From ch. xiii. 7., though no mention is made in exprefs terms of martyrs, who had suffered in the cause of Christianity, we may with great probability infer that feveral perfons had really fuffered, and afforded a noble example to their brethren'. If this inference be just, the Hebrews, to whom this Epiftle was written, must have been inhabitants of Palestine; for in no other part of the Roman Empire, before the year 65, had the enemies of Christianity the power of perfecuting its profeffors in fuch a manner as to deprive them of their lives, because no Roman court of justice would have condemned a man to death merely for religious opinions; and the pretence of the Jews, that whoever acknowledged Jefus for the Meffias was guilty of treafon against the Emperor, was too fophiftical to be admitted by a Roman magiftrate. But in Palestine, Stephen and the elder James had already fuffered martyrdom"; both St. Peter and St. Paul had been in imminent danger of undergoing the fame fate; and according to Jofephus several other perfons were put to death, during the High-priesthood of the younger Ananus about the year 64 or 65. The words of Jofephus are as follow. The younger Ananus, who had obtained the office of High Prieft, was a man of defperate character, of the fect of the Sadducees, who, as I have obferved in other places, were in general fevere in their punishments. This Ananus embraced the opportunity of acting according to his inclination, after the death of Feftus, and before the arrival of his fucceffor Albinus. In this interval he conftituted a court of juftice, and brought before it James, a brother of Jefus, who was called Christ, and several others, where they were accused of having violated the law, and were condemned to be stoned to death. But the more moderate part of the city, and they who ftrictly adhered to the law, difapproved highly of this measure,"

! See my Notes to this paffage.

↑ Aûts xii. 3—6. xxiii, 11–21. 26. 30.

mActs vii. xii.

The

Antiquit. xx. 9. 1.

The preceding arguments, which I have here ftated in a fhort compafs, the reader will find delivered more at large in my Differtation on the Epiftle to the Hebrews. There are likewife other circumftances mentioned in this Epiftle, which, though less important and lefs decifive, still lead to the opinion, that it was written for the use of Chriftians in Jerufalem or Palestine. For inftance, ch. xiii. 9. appears to allude to offerings, which at that time were confidered as a part of the Jewish, and even of the Christian service: for that this paffage has no reference to unclean meats, I think I have clearly fhewn in my note to it. But if the paffage really alludes to offerings, the Epiftle muft have been written to perfons, who lived where offerings were made. Now this was practicable only in Jerufalem, for it was unlawful to offer facrifices. any where but in the temple. Again, ch. xiii. 12. 13. 14. Wherefore Jefus alfo, that he might fanctify the people with his own blood, fuffered without the gate: let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing the reproach, for here we have no continuing city, but feek one to come,' is very difficult to be explained on the fuppofition that the Epiftle was written to Hebrews, who lived out of Paleftine for neither in the Acts of the Apostles, nor in the other Epiftles do we meet with an inftance of expulfion from the fynagogue merely for a belief in Chrift, on the contrary the Apostles themselves were permitted to teach openly in the Jewish affemblies. But if we fuppofe that the Epifle was written to Jewish converts in Jerufalem, this paffage becomes perfectly clear, especially if it was written only a fhort time before the commencement of the Jewish war, about the year 65 or 66. The Chriftians namely on this fuppofition, are exhorted to endure their fate with patience, if they fhould be obliged to retire, or even be ignominioufly expelled from Jerufalem, fince Chrift himself had been forced out of this very city, and had fuffered without its walls. It was a city devoted to deftruction, and they who fled from it had

to expect a better in heaven. The difciples of Christ had been already warned by their mafter to flee from Jerufalem", and the time affigned for their flight could, when this Epiftle was written, be not far diftant. That they actually followed his advice, appears from the relation of Eufebius: and according to Jofephus", the most sensible inhabitants of Jerufalem took fimilar meafures, after the retreat of Ceftius Gallus, which happened in November 66, and likewife left the city. If we fuppose therefore, that the Epiftle was written to the Hebrew's of Jerufalem, the paffage in queftion is clear: but on the hypothefis, that it was written to Hebrews, who lived in any other place, the words εξερχώμεθα προς αυτόν έξω της παρεμβολής, τον ονείδισμου αυτό φέροντες, lofe their meaning. Further, ch. x. 25. Not forfaking the affembling of ourselves together, as the manner of fome is, but exhorting one another, and fo much the more, as ye fee the day approaching,' is an additional confirmation of my opinion. The approaching day' can mean only the day appointed for the deftruction of Jerufalem, and the downfall of the Jewish nation: but this event immediately concerned only the Hebrews of Palestine, and could have no influence, in determining the inhabitants of other countries, fuch as Afia Minor, Greece, and Spain, either to forfake or to frequent the places of public worship.

ad:

The objections, which have been made to the opinion, that the Epistle to the Hebrews was written to the Hebrews of Palestine, I have answered at large in the ninth section of my Differtation on this Epiftle. Some of them are extremely weak: for inftance, that which was made by Wall from ch. xiii. 18. 19. Pray for us, for we truft we have a good confcience, in all things willing to live honestly: but I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be reftored to you the fooner', a pasfage, which, in Wall's opinion, would not fuit an Epiftle written to a community, in which St. Paul had not Catch paffed

Matth. xxiv. 15-22. P Bell, Jud. ii. 20. 1.

• Hift. Ecclef. Lib. III. cap. 25.

paffed fourteen days. But this objection implies, what is a matter of very great doubt, that St. Paul was the author of it. Even were this matter certain, inftead of being doubtful, yet St. Paul had been feveral times at Jerufalem, he had collected alms in distant countries for the Chriftians of that city, and brought them in person: and even if the cafe were otherwife, ftill it might be faid of an Apoftle, who had been released from difficulty and danger, that he was reftored to the Chriftians of every country. Nor is Wetstein's argument which is founded on ch. xiii. 24 they of Italy falute you,' of greater weight. Wetstein namely contends, that the brethren of Italy could have had no acquaintance with the Jewish converts in Jerufalem, by which, if I understand him rightly, he means perfonal acquaintance. But that they really had, is furely not improbable, fince the Jews, who lived in countries at a distance from Palestine, fometimes went up to Jerufalem to celebrate the grand festivals: and even if Wetftein's affertion admitted of no doubt, yet it frequently happens that mutual falutations are fent from thofe, who are not perfonally known to each other.

༄་

But there is an objection, which is really of fome importance, It appears from ch. xiii. 23, that St. Paul intended to pay a visit to those Hebrews, to whom he addreffed the Epiftle. But it may be thought improbable, that he would take another journey to Jerufalem, which was not only at a confiderable distance from Rome, but was the place where he had firft fallen into the captivity, which had lafted feveral years. It is true, that before his laft vifit to Jerufalem he forefaw the danger which would attend him there, and that this danger did not deter him from the profecution of his journey: and Lardner has observed, that fince St. Paul had been finally acquitted in Rome, he had lefs reafon to apprehend any future moleftation from the Jews. But on the other hand, it may be afked, whether it would not have been imprudent in St. Paul to have returned to a city, where

• Acts xx. 22-25. XX. 10—14,

the

the captain of the Roman guard, to fecure him from open violence, had judged it neceffary to give him an efcort of four hundred and feventy men: and, whether the Roman magiftrates, at the time of his acquittal, would not have cautioned him againft going to a place, where the fafety of his perfon would occafion difficulty to the government, and perhaps the fhedding of blood. The objection delivered in this form appears to be of fome weight: but then it prefuppofes that St. Paul was the author of the Epiftle to the Hebrews, which is very far from being certain. I shall therefore confider it in a fubfequent fection.

SECT. V.

Of the opinion of other writers on the question, who the Hebrews were, to whom this Epiftle was fent.

Τ

IT

is neceffary at present, that I fhould give at least a fhort account of the opinions of other writers on this subject but a particular confutation of them must not be expected, fince I have already affigned, in the preceding fection, the reasons which induce me to diffent, and which it would be ufelefs to repeat. From the lift of opinions, which I am going to enumerate, I exclude however that, which makes the Epistle written to the Hebrews in general, dispersed throughout the world: for in fuch a general Epiftle, the author of it, whether St. Paul, or any other perfon, could certainly not have written, ch. xiii. 23. that as foon as Timothy arrived he intended to pay them a vifit. The following then are the feveral opinions, relative to the Hebrews, to whom this Epistle was addreffed.

1. That they were Hebrews in Afia Minor, namely, in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Afia, and Bithynia: to

which