“Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.” Heb. 10:32-36 NLT 

Footsteps #??? The book of Hebrews gives us one complete sermon preached by the Apostle Paul. Before we spend a few days reflecting on its content let me explain why I believe it is a sermon preached by Paul. 

The author of Hebrews calls it a word of exhortation (13:22) which is an expression used to identify a sermon in either the synagogue or at Christian worship (Acts 13;22, 1Tim.4:13). It was initially read and received by the early Christian church as a letter from the apostle Paul. In early manuscripts (around A.D. 200) Hebrews was placed right after Paul’s letter to the Romans. The book, however, does end in a letter-writing mode. 

Why do I think it is a sermon (probably recorded by a scribe, possibly even Luke)? Firstly, it contains uses of the first-person plural pronoun (we/us/our) in a distinctive manner. This enables the speaker to identify with his audience while also asserting his authority. This includes references to speaking and hearing (e.g. 2:5, 5:11, 6:9, 8:1, 11:32).  

The author of Hebrews must have been well educated. It contains the best Greek of the New Testament. The author is also well acquainted with Jewish methods of interpreting Scripture, such as argument by analogy and other techniques. Besides this, the author/orator is steeped in the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament and employs the most extensive use of Old Testament quotes of any New Testament document.  

Like any sermon, the speaker introduces themes and then develops them later in the discourse. This speaks in favour of an oral form of address. The speaker also knew Timothy (Heb.13:23). Most importantly, the theology is Pauline. It underpins everything Paul said in all his previous correspondence. The conclusion, for me at least, is that Hebrews is a sermon preached by Paul and written down by a scribe. The place and time are unknown. My personal opinion, given its reference to deprivation and persecution, is that it occurred after his release from the first imprisonment in Rome, which occurred about A.D. 63. After the burning of Rome (AD 64) and the subsequent persecution under Nero, the Christians had everywhere been a prohibited sect. Peter was crucified upside down in Rome about AD67, about the same time that Paul was rearrested. Again it is my opinion that Paul is referring to the persecutions of Nero in passages like Heb.10:32-38. With this in mind, we will spend the next few days thinking about the content of the book of Hebrews.