Hebrews

    1.    the only canonical New Testament epistle without any statement of authorship (John’s three epistles do not very clearly identify their author either.)

    I.      Presentation of Evidence

1.   The only reasons for associating Hebrews with Alexandria are that (1) the earliest favorable attestation comes from there and that (2) it supposedly uses the allegorical method of interpretation.

1.   Hebrews uses the Old Testament text more than any other New Testament book does. (Matthew is next.) It has the longest Old Testament quotation of any book in the New Testament: 8:8-12 > Jeremiah 31:31-34.

I. Authorship

                Historical backgrounds are important because they illuminate scripture. In addition, they often confirm the biblical record and occasionally may even help prove its trustworthiness in regard to things that can be tested. Consequently, we tend to view historical backgrounds favorably as a valuable resource. This presentation, however, stresses another observation. Like all sources of information, historical background, misused, can harm rather than help biblical studies. In the wrong hands, it can be invoked in ways that detract from hermeneutical and apologetic concerns.

    I.      While 2 Samuel 7:14 must refer to Solomon because Solomon so understood it (1 Kings 6:11-13; 8:17-21), it cannot refer exclusively to him since the context speaks of an eternal seed (2 Samuel 7:16).