WHO is the book of Hebrews adressed to?

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matthew11v25

Puritan Board Sophomore
Just wanting more opinions. Please be specific.

It seems to me that the book is adressed to Jewish Christians, those in the visible church. So some are saved and some are not saved.

let me know what you think
 
Hard to say. The common idea is that the book was written to the Jewish Christians who might have been thinking of returning to Judaism. I believe the book is adressed to us (non-Jewish Christians). The author goes through extreem detail describing the temple. I believe the Jews were aware of the temple practices, thus the detail for us.

The author also tells us of the change in the law as a result of Christ's attonement (priesthood changed made necessity in a change of the law... no need for a earthly high priest and animal sacrifices). Many Christians tend to ignore the book of Hebrews or relegate it to belonging only to Jews & Jewish converts. I belive the book has profound significance and should be studied by Christians carefully.

The book has a central theme of the "things pertaining to God" Ch 5 vs 7. It contrasts the differences between the old and new covenants. Interesting book to diligently study. I think it was written specifically for us. ;)
 
The audience is Jewish converts. That does not mean it passes us by. But it gives a perspective we have to work to see. Not being Jewish, we need to understand where they are coming from, and only then can we see the meaning of this "sermon".

Many scholars believe that Deuteronomy and Hebrews are excellent books to be read side by side, and I agree.

If we don't understand where the audience is coming from, then we can't really understand the message.

In Christ,

KC
 
Originally posted by webmaster
Even a bit more specific - based on its Neo-Platonic Refution, it seems to be more directed to Hellenized Jews.

Interesting...Could you expand a little.
 
Though I understand it may be to Jewish converts...it seems as though the letter is directed not exclusively to the elect. (6:4-6, 10:32)
 
Though I understand it may be to Jewish converts...it seems as though the letter is directed not exclusively to the elect. (6:4-6, 10:32)
I don't think those verses suggest that the recipients of the letter are not elect. Especially as we read just a little past 6:6 at 6:9...
Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things--things that belong to salvation.

10:32 simply says that when they were first "enlightened" they endured suffering.

As to the question of Hellenistic Jews being the audience, Hebrews does use Alexandrian phraseology and modes of thought (A. R. Faussett).
Also, all the OT quotations except for 10:30 and 13:5 were taken from the Hellenistic OT (Septuagint).
 
Every NT book is written to the professing church. Each of them demonstrate the covenant community that has in it the lost and saved. That is why they are filled with warnings. Otherwise, there would be none since the elect are in fact really the elect and the letter would simply be written in the decreetive sense, hermeneutically speaking.

As for Neo-Platonism - the Neo-Platonist believed that the "One" had emanations that flowed down from the highest source of the one creating other lesser emanations of itself as it went further away from the source. Tier 1 would be angels. Tier 2 would be prophets (like Moses), etc. The writer of Hebrews, or if I may say, the preacher of the sermon of Hebrews begins by dispelling (for Hellenized Jewish Christians) the reality that Jesus is HIGHER than the angels, and that He is HIGHER than Moses, etc. He is dispelling Neo-Platonism and the Hellenistic paganism that would have been inherent in the people of the region.
 
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