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[[Image:KJV 1611 Hebrews.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The 1611 edition of the [[King James Bible]] showing the opening of the Epistle to the Hebrews.]]
[[Image:KJV 1611 Hebrews.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The 1611 edition of the [[King James Bible]] showing the opening of the Epistle to the Hebrews.]]
The [[Epistle to the Hebrews]] is the nineteenth book of the [[New Testament]]. In contrast with the other epistles, it is distinctly unlike a letter, and has a "symbolic style and sustained argument that mark it as a [[Hellenism|Hellenistic]] work based on the [[Jewish]] tradition."<ref>Saldarini, Anthony J. [http://mb-soft.com/believe/txs/hebrews.htm ''Epistle to the Hebrews''] Believe. Accessed 15 March 2008</ref> Overall, the tone is very Jewish, and a proper understanding of the epistle requires a familiarity with the [[Old Testament]] scriptures, particularly [[Leviticus]].<ref>Pawson, J. David ''Unlocking The Bible'' p.1113 (London, Collins; 2003) ISBN 978 0 00 716666 4</ref> It is the only New Testament letter not introduced by the name of its author.
The [[Epistle to the Hebrews]] is the nineteenth book of the [[New Testament]]. In contrast with the other epistles, it is distinctly unlike a letter, and has a "symbolic style and sustained argument that mark it as a [[Hellenism|Hellenistic]] work based on the [[Jewish]] tradition."<ref>Saldarini, Anthony J. [http://mb-soft.com/believe/txs/hebrews.htm ''Epistle to the Hebrews''] Believe. Accessed 15 March 2008</ref> Overall, the tone is very Jewish, and a proper understanding of the epistle requires a familiarity with the [[Old Testament]] scriptures, particularly [[Leviticus]].<ref>Pawson, J. David ''Unlocking The Bible'' p.1113 (London, Collins; 2003) ISBN 978 0 00 716666 4</ref> It is the only New Testament letter not introduced by the name of its author.
The identity of the author of the epistle has been called "the riddle of the New Testament"<ref>Scott, E. F. [http://www.archive.org/stream/MN41537ucmf_9/MN41537ucmf_9_djvu.txt ''The Epistle of the Hebrews: Its Doctrine and Significance''] (Edinburgh; T and T Clarke; 1922) full text online. Accessed 15 March 2008</ref> It remains the only New Testament book whose authorship is definitely unknown. The earliest translations of the [[King James Bible]] call it "the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews", but this is conjecture, and also a position that was not adopted by the church until the [[Middle Ages]]. While commonly attributed to [[Paul]], a comparison of the language and style with his other writings seems to indicate that he was not the author, although the ideas expressed within it certainly follow Pauline thought, suggesting that the author had been a pupil of his. Candidates for its authorship have included Barnabas, [[Luke]], Silas, Stephen, Apollos and Priscilla.
The identity of the author of the epistle has been called "the riddle of the New Testament"<ref>Scott, E. F. [http://www.archive.org/stream/MN41537ucmf_9/MN41537ucmf_9_djvu.txt ''The Epistle of the Hebrews: Its Doctrine and Significance''] (Edinburgh; T and T Clarke; 1922) full text online. Accessed 15 March 2008</ref> It remains the only New Testament book whose authorship is definitely unknown. The earliest translations of the [[King James Bible]] call it "the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews", but this is conjecture, and also a position that was not adopted by the church until the [[Middle Ages]]. While commonly attributed to [[Paul]], a comparison of the language and style with his other writings seems to indicate that he was not the author, although the ideas expressed within it certainly follow Pauline thought, suggesting that the author had been a pupil of his. Candidates for its authorship have included Barnabas, [[Luke]], Silas, Stephen, Apollos and Priscilla.
==Provenance==
The earliest copy in existence is part of a [[papyrus]] [[codex]] in Greek of the Letters of Saint Paul, dating from around AD 200. The codex, referred to as ''P46'' was discovered in 1931, and provided a text at least a century older than the [[Vatican]] and [[Sinaitic]] codices, the oldest authorities on which the text had previously rested.<ref>[http://www.lib.umich.edu/pap/exhibits/papyri_james/1_2.html ''From Papyri to King James: The Transmission of the English Bible''] University of Michigan. Accessed 15 March 2008</ref> The epistle can be dated with some certainty by its content: the use of "''Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith''" (Heb 13:7) is consistent with a period after the death of the first leaders of the church in [[Rome]]. The epistle also discusses the temple and its sacrifices in the present tense: this places its writing between Paul's [[Epistle to the Romans]] in AD 55 and the destruction of the temple in AD 70.
[[Image:Papyrus P46.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Papyrus ''P46'', showing the opening paragraphs of the Epistle to the Hebrews.]]
==References==
==References==
{{reflist|small}}
{{reflist|small}}
[[Category:New Testament]]
[[Category:New Testament]]