Hebrews

In the New Testament, "Hebrews" (Acts 6:1; 2 Corinthians 11:22; Philippians 3:5) refers specifically to the Aramaic-speaking Jewish Christians or Jews of Palestine, as distinguished from the "Hellenists" — Greek-speaking Jews of the diaspora. The first major internal tension in the Jerusalem church arose between these two groups: the Hellenists complained that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food compared with the widows of the Hebrews (Acts 6:1). The apostles resolved this by appointing seven deacons — all of whom have Greek names, suggesting they were drawn from the Hellenist community to address the Hellenist complaint.

"Hebrews" as a broader designation for the Israelite people appears throughout the Old Testament and is used by Paul to describe his own identity (Philippians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 11:22). The Epistle to the Hebrews takes its name from its primary audience — Jewish Christians who were in danger of apostasy back to Judaism — and engages extensively with the Levitical priesthood, sacrificial system, and Mosaic covenant to demonstrate the superiority and finality of Christ's high priesthood and atoning work.