The Epistle to the Hebrews is of such importance that I rank it beside the Epistle to the Romans (which is excelled by no other book). I have wondered how to give this magnificent Epistle to the Hebrews the introduction it deserves. Before me are excellent expository works that other men have written, and I have decided to let four of them introduce this Epistle to the Hebrews to you since each of them makes statements that are all–important. They have said what I would like to say. First I will quote from G. Campbell Morgan’s book, God’s Last Word to Man:

The letter to the Hebrews has an especial value today because there is abroad a very widespread conception of Christ which is lower than that of the New Testament. To illustrate what I mean by this, a recent writer has said:

"One of the best things we can say about human nature is this, that whenever a situation occurs which can only be solved by an individual ‘laying down his life for his friends,’ some heroic person is certain to come forth, sooner or later, and offer himself as the victim—a Curtius to leap into the gulf, a Socrates to drink the hemlock, a Christ to get himself crucified on Calvary."

I am not proposing to discuss that at any length, but at once say that to place Christ in that connection is to me little short of blasphemy. We may properly speak of "a Curtius," "a Socrates," but when we speak of "a Christ," our reference to Him is not only out of harmony with the New Testament presentation, but implicitly a contradiction of what it declares concerning the uniqueness of His Person.

This is a tremendous beginning for the Epistle to the Hebrews.

Dr. William Pettingill, in his book Into the Holiest: Simple Studies in Hebrews, has a different emphasis in his opening statement:

From Adam to Moses, through 2500 years, and from Moses to Malachi, through 1100 years, the prophets were speaking for God to man. But at the end of the 3600 years their revelation of God was only partial. Then after a silence of 400 years, when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, and in that Son the revelation of God is perfect.

That is another tremendous statement.

Now I’m going to give a third introduction to the Epistle to the Hebrews. It comes from the excellent book by E. Schuyler English, Studies in The Epistle to the Hebrews:

The Epistle to the Hebrews, one of the most important books of the New Testament in that it contains some of the chief doctrines of the Christian faith, is, as well, a book of infinite logic and great beauty. To read it is to breathe the atmosphere of heaven itself. To study it is to partake of strong spiritual meat. To abide in its teachings is to be led from immaturity to maturity in the knowledge of Christian truth and of Christ Himself. It is to "go on unto perfection."

And here is a further statement:

The theme of the Epistle to the Hebrews, the only book of the New Testament in which our Lord is presented in His high priestly office, is the supreme glory of Christ, the Son of God and Son of man.

This is tremendous!

Now I turn to the fourth author, Sir Robert Anderson, and quote from his book, The Hebrews Epistle in the Light of the Types. As we go through this epistle I trust I shall be able to emphasize this which he emphasizes so well, and I also trust that this introduction will clarify the thought:

That the professing Church on earth is "the true vine"—this is the daring and impious lie of the apostasy. That it is "the olive tree" is a delusion shared by the mass of Christians in the churches of the Reformation. But the teaching of Scripture is explicit, that Christ Himself is the vine, and Israel the olive. For "God hath not cast away His people whom He foreknew."

This Epistle to the Hebrews was not accepted by the western church for a long time, and the reason is found at this particular juncture: the church wanted to usurp the place of Israel. They adopted all the promises God had made to Israel and spiritualized them, applying them to themselves and rejecting God’s purposes in the nation Israel. As a result, you’ll find that the church in those early days became actually anti–Semitic and persecuted the Jew! Therefore, to say that God is through with the nation Israel is a sad blunder, and I trust that this episode may be helpful in our understanding the great truth that a Hebrew is a Hebrew, and when he becomes a Christian, he is still a Hebrew. When any person becomes a child of God, it does not change his nationality at all, but it brings him into a new body of believers called the church. Today God is calling out of both Jews and Gentiles a people for His name. When that is consummated, God will take His church out of this world, and He will pursue His purpose with the nation Israel, fulfilling all of His promises to them and through them to the gentile world in that day. I am indebted to these four wonderful expositors of the Word of God for helping us to get on the springboard so that we can plunge into the water of the Word.

The human author of the Epistle to the Hebrews has always been a moot question. Although the Authorized Version has the heading, "Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews," there is still a question as to authorship. The Revised Version and other later versions correct this and simply entitle it the Epistle (or letter) to the Hebrews. If you are acquainted with the literature of the Scriptures, you recognize that there is no unanimity of thought and no agreement as to who is the author of this epistle. When I was a seminary student, I wrote a thesis on the authorship of Hebrews, and I attempted to sustain the position that the apostle Paul is the author.

When I wrote my thesis I thought I had solved the problem and that the world would be in agreement that Paul wrote Hebrews! But I find that there is just as much disagreement today about the authorship as there was before I wrote my thesis! Neither John Calvin nor Martin Luther accepted Paul’s authorship, and neither did many others of the past. On the other hand, many do accept Paul as the author. However, the human author is not the important thing, but the fact that the Epistle to the Hebrews is part of God’s inspired Word is important.

In spite of the fact that the Pauline authorship cannot be stated in a dogmatic fashion, there is abundant evidence that Paul was the author. Both internal and external evidence support the authorship of Paul. The writer had been in bonds (see Heb. 10:34). He wrote from Italy (see Heb. 13:24). His companion was Timothy (see Heb. 13:23). The writing is Pauline. Also, in my opinion, Peter identifies Paul as the writer (see 2 Pet. 3:15–16). I believe that there is good and sufficient reason for Paul’s changing his style and for not giving his name in the epistle. I’ll call attention to these things as we go along. (See the Appendix for a full treatment of the subject of authorship.)

The date of writing is particularly important in the case of the Epistle to the Hebrews because of the authorship question. Many scholars, even sound scholars, have taken the position that it was written after a.d. 70. Some give the date of a.d. 85, a.d. 96, and others up in the 90s. However, as you read this epistle, you are forced to the conclusion that the temple at Jerusalem was still standing at the time it was written. This means it had to have been written before a.d. 70, since Titus the Roman destroyed the temple in a.d. 70 and Paul had already gone to be with the Lord. I believe that it was written by the apostle Paul and it was written before a.d. 70.

Coleridge said that Romans revealed the necessity of the Christian faith but that Hebrews revealed the superiority of the Christian faith. This thought, running all the way through, is expressed in the use of the comparative word better, which occurs thirteen times. The Epistle to the Hebrews tells us that the Law was good, but that grace, under Christ, is better and that the glory that is coming is going to be the best. The Epistle to the Hebrews presents that which is better. The word perfect occurs fifteen times (with cognate words). It is an epistle that challenges us. Let us occurs thirteen times, and let occurs five times.

Two verses especially convey to us this "better" way: "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus" (Heb. 3:1). We are to consider Him. Then in Hebrews 12:3 we read the challenge: "For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." That is exactly what we are going to do as we study the Epistle to the Hebrews. We are going to consider Him, the Lord Jesus Christ. I am convinced that that is the most important thing which any Christian can do.

I. Christ Better Than Old Testament Economy, Chapters 1–10 (Doctrinal)

A. Christ Is Superior to Prophets, Chapter 1:1–3

B. Christ Is Superior to Angels, Chapters 1:4–2:18

1. Deity of Christ, Chapter 1:4–14

2. Humanity of Christ, Chapter 2:1–18 1st Danger Signal: Peril of Drifting, Chapters 2:1–4

C. Christ Is Superior to Moses, Chapters 3:1–4:2 2nd Danger Signal: Peril of Doubting, Chapters 3:7–4:2

D. Christ Is Superior to Joshua, Chapter 4:3–13

E. Christ Is Superior to Levitical Priesthood, Chapters 4:14–7:28

1. Our Great High Priest, Chapter 4:14–16

2. Definition of a Priest, Chapters 5:1–10 3rd Danger Signal: Peril of Dull Hearing, Chapter 5:11–14 4th Danger Signal: Peril of Departing, Chapter 6:1–20

3. Christ Our High Priest after Order of Melchizedek, Chapter 7:1–28

(a) Christ Is Perpetual Priest, Chapter 7:1–3

(b) Christ Is Perfect Priest, Chapter 7:4–22

(c) Christ in His Person Is Perpetual and Perfect Priest, Chapter 7:23–28

F. Christ as Our High Priest Ministers in Superior Sanctuary by Better Covenant Built upon Better Promises, Chapters 8:1–10:39

1. True Tabernacle, Chapter 8:1–5

2. New Covenant, Better than the Old, Chapter 8:6–13

3. New Sanctuary, Better than the Old, Chapter 9:1–10

4. Superior Sacrifice, Chapters 9:11–10:18

5. Encouragement, Chapter 10:19–25 5th Danger Signal: Peril of Despising, Chapter 10:26–39

II. Christ Brings Better Benefits and Duties, Chapters 11–13 (Practical)

A. Faith, Chapter 11:1–40

B. Hope, Chapter 12:1–29

1. The Christian Race, Chapter 12:1–2

2. Believers Are Now in Contest and Conflict, Chapter 12:3–14 6th Danger Signal: Peril of Denying, Chapter 12:15–29

C. Love, Chapter 13:1–25

1. Secret Life of Believers, Chapter 13:1–6

2. Social Life of Believers, Chapter 13:7–14

3. Spiritual Life of Believers, Chapter 13:15–19

4. Benediction, Chapter 13:20–25