Hebrews - introduction

Hebrews is one of the New Testament books/letters/sermons/writings that we don't turn to very often.

There are some difficult passages

Some of the passages and themes that we are familiar with include:

Before we dig into Hebrews, there is some background that we need to understand.

The Book of Hebrews was probably written to Jewish Christians (likely in the mid-late 60s AD, before the 70 AD Temple destruction) who were enduring persecution and tempted to return to the traditional Jewish, temple-based worship for safety.
Original Audience: The audience was likely Jewish Christians, possibly in Judea or Italy, who were familiar with Old Testament scriptures but discouraged and suffering from persecution.
Date: Written before the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD, as it describes the sacrificial system as still operating. A likely range is 63–68 AD
Authorship: The author is anonymous. Some traditions linked it to Paul, but many suggest others, including Barnabas, Apollos, Luke, Priscilla, Silas, or Clement.
Type: Hebrews does not follow the standard New Testament letter format, except for the closing remarks. Many suggest that Hebrews is a "word of exhortation" or sermon rather than a standard letter.
Core Themes: The supremacy of Christ, endurance in faith, the danger of apostasy, and Jesus as the ultimate High Priest. It functions as a sermon urging endurance, presenting Jesus as superior to angels, Moses, and the Levitical priesthood.
Purpose: To prevent believers from turning away from the Christian faith by demonstrating the superiority of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant over the old sacrificial system.

on coffee