Hebrews

Paul’s letter to the Hebrews reads differently than his previous letters.

Maybe this is because he is writing to Jewish converts to Christianity. They have the difficult task of not only taking on this new belief system, but also having to defend themselves to those who are not believers in the teachings of Jesus. It would be so easy to go back to the traditional Jewish laws and customs.

Paul uses words from the Old Testament to support the fact that Jesus is God’s son. He spends much of the letter recounting how faith in what cannot be seen kept key figures in the Old Testament going. He relates this faith to current circumstances. He talks of hardship as discipline, like a loving father disciplines his children. He asks them not to give up.

Paul reiterates the basic belief to love one another, honor God and each other, help others.

And then he says goodbye, telling them to welcome Timothy and hoping he will see them again.