The book is commonly called "The Letter to the Hebrews." While it may have been delivered to its intended audience as a letter, its format is more of a scholarly treatise. Only the final chapter contains material typical of letters. Further, it pretty much assumes a rabbinical cast of mind, and while fully committed to Christ, thoroughly Alexandrian in training. The author appears to have been a priest or Levite, trained in the highest standard of Alexandrian Greek, using the Septuagint. Thus, his audience would appear to be rather the same sort of people.
What can be discerned of these people would indicate they are a Hellenistic Jewish community, or several communities. They are quite possibly in or near Rome, or some other part of Italy. Persecution has struck hard, and they have stopped their regular community worship. They are contemplating a return to Judaism, in part just to stop their suffering. The writing addresses the more educated leadership of these people, formerly rabbis in Judaism.
The hints within the text suggests a time just before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Part of the arguments offered in this treatise would require significant change if the Temple were no longer standing. However, it is quite likely they were converted under Paul's teaching. It's unlikely they would have embraced Christ so easily unless their intellectual objections were answered by someone who knew those objections beforehand, knew their flaws, and could offer a high level of reasoned response. This narrows the time frame to some point after 64 AD, when it appears Paul finally visited Rome at the expense of the imperial government, as a prisoner. This timing coincides with a known period of imperial persecution, climaxed in the march of troops into the Herodian lands in 68 AD.
It is in this book we receive details which indicate a large body of scholarly understanding of details from the Old Testament, but not recording there. This is the only place where so much is made of Melchizedek, for example. While Paul does offer glimpses of this material in his letters, the writer of Hebrews dumps large lots of it. Thus, while the treatise is thoroughly Hellenist or the Alexandrian flavor, it is distinctly Old Testament Hebrew in content and reference.
Chapter 1 -- While the Jews came dangerously close to worshiping angels, our writer shows they are clearly subservient to Jesus. In the process, he sets the pattern for how a good Hebrew scholar uses the Old Testament.
Chapter 2 -- If the revelation borne by angels cannot be ignore, even more so the revelation through Jesus Christ. He was fully aware of what the Hebrews suffered in Rome.
Chapter 3 -- The Roman Jewish Christians were in danger of falling back into the sins of their fathers, who died in the Wilderness because they rejected the way of God for them.
Chapter 4 -- This most difficult chapter recounts for us in difficult language the various levels of meaning in the Hebrew concept of Sabbath rest.
Chapter 5 -- David was allowed to touch the Ark of God. On what grounds, since he was not a High Priest by the Law of Moses? Because he was permitted under a priority covenant, the Covenant of Abraham.
Chapter 6 -- The writer calls for his Jewish Roman readers to move farther into Christ, not to shame Him by renouncing Him and returning to Judaism.
Chapter 7 --While we must acknowledge the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was a new thing on this earth, we make a grave mistake if we assume faith and grace were not in operation before Christ.
Chapter 8 -- Even Jeremiah predicted the Covenant of the Law would one day pass.
Chapter 9 -- If we assume the truth of God ends with the symbols used here on earth, we cannot possibly understand what Jesus did.
Chapter 10 -- The Temple was doomed, quite literally, as it was never more than a symbol. The writer calls on his readers to cling ever more to the ultimate reality of Christ having fulfilled all Law, and putting faith in anything else was sin.
Chapter 11 -- The demands of faith upon those who stand as legendary figures in Hebrew history is recounted.
Chapter 12 -- Living in Christ is likened to a distance race.
Chapter 13 -- Final words of encouragement to embrace their new identity in Christ, realizing they are now foreigners to the old Israel.
Ed Hurst
06 May 2008
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: People of honor need no copyright laws; they are only too happy to give credit where credit is due. Others will ignore copyright laws whenever they please. If you are of the latter, please note what Moses said about dishonorable behavior -- "be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23)