DID PAUL WRITE THE BOOK OF HEBREWS?
Col 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
Col 1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
In some, if not most bibles declare that the Apostle Paul wrote the book of Hebrews, and we see the title “The epistle of Paul to the Hebrews,” and most will assume that the Apostle Paul penned this epistle just as he did the 13 prior books. This has been a great mystery among the church world because the writer does not identify himself, so most commonly people make assumptions based upon the fact that the writer addressed some of the saints that Paul mentioned in his epistles, and that the grammar of the writer is also similar to Paul. So how do we know whether the Apostle Paul wrote the epistle or not?
2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
God the Father left the church with a ‘fool-proof’ designed way for the saints to fully understand whether the epistle that they received was of the Apostle Paul or not. The Apostle Paul began every epistle the same way; with his “salutation,” at the beginning of every epistle we see the first word is “Paul,” and this was done to confirm the authenticity of the epistle. Satan has always worked hard in counterfeiting the word of God, and this was the case also in Thessalonica, whereas some were counterfeiting Paul’s epistles, this is why Paul says in verse 2, “nor by letter as from us.”
Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
God the Father and Paul knew Satan’s tactics, and this is why we see Paul use his salutation as a “token” in “every epistle” that he penned. So the answer to the question: “did the Apostle Paul write the book of Hebrews?” would be, No. And just as Paul begins every epistle with his “salutation” of “Paul;” the book of Hebrews also begins with a “salutation” of its own, the epistle begins with “God,” and this is the point where God begins to once again continue His plan and purpose with Israel. The 13 prior epistles written by the Apostle Paul were written to the Gentiles, and just as Paul makes plainly clear, that he is the Apostle to the Gentiles; which is another reason he could not have written the epistle ‘to the Hebrews.’
2Th 3:17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.
Furthermore, there are some that will say that the Apostle Paul did not write all of his epistles, some say that he had medical conditions that prevented the apostle from actually penning all of his epistles. This is also so very far from the truth. Most of this speculation comes from theology and man’s wisdom, and most ‘follow suit’ because of what they hear based upon man’s wisdom, instead of the word of God. But when we can see the Apostle Paul say that he has written “every epistle” with his “own hand,” this trumps whatever man’s wisdom says about the issue.
Col 4:18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
And as we look at the above verse we see Paul in his prison epistles years later writing the epistle to the Colossians with his own “hand,” so where does the speculation come from that Paul did not write all of his epistles due to a medical issue? Three verses come to mind. In Galatians chapter four Paul speaks of an “infirmity of the flesh,” and this is always assumed that he is speaking of an eye problem because of verse 15. But verse 14 says that Paul’s “infirmity of the flesh” was a “temptation” in his flesh; which could have been look upon by most where they would have “despised” Paul, or “rejected” his testimony unto them.
Gal 4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
Gal 4:14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
Gal 4:15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
But because of what Paul says in verse 15, people assume Paul had the weakest set of eyes in Galatia, but this is not what Paul is saying at all. Paul makes known to the Galatians his understanding of how the saint’s behavior was “at the first,” this was when Paul first preached the gospel unto them, and they were so joyful, and grateful that they would have given up of themselves to Paul anything that he asked. But does this mean that Paul did not write all of his epistles? The answer to that question would also be: No. as we can see in the verse below Paul wrote all of his epistles; whether it was his first epistle (the epistle to the Galatians), or his last (2Timothy), we see Paul begin each epistle with “Paul,” which confirms that he not only received the revelation, but he also penned the epistles as well.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Gal 6:11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.
1Co 16:21 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.
2Co 13:10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.
Phm 1:19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
Rod Jones