What is the Letter to the Hebrews?

• A. A letter addressing Gentile churches
• B. The Letter to the Hebrews is a New Testament book written to Jewish Christians to demonstrate that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament priesthood.
• C. A historical chronicle of Israel
• D. A letter by Paul to Hebrews

Answer: (B)

Hebrews is a New Testament letter written to Jewish Christians, and its main purpose is to show that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament priesthood. The author presents Jesus as the great high priest who mediates a better covenant, offering a single, definitive sacrifice that perfectly accomplishes what the Levitical system could only point toward. Because the audience comes from a Jewish background, the argument leans on temple imagery, sacrificial language, and Old Testament texts to demonstrate that faith in Jesus is the true fulfillment of Israel’s faith. This helps believers see that clinging to the old ritual system isn’t needed for salvation; perseverance in faith in Christ is essential.

It isn’t a general history of Israel, and it isn’t attributed to Paul. Those features don’t match Hebrews, which purposefully engages a Jewish-Christian audience and develops its argument through priestly imagery and covenant themes.