Hebrews, Epistle to the, is the 19th book of the New Testament. Although it is called an epistle (letter), it is really a type of religious essay. Its author is unknown. It was probably written during the persecution of Christians by Rome under the Emperor Domitian sometime between A.D. 81 and 96. The author tries to help his readers to remain faithful as Christians, despite persecution, in three ways. First, he praises the greatness of Christianity, mainly by showing that it is superior, in his view, to Judaism. Second, he presents Jesus as an example of being perfected through suffering. Third, he warns of the spiritual consequences to Christians of abandoning their faith.
