Page 11 - Hebrews- Student Textbook

Study Section 2: The Purpose for Writing Hebrews

2.1 Connect

The audience of the book of Hebrews was a persecuted people. There were three well-
known times of persecution for Christians during the first century A.D. that may have
impacted Hebrews' original audience, at least indirectly. In A.D. 49, the Roman Emperor
Claudius expelled Jews from the city of Rome. And around A.D. 64, Emperor Nero
persecuted Christians in the vicinity of Rome. In 89-96 A.D., Domitian heavily persecuted
Jews and Christians toward the end of his reign, but the book of Hebrews, as we have seen, was
probably already penned and distributed to the persecuted churches in their time of great struggle.

As we read through the book of Hebrews, it becomes evident that the original audience had already
faced persecution in the past, some of them were suffering in the present, and the author's expectation
was that more of them would suffer, perhaps even more severely, in the future. And those who
opposed the believers declared the Jesus was not the Messiah and certainly was not God! It is obvious
that some the Hebrew believers were doubting their faith in Jesus. Rather than simply being
discouraged or weakened by the suffering, they were in danger of turning away from Christ entirely.
The author of Hebrews wrote to encourage them in their faith as well as warn them about departing
from their faith.

2.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to identify clearly the three major purposes for the writing of
the book.

2. The student should be able to describe the various ways Christ hold superiority.

2.3 Purpose for Writing Hebrews

The author of the book of Hebrews, while covering many topics, had an overarching
purpose for writing the book. Succinctly put, the author of Hebrews wrote to exhort his
audience to reject local Jewish teachings and to remain faithful to Jesus, even when facing
severe persecution.

A. The Jewish Christians are encouraged to leave the synagogue and identify publicly
(fully) with the church (cf. 13:13).

B. The Jewish Christians are encouraged to take up the missionary mandate of the gospel (cf. Matt. 28:19-
20; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8).

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