<P> The epistle casts Jesus as both exalted Son and high priest, a unique dual Christology . </P> <P> Hebrews uses Old Testament quotations interpreted in light of first century rabbinical Judaism . New Testament and Second Temple Judaism scholar Eric Mason argues that the conceptual background of the priestly Christology of the Epistle to the Hebrews closely parallels presentations of the messianic priest and Melchizedek in the Qumran scrolls . In both Hebrews and Qumran a priestly figure is discussed in the context of a Davidic figure; in both cases a divine decree appoints the priests to their eschatological duty; both priestly figures offer an eschatological sacrifice of atonement . Although the author of Hebrews was not directly influenced by Qumran's "Messiah of Aaron", these and other conceptions did provide "a precedent...to conceive Jesus similarly as a priest making atonement and eternal intercession in the heavenly sanctuary". </P> <P> By the end of the first century there was no consensus on the author's identity . Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Paul the Apostle, and other names were proposed . Others later suggested Luke the Evangelist, Apollos, or his teacher Priscilla as possible authors . </P> <P> Though no author is named, the original King James Version of the Bible titled the work "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews". However, the KJV's attribution to Paul was only a guess, and is currently disputed by recent research . Its vastly different style, different theological focus, different spiritual experience, different Greek vocabulary--all are believed to make Paul's authorship of Hebrews increasingly indefensible . At present, neither modern scholarship nor church teaching ascribes Hebrews to Paul . </P>

Who wrote the book of hebrews and why