With one exception, all of the epistles of the Apostle Paul begin with a salutation, and every
greeting begins with his name. The exception is the Epistle to the Hebrews. It begins with the
name "God."

Due to the absence of Paul’s name in the Epistle to the Hebrews (and with practically no other
evidence), its Pauline authorship has been questioned from time to time.

The only conclusive certainty on the subject is quickly settled:the Author is the Holy Spirit (2 Pet.
1:21). As to the other arguments, if Paul is indeed the human instrument, as is most probable, due
credit should be given him as the Epistle fits into a spiritual pattern of that which Paul calls "my
doctrine" (2 Tim. 3:10). H. A. Ironside suggested a trilogy based on Hab. 2:4:"The just (Rom.
1:17) shall live (Gal. 3:11) by faith (Heb. 10:38).

Questions of Pauline authorship (but not of the Epistle’s canonicity) did not arise until the close
of the 2nd century. Clement of Alexandria "supposed" Luke to have been either its author or its
translator from an unknown Jewish source. Tertullian "supposed" the Epistle to be the work of
Barnabas, but the clearly apocryphal Epistle of Barnabas bears no relationship whatever to the
Epistle to the Hebrews. Martin Luther "supposed" it to be by Apollos, but that eloquent disciple’s
own "home church" of Alexandria (Acts 18:24) always attributed Hebrews to Paul. Other
"supposed" authors are Aquila, Silas, Philip the Deacon, Clement of Rome, Philo of Alexandria,
and Priscilla.

The Epistle’s theme is the superiority of Christ:greater than angels, greater than Moses, greater
than Aaron and all other high priests. Its object, said Dr. Barnhouse, is to "stop the Hebrews from
being Hebrews." Paul, in order to exalt Christ alone, and realizing that his apostleship would have
no weight in convincing his Jewish (Hebrew) audience of whom the Nazarenes and Ebionites
rejected him and his writings, he omits his name, omits his usual salutation ("Paul, an apostle"),
and goes right to his subject:God the Son is speaking now. To the Jew, Paul became a Jew (1 Cor.
9:20), hiding his personal identity. He brings the recognized authority of the Old Testament:
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the
prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son" (or "God the Son now speaks") (Heb.
1:1,2).

Note that Paul wrote that God has spoken "to us," not "to you." This eliminates the possibility of
Gentile authorship, as Paul was a Hebrew (Phil. 3:5). However, he was not the "apostle to the
circumcision" (Hebrews) as was Peter (Gal. 2:7). Peter wrote two epistles to Hebrews who were
"strangers scattered throughout" many lands (1 Pet. 1:1; 2 Pet. 3:1). Peter referred to "our
beloved brother Paul" having "written unto you" (scattered Hebrews) (2 Pet. 3:15). What other
epistle than Paul’s to the Hebrews could Peter be referring to? What other epistle is so well
described as "in which are some things hard to be understood" (2 Pet. 3:16)? Whose epistles, other
than Paul’s, close with "Grace be with you" (see 2 Thess. 3:17,18)? Who but Paul refers to "our
brother Timothy" (2 Cor. 1:1; Philem. 1; Heb. 13:23)? Where was Paul on the date ascribed to
the Epistle to the Hebrews, if not in Italy (Heb. 13:24)?

The Apostle Paul’s doctrine is particularly focused on the dispensational counsels of God; John’s,
on the manifestation and communication of eternal life; Peter’s, on the pilgrim path of the
believer. The Epistle to the Hebrews clearly reflects Paul’s characteristic doctrines in overall
distinction and detail.