Hebrews

The book of Hebrews is a mystery. Bible scholars are really uncertain about who wrote it, to whom it was written or even when it was written. The first listing of New Testament books, the Muratorian Canon which was compiled in about 170 AD, does not even include the book of Hebrews. But sometime in the fourth century Hebrews became accepted as part of the New Testament.

Origen, an early church philosopher, summed up the authorship of the book by stating that "only God knows who wrote Hebrews." Possible writers include Barnabus, who had accompanied Paul in his missionary journeys; Apollos, another early church leader, or even the husband -wife team of Aquila and Priscilla. The letter was probably not written by Paul because the vocabulary, style and theology differ from his other letters.

It may have been written to believers in Italy. So we could say that Hebrews was written by a great teacher to a little group of Christians in Rome.

It was written to address the doubts of those who were second-guessing their conversion to Christianity. Christianity was first thought of as a new Jewish sect. Jesus was a Jew. His disciples were Jews. The first meetings were held in synagogues and the first controversies concerned adherence to Jewish laws. This book was written to help answer those issues and to show that Christianity is the true successor to Judaism.