Who write Hebrews?

[friend of]

This topic is kind of interesting a lot of Scholars say that they do not hold Paul accountable for writing the book of Hebrews but I was reading it again and I came across this verse Hebrews 10:34

Ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. (KJV)

Now, that's KJV. Just about ever other version says " you had compassion on prisoners"

Hebrews 10:34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.

I just found that interesting. I believed that Paul wrote Hebrews before reading that passage again with new eyes, but this verse kinda settles the matter. What do you think?

 

[Hammster]

The theory that makes most sense to me is that it was Luke who wrote it, but he recorded the sermon that Paul preached in the synagogues when he came to a new city.

 

[GOD Shines Forth!]

This topic is kind of interesting a lot of Scholars say that they do not hold Paul accountable for writing the book of Hebrews but I was reading it again and I came across this verse Hebrews 10:34

Ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. (KJV)

Now, that's KJV. Just about ever other version says " you had compassion on prisoners"

Hebrews 10:34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.

I just found that interesting. I believed that Paul wrote Hebrews before reading that passage again with new eyes, but this verse kinda settles the matter. What do you think?

Can any such matter be "settled"? I did look up some commentaries on that verse a while back and here are a few that question the KJV here:

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(34) For ye had compassion of me in my bonds.—Rather (according to the true reading of the Greek), for ye had sympathy with them that were in bonds (comp. Hebrews 13:3, “Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them”). The change of reading is very important in connection] with the question of authorship. (See the Introduction.)

Vincent's Word Studies
For ye had compassion of me in my bonds (καὶ γὰρ τοῖς δεσμίοις συνεπαθήσατε)
Entirely wrong, following T.R. τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου. Rend. "ye had compassion on the prisoners." So Vulg. vinctis compassi estis. The corrupt reading has furnished one of the stock arguments for the Pauline authorship of the Epistle.

Pulpit Commentary
Verse 34. - For ye had compassion on those who were in bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better possession, and an abiding one. For τοῖς δεσμίοις, the Receptus has τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου, which the A.V., so as to avoid the impropriety of expressing sympathy with the bonds themselves, renders "me in my bonds." Even apart from manuscript authority, δεσμίοις is evidently to be preferred, both as suiting the verb συνεπαθήσατε and as being more likely to have been altered to the common Pauline expression, δεσμοῖς μου, than vice versa, especially on the supposition of the writer being St. Paul himself. Thus no evidence as to the authorship of the Epistle is hence deducible.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
34. ye had compassion of me in my bonds] This reading had more to do than anything else with the common assumption that this Epistle was written by St Paul. The true reading however undoubtedly is not τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου, but τοῖς δεσμίοις, “ye sympathised with the prisoners.” The reading of our text was probably introduced from Colossians 4:18; Php 1:7, &c.

Some food for thought.

 

[Call me Nic]

If I'm not mistaken, the Orthodox church traditionally believes that Paul wrote the epistle, and it was sent to the Jewish Christians in Egypt, but he left his name off the epistle so that the unbelieving Jews wouldn't be offended at the reading of it in the synagogue, since it is evident that Hebrews is written specifically to persuade Jews of Jesus.

 

[Not David]

Probably based on a sermon of Paul.

 

[mnphysicist]

I seriously doubt Paul was the writer, as linguistically it doesn't match up with other books ascribed to him. Bottom line though, there isn't anything solid to suggest one author over another. That being said, a fascinating theory is that Priscilla was the author and the logic of that argument makes a great deal of sense... but there isn't hard evidence, or at least not yet, that such was the case.

 

[Radagast]

The theory that makes most sense to me is that it was Luke who wrote it

Barnabas and Priscilla/Aquila have also been suggested.

According to Eusebius, "some have rejected the Epistle to the Hebrews, saying that it is disputed by the church of Rome, on the ground that it was not written by Paul." The doubts as to authorship are clearly ancient.

 

[Radagast]

a fascinating theory is that Priscilla was the author

That theory might explain why no author is named in the text.

 

[Rubiks]

There are many different hypotheses, even in the early church. (although the tradition that Paul wrote it eventually won out)

Hebrews doesn't resemble Paul's style at all and conflicts with his claim to be the apostle to the gentiles.

 

[Hammster]

There are many different hypotheses, even in the early church. (although the tradition that Paul wrote it eventually won out)

Hebrews doesn't resemble Paul's style at all and conflicts with his claim to be the apostle to the gentiles.

Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”
— Acts 17:1-3

 

[Rubiks]

Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”
— Acts 17:1-3

IMO, acts presents a very different account of Paul's conversion than we see in his letters, mainly Galatians.

This doesn't mean we throw out Acts. I needs to be understood that much of what is "history" in the Bible is intended to be instructive and polemical rather than literal history.

 

[Hammster]

IMO, acts presents a very different account of Paul's conversion than we see in his letters, mainly Galatians.

This doesn't mean we throw out Acts. I needs to be understood that much of what is "history" in the Bible is intended to be instructive and polemical rather than literal history.

Except that Luke was writing an historical account. That was his intent.

 

[Barney2.0]

I personally hold to the view that one of Paul’s many disciples could have written Hebrews, either Luke, Apollos, Clement, or etc wrote it.

 

[Loyce KG]

This topic is kind of interesting a lot of Scholars say that they do not hold Paul accountable for writing the book of Hebrews but I was reading it again and I came across this verse Hebrews 10:34

Ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. (KJV)

Now, that's KJV. Just about ever other version says " you had compassion on prisoners"

Hebrews 10:34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.

I just found that interesting. I believed that Paul wrote Hebrews before reading that passage again with new eyes, but this verse kinda settles the matter. What do you think?

The Holy Spirit wrote it.

 

[trophy33]

Apollo. The style is very different from Paul's, Luke was Greek, so he was hardly so interested in Jewish issues.

Apollo seems to be the best option also because from what we know about him, his "mission" was exactly the same as is the mission of the epistle of Hebrews.

 

[Hammster]

Apollo. The style is very different from Paul's, Luke was Greek, so he was hardly so interested in Jewish issues. Apollo seems to be the best option.

Have you read Acts?

 

[Hammster]

The Holy Spirit wrote it.

He inspired it.

 

[trophy33]

Have you read Acts?

Yes.

 

[Loyce KG]

He inspired it.

I know that and that's all I need to know. Speculations and debates about the author do not particularly help. It's okay for the OP to ask though.

 

[Hammster]

Yes.

Do you know who wrote it?