Epistle to the Hebrews
Epistle to the Hebrews, or
Letter to the Hebrews, is the traditional name of a text that the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament simply called
To the Hebrews. Scholars of Greek consider its writing to be more polished and eloquent than any other book of the New Testament. Since the earliest days of the Church, the authorship and canonicity have been debated. Presumably once known and respected by the epistle's readers, the author became unknown and today is often described as unknowable. The book has earned the reputation of being a "masterpiece". It also has been described as an "intricate" New Testament book. Scholars believe
Hebrews was written for Jewish Christians who lived in Jerusalem. Its purpose was to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. The central theme of the epistle is the doctrine of the Person of Christ and his role as mediator between God and humanity. The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews was committed to the spiritual well-being of its recipients. The epistle opens with an exaltation of Jesus as "the radiance of God's glory, the express image of his being, and upholding all things by his powerful word".