Handouts for Class

Hebrews chapter 1

Argument to Pauline Authorship:

It is what the early church believed for over 1500 years. Why buck it when there were people who had a close hand relationship with Paul, and the tradition held that it is his writings.

If it is not Paul then who? all of the other books of the Bible were written by an Apostle, it was one of the criteria for being included in the Bible.

The argument against Paul many times involves Clement of Rome, by the date it was written does not line up with that, and it is very unlikely that Clement would have written it without signing it, and it is hard to imagine there would not have been some sort of evidence in Rome that he wrote it.

Even Pantaenus, who was the head of the Alexandrian school of catechetes, place Paul as the writer. He stated that Paul wrote this in Hebrew, and did not sign his name because he was generally known as the Apostle to the Gentiles. While Peter was known as the Apostle to the Hebrews. Paul was hated by many Jews, so having his name on it would not bear fruit. It would be like Adam Hamilton writing theology to those of us who are conservative in the Wesleyan tradition.

Also the oldest test of Hebrews is found in Papyrus 46 which holds it chronologically right after Romans, which then strongly points to Paul as the author.

The only real “ church father” who placed authorship with someone else was Origen and he got more wrong then he did right.

Schedule for the class:

Week 1: Intro Chapter 1-

Week 2: Chapters 2-4

Week 3 Chapters 5-6

Week 4 Chapters 7-8

Week 5 Chapter 9-10

Week 6 Chapters 11

Week 7 Chapters 12-13

Major themes in Hebrews.

Christology:

The Doctrine of the Trinity:

Jesus is the Messiah:

The Works of Salvation:

Humanities Relationship with God:

The book was originally written in Hebrew, and then translated to Greek.

Hebrews 1:1 NIV

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

Exodus 33:17–23 NIV

And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

Exodus 34:29–34 NIV

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded,

Satan called the mornings star:

Isaiah 14:12 NIV

How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

Jesus called the Bright Morning Star

Revelation 22:6 NIV

The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

Was Jesus incarnated as a response to sin, and the need for redemption?

Or was it God’s ultimate act of love, which allows us to experience God more fully than anyone in history ever had?

We have eternal, or perpetual purification, through the revelation brought about by the Son of the Father. Because the Son, is not just a measure of the glory of the father, but the full radiance of that glory.

Angels are spiritual beings created by God and are under his authority

Colossians 1:16 (NIV)

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

The idea of Angels worshiping God’s first born builds off of the Hymn of moses found in Deuteronomy 32-43.

Verses 8-9 have some of the richest Messianic themes.

Building off of the David promise of eternal kingship. This once again utilizes Psalms 45: 6-7.

But one of the really interesting historic facts about this psalm is that it would be sung during at the wedding ceremony of a king.

This is a beautiful connection to the Church being the Bride of Christ. Which is found in Ephesians 5: 25-27 which I think strengthens the argument that Paul wrote Hebrews

Some interesting questions:

There is no authorship attributed to Psalm 102 it leaves some interesting questions especially with Paul quoting this as it pertains to Jesus.

Is this a Messianic Prophetic psalm in the light of the Trinitarian statement found in Genesis 1?

Does this connect Jesus 1 with John 1?.

Verse 14

Angels care for creation

Jesus saves creation