The canonicity of certain individual books of the Christian Greek Scriptures has been disputed by some, but the arguments against them are very weak. For critics to reject, for example, the book of Hebrews simply because it does not bear Paul’s name and because it differs slightly in style from his other letters is shallow reasoning.
B. F. Westcott, (Biblical scholar and writer of the Greek master text, The New Testament in the Original Greek, 1881),observed that “the canonical authority of the Epistle is independent of its Pauline authorship.” (The Epistle to the Hebrews, 1892, p. lxxi) Objection on the grounds of unnamed writership is far outweighed by the presence of Hebrews in the Chester Beatty Papyrus No. 2 (P46) (dated within 150 years of Paul’s death), which contains it along with eight other letters of Paul.
The internal evidence of the book is all in support of Paul’s writership. The writer was in Italy and was associated with Timothy. These facts fit Paul. (Heb. 13:23, 24) Furthermore, the doctrine is typical of Paul, though the arguments are presented from a Jewish viewpoint, designed to appeal to the strictly Hebrew congregation to which the letter was addressed.
On this point Clarke’s Commentary, Volume 6, page 681, says concerning Hebrews: “That it was written to Jews, naturally such, the whole structure of the epistle proves. Had it been written to the Gentiles, not one in ten thousand of them could have comprehended the argument, because unacquainted with the Jewish system; the knowledge of which the writer of this epistle everywhere supposes.” This helps to account for the difference of style when compared with Paul’s other letters, who was thoroughly knowledgeable of Jewish law, who was thoroughly knowledgeable of Jewish law.
The discovery in about 1930 of the Chester Beatty Papyrus No. 2 (P46) has provided further evidence of Paul’s writership. Commenting on this papyrus codex, which was written only about a century and a half after Paul’s death, the eminent British textual critic Sir Frederic Kenyon said: “It is noticeable that Hebrews is placed immediately after Romans (an almost unprecedented position), which shows that at the early date when this manuscript was written no doubt was felt as to its Pauline authorship.”
On this same question, McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia states pointedly: “There is no substantial evidence, external or internal, in favor of any claimant to the authorship of this epistle except Paul.”(Hebrews, Epistle To, pg 147)
An due to Paul's closeness to Timothy (Acts16:1, 3), calling him "a genuine child in the faith"(1 Tim 1:2), Paul is the only Bible writer, besides Luke in Acts (whereby Timothy is attached to Paul), that mentions him by name, which is found at Hebrews 13:23 and of which Paul also calls him "my fellow worker".(Rom 16:21)
To me, that very argument would be a sign that the author was
not Paul. Paul and James had an "agreement" that Paul would preach only to the gentiles. (1 Tim) is a second century catholic writing, and is really a non-entity in determining the authorship of Hebrews. I think Origen said it best with his statement "God alone knows".
Reconstructed Galatians
2:1 After fourteen years T
I went up to Jerusalem; T
2 But I went according to revelation,
and I set before them T
the canon of the gospel T
but apart to those of repute,
fearing that I should go or had gone (T)
for nothing. 6 (T)
3 But not even Titus, T
who was with me, T
being a Greek, T
was compelled to be circumcised: T
4 But because of those who crept in T
to spy out this liberty of ours T<-------
Christians following James and Peter railed against Paul.
which we enjoy in Chrestos, T
so that they might enslave us - T
5 To these not even for an hour T
we yielded in subjection,
That the truth of the gospel
might continue with you.
6 But from those reputed
to be something -
those of repute conferred nothing to me.
7a But against them,
when they had seen that I was entrusted
the gospel of the uncircumcision,
9b Peter, James and John , 7 (T) Hier.
who regard themselves pillars, (T)
gave to me the right of fellowship: (T)
- to me the nations
- to them the circumcision! 8 <-----
Paul's side anyway. In Acts, James is still converting gentiles
10 Only they would have it -----------
to Jewish law.
that I should remember the poor;
which I had been cautious to do.
11 Now when Peter came to Antioch
I confronted him to the face, T
because he was to be blamed. (T)
12 Prior to certain ones coming from James,
he was eating with the nations;
But when they came,
He withdrew and segregated himself,
being afraid of those of the circumcision. T
14 When I saw they walked not honestly T
according to the truth of the gospel, T
I said to Peter before all,
“If you, being a Jew, live like the nations,
Why do you urge the nations
to be judaizing?”
16 A man is not justified T
by the works of the law, T
but by the faith. T
