Heidegger's Bible Handbook: Hebrews: Chapter Summary

Why was the Epistle inscribed to the Hebrews? The Hebrews are understood as whichever ones indiscriminately? The Inscription is referred to the author himself, and received with good reason, 1. The Epistle was written, not by Luke, nor by Barnabas, nor by Apollos, nor by Clement of Rome, but by Saint Paul. Which is confirmed by several arguments, 2. Why would his name not be prefixed to the Epistle? In what sense he might say, Hebrews 2:3, that salvation was confirmed to Him by hearers? 3. The Authority of the Epistle asserted against the ancient and more recent men, 4. The Epistle was written, not in Hebrew, as Clement of Alexandria, and others, and recently Salmasius, have insisted; but in Greek, 5. The occasion of writing was furnished by the Hebrews’ infirmity and affliction, and also mistrust, under which Paul was laboring, as if he was setting himself in opposition to the law, 6. The Argument of the Epistle, 7. It was written in the first Roman bonds near the end of the captivity, 8. The Parts of the Epistle are three: I. An Exhortation to the Hebrews, that they religiously attend upon Christ, the great Prophet, in whom the Father has spoken in the last days (Hebrews 1:1-4:13). II. An Exhortation to the same, that, with the servitude of the law laid aside, they trust in Christ alone, the High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-10:23). III. Their Exhortation to faith, hope, patience, holiness (Hebrews 10:24-13:25). Interpreters of the Epistle, Ancient, Reformed, Lutheran, Roman Catholic; and also a Synoptic Table, 9.