Who do you think wrote the book of Hebrews, and why? -- Michael Wegge (Los Angeles)
No one really knows, Michael. Although the style is Pauline, suggesting that the letter was penned by someone in Paul's sphere of influence, I see no way to prove who wrote it, and no direct evidence that Paul wrote this fine epistle. Consider the following facts:
* The early church consistently admitted that "only God knows" who wrote Hebrews. If they had no clue, why should we think our guesses are intrinsically more likely to be on target?
* In the middle ages, the name of Paul somehow became attached to the beginning of the letter, as a superscription.
* And yet the author insists this is only a "brief word of exhortation" (13:22). For Paul, this would have been one of his longer letters.
* Modern scholars have suggested many possible authors: Barnabas, Luke, Mary, Priscilla, and many more. The most popular choice in our generation is actually Apollos (Luther's suggestion)--a man with the education level evinced in Hebrews, as well as one who would have written in the Alexandrian style of this letter.
* This letter, unlike all other letters in the New Testament, gives no indication of who wrote it. Its anonymity is not a good platform upon which to construct a theory of authorship!
So, to answer your question, I do not know who wrote Hebrews. As to why, it is because the evidence is too slender to be confident of any one suggestion of authorship over another.
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