📕 Was Hebrews Rejected Early On?

✨Hebrews was not universally accepted in the early centuries of the faith, and for good reason. If we go back to pre-325 AD, before the Roman Church enforced a unified canon, we find that many early Christian communities were skeptical of Hebrews, especially those more connected to the original Hebrew followers of Yeshua.

✅ In the East (Jewish-Christian & Syriac Churches)
Hebrews was often excluded from early Syriac canons.

The Peshitta, the official Bible of the Syriac Church, did not originally include Hebrews.

The Nazarenes and Ebionites (early Jewish followers of Yeshua) did not recognize Hebrews — possibly because it portrayed Yeshua in a way that resembled Greek mystical ideas and redefined the priesthood.

They followed the Gospel of the Hebrews and writings like Matthew, not the high Greek-sounding epistles.

Early believers rejected the Book of Hebrews

❌ In the West (Rome, North Africa)
Tertullian (c. 200 AD) didn’t accept Hebrews and said Barnabas was the author.



✨ Caius of Rome didn’t include Hebrews in his canon.

The Muratorian Fragment (c. 170 AD), one of the earliest canon lists, does not include Hebrews.

The Western Church found Hebrews suspicious because it was anonymous and had no clear apostolic origin.

🧱 Why Was Hebrews Rejected?
Anonymous authorship – No name, no apostolic claim.

Too Jewish for Greeks, too Greek for Hebrews – Walked an awkward line.

Mystical theology – The Melchizedek theology and “heavenly temple” language felt Greek-Platonic to many.

No resurrection narrative – While Hebrews refers to Yeshua’s exaltation, it’s oddly quiet about the physical resurrection — a core doctrine in early Hebrew faith.

Replaced the earthly Temple with a heavenly shadow – This undermined the central place of Jerusalem and was foreign to original Torah-based believers.

✨🏛️ When Was It Accepted?

Eusebius (c. 325 AD) listed Hebrews as disputed (ἀντιλεγομένα) but said the Eastern churches used it.
It was not until the 4th century, under increasing Roman authority and councils like:
Council of Laodicea (c. 363 AD)
Council of Carthage (397 AD)
That Hebrews was officially added to the canon in the Roman Church.

⚖️ Hebrew vs. Roman View
Early Hebrew Followers:

Rejected the Book of Hebrews or ignored it entirely.

Focused on Yeshua (Jesus) as the promised Messiah who fulfilled the Torah, not replaced it.

Centered their faith in Jerusalem, the Temple, and the Torah.

Believed in obedience to God through actions, not abstract theology.

Saw Melchizedek as a historical priest-king, not a mystical eternal figure.

Used Aramaic and Hebrew thought, not Greek philosophy.


Melchizedek priesthood vs Levitical priesthood

✨ Emerging Roman Church:

Gradually accepted Hebrews, especially by the 4th century.

Shifted focus to a spiritualized view of Yeshua as a heavenly High Priest.

Replaced the Temple and Torah with “faith alone” and Greek metaphors.

Embraced Greek philosophy—heavenly shadows, dualism, and mystical priesthood.

Treated Melchizedek as a symbol of eternal priesthood, using him to redefine Yeshua’s role.

Used polished Greek language and ideas to reach a broader Gentile audience.

Greek influence in the Book of Hebrews

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