•  the Epistle to the Hebrews  •

About the Epistle to the Hebrews

The Epistle to the Hebrews, (Greek: «Ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Ἑβραίους»), is a unique and rhetorically impressive New Testament document whose authorship, audience, and even genre have been the subject of much debate. Early Christians at times ascribed it to Paul or his companions, but the work itself uses no name as author, and its elegant Greek and theological vocabulary differ significantly from Paul's writings. What can be stated with clarity is that the author belongs to the second generation of Christian leaders; he received the gospel from those who heard Jesus firsthand (Heb 2:3-4), and the document is directed to people very well versed in the Scriptures of Israel, most probably Jewish Christians.
His audience appears to be a group of people who are weary, discouraged, and tempted to stray from their faith. Their challenge may involve both external pressures and internal spiritual fatigue fleeing church discipline (Heb 2:1; 10:32-34). To counter this, the author offers what he calls a “message of encouragement,” a written homily structured around extended comparisons between Jesus and central figures or institutions of Israel’s story—angels and the Torah, Moses and the promised land, the priesthood and Melchizedek, and the covenant with its sacrifices. Each comparison works to elevate Jesus as the definitive revelation of God and the true fulfillment of Israel’s hopes. At the same time, Hebrews challenges its readers to persevere. Using Israel's own history as a cautionary mirror, the author warns against unbelief and spiritual apathy while pointing to Jesus' faithful obedience and ongoing heavenly ministry as sources of confidence. The celebrated catalogue of faithful figures in chapter 11 underlines the nature of faith as trust in what is not yet seen. In its final exhortations, the letter urges moral integrity, communal solidarity, and resolute attachment to Jesus' self-offering. Altogether, Hebrews presents Jesus as God's ultimate word and invites believers to a steadfast, hope-filled pilgrimage toward God's unshakable kingdom.
•   You can follow at "Perseus Scaife" the Greek or or English text.

 

About the audio~videobook

The recording contains the unabridged Ancient Greek text in 13 chapters. The videobook shows the highlighted Greek text simultaneously with the recorded reading.
After purchase you will be able to download the relevant audiobook in mp3 format. With the videobook purchase the .zip file contains two files, an .mp4 (video) and an .srt (with the optional captions in English). Other video formats or languages available on request.

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You can listen to a short sample in the following video.