IN the first century of the Christian era, formal letters usually began by designating the persons by whom and to whom they were written. Nearly all the authors of letters in the New Testament followed this usage; Paul also added his signature. (See II Thessalonians 3:17.) Besides I John, the epistle to the Hebrews is the only epistle in the New Testament containing nothing intended to identify either its author or the persons to whom it was sent. This epistle, as it has been preserved, leaves both of these points completely to inference, and all indications are that it never included the customary first paragraph.
Scholarly critics are divided in opinion with regard to the authorship of the epistle to the Hebrews. There are, however, acceptable facts and reasons which indicate that it was written by Apollos, by Barnabas, or by Aquila and Priscilla. And one of the most interesting facts is that Apollos, after he had been instructed to a certain extent in the Christian Way, was instructed therein "more perfectly" by Aquila and Priscilla. (See Acts 18:24–28.) This occurred at Ephesus not many years after 52. At that time, therefore, they were regarded as Christian teachers.
Other facts and reasons pointing to Aquila and Priscilla as the authors of the epistle to the Hebrews include the following:
1. They were among the few persons who could have written it.
2. They were prominent as Christian workers when the epistle was written, perhaps more so than either of the other persons who could have written it.
3. The Greek text of the epistle indicates that it was written by more than one person.
4. Aquila and Priscilla were from Rome, were Christian workers there as well as at Corinth and Ephesus, and the epistle indicates that it was sent to a congregation in Rome with whom the writers were acquainted.
5. Romans 16:3–5 and I Corinthians 16:19 show that a Christian church met in their house in Rome; hence, it would be natural for them to send such an epistle to this congregation from Corinth or Ephesus.
6. The position of women in the first century of the Christian era, plus Paul's well-known attitude toward women ("Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection," I Timothy 2:11, 12), explains why the authors of this epistle did not identify themselves. The contents of the epistle imply that it was intended to be circulated as well as read by its recipients.
On the whole, the facts which are now known point quite reasonably to the probability that the epistle to the Hebrews was written by Aquila and Priscilla, perhaps chiefly by Priscilla. Most probably, it is she who fulfills Mrs. Eddy's ascription, "a New Testament writer," on page 279 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."
The following citations contain all of the information in the New Testament concerning these interesting persons, Aquila and Priscilla: Acts 18:1–3, 18, 19, 24–26; Romans 16: 3–5; I Corinthians 16:19; II Timothy 4:19. Incidentally, these citations show that Paul evinced more deference or regard for Priscilla than he did for any other woman. Inscriptions in catacombs discovered in recent years furnish the further information that she was a member of a prominent Roman family who lost her social position by marrying a Jew and perhaps by becoming a Christian.
Evidently the authors of the epistle to the Hebrews intended it as an exhortation to Christians during a persecution by the Roman emperor, particularly to those who might be tempted to lapse into Judaism. The authors intended to exhort the Jewish Christians where they had worked to consider and follow the examples of steadfast characters in the Jewish Scriptures as fulfilled and perfected by Christ Jesus, which examples the authors emphasized as those of persons who endured and triumphed by seeing what is invisible to material sense.
Mrs. Eddy made a great contribution to effective Christianity—one that is only beginning to be valued at its true worth—when she described Christ Jesus as the Way-shower, and put this description of him into the Christian Science tenets: "We acknowledge Jesus' atonement as the evidence of divine, efficacious Love, unfolding man's unity with God through Christ Jesus the Wayshower" (Science and Health, p. 497; Church Manual, p. 15). All Christians agree that he is the personal Saviour, but from an early time Christendom has been divided as to the mode of his salvation. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). For a time after he ascended from human life, the religion that he founded was called the Way, but this concept of it did not last. Before the epistle to the Hebrews was admitted to the canon of Christian Scriptures, other doctrines of atonement had been formulated to declare the mode of Christian salvation. The epistle to the Hebrews, however, preserved the Master's teaching with regard to this subject, for in different terms it virtually describes him as the Wayshower. (See Hebrews 2:10; 5:9; 6:19,20; 10:19–23; 11:1–3,24–27; 12:1–3, 12, 13.) In effect, this epistle directs all Christian hope to the world of unseen reality, of which faith furnishes the conviction, and to which Jesus has passed, despite the veil of material sense, as the forerunner, the pioneer, the Way-shower for us.
