Hebrews Book Review Michael L. Smith Oklahoma Wesleyan University November 27, 2014 Professor Devon Smith Abstract This is an analytical book review of Hebrews. This book review is includes a synopsis of the content of the book as well the purpose and the historical context of the book with indications of why this book was included in the canon of scriptures. This review will explore significant passages and the key verses of the book, as well as concluding the book review with writer’s personal commentary on Hebrews. Synopsis The writer of Hebrews neither identifies himself nor does he clearly identify his audience. In addition to not identifying himself or the writer of letters, the writer does not give us the destination of the letter. Martin Luther suggest that Apollos is the writer of Hebrews based on Luke’s account of Apollos in Acts 18:24-28, identifying Apollos as being a well-read, well-educated Hellenistic Jew from Alexandria (The Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, 2008). It was Clement of Alexandria that argued that Paul authored the book in Hebrew but someone like Luke or Apollos came along and translated it into Greek. Traditionally, the title of the letter is “to the Hebrews” with the possibility of those Hebrews being in Rome. The origin of the book of Hebrews is a mystery but the one thing we do know is that Hebrews is the oldest Greek manuscript (Zondervan, 2009). What is more puzzling is that this manuscript does not use the conventional greeting of the other manuscripts that we find in the canon of scripture. Based on the author’s use of the Septuagint when quoting scriptures from the Old Testament, it is highly likely that he is writing to Greek-speaking Jews outside of the region of Palestine. We can draw the conclusion that the writer is writing to Jewish Believers in Rome