Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 67:1 (Mar 2024)
Article: Hebrews, She Wrote? An Analysis Of The Harnack-Hoppin Thesis Of Priscillan Authorship Of Hebrews
Author: Bridget Jack Jeffries

JETS 67:1 (March 2024) p. 47

Hebrews, She Wrote? An Analysis Of The Harnack-Hoppin Thesis Of Priscillan Authorship Of Hebrews

Bridget Jack Jeffries*

* Bridget Jack Jeffries is a PhD student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. She may be contacted at [email protected].

Abstract: This article evaluates the Harnack-Hoppin thesis that Priscilla is the primary author of Hebrews, examining (1) the historical evidence pertinent to Priscilla’s candidacy for authorship; (2) the probability of a woman in antiquity composing a work of oratory, rhetoric, and philosophy of the caliber of the Epistle to the Hebrews; (3) the inductive argument that the text “feminizes” or otherwise contains internal evidence that it is the work of a feminine mind, and (4) the author’s self-referential use of the participle διηγούμενον in 11:32. An examination of these four elements demonstrates that advocates of the Harnack-Hoppin thesis have not adequately addressed the difficulties posed by historical questions about Priscilla’s candidacy, they have not refuted the apparent verdict of the masculine participle at 11:32, and their inductive argument for a feminine author is critically flawed and unsustainable. The article concludes that Priscilla is not a serious contender for primary authorship of Πρὸς Ἑβραίους.

Key Words: Hebrews, authorship of Hebrews, female authors in antiquity, ancient rhetoric, Prisca, Priscilla

There may be no mystery in New Testament studies as enduring as the identity of the author of Hebrews. Pantaenus (ca. 120–ca. 200), his student Clement (ca. 150–ca. 215), and Clement’s student, Origen (ca. 185–ca. 253), were all of the Alexandrian school and all attributed the epistle to Paul, although they also suggested Luke or Clement of Rome (ca. 35–99) as a collaborator or translator. Origen further provided the detail that the letter’s authorship was disputed in his time. Indeed, Origen’s contemporary Tertullian (ca. 155–ca. 220) attributed it to Paul’s companion Barnabas, while Hippolytus of Rome (ca. 170–ca. 235) claimed it as the work of Clement of Rome. Acceptance of Pauline authorship by Athanasius (ca. 296/298–373) and Jerome (ca. 342/347–420) helped secure its place in the canon, but this consensus later came under scrutiny from the Reformers. Martin Luther (1483–1546) proposed Apollos of Alexandria (Acts 18:24) as the author, while John Calvin (1509–1564) rejected Pauline authorship and narrowed the candidates down to Luke or Clement.1 Modern...