Freethought & Rationalism Archive

mountainman · 07-03-2007, 08:21 AM

Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews?
What is the current concensus of opinion?

One author (Bernard) claims that:

"Martin Luther regarded Apollos [=Apollonius]
as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews
and many scholars since have shared his view."

Did Martin Luther in fact think this way, and if so,
in which publication would we find Luther's opinion?

Thanks for any info.

Roger Pearse · 07-03-2007, 09:42 AM

I did.

Toto · 07-03-2007, 01:18 PM

Your quote actually comes from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.

I suspected that this attribution comes from the preface to Luther's translation of Hebrews in his German translation of the NT, as is hinted at here or here:

Quote:

Martin Luther had different views of various books of the Bible. Specifically, he had a fairly low view of the Books of Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation as he wrote,

Up to this point we have had the true and certain chief books of the New Testament. The four which follow have from ancient times had a different reputation. In the first place, the fact that Hebrews is not an epistle of St. Paul, or of any other apostle (Luther, M. Prefaces to the Epistle of the Hebrews, 1546).

Regarding the New Testament Book of Hebrews Martin Luther stated,

It need not surprise one to find here bits of wood, hay, and straw (O'Hare, p. 203).

However, you can read Luther's preface in Luther's Works (or via: amazon.co.uk), ed Pelikan, on Google Books, and Luther is sure that the Epistle was not by Paul, but praises it nonetheless. (It is interesting to see how the quote above is taken out of context.) And there is no mention of Apollo.

If you search for Martin Luther Hebrews Apollo on Google Books, you will find some references to Luther attributing this Epistle to Apollo, some of which seem to be offhand comments.

There is a reference to it in Positive Atheism's Big Scary List of Martin Luther Quotations - Luther: The Deranged Theologian (compiled by our own Don Morgan) - although this quote is not very scary compared to some of the others.

arricchio · 07-03-2007, 01:23 PM

Cited by Eusebius in Ecclesiastical History 6:25.

Quote:

But as for myself, if I were to state my own opinion, I should say that the thoughts are those of the apostle [Paul], but that the diction and phraseology are those of someone who wrote down at his leisure what had been said by his teacher. Therefore, if any church holds that this epistle is by Paul, let it be commended for this. For not without reason have the ancients handed it down as Paul’s. But who wrote the epistle, in truth, God knows.

Is this thread going where I think it's going?

Toto · 07-03-2007, 01:27 PM

Where do you think it's going?

Ben C Smith · 07-03-2007, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arricchio

Cited by Eusebius in Ecclesiastical History 6:25.

Quote:

But as for myself, if I were to state my own opinion, I should say that the thoughts are those of the apostle [Paul], but that the diction and phraseology are those of someone who wrote down at his leisure what had been said by his teacher. Therefore, if any church holds that this epistle is by Paul, let it be commended for this. For not without reason have the ancients handed it down as Paul’s. But who wrote the epistle, in truth, God knows.

I think it should be pointed out that Eusebius is here quoting Origen. The full quote is available on my Hebrews page. Eusebius himself seems to have favored the view that Paul wrote the epistle in Hebrew and Clement translated it.

Ben.

mountainman · 07-03-2007, 01:39 PM

Thanks for all those references Toto.

mountainman · 07-03-2007, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben C Smith

my Hebrews page.

Hi Ben,

I notice that the list of possible authors listed on your page
includes the following: Paul, Barnabas, Clement, Luke, Priscilla
and Apollos. I am reasonably familiar with the history of the
attribution to all authors other than Apollos, and was surprised
to find that Martin Luther had considered Apollos as an author.

Are you aware of any earlier precedent (before Luther)
attributing Hebrews to Apollos?

Best wishes,

Pete

arricchio · 07-03-2007, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Where do you think it's going?

No where really. I just thought it was interesting given Mountainman's attraction for things Eusebian that there was 3 degress of separation-type connection between his question about Martin Luther and Eusebius. I couldn't resist a poke in his direction. Sorry Mountainman.

To make up for it I did a JSTOR search and came up with this from Frederic Gardiner in Journal of the Society of Biblical Literature and Exegesis, Vol. 7, No. 1. (Jun., 1887):

Quote:

Many modern critics have selected Apollos as the
most probable author, chiefly because of the facts recorded of him in
Acts xviii. 24-28, that he "was born at Alexandria, an eloquent man
and mighty in the Scriptures," and that after receiving further instruction
from Aquila and Priscilla, "he mightily convinced the Jews, and
that publicly, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ." He
was certainly personally known to S. Paul (I Cor. xvi. IZ), although
of the length of time they may have been together we have no information.
His being an Alexandrian is thought to explain what some
are pleased to consider an Alexandrian tone of thought in the epistle,
and also the fact that its quotations are from the LXX, and accord
rather with its Alexandrian than its Vatican recension. The force of
the last point is not obvious. In the meagreness of our knowledge
of the original LXX, it appears probable that the so-called Alexandrian
recension was the one generally current in the Levant, and
therefore that this indication, whatever it may be worth, simply points
to an Oriental author. And so also whatever there may be of an
Alexandrian caste of thought in the epistle only indicates some one
familiar with Jewish-Alexandrian literature, and this would include
almost every educated Jew living in the Levant. At all events,
neither of these considerations seem to have occurred to any of those
early Alexandrian scholars, Pantaenus, Clement, or Origen, who all
speak of the authorship, the last at some length and with discrimination.
The theory of Apollos' authorship has, however, this great
advantage : that no line of his remains to compare with our epistle.
It has also these disadvantages : that it never occurred to any ancient
author, but was first suggested by Luther; that there is no evidence
of any prolonged personal intercourse between him and S. Paul ; and
that there is nothing to connect him with any especial interest in, or familiarity with, the Jewish ritual and temple beyond the simple fact that he was a Jew, as was also almost every other writer who has ever been suggested.

That's all I have for now.

mountainman · 07-03-2007, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arricchio

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Where do you think it's going?

No where really. I just thought it was interesting given Mountainman's attraction for things Eusebian that there was 3 degress of separation-type connection between his question about Martin Luther and Eusebius. I couldn't resist a poke in his direction. Sorry Mountainman.

No offence taken Arriccho! I'm just hanging around
tidying up loose ends. Thanks for the data, BTW.

Quote:

To make up for it I did a JSTOR search and came up with this from Frederic Gardiner in Journal of the Society of Biblical Literature and Exegesis, Vol. 7, No. 1. (Jun., 1887):

Quote:

..[trimmed]...

The theory of Apollos' authorship has, however, this great
advantage : that no line of his remains to compare with our epistle.
It has also these disadvantages : that it never occurred to any ancient
author, but was first suggested by Luther;

That's all I have for now.

That's more than I had an hour ago. It appears Luther
was the first according to this article. There's no doubt
that I am going to have to get JSTOR access somehow.

Can anyone advise whether, if one is able to attain the
status of a university student, JSTOR access is granted?

Thanks again Arricco.

07-03-2007, 08:21 AM	#1
mountainman Contributor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Falls Creek, Oz. Posts: 11,192	Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? Who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews? What is the current concensus of opinion? One author (Bernard) claims that: "Martin Luther regarded Apollos [=Apollonius] as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews and many scholars since have shared his view." Did Martin Luther in fact think this way, and if so, in which publication would we find Luther's opinion? Thanks for any info.

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07-03-2007, 09:42 AM	#2
Roger Pearse Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: N/A Posts: 4,370	I did.

07-03-2007, 01:27 PM	#5
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Where do you think it's going?

07-03-2007, 01:39 PM	#7
mountainman Contributor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Falls Creek, Oz. Posts: 11,192	Thanks for all those references Toto.

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