The Epistle to the Hebrews was written to Jews in Jewish lands. We can be sure of this because of the use of the word fathers in Hebrews 1:1, and due to the fact that nothing is mentioned of gentiles in this epistle. All of its content pertains to Jewish history, beliefs and traditions and how such things apply to Christ. It is one of four epistles in the New Testament that isn’t signed,[1] and based only upon the absence of a signature, some scholars tell us that the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews cannot be known for certain, but is this true?
Besides Paul, there have been several other first century AD Christian leaders who have been suggested as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, such as Peter, Luke, Barnabas, Apollos and Silas. A clue that could point to the author’s identity is that Timothy seems to be his helper (Hebrews 13:23). We know of Paul’s relationship with Timothy, but, with the exception of Silas (Acts 17:14-15; 18:5)[2] and Luke (Romans 16:21; Colossians 1:1; 4:14; 2Timothy 4:11; Philemon 1:1, 24), we don’t know that any of the other names mentioned above had ever met him. So, the fact that Timothy is known by its author, and seems to be the authors helper, makes Paul a possible, perhaps even the probable, candidate for the authorship of this epistle.
Another reason that Paul should be considered its author is that the writer of the epistle was a prisoner in Italy (Hebrews 10:34; cf. Hebrews 13:3, 18-19), and Paul was sent there to appear before Caesar (Acts 25:12; 27:1; 28:15). While we know Luke was in Italy, his presence there was to be with Paul, so the better candidate still seems to be Paul. Moreover, if Paul is the author of Hebrews, there is good reason for him not to sign the epistle. The Jewish authorities might have used the document to say he was still stirring up trouble in the Jewish lands. What reason could we submit for any of the other suggested authors, listed above, to have not signed the document? So, there seems to be more reasons to believe Paul is its author than anyone else that we could name.
The fact that only Timothy’s name is mentioned in the final salutation, would lend credence to the idea that the greeting and subsequent signature of the author has been purposefully left out rather than missing in the sense that it has been lost. Consider why the author of this epistle named no one by name in the salutation except for Timothy. Why would he do that, unless repercussions could be foreseen to follow, if names were mentioned (cf. Hebrews 10:32-34)? The author probably wanted to keep Jewish authorities (should a copy of the letter fall into their hands) from identifying other believers and their families that were residing in Jewish lands. An epistle with a lot of names would enable the authorities to carry out their wicked plans of intimidation and persecution.
Therefore, if this argument is logical and true, namely that persecution was on the rise (Hebrews 10:35-37), and safety was a determining factor for names being left out of the greeting and salutation, then it would also be logical for Paul to purposefully leave out his own name, so the Jewish authorities couldn’t use the letter against him at his subsequent trial before Caesar, whenever that would occur. Thus, and for these reasons, I believe the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews is Paul.
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[1] All three epistles of John aren’t signed.
[2] Both Silas and Timothy assisted Paul in writing both letters to the Thessalonians (1Thessalonians 1:1 & 2Thessalonians 1:1).
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