To The HEBREWS by Paul

Verse by Verse Commentary on To The Hebrews

THE ESPITLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE
TO THE
HEBREWS

The title noted above is used by Bible translators in a pre 1900 Oxford Bible, one neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant (for many flavors of original KJV were printed by this publishing company whose mandate was to make money), but simply a “HOLY BIBLE”. In their Epistle Dedicatory and notes to reader translators denote their purpose: an “exact” translation of “learned” men (who think it's preposterous order to teach first and learn after) is to make “God’s holy Truth” yet “the more known” (rather than unknown or flavored with bitter censures and uncharitable imputations of Popish Persons and Self-conceited Brethren). 

Many modern Bibles have shortened the title to Hebrews, perhaps due to much contention among many about the author of Hebrews and their perceived translation errors. To me, such is as a lawyer leaving out critical evidence in a case, thereby making what's evident from the evidence and the conclusion of those reviewing such a case a bit uncertain due to being unaware of such evidence. I always like to look at all the evidence in doing my Bible study. For a worthy exhortation within the Holy Bible is Evangelist: make full proof of thy ministry; Not to mention John 8:32 speaks of "know" the truth, not of "believe" the spirits. Devils "believe": James 2:19. Only "know"-ing the truth makes you free of "believe"-ing the lies.

To me, the full title of Hebrews is just as important as the full title of Revelation. For it not only reveals it's an "epistle" of "Paul The Apostle"... which "converted" Peter also refers to in his mention of all Paul's "epistles" (2Peter 3); But perhaps Hebrews is the epistle which resulted in Peter's conversion, from perverted grace + law to "the God of all grace" (no law at all) mentioned by Peter (1Peter 5:10): apostle to the Hebrews. As an "epistle" of "Paul", Hebrews thereby also has the "token" in  every epistle of the Pauline Epistles mentioned thrice by Paul, which is notably written by his own hand "in every epistle". Furthermore, the title allegorically reveals it's Paul The Apostle: an Hebrew(singular) of the Hebrews(plural), writing to those still Hebrews(plural: doubleminded); as if one of twain (Eph 2) writing to those who are still twain, about how perverted and deadly such twain blessed (grace + law = life + death) was.

Since there's contention about the author of Hebrews, candidates other than Paul being Barnabas, Apollos, Luke, Timothy, Silas, Aristion, and Philip the deacon; Let's provide enough proof to make it evident from the evidence that Paul is the only plausible author.

- Most obvious proof: the title: The Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The HEBREWS in the Holy Bible, the Authorized King James Version which is neither a Roman Catholic nor a Protestant perversion of KJV; The Holy Bible which is the seventh, as one made better, but also from six other previous bibles collectively a called good one.

- Not so obvious: Paul, as 7th of 7 NT writers, writes more NT books than all 6 others; And is epistle Titled The Apostle, who plays the last trump it in all his epistles to sign-ify his authorship with his own hand, which is told us thrice in 1Cor 16, Col 4, 2Thess 3. Hebrews is thereby Pauline signed, and notably with Paul's own hand: "Grace with you all. Amen".

- Obvious: Hebrews is canonized together with Paul's other epistles, and aptly canonized last of this grouping, being written from Italy, which is where Paul finally abode when retiring from his extensive travels to establish churches in grace throughout the (Roman) kingdom. It dove tails with epsitles of James & Peter, who also speak to scatter brain hebrews as to brethren.

- Not so obvious: The fact Hebrews ends with [Written to the Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy.] does not suggest Timothy is the author of Hebrews any more than Philemon ending with [Written from Rome to Philemon, by Onesimus] suggests Onesimus is the author of Philemon, which nobody contends because it begins with "Paul and Timothy unto Philemon". As a gifted orator Paul oft orated epistles penned by another, as a lawyer orates and a secretary types. But as noted above Paul sign-ified all his epistles by his own hand.

- Obvious: Paul Credentials (Acts, 2Cor 11, Gal 1 & 2, Phil 3): make him the most qualified to author Hebrews. He's fluent in Hebrew, a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin circumcised the eighth day, trained by Gamaliel in the perfect law of the fathers, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, an expert at search the scriptures; as touching the law(touch not: Col 2) a Pharisee, more zealous than peers with letters of commendation from the elders; as touching the righteousness(grace) which is in the law: blameless. No other could have written Hebrews, a mini bible itself.

- Not so obvious: 2Peter 3:15,16, also written to hebrew brethren by Peter: apostle to the circumcision: Gal 2:7, but only when he got converted: Lk 22:32, not only mentions all Paul's epistles (including allegoric mention of both Hebrews and Revelation); But flat out states to hebrew brethren: Paul "hath written unto you". Peter confirms, in his second general epistle to strengthen hebrew brethren, that Paul not only wrote Hebrews, but did so "as in all epistles": Christ the end of the law is Saviour of the world, and concludes salvation is by grace only.

- Obvious: Many biblical scholars, church councils, even Christian churches east and west over the centuries of time attribute 14 epistles to Paul with certainty, leaving no doubt Paul authored Hebrews. I go further and attribute 15 epistles to Paul: author of Revelation. 

- Not so obvious: [Written to the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy] actually establishes Paul as the author, for it was to Italy (to Ceasar) he appealed his case (Acts 26:32) which Hebrews brought against him unjustly. So those receiving this epistle would well know who wrote it. Paul was a Roman, of Tarsus, in Cilicia; a friend of Titus, whose dad was a Roman general. Paul not only wanted to prove such were false accusations, but also put a stop to what the Hebrews, especially James, Peter, and John were doing as three top "dogs" returned to their vomit: highmindedly imposing legalism, legalistic bondage, on both jews and gentiles, subverting churches (eg: churches of Galatia), causing divisions instead of unity (eg: Cor), and dissimulation(partiality) instead of no respect of persons with God & Son (which even the Herodians perceived), even starting of wars: the war of 70AD brought about the destruction of Jerusalem and death to over a million Jews, not to mention 100,000 more taken captive, again.

Such things caused trouble in the entire Roman empire… issues addressed in Acts by Luke, and in Paul’s epistles by Paul… and the reason Herod had James killed, which “pleased the Jews” (which James kept in bondage to law), pleased the Jews so much he also had Peter jailed; Allegorically as if Satan (Mt 16:23) bound (Rev 20:2,3) for one day (Easter: Acts 12:4) is as 1000 years (2Pet 3:8), till he escaped, and for a little season as pope Cephas deceived nations, till converted by the epistles of Paul, especially Paul The Apostle To The Hebrews.

[Written to the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy] further establishes Paul as author of Hebrews, since it mentions therein Heb 13: "know ye that [our] brother Timothy is set at liberty"; As if to let them(who draw back to perdition) know Timothy's depression, over the churches he was assigned to bishop from Ephesus being subverted, was healed by Timothy did study to shew himself approved(only) unto God, as Paul exhorted Timothy to do, and as a father(of grace and peace) to a son. For John was not only as a thorn in Paul's side by being popish Peter's bishop over the same churches from Ephesus, but John's sucessful subversion of the churches sorely depressed Timothy, to the point it took two epistles of Paul unto Timothy to get Timothy out of such deep depression, which is simply oppression of the devil, which is oppression of the law, and in Timothy's case it was Johnny Law; for as Heb 1 and Rev 1 both note, it's what's behind John which "spake" with John from "time past".

- Peter is JC called Satan, and told when(not if) thou art converted, then strengthen(not weaken) thy brethren (the Hebrews). And it is Paul's epistle to the Hebrews, such a graceful compendium of scriptures, which converts Peter(Cephas being his underground popish name). Converted Peter mentions it’s the longsuffering of the Lord (is now “that Spirit": 2Cor 3) which is to be accounted as salvation: the none perish and “eternal” sort mentioned in Hebrews 5, rather than the temporal saved and destroyed afterward sort mentioned in Jude 5. Converted Peter also mentions: "and" a 1000 yrs (in Rev 20) are as one day (Easter in Acts 12). Converted Peter even employs Paul’s comparative teaching method to compare the "day of the LORD" with the "day of God" (as if a black Sabbath with the Sabbath; allegorically comparing destructive law vs contructive grace); Converted Peter noting the latter of twain days (lights, gods, spirits) he compares is what we ought to look for and "haste" unto (end "run" to as Heb 12 notes); For the former cometh not, except as a thief in the night(darkness of law, the shadow of things to come), if it should come cometh to steal, kill, and destroy. Converted Peter uses Paul's intro: "(Pure)Grace unto you, and (then) peace be multiplied". He also employs Paul’s grace us salutation in his “grow in grace” conclusion, but doesn’t use the “token” which he knows is Paul’s sign-ifying signature as "his witness unto all men" used only in Pauline epistles:

Conclusion of Hebrews:
"Grace with you all. Amen."

Conclusion of Holy Bible containing Old and New Testaments:
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with you all. Amen."