by Butters 12 Replies latest watchtower bible
all that pagan stuff. Bad. Good Jewish roots. Truth.
Be careful, My Friend. You already got duped once on something called "Truth". The world is rarely black-and-white enough to support a concept so absolute as "truth".
(BTW, I loved it when Professor Chaos tried to "flood the world" with a garden hose! Hilarious episode!)
Dave
Here is the Watchtower's spin on the book of Hebrews:
“All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial”
Page 243 Bible Book Number 58 — Hebrews ***
Writer: Paul
Place Written: Rome
Writing Completed: c. 61 C.E.
PAUL is best known as the apostle “to the nations.” But was his ministry confined to the non-Jews? Not at all! Just before Paul was baptized and commissioned for his work, the Lord Jesus said to Ananias: “This man [Paul] is a chosen vessel to me to bear my name to the nations as well as to kings and the sons of Israel.” (Acts 9:15; Gal. 2:8, 9) The writing of the book of Hebrews was truly in line with Paul’s commission to bear the name of Jesus to the sons of Israel.
2 However, some critics doubt Paul’s writership of Hebrews. One objection is that Paul’s name does not appear in the letter. But this is really no obstacle, as many other canonical books fail to name the writer, who is often identified by internal evidence. Moreover, some feel that Paul may have deliberately omitted his name in writing to the Hebrew Christians in Judea, since his name had been made an object of hatred by the Jews there. (Acts 21:28) Neither is the change of style from his other epistles any real objection to Paul’s writership. Whether addressing pagans, Jews, or Christians, Paul always showed his ability to “become all things to people of all sorts.” Here his reasoning is presented to Jews as from a Jew, arguments that they could fully understand and appreciate.—1 Cor. 9:22.
3 The internal evidence of the book is all in support of Paul’s writership. The writer was in Italy and was associated with Timothy. These facts fit Paul. (Heb. 13:23, 24) Furthermore, the doctrine is typical of Paul, though the arguments are presented from a Jewish viewpoint, designed to appeal to the strictly Hebrew congregation to which the letter was addressed. On this point Clarke’s Commentary, Volume 6, page 681, says concerning Hebrews: “That it was written to Jews, naturally such, the whole structure of the epistle proves. Had it been written to the Gentiles, not one in ten thousand of them could have comprehended the argument, because unacquainted with the Jewish system; the knowledge of which the writer of this epistle everywhere supposes.” This helps to account for the difference of style when compared with Paul’s other letters.
Gotta love the 'inspired' uninspired writings emanating from God's voice in Brooklyn.
XJW4EVR,
Afaik the WT always ascribed Hebrews to Paul.
Hebrews is not mentioned in the Muratorian fragment.
Luther ascribed it to Apollos, which was a brilliant guess (but no more) in view of the many links between this book and Alexandrine philosophy / theology and its early recognition in Alexandria. Nirk
Narkissos,
Thank you for correcting my error on Hebrews in the Muratorian fragment, and the WTS reference to Paul as the author of Hebrews. Recollection can be a bad thing sometimes.
