Scholarly Reading
6/18/26
Robinson, John A.T. (1976). "Chapter 7: The Epistle to the Hebrews." (pp. 200-220). In Redating the New Testament. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock. (Personal Library)
Hebrews, with its persistent theme of Christ being superior to the temple and sacrificial system, as well as the theme of persecution which tempts Christians to depart from the faith, can well be tied to the time of the destruction of the temple and the rise of overt Roman persecution (Robinson 1976, p. 200). However, Robinson notes that much recent scholarship on Hebrews has moved opinion to suggest a variety of dates, including those before AD 70 (Robinson 1976, p. 201). The references to the forty year wandering of Israel has often been tied to the period of AD 30-70 as a time of Israel's disobedience.
Passages, such as Hebrews 10:2ff, speak of the sacrificial system as a present and ongoing reality (Robinson 1976, p. 202). It would be unusual, at the least, to make such an argument after the work of the temple had ended. Though there are isolated mentions of ongoing sacrifice after 70, Robinson considers them to have been individual private acts or statements of an ideal, not descriptions of the routine sacrificial cult continuing as before but in different situations (Robinson 1976, pp. 202-203). The arguments in Hebrews such as in 9:1-10 and 8:13 lead to a concept of a sacrificial system which is coming to a close, rather than one we expect to continue.
Robinson observes that there is agreement on a clear relationship of Hebrews 1:3-13 and 1 Clement 36:2-5, placing the text of one or both texts no later than the year 96 (Robinson 1976, p. 205). It is certainly possible that Hebrews was written considerably earlier than 1 Clement.
The severity of the persecution referred to in Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31; and 12:15-29 is more extreme than any other found in the New Testament. Robinson considers this not to fit a period other than that of Nero until about AD 250 (Robinson 1976, p. 207). This rules out any time prior to Clement except that of Nero. Robinson provides several pages of illustration of the severity of persecution.
Eventually, Robinson entertains the possibility that the letter comes from the time when Neronian persecution could be seen growing, but that it looks back to a period sometime in the 40s when Christianity was not actively preparing for overt persecution (Robinson 1976, p. 211). He further takes the repeated use of the language of commerce, images of a cultural center, and the urban metaphors to suggest that Hebrews was intended for an audience in Rome (Robinson 1976, p. 213).
If Hebrews was written to Christians in Rome during the reign of Nero, considering that 13:23 mentions Timothy, it would be surprising that there would be no mention of Peter or Paul, unless, of course, they had already died. For this reason, Robinson suggests a tentative date in AD 67 (Robinson 1976, p. 215).
As to authorship of Hebrews, Robinson is quick to observe that the recipients of the letter were assumed to know who the author was (Robinson 1976, p. 215). This does not mean that we can be certain. Robinson briefly discusses the arguments for and against a number of authors, including Aquila and Priscilla, Apollos, and Barnabas. In the end, the author and place of writing are no more than educated guess work. However, Robinson is reasonably confident the letter was addressed to Christians at Rome near the end of Nero's reign, about 67.
6/18/26
Robinson, John A.T. (1976). "Chapter 7: The Epistle to the Hebrews." (pp. 200-220). In Redating the New Testament. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock. (Personal Library)
Hebrews, with its persistent theme of Christ being superior to the temple and sacrificial system, as well as the theme of persecution which tempts Christians to depart from the faith, can well be tied to the time of the destruction of the temple and the rise of overt Roman persecution (Robinson 1976, p. 200). However, Robinson notes that much recent scholarship on Hebrews has moved opinion to suggest a variety of dates, including those before AD 70 (Robinson 1976, p. 201). The references to the forty year wandering of Israel has often been tied to the period of AD 30-70 as a time of Israel's disobedience.
Passages, such as Hebrews 10:2ff, speak of the sacrificial system as a present and ongoing reality (Robinson 1976, p. 202). It would be unusual, at the least, to make such an argument after the work of the temple had ended. Though there are isolated mentions of ongoing sacrifice after 70, Robinson considers them to have been individual private acts or statements of an ideal, not descriptions of the routine sacrificial cult continuing as before but in different situations (Robinson 1976, pp. 202-203). The arguments in Hebrews such as in 9:1-10 and 8:13 lead to a concept of a sacrificial system which is coming to a close, rather than one we expect to continue.
Robinson observes that there is agreement on a clear relationship of Hebrews 1:3-13 and 1 Clement 36:2-5, placing the text of one or both texts no later than the year 96 (Robinson 1976, p. 205). It is certainly possible that Hebrews was written considerably earlier than 1 Clement.
The severity of the persecution referred to in Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31; and 12:15-29 is more extreme than any other found in the New Testament. Robinson considers this not to fit a period other than that of Nero until about AD 250 (Robinson 1976, p. 207). This rules out any time prior to Clement except that of Nero. Robinson provides several pages of illustration of the severity of persecution.
Eventually, Robinson entertains the possibility that the letter comes from the time when Neronian persecution could be seen growing, but that it looks back to a period sometime in the 40s when Christianity was not actively preparing for overt persecution (Robinson 1976, p. 211). He further takes the repeated use of the language of commerce, images of a cultural center, and the urban metaphors to suggest that Hebrews was intended for an audience in Rome (Robinson 1976, p. 213).
If Hebrews was written to Christians in Rome during the reign of Nero, considering that 13:23 mentions Timothy, it would be surprising that there would be no mention of Peter or Paul, unless, of course, they had already died. For this reason, Robinson suggests a tentative date in AD 67 (Robinson 1976, p. 215).
As to authorship of Hebrews, Robinson is quick to observe that the recipients of the letter were assumed to know who the author was (Robinson 1976, p. 215). This does not mean that we can be certain. Robinson briefly discusses the arguments for and against a number of authors, including Aquila and Priscilla, Apollos, and Barnabas. In the end, the author and place of writing are no more than educated guess work. However, Robinson is reasonably confident the letter was addressed to Christians at Rome near the end of Nero's reign, about 67.
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