on Hebrews were ed., after his death, by Windrath, 1868); Tholuck (Hamburg, 1836, dedicated
to Bunsen, 3d ed., 1850, transl. by James Hamilton, Edinb., 1852); Stier (1842); DeWette (1847,
2d ed.); Ebrard (1850, in Olshausen’s Com., vol. v.; Engl. transl., Edinb., 1853); Turner (new
ed. N. Y., 1855); Sampson (ed. by Dabney, N. Y., 1856); Lünemann (in Meyer’s Com., 1857,
4th ed., 1878); Delitzsch (1857, transl. by Th. L. Kingsbury, Edinb., 1868, 2 vols.); John Brown
(Edinb., 1862, 2 vols.); Reuss (in French, 1862); Lindsay (Edinb., 1867, 2 vols.); Moll (in
Lange’s Com., translated and enlarged by Kendrick, 1868); Ripley (1868);Kurtz (1869); Ewald
(1870); Hofmann (1873); Biesenthal (1878); Bloomfield; Alford; Wordsworth; W. Kay (in the
Speaker’s Com. N. T, vol. iv., 1882); Moulton (in Ellicott’s Com. for English Readers); A. B.
Davidson (of the New College, Edinburgh. 1882); Angus (1883); Sam. T. Lowrie (1884); Weiss
(1888).
II. The doctrinal system of the Ep. has been most fully expounded by Riehm (d. 1888 in Halle):
Der Lehrbegriff des Hebräerbriefs, Basel und Ludwigsburg, 1858–59, 2 vols.; new ed., 1867,
in 1 vol. (899 pages). Comp. the expositions of Neander, Messner, Baur, Reuss, and Weiss. On
the use of the O. T., see Tholuck: Das A. T. im N., Hamb., 3d ed., 1849; on the Christology of
the Epistle, Beyerschlag: Christologie des N. T. (1866), 176 sqq.; on the Melchisedek priesthood,
Auberlen, in "Studien und Kritiken" for 1857, pp. 453 sqq. Pfleiderer, in his Paulinismus (pp.
324–366), treats of Hebrews, together with Colossians and the Epistle of Barnabas, as
representing Paulinism under the influence of Alexandrinism.
III. On the introductory questions, comp. Norton in the: "Christian Examiner" (Boston), 1827–29;
Olshausen: De auctore Ep. ad Hebraeos (in Opusc. theol., 1834); Wieseler: Untersuchung über
den Hebraeerbrief, Kiel, 1861; J. H. Thayer: Authorship and Canonicity of the to the Hebrews,
in the "Bibliotheca Sacra," Andover, 1867; Zahn, in Herzog’s "Encykl.," vol. v. (1879), pp.
656–671; and articles in "Bible Dictionaries," and in "Encycl. Brit.," 9th ed., vol. xi., 602 sqq.
The anonymous Epistle "to the Hebrews," like the Book of Job, belongs to the order of
Melchizedek, combining priestly unction and royal dignity, but being "without father, without
mother, without pedigree, having neither beginning of days nor end of life" (Heb. 7:1–3). Obscure
in its origin, it is clear and deep in its knowledge of Christ. Hailing from the second generation of
Christians (2:3), it is full of pentecostal inspiration. Traceable to no apostle, it teaches, exhorts, and
warns with apostolic authority and power. Though not of Paul’s pen, it has, somehow, the impress
of his genius and influence, and is altogether worthy to occupy a place in the canon, after his
Epistles, or between them and the Catholic Epistles. Pauline in spirit, it is catholic or encyclical in
its aim.^1210
Contents.
The Epistle to the Hebrews is not an ordinary letter. It has, indeed, the direct personal
appeals, closing messages, and salutations of a letter; but it is more, it is a homily, or rather a
theological discourse, aiming to strengthen the readers in their Christian faith, and to protect them
against the danger of apostasy from Christianity. It is a profound argument for the superiority of
Christ over the angels, over Moses, and over the Levitical priesthood, and for the finality of the
second covenant. It unfolds far more fully than any other book the great idea of the eternal priesthood
and sacrifice of Christ, offered once and forever for the redemption of the world, as distinct from(^1210) See notes at the end of the section.
A.D. 1-100.