Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
Years ago I studied this topic about the authorship. All the best scholars said only Paul could write such a monumental treatise. All the best scholars concluded that, of all the N.T. writers, only Luke's Greek writing skills could match the vocabulary and grammatical writing skills. The scholars also said Hebrews was probably written while Paul was under house arrest and "only Luke was with him."
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I've heard this in the past & was unimpressed, but decided to revisit, and you are right, there is a fair amount of scholarly support for the idea. I read one paper that hypothesized that Luke transcribed a sermon of Paul to the discouraged Jews, just as he did Paul's speeches in Acts. Then the "to us" part of Hebrews 2:3 makes sense. Here, Paul is speaking on behalf of the steadfast ones, who believed and have not fallen away.
Be that as it may, the point remains, that the law of Christ, the royal law, and the new commandments to love one another are seen as the foundation of the kingdom of God, and its crown. Love one another. And in that commandment there is truly no Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free. All are beloved children in the Father's house. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "What do you have that you did not receive?"
And the economy of God, as I have argued on this forum, is love expressed, to share with one another. "When I was sick you visited me", is followed by "He who gathered much had no excess, he who gathered little had no lack", and, "It is better to give than to receive." When you see this, the apostles charge to Paul fits neatly: "Only remember the poor". Its all one seamless, coherent narrative.