Who Wrote Hebrews?: An Insightful Proposition

So who wrote the Epistle of Hebrews? We have no idea. Certainly many proposals have been made: Paul, Luke, Silas, Apollos, etc. But no one knows for sure and it has been a puzzling question since its composition. I recently came across an interview at the Euangelion blog of with Dr. Andrew Pitts over this issue. Dr. Pitts argues that Luke wrote Hebrews as a stenographer from one of Paul's speeches.

The argument put forth is interesting (I have only read the interview and not the entire book authored by Dr. Pitts). The argument goes that Hebrews is a speech recorded by Luke put in book form. One of the main evidence presented is that Luke had a higher preference to record Paul's speeches (as Acts demonstrates) than the other apostles. Though he did record the speeches of Peter and Stephen, clearly Luke is more linked to Paul and seems to prefer his ministry.

Dr. Pitts argues that from this (and other) evidence it seems best that Hebrews was penned by Luke who recorded a speech by Paul. Though I find this intriguing, I'm not sure its the best evidence. The simple fact is that we simply don't know much about other persons in the New Testament. How do we know that Peter wouldn't have written or spoken similar things as he ministered to fellow Jews at this time? Peter clearly used the Old Testament liberally in his speeches recorded by Luke in Acts. We know very little about Apollos or Silas who might have been qualified to give such a speech. And Luke would have been familiar and close to each of them.

I think Dr. Pitts is heading in the right direction but even his thesis is a reminder that we simply do not know who the author of Hebrews was. If I had to guess, from the strength of Church history along with internal and other external evidence, I would assume that Paul or at least Pauline authority was behind the composition of the book. The argument that the style of writing in Hebrews is more like Luke's writings than anyone else is intriguing but we simply do not know.

This riddle will likely never be solved but this does not mean that Hebrews' authority and inspiration should be called into question. The message of Hebrews is the beauty of it and its message is incredibly important. Let us meditate on that.

Euangelion: Authorship of Hebrews