Hebrews Blog 1

In the Second Century AD, the authorship of Hebrews was attributed to Paul, however, both Craig S. Keener and Donald A. Hagner agree that Hebrews was not written by him. Hagner gives no other options for authorship besides saying that the author could have been in the Pauline circle (Hagner 2151), while Keener says that there are similarities between Luke-Acts, but says that the style is not completely Lukan. Keener does say that the top candidate for authorship is Silas and that the date of the text is around AD 64. Silas was a Jewish Roman citizen and likely a scribe who would have had the education to write a work such as Hebrews (Keener 648). Hebrews is probably a sermon letter-essay. The audience of the letter-essay is “predominately Jewish and are under pressure to give up their Christian distinctives (Keener 648). If Hebrews was not written in 64 AD then it was probably written closer to 68 AD because Paul is not mentioned. However, Hanger says that Hebrews was probably written around 65 AD and not after the Temple's destruction in 70 AD because there is no comment on the destruction. Another issue on dating the text is whether or not Nero had begun his persecution of the Church. Specifically, Hagner says, “If Nero's persecution had not yet taken place, then a likely date for Hebrews is c. 65 CE” (2152).
“About this we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become dull in understanding. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.” ~ Hebrews 5:11-14
Ouch. Let's face it, that was meant to convict the Christians who read it. Really, it should convict Christians today. No, not every Christian, but many of them. I would even go as far as to say “most of them” because every Christian has more to learn and has in some way failed to do their part at various times, and instead have a acted as if they were new in the faith.
Or maybe there are Christians who are only followers one day a week. Monday through Saturday they live for themselves without a second thought to God at all. I know that I do not think of God as much as I want to. Yeah, I have things that I do daily that remind me of why I am alive. Yeah, I go to a Christian school and some classes pray before they begin. I have been a Christian for years now. Yet sometimes I wonder how many of us have been Christians for years now and nothing more. I mean we have the title...but we should by now know enough to be involved in intelligent conversation teaching and learning at the same time instead of just 'learning.'

WORKS CITED
Hagner, Donald A. “The Letter to the Hebrews.” Pages 2151-2153 in The New Interpreter’s Study Bible with the Apocrypha. Edited by Walter J. Harrelson et al. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003.

Keener, Craig S. “Hebrews,” Pages 647-685 in The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1993.