ST. PETER'S RECOGNITION OF ST. PAUL AS THE AUTHOR

OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

The full proof of this assertion has not yet been reached: the last spark has been already struck from the rock of revealed truth. But light may follow new blows. Researches in Exegesis may still be progressive. The possibility encourages the experiment. We now venture upon a portion of the writings of St. Peter.

St. Peter, at the end of his Second Epistle, writes these memorable and instructive words:

"Account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; as also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction."2 Peter 3. 15, 16.

The original Greek of this remarkable passage demands a translation, which is different in several respects from the common version. Thus:

The long-suffering of our Lord account salvation : even as also [with this accounting] our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, writes* to you. As also in all his Epistles, thus speaking in them concerning these subjects, in which Epistles are certain truths very hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable are wresting, as also they are the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.

The Epistle to the Hebrews in the New Testament was composed as early as the year 62 of the Christian

era.

The Second Epistle of St. Peter was written in the year 65 of the same era.

These dates, therefore, make it possible that the Epistle of St. Paul, to which St. Peter refers, is the veritable Epistle to the Hebrews in our New Testament Canon.

* Winer's Gram. 278; Webster's Gram. 90.

3

COINCIDENCES BETWEEN ST. PETER AND THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

There is a very striking and logical series of COINCIDENCES between St. Peter's Epitome of the Epistle he terms St. Paul's and the New Testament Epistle to the Hebrews, which not only confirms the possibility, but in argument advances this possibility to the highest probability, which is a reasonable certainty.

It is to this ARGUMENTATIVE SERIES that I now invite the scholarly and judicial attention of my readers.

The coincidences we are now to examine are of three kinds, Historical, Verbal and Topical.

Of the Historical coincidences, there are, as we shall discover, four instances. Of the Verbal, three. Of the Topical, there are eight examples.

A Historical Coincidence is when separate histories unite to establish the truth of any fact.

PECULIARITY OF ST. PETER.

Of all the eight writers of the New Testament Books, St. Peter, in announcing that St. Paul wrote an Epistle to the Israelitish Christians, is the only one who refers to the written compositions of another New Testament author.

The fact is not only exclusive, but is valuable, because it discloses the close familiarity of St. Peter, both with St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, and with the Hebrew Christians themselves.

This peculiar and important fact introduces us to other facts of even greater worth.

1. St. Paul, at the time St. Peter wrote his Second Epistle, is very dear both to St. Peter and to the Hebrew disciples of Jesus Christ. We perceive this affection in these words of St. Peter, "Our beloved brother Paul hath written unto you." 2 Peter, 3. 15.

This love of St. Peter and of the Hebrew Christians for Saul of Tarsus had not always existed.

(a) From certain language of St. Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians 2. 11-14, it is certain that these two Apostles were at one time alienated in affection from each other.

(b) With regard to the feelings of the Hebrew Christians towards the converted Saul, we have this record.

When he "was come to Jerusalem, and assayed to join himself to the (Hebrew) disciples, they were all afraid of him." Acts 9. 26. Their fears barred out all love.

But now, when St. Peter calls St. Paul "our beloved brother," he testifies both to his own and their love for "Paul the aged.'

The Hebrew Christians, as well as St. Peter, now love St. Paul, not only for his personal loveliness, but also for the sublime, instructive, incomparable Epistle he has composed for their benefit, and for the benediction of all coming ages.

2. The affection for St. Paul the Hebrew disciples now possess and cherish, removes every obstacle to his writing them an Epistle, and renders its production not merely possible, but most highly probable. His love for them would prompt him to prepare the Epistle. Their love for him would cause them to welcome its appearance with gladness, thankfulness, gratitude and joy.

3. St. Peter himself, as we shall see as we advance in our examination of his words, had not simply seen St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, but he had read the entire Epistle, had studied the Epistle most carefully, had reduced the varied and intricate contents of the Epistle to a brief, consistent, intelligible, attractive Summary; an abiding and ever-living witness to the Pauline authorship of our present Epistle to the Hebrews.

These open facts relating to St. Peter and his Hebrew readers, commend the invaluable record of his, 2 Peter 3. 15, 16, we have just read, to our special regard, and to our exhaustive research and permanent consideration and guidance.

I. HISTORICAL COINCIDENCES.

Of the four historical coincidences:

I. This is the first: NUMEROUS Epistles.

"As also in all his Epistles."-2 Peter 3. 16.

This short declaration of St. Peter is very comprehensive, and as proof most conclusive in establishing St. Paul as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews.

St. Peter's declaration ascribes to St. Paul two classes of Epistles:

(a) The Epistle to the Hebrews in our present New Testament, and

(6) Several other Epistles to Christian communities. You will closely mark St. Peter's exact words:

"As [in St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews] also in all his Epistles.

(a) There can be no doubt that the Epistle to the Hebrews St. Peter here attributes to St. Paul is the very Epistle to the Hebrews now in our New Testament Scriptures.

History, either profane or sacred, knows no other Epistle to the Hebrews. No other can possibly be found. Since we admit the decisions of history, we are compelled by this admission to receive our present Epistle to the Hebrews as the identical Epistle to which St. Peter here refers.

But St. Peter also here attributes our present Epistle to the Hebrews to St. Paul as its author. This is St. Peter's own affirmation. It should determine our belief.

"All

(b) The words St. Peter adds to this affirmation are equally imperative. "Also in all his Epistles." his Epistles can mean nothing less than his several Epistles.

At this point a historical fact impels us to form the same conclusion to which St. Peter has already brought us, namely, St. Paul is the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews. This is the controlling fact. To no Christian of the New Testament, except St. Paul, is this declaration, "all his Epistles," his many Epistles, POSSIBLY APPLICABLE. St. Paul wrote, besides the Epistle to the Hebrews, twelve other Epistles. Of no other New Testament person can this be affirmed. Neither Luke, nor Apollos, nor Barnabas, nor Sylvanus wrote even one Epistle, much less many Epistles. St. John nowhere attaches the name Epistle to any treatise of his. St. Paul alone, of all the New Testament characters, wrote many Epistles. This sole and exclusive authorship, does, according to the assertion of St. Peter, many Epistles, constitute St. Paul the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews. No other person can possibly be the writer. The only seat of authorship is forever occupied by St. Paul. claims of all others to this seat are annihilated.

The

His

right to it is proven. His supreme occupancy is by lawful acquisition, immovable, is INDOMITABLE-ST. PAUL

cannot be removed from the high and exclusive position in which St. Peter places him.

2. The second historical coincidence between St. Peter's Epitome of the Epistle he calls St. Paul's, and the New Testament Epistle to the Hebrews is EXTENDED

DISCOURSE.

As also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things.'-2 Peter 3. 16.

Speaking," in the Greek, lal☎v.

With regard to this participle we must now add two necessary explanations.

(a) The meaning of the verb itself, Aaléw, indicates extended discourse. This indication we detect in St. Peter's own use of the word, when he thus affirms :

'Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' -2 Peter 1. 21.

During the inspiration of these "holy men," the movement of the Holy Ghost was continuous. Their consequent speaking and writing must have been extended discourse.

(b) The nature in the Greek of the participle "speaking.

Speaking" belongs to the verb "wrote," and because this participle follows its verb it is in its nature modal, and therefore describes the manner of the "speaking "' and writing, which was in two forms, (aa) by inspiration," according to the wisdom given unto the holy men,' -2 Peter 3. 15, and since the "speaking" and writing were by inspiration, (bb) they were continuous. By these processes we discover that by the modal participle "speaking St. Peter assigns to the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews the characterizing peculiarity of extended discourse.

This characteristic of extended treatment of subjects largely abounds in the Epistle to the Hebrews we now have in the New Testament.

Extended discussion also strikingly characterizes every Epistle in the New Testament which bears the name of St. Paul.

This obvious peculiarity in the New Testament Epistle to the Hebrews, not only proves its strict conformity to the amplifications St. Peter attributes to St. Paul's Epistle, but likewise demonstrates the possession by this