NT Pod 36 takes a first look at the Epistle to the Hebrews. It is just under twelve minutes long. Feel free to leave your comments below.
NT Pod 36: Epistle to the Hebrews: First Look (mp3)
NT Pod 36: Epistle to the Hebrews: First Look (mp3) (Alternative location)
Key texts: Genesis 14.18-19, Psalm 110.4, Hebrews 1.1-4, 10.22, 12.4, 13.23, 13.24,
Thanks to Ram2000, Me and You, for the opening theme, released under a Creative Commons agreement.
Just finished this week taking the Church here through Hebrews in our mid-week bible class. Good summary. Would have been worth noting how it got in to the NT canon – especially since its authorship is unknown, its recipients unknown, and the "title" unknown. There's no 'pushing a particular sect', no 'praise a particular leader'. There were many other writings around where these 3 things were known, which didn't get into the canon. The fact it is there, draws even more attention to the content and even more importance to the central person of Jesus.
Thanks. Yes, it is a good question and one worth addressing further at some point.
Hi, wouldn't the masculine participle in 11:32 exclude the possibility that the author was a woman?
Yes, I think so. I suppose you could always say that Priscilla is using an "editorial masculine" or that the feminine was changed by a copyist, but on balance, 11.32 weighs against the nevertheless romantic theory about Priscilla.
It appears that the author was known by his audience so I would think that the use of a masculine to hide "her" identity would unlikely. There are places, however, that the author uses "we" (e.g., 13:18) and so I would not rule out Aquila being the author and Priscilla being a "co-author."
There is a further argument against a woman author. Women did not travel in the ancient world, except when accompanied by male members of their households. Presumably this was to avoid danger and/or scandal. The only exception that I know is Thecla, who suffered sexual harassment as a result. The author of Hebrews expected to travel (Heb 13:23 – note the singular verb) so was likely a man.