in the handwriting of Paul himself, the words "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (2 Thess. 3:18). Now if each of the thirteen epistles that bear the name of Paul is examined, it will be found that each has a benediction which uses the phrase "Grace . . . with you" in a variety of ways.

2 Corinthians concludes with the longest and fullest of these benedictions, and Titus ends with one of the shortest, "Grace be with you all. Amen" (Tit. 3:15). It is with these identical words that the epistle to the Hebrews closes. Shall we not, therefore, be compelled to accept this "sign-manual" of the Apostle and maintain that Paul was the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews? This is the one anonymous epistle of the twenty-one that are found in the N.T. Why should the writer of any epistle suppress his identity? When we remember the deep prejudice of the Jew, and of the Jewish Christians, and Paul's sensitiveness concerning them, and that he should give none offense, neither to Jew, Gentile nor the church of God, and that he was not sent as an Apostle to them, can we supply any adequate reason to account for the withholding of the writer's name. Sufficient, we trust, has been said on this head. Those who are not convinced will probably remain unconvinced, though we wrote a volume.

We turn now to another feature, the result of a comparison made between the distinctive teaching of Hebrews with that of Ephesians.

• Comparison No. 1. Ephesians, like the bulk of Paul's epistles, contains in its salutation the name "Paul" and his apostolic office. This indicates that he writes with full apostolic authority. It is not called a "word of exhortation" in which the readers are called upon "to suffer" as in Hebrews but is the revelation of a secret portion of the Divine plan presented to their faith by an accredited apostle. The absence of the name and office of Paul from Hebrews indicates that he was writing in a private capacity to those whose calling and sphere did not fall within the dispensation granted to him. This in no sense alters its inspiration, but it does call upon all who read it to exercise discrimination lest they confound things that differ.
  
  
• Comparison No. 2. Ephesians is most definitely and exclusively addressed to "Gentiles." This word never appears in Hebrews, which uses instead the words "the fathers" and "the people," neither of which finds a place in the epistle to the Ephesians, nor do these terms pertain to the dispensation of the grace of God entrusted to Paul the prisoner "for you Gentiles."
  
  
• Comparison No. 3. Hebrews is full of references to "angels": Ephesians does not once mention them but stresses the exaltation of the Lord above "principalities," a term not found in Hebrews. Yet both epistles quote Psalm 8 in reference to the Lord's exaltation, speaking, in Hebrews, of the Lord's relation to angels and, in Ephesians, of His relation to principalities and powers, two different spheres in glory being thus indicated.
  
  
• Comparison No. 4. While both Ephesians and Hebrews quote Psalm eight, the epistle to the Hebrews leaves us in no doubt that it speaks of the "habitable world to come" (oikoumene), whereas the context of the quotation of Psalm eight in Ephesians goes beyond the habitable world, beyond the present heavens to that place which is described as far above all principality and power, and speaks of Christ as "Head" and His church as "the body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all."
  
  
• Comparison No. 5. Redemption by blood is found both in Ephesians and Hebrews; so also is the forgiveness of sins, but in Hebrews, this redemption and forgiveness is associated with the old and new covenants. Also, "access" in Hebrews is related to the new covenant, and a different Greek word from that used in Ephesians is employed. The Ephesian saints had been "made nigh," whereas the Hebrews are exhorted to "draw near."
  
  
• Comparison No. 6. Both in Hebrews and in Ephesians, the outstanding position of Christ is "seated at the right hand of God," but in Hebrews, He is seen seated there as "the High Priest," whereas in Ephesians, He is seated there as "The Head." In Ephesians, the believer is looked upon as being seated with Him; in Hebrews, He is there alone. In the whole of Paul's thirteen epistles, there is not a single reference either to a priest or to a high priest, yet, without these offices, the teaching of Hebrews could not proceed. An examination of the Scriptures written prior to the law of Sinai reveals that sacrifices were offered not by a priest but by the head of a family or tribe. Priesthood is thus linked with Israel, but the Gentile calling of Ephesians is linked with Christ as Head.
  
  
• Comparison No. 7. The word diatheke, "covenant," lies at the heart of Hebrews. No covenant, old or new, enters into the teaching of Ephesians. The "seated Priest" of Hebrews is the Mediator of the new covenant, but this is entirely foreign to the calling or dispensation of Ephesians. In the place occupied by the new covenant in Hebrews, Ephesians places "The Mystery."
  
  
• Comparison No. 8. The hope of both epistles, when examined and compared, reveals the same associations that have marked all the preceding studies. "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good."

The preceding comparison is negative in character, but the present reveals that the purpose with which Hebrews was written is similar to the purpose of Philippians. The dispensation in which the two Epistles work is different, but their teaching is parallel. Both urge the believer to ''go on unto perfection," whatever that perfection may mean in either case, and both warn about drawing back "unto perdition," whatever that perdition may prove to be. In both a race and a prize is in view, even though the prize is different and the sphere of enjoyment is different.

                    Hebrews                                                                                 Philippians

Things accompanying salvation Heb. 6:9                                       Work out salvation Phil. 2:12
Heavenly city Heb. 11:10; Heb. 12,22                                              Citizenship in heaven Phil. 3:20
Reproach Heb. 11:26; Heb. 13:13                                                     Fellowship of sufferings Phil. 3:10
Reward Heb. 10:35, Heb. 11:26                                                        Prize Phil. 3:14
The race set before us Heb. 12:1                                                     I press toward the mark Phil. 3:14
Leaving. . . let us go on Heb. 6:1-2                                                  Forgetting things behind Phil. 3:13
Obtain a better resurrection                                                            Attain unto an out-resurrection
                       (Condition attached) Heb. 11:35                                        (Condition attached) Phil. 3:11
Power of His resurrection Heb. 13:20                                            Power of His resurrection Phil. 3:10
Work in . . . His will Heb. 13:21                                                        Work in... His will Phil. 2:13
Christ the Image Heb. 1:3                                                                Christ the Form Phil. 2:6
Angels worship Him Heb. 1:6                                                          Every knee bow Phil. 2:10
Thou Lord, in beginning Heb. 1:10                                                 Jesus Christ is Lord Phil. 2:11
A little lower than angels Heb. 2:9                                                 No reputation... He humbled Himself Phil. 2:7-8
Cross endured for the joy and used                                              Cross suffered... wherefore exalted...  
                                     as example Heb. 12:1-2                                           Let this mind be in you Phil. 2:5, Phil. 2:9
Crucify to themselves afresh Heb. 6:6                                          Enemies of the Cross of Christ Phil. 3:18

                  PERFECTION                                    OR                                     PERDITION
            (Heb. 6:1, Heb. 10:39)                                                               (Phil. 3:12, Phil. 3:19)

Fight of afflictions (athlesis) Heb. 10:32                                  Strive together (sunathleo) Phil. 1:27, Phil. 4:3
Discernment Heb. 5:14                                                              Discernment . . . differ Phil. 1:9-10
Look diligently lest. . . Esau Heb. 12:15                                   Mark them that walk Phil. 3:17
For one morsel of meat sold his birthright Heb. 12:16        Whose God is their belly Phil. 3:19
That generation - tempted God                                               Perverse generation... do... 
                                   in the wilderness Heb. 3:7-10                                      without murmurings Phil. 2:14-15
Be content with such as ye have Heb. 13:5                           Whatsoever state content Phil. 4:11
Communicate Heb. 13:16                                                         Communicate Phil. 4:14,15
With such sacrifices well pleased Heb. 13:16                        Sacrifice. . . sweet smell, well pleasing Phil. 4:18
Fruit of righteousness Heb. 12:11                                           Fruit of righteousness Phil. 1:11
Compassion in bonds Heb. 10:34                                            Partaker in bonds Phil. 1:7
Whose faith follow (mimsomai) Heb. 13:7                             Be followers together of me (summimetes) Phil. 3:17
Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods Heb. 10:34       Let your moderation be known unto all men Phil. 4:5
You have in heaven an enduring substance                         Our citizenship is in heaven
                                                  (huparchonta) Heb. 10:34                                                       (huparcho) Phil. 3:20
Salutation from Italy Heb. 13:24                                             Salutation from Caesar's household Phil. 4:22
Paul's sign manual Heb. 13 :25                                               Paul's sign manual Phil. 4:23

We hope this helps,
The Believers