 Who wrote the book of Hebrews? Well, it wasn't Paul. One of the more fascinating mysteries about the Bible is who is the author of the book of Hebrews? For the longest time, many have ascribed or assumed that the writer was Paul. Paul did in fact write almost half of the New Testament so it'd be an easy belief that Paul was the writer. However, there are some things that seem to take us away from the belief that Paul is a writer. But before we go there, let's think about why some think that Paul is the writer. Now the book of Hebrews is titled the book of Hebrews, although the book itself does not call itself the book to the Hebrews. In fact, if we go to the opening of it, it just simply says, God, after he spoke long ago to the fathers and the prophets in many ports and in many ways, there is no introduction, there is no salutation. And so therefore it's not even called the book to the Hebrews. However, we know it's the book to the Hebrews one because that's the audience. The writer goes through great links and in great detail speaks about things, about being Jewish believers. And so therefore the book is read to comfort the Jewish believers about their salvation in Christ. In this book, the writer makes no mention of his name. And so the question would be asked, well then why would someone think that it is Paul as the writer? Well, Peter makes a statement and that some have taken the statement to mean that it is Paul who is the writer of Hebrews as though Peter is referring to Paul writing this letter. In 2 Peter 315, Peter says, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our beloved brother, Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you. Now the question is, does that mean that Peter is stating that Paul wrote to those Jews and he's referring to those Jews in 2 Peter? But is he saying that he wrote to them in this specific letter or just that he wrote to them? Paul has written a lot of different letters. Most of those letters are not in the Bible. They were just letters that may have been referenced before. For example, in the letter to the Corinthians, he makes mention of other letters that were written to them that were not necessarily intended to be for the general population or for the canon of scripture, but there are other times where Paul writes. Paul or Peter or James or John or whomever, their only writings were not just in the Bible. They may have written maybe a grocery list. They may have written a letter to a friend or to a family member. And so all of their writings aren't necessarily in it. And so Peter might be mentioning something that Paul wrote to different believers at different times that just aren't in the Bible. Another reason why people might think that the writer of Hebrews is Paul is because it ends with this phrase, grace to you all. Well, Paul does end in some of his letters, grace to you all, but that also is a phrase that's also used by others, including Peter as well. And so that probably is not enough and shouldn't be enough to say that that is Paul's moniker. No, this was a common phrase that was used amongst all believers at that time. In fact, you'll see Christians today who will even say the same thing, grace to you. With those being mentioned, why would there be a reason to believe that Paul is not the writer? Well, there's a couple of reasons that's some pretty good reasons as well. One, the writing style, the literary style. This writing, the book of Hebrews one, if anyone knows of Greek, they'll notice that the writing style, the literary style is a bit higher than Paul's normal writing. Now it's not that Paul could not have written that way. That's at the point. The point is, Paul chose not to write that way. As a matter of fact, if we look at a few passages of Paul's writing, he mentions this. In second Corinthians 11.6, Paul says, but even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge. In fact, in every way, we have made this evident to you in all things. Paul is letting them know that he is certainly skilled in a way to communicate what he needs to communicate. But even more so, he says that I did not come to you, brethren, with superiority of speech or of wisdom for claiming to you the testimony of God, for I determined to know nothing among you except Christ and him crucified. He is not in the habit of trying to make himself to be overly superior in his approach because he wants the beauty of the scriptures to be plain for the people. Remember, his audience is a Gentile audience. Peter and the other apostles are apostles to Jews. Paul, however, is an apostle sent to Gentiles, which brings us to another issue. The audience of this book is clearly a Jewish audience. Paul's letters are to Gentiles. Does he also bring in Jews in his audience from time to time? Sure, but he is an apostle to Gentiles, which would make it odd to say that this book written to Jewish believers would be a letter from Paul since that was not Paul's intended audience. Speaking of Paul's intended audience, Paul typically opens his letter with a greeting and also identifying himself. In this letter, there is no greeting and the writer never identifies himself which is something that Paul would always do. Another big reason why this is not likely to be Paul is the writer of Hebrews is not only is he bringing up Jewish imagery, which for every now and then Paul would bring it up, especially in the letter of Galatians, but Paul brings that up because he's speaking about how the Judaizers are trying to make these Gentile believers convert to Judaism. And so he's writing this to rebuke not only the Gentiles, but also the Jews. So he has to bring up Jewish imagery. In this letter, in this particular letter, the person is bringing a lot of Jewish understanding, things of the Old Covenant, things relating to the atonement that Jews would understand and Gentiles would not. And the issue with this is that the writer here quotes not from the Masoretic text or the Hebrew text, which is where Paul would quote from or give paraphrases of the Hebrew text. The writer of the Hebrews is quoting the Hebrew from the Septuagint. And a good example would be that in Hebrews 10-5 where he says, therefore, when he comes, speaking of Christ, he comes, he says, sacrifice and offerings you have desired, but a body you have prepared for me. Now he's quoting not from the Hebrew text, but he's quoting from the Septuagint. If we go to the Hebrew text, it says sacrifice and meal offering you have not desired. My ears, you have opened, burnt offering, and sin offering you have not required. Well, that's a little bit different from what the writer is saying in Hebrews 10-5. Why is that? Well, because this is idiomatic and the people understood what the point was that the Hebrew writers were saying. And so there was a Greek translation that would be quoted that goes right in line with the writer of Hebrews. And so the point is the Hebrew writer, when he would quote the Old Testament, would quote the Septuagint. Paul did not do that. And so that would be not in keeping with how Paul would actually quote. Remember, Paul is learned. Paul is certainly aware of Jewish customs and the Old Testament. And so like you would see Paul quoting the Old Testament, Isaiah specifically in Romans, he quotes the Masoretic text, the Hebrew text, not the Septuagint. Another reason why this probably is not Paul is because the writer is speaking of Timothy's imprisonment. In Hebrews 13-23, he says, take notice that our brother Timothy has been released with whom if he comes soon, I will see him. Paul never makes mention of Timothy's imprisonment. As a matter of fact, Timothy was not imprisoned until after, more than likely, more than likely, imprisoned after Paul's death. Paul never makes any mention of this at any point in time. Now, one of the reasons why someone might think that this is Paul is because Paul outside of Hebrews is the only person to ever mention Timothy. But Timothy was certainly known amongst the believers, amongst the brethren. The problem is though, Paul never brings up Timothy's imprisonment. Paul never brings up Timothy's troubles, but it's brought up here in Hebrews, which would seem to be odd if this is Paul not to mention this anywhere else. And the likelihood is that according to even extra biblical sources that Timothy was imprisoned after Paul's death. Now, what should really bring home that Paul is not the author is what was stated in the early part of Hebrews in chapter two, verse three, he says, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? Look what he says, after it was at the first, spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard. Paul had no need for someone to confirm this to him because Christ himself confirmed to Paul was an eyewitness to Christ and was taught by him. It was not confirmed to Paul by someone else, but the writer here is saying that it was confirmed to us by those who heard. So this writer is indicating that he did not hear but what was spoken to them about Christ was confirmed and spoken to them by those who were eyewitnesses. So the writer of this letter was not eyewitness. However, Paul himself was and so it could not be that Paul would be an eyewitness and have it confirmed to him by Christ himself, then write in the letter that it was not confirmed to him by Christ but by others. So it would be very odd, very strange and highly unlikely for it to be Paul as the writer. Again, the fact of the matter is that this letter is written to a Jewish audience and Paul does not have that as his letter because Paul is an apostle to the Gentiles, not to the Jews. So then the question is who is the writer? If not Paul, who could it be? Well, again, it could not have been any other apostle, it could not have been Peter, it could not have been John, it could not have been Bartholomew or Thaddeus because someone would wonder, well, where are their writings? Well, it could not have been them for the same reason that it could not have been Paul because they too were also eyewitnesses. Now, this is an apostolic book, but it doesn't mean that it necessarily had to be written by an apostle. Just like the writer of Mark, just like the writer of the book of Luke and Acts were written by someone who was not an apostle, they wrote under apostolic authority, which means it could have been someone that was a companion of them or an apostle of the church. Someone such as Barnabas could have been a writer. However, Barnabas was not an apostle to the Jews, he was speaking to Gentiles. Howard didn't mean that he couldn't have written that but also could have been Luke. Some have stated that it might have been apostles. We don't know, however, we do know this. This book was accepted by the church and regarded by others in the church, the early church, that this was certainly canonical. And the importance of this book could not be overstated. Understanding what God has been doing, how he has kept his promises through the old covenant atonement even to now, how Christ fulfills all of that and how he represents all three elements of the atonement, the high priest, the scapegoat and the sacrificial offerings and that it would be able to be thorough and complete and that God accepted his sacrifice and there was no longer a need for a sacrifice going forward, which by the way, everything that we see in the book of Hebrews is also verified in other books by other writers. And so we know for a fact that this book is of God, it's God-breathed, God-inspired and so therefore it's useful for our growth, development and spiritual guidance. But in terms of who the writer is, we don't know. In my opinion, certainly not Paul, but certainly of God. Amen.