`hard to be understood', Greek dusnoetos, even as in Hebrews 5:11 Paul confessed that there were some things

about which he desired to speak that were `hard to be uttered', Greek dusermeneutos (Heb. 5:11).

Regarding the evidences contained within the epistle to the Hebrews, the following points of resemblance should

be considered:

(1) Quotations from the Septuagint version. In Hebrews 10:30 and in Romans 12:19 the author of the two

epistles quotes Deuteronomy 32:35. Upon examination these quotations differ, both from the Hebrew and

from the Septuagint, but are word for word alike in the two epistles (in the Greek).

(2) Certain particles, small words that betray a person far more than lengthy words, are found only in Hebrews

and Paul's other epistles. These and a list of Greek words used by Paul as the writer of the Hebrews which

cannot be listed here, may he found in Vol. 36, pages 189,190 and Vol. 38, pages 84-88 of

The Berean Expositor.

(3) The reference to Greek games, `the race', `the fight', and the peculiar comment on 1 Corinthians 15:26-28

and Hebrews 2:5,8,16, indicate the same author.

(4) The reference to 2 Thessalonians 3:17,18 `so I write' when compared with the ending of Hebrews, practically

settles the matter of authorship (Grace ... with you, in every epistle).

However, we are more concerned with the contents of the epistle than the human author, whosoever he may be.

We take the opportunity here of showing the extreme value of discovering the `structure' of any book of the

Bible, for thereby we can perceive the `scope' of the writer.

Hebrews opens with the statement `God hath spoken' (Heb. 1:1,2). It is echoed in Hebrews 2:2,3 `spoken by

angels'; `spoken by the Lord'. The intervening subject matter stresses the superiority of the `Son' to Prophets, of the

`Lord' to angels. We read of others who `spoke' in the chapters that follow, but we are arrested at the reference in

Hebrews 12:25 because it is a most evident allusion to chapter two:

`See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. For if they ESCAPED NOT who refused Him that spake on earth, much

more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven'.

Here the Apostle is most evidently resuming the theme of chapter two:

`How shall we

ESCAPE,

if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord' (Heb.

So far, so good, but we remind ourselves that `one swallow does not make a summer' and thus we continue our

investigation. In chapter 13 the Apostle seems to sum up Christian ministry under the heading:

`Who have spoken unto you the word of God' (Heb. 13:7).

We can tentatively record our findings thus:

A Hebrews l & 2. The word spoken, the Prophets, the Son.

* * *

A Hebrews 12 & 13. Him, and they that speak the word.

lf these are indeed the opening and closing members of the underlying structure, there will be confirmation in the

context. These soon emerge:

`Thou remainest. Thou art the same' (Heb. 1 and 2).

`Things that remain, Jesus Christ is the same' (Heb. 12 and 13).

`How escape if neglect. Not escape if refuse' (Heb. 2 and 12).

`Bring in again the first Begotten' (Heb. 1).

`Brought again from the dead' (Heb. 11 and 13).