Christians celebrate their Jewish heritage.
One of the most divisive issues of the early church was whether non-Jews could become Christians—and if they could, to what extent they had to adopt Jewish practices. The Christian movement largely began among the Jewish followers of Jesus, and because the earliest Christians shared much the same religious, ethnic, and cultural background, there was little discord over inclusiveness. But as the gospel spread to other groups—such as the Hellenists (Jews born outside of Palestine who spoke Greek), the Samaritans (the Jews’ despised cousins), and the Gentiles (non-Jews)—it did not take long for conflict to break out (Acts 6:1; 11:1, 2; 15:1, 2).
Some Jewish believers stringently opposed welcoming Gentiles into the faith. They argued that being circumcised according to the Law of Moses was the only way Gentiles could become acceptable to God. In essence, Gentiles would have to become Jews before they could become Christians.
This issue was first raised by Stephen, who charged the Jewish Council with using Judaism as an excuse for rejecting Jesus (7:2–53). Before long, the issue of circumcision was in fierce debate among church leaders in Jerusalem (11:1–18; 15:1–29; Gal. 2:1–10) and Antioch (2:11–16). The Jerusalem church eventually declared that Christ alone was necessary for salvation.
Nevertheless, false teachers traveled in the wake of the apostles, spreading dissension. Some arrived in Galatia and upset Gentiles there with a “different gospel” (1:6, 7). An indignant Paul quickly sent a letter to the Galatians insisting that salvation depends on Christ alone. Similar messages were sent to believers in Ephesus (Eph. 2:11–22), Philippi (Phil. 3:2–16), and Rome (Rom. 2:1—3:30; 11:11–32; 15:7–13).
The gospel of “Christ alone” prevailed. And before long, Gentiles outnumbered Jews in the church, and sentiments swung to the other extreme. “There is neither Jew nor Greek,” Paul wrote (Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:14–18; Col. 3:11). So what value was there in Judaism if Christ alone was necessary for salvation? Why bother with an outdated system?
The Book of Hebrews answers these questions by demonstrating the value of the Old Testament sacrifices and rituals that led up to Christ. All Christians, in every time and place, share a spiritual Jewish heritage.
The author of Hebrews writes as if the original readers of the letter already knew his or her identity (Heb. 13:22). Unfortunately, modern readers do not. Hebrews is one of only two letters in the New Testament that lacks a greeting or identification of its author (the other is 1 John). The King James Version calls the letter “The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews.” But the earliest manuscripts make no such claim, and many people doubt that Paul wrote the book. Their reasons include:
• The language, vocabulary, and style differ in certain respects from Paul’s known letters.
• Some of Paul’s frequent expressions—“Christ Jesus,” “in Christ,” “the resurrection”—are all but absent.
• Hebrews treats subjects like the Law and the nature of faith somewhat differently from Paul’s known writings.
• Early church sources mention other possible authors.
No one has conclusively demonstrated that Paul was the author of Hebrews. But if he did not write the letter, then who did? There has been no shortage of suggestions: Luke, Priscilla, Aquila, Clement of Rome, Silvanus (Silas), Philip the evangelist, Apollos, and Barnabas are a few. In the end, we cannot be sure who composed the letter to the Hebrews. But the author’s anonymity in no way diminishes the work’s integrity, nor has it caused anyone to question its place in Scripture.
Key Verses in Hebrews
• “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12).
• “We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
• “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).
• “With His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:12).
• “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27).
• “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another” (Heb. 10:24, 25).
• “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).
• “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us … looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb. 12:1, 2).
• “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8).