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20 PHIL E MO N 3 72

I, Paul, sha ll pay it back- I will no t add any mention of you r own debt to me,
which is yourself.' •Well then , brot her, I am co unt ing on you, in the Lord; put 20
new heart into me, in Christ. • I am writing with complete co nfidence in your 21
compliance, sure that you will do even more than I ask .

A personal request. Good wishes


There is another thing : will you get a place ready for me to stay in? I am hoping 22
Heb 13:19 through your prayers to be restored to you. THE LETTER TO THE
Co l 4:10 + Epaphras, a prisoner with me in Chr ist Jes us, sends his greetings; -so do my U
2 Tm 4:10 colleagues Ma rk, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit;' 25 HEBREWS
A LETTER ADDRESSED
TO A JEWISH-CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

PROLOGUE

The greatness of the incarnate Son of God


1 .1 At vario us times in the past and in var ious different ways, God spoke to our 2 Ch3 6:15
In 1:3
Go 4:4 +
. ancestors throu gh the prophets; but -in our own time, the last days, he has I Tm4: 1+
spoke n to us th rough his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everyt hing- Mt4:3+
In 1:18+;
and through whom he made everyt hing there is. b • He is the radiant light of Go d's 10;34
WS 7:22 +
glory and the perfect copy of his nat ure,' sustai ning the universe by his powerful 2 Co4:6.18
Col 1:15 +.
command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to 17
Epl:7
4 take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty . -So he is now as far Col 1:14
Ac2:33+
above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name . Ph2:9-11 +

I. THE SON IS GREATER THAN THE ANGELS

Proof from the scriptures


5 G od has never said to any angel: You are my Son, today I have become your Ps2: 7
A c 13:33+ m
6 f ather; or: I will be a fathe r to him and he a son to me. -Aga in, when he brings the 2 S 7:14 w
J:
./ First-born into the world,« he says: Let all the angels of God worship him. -About Col 1:15+
D132:43
8 the angels , he says: He makes his angels winds and his servants flames offire,' -but rPs»104:4
97:7

to his Son he says: God, your throne shall last for ever and ever; and: his! royal Ps45:6-7
sceptre is the sceptre of virtue; •virtue you love as much as you hate wickedness. ~
This is why God, your God, has anointed you with the oil ofgladness, above all your
10 rivals.' • And again: It is you, Lord, who laid earth's founda tions in the beginning, Ps 102:25· 27
II the heavens are the work of your hands; «all wi/! vanish, though you remain, all a.
12 wear out like a garment; .you will roll them up like a cloak, and like a garment- ~
they will be changed. But yourself, you never change and your years are unending.

1 a . To be a son implies having th e ri ght to inherit. a sea l on clay or wax. cf. I n 14:9.
cr. Mt 21:38 . Ga 4:7. Here. however. Go d is cred ited d . E ither at the parou sla o r; more probably, a t th e
'? Z
with the handing o ver of the whole cre ation beca use inca rnat ion. ':' '''
th e inheritance in Question is messi anic and eschat- e. The author . thin kin g per ha ps of the theop ha n y
o log ica l. on Sina i, 2:2 +. ta kes thi s LXX text as a descr ipti on
b. Li t. th e 'aeon s", hebraism for the who le of of the nature of angels. subtle a nd ch angeable and
creation. therefore inferi or to that of the So n reigning fr om his
c. T hese two metaphors arc bo rro wed from ute eschato lo gical throne.
sophia an d logos theo lo gies of Alexan dr ia, Ws 7:25·26;
they expr ess both the identity of nature be twee n Fath er
C. Var. 'yo ur', cf. Ps 45 LXX.
g . Fo llowing Middl e Eas tern cus to m the psa lm
..,::J
a nd So n, and the distinction of per son . T he Son is th e att ributes d ivinity to the K ing-Messiah by hyper bol e:
brig htness, the light shining from its so urce . whic h is here it is attributed literally, cf . v. 3. The divine Messiah
the bri ght glo ry, cr. Ex 24:16 + . of the Fa ther CLight is to reign for eve r.
i. P hilemo n mus t ha ve been one of Pa ul's converts. i. Add . 'Amen', cf. Ph 4:23. fro m Light'). He is also the replica. cf Ca ll :15 + . of the b . v ute. om irs 'like a garment".
Father's substa nce, like a n exa ct Impression mad e by
. il;
lr
1:13 HEBREWS 374 375 HEBREWS 4:9
Ps 110:1
Ac 2:33-35 t- God has never said to any angel: S it at my right hand and I will make your enemies 13 And we are his hou se, as lo ng as we cling to our ho pe with the confidence that we r!f~ I?:\t..
Tb 5:4 + a footstool for you . • T he truth is they are all spirits whose work is service, sent to 14 glory in."
Ps 9 1:11 help those who will be the heirs of salvatio n.'
M I4:11:
18:10 :
26:53
How to reach God's land of rest
Lk 1:26 An exhortation Ps 95:7- 11
T he Ho ly Spirit says : If only you would list en to him today i. -do not harden
2 P 3:17 We ou ght, then , to turn our m inds more attentively than before to what we
12:25
A c 7:38.5 3 +
Ga 3: 19 + ;
2 ha ve been taught, so th at we do not dr ift away. • If a promise that wa s made
through angels - proved to be so true tha t every infringement and disobed ience
1
2 9
yo III' heart s, as happened in the Rebellion, on the Day of Temptation in the
wilderness, -whcn YOllr ancestors challenged m e and tested me, though they had
4:3 + 10 seen what I cou ld do -fo r forty years. That was why I was angry with that gen eration
brought its own proper punishment, -then we shall cert ainl y not go unpunished II and said: How unreliable these people who refuse to grasp my ways! • And so, in N b 14:21-23
Ac 10:37 if we neglect this salvation that is promised to us . The promi se was first announced 12 anger , I swore that not one would reach the place of rest I had for them . • Take ca re,
by the Lord himself, and is guaranteed to us by those wh o hea rd him ; brothers, thai there is not in any one of your co mmu nity a wicked mind, so unbe- 2 T h 2:3
Ac 1:8 + God himself confirmed th eir witness with signs and marvels and miracles of all 4 13 lieving as to turn away from the living God .• Every day, as long as this ' today'
kinds, and by freely giving the gifts of th e Holy Spirit. lasts, keep enc ouraging one an other so that none of you is hardened by the lure of 10:25
2 Th 2:10
14 sin, •because we shall remain co- heirs with C hrist only if we keep a grasp on our
Red emption brought by Christ , not by angel s
15 first confidence right to the end . -In this saying: If only yo u would listen to him
Co l 2:15 + He did not appoint angels to be rulers of the world to come, and that world is 5 16 today ; do not harden y our hearts , as happened in the Rebe llion, • those who
what we are tal king about. • Somewher e there is a passage that shows us thi s. It 6 rebelled a fter they had listened were all the people who were brought out o f Egypt
Ps 8:4 -6 ru ns: What is man that you should spar e a tho ught for him, the son of man that y ou
LXX 17 by Moses. -And those who made God angry for forty years were the ones who
should care for him? -For a shor t while you made him lower than the angels ; y ou 7 18 sin ned and whose dead bodies were lef t lying in the wilderness. -Th ose that he Nb 14:29
1 Co 10: 10
cro wned him with glor y and splendour." • You have pu t him in command of every- 8 swore 1I'01iid ne ver reach the place of rest he had f or them were th ose who ha d been
I Co 15:25 thing. Well then, if he ha s put him in command of everyt hing, he has left no thi ng
Eo 1:20-23 19 d isobedie nt. •We see, then , that it was because they were unfai thful that they
Ph 3:2 1 wh ich is not under h is co m mand . At present, it is tr ue , we are not a ble to see that were not ab le to reach it.
Ph 2:6-11 everyt hing has been pu t under his command, ' -but we do see in Jesus o ne who wa s
for a short while made lower than the angels a nd is now cro wned with glory and
I 4 Be careful, then: the promise of reaching the place of rest he had fo r them still
ho lds good, an d non e of you mu st thin k tha t he has come too late for it.· • We
Ex 33:14

splendour beca use he sub mitted to death :« by God 's gra ce' he had to experience received the G ood New s exactly as they d id; but hearing the message did them no 1 Co 10:1-3

death for a ll man kin d. 3 good because they did not share the faith of those who listened. b • We, however, C
As it was his pu rpose to bri ng a grea t ma ny of his son s into glory, it wa s app ro- 10 who hav e faith, shall reach a place of rest , as in the text : And so, in anger , I swore Ps 95:11
R m 11:36 priate tha t God, for whom every thing exists and through whom every thi ng exists,
I Co 8:6 that not ol/e would reach the place of rest I had for them . God's work was undoubt-
12: 2 sho uld make perfect, th rou gh suffer ing, the leader who would ta ke them to the ir
Is 53:4 4 ed ly all finished at the beginning o f the world; -a s one text says , referri ng to the
5:0 + salva tion'! • For the one who sa nctifies, a nd the ones wh o are sa nct ified, are of the 11 5 seventh day : Af ter all his work God rested on the seventh day. -The text we are G n 2:2
J .n 17: / 9
A c 3: 15+ sa me stock ; g that is why he ope nly calls them brothers -in the text: I shall announce 12 I, considering says: They shall not reach the place of rest I had for them. -It is estab- Ps 95 : 11
Ps 21:22
Jo 17:6 your nam e to my brothers, pra ise y ou in fu ll assem bly ; or the text: • In him I hope ; 13 lished, then, that. there wou ld be some people who would reach it, a nd since th ose
Is 8: 17
1.< 8: 18 or the text: Here I am with the children whom God has gi ven me. 7 who first heard the Good Ne ws failed to rea ch it thro ugh their disobed ience, ·God
Mt I6 : 17+ Since a ll the children sha re the sa me blood a nd flesh , he too shared equa lly 14 fixed a nother day when , much later, he sa id 't oday' thro ugh David in the text Ps 9S:7f
In 12:31 + in it, so th at by his death he co uld take away a ll the power of the devil, h wh o had already quoted: If only you would listen to him today; do not harden y our hearts.
Rm 6:9
Rm 5: 12f po wer over deat h, -a nd set free' all th ose wh o had been held in slavery a ll the ir IS 8 If Jo shua had led them into this place of rest, God would not later on ha ve spoken D I 31:7
Jos 22 :4
lives by the fea r of death . • For it was not the a ngels tha t he too k to himself ; he 16 so much of another day .• Th ere must still be, therefore, a place of rest reserved R v 14:13
154 1:8-9 too k to him self descent from A braham . -It was esse ntia l that he should in thi s way 17
I. Compared with th e So n. ang els are only serva nts b . Sin and dea th are rela ted because bo th der ive
Rn. -' :3.29 becom e com pletely like his brot he rs so that he co uld be a co mpassiona te and employed to sav e hu ma n be ings.
~
i' h 2:7 fro m Sa tan wh ose reIan is th e op posite of th e rets n of
3 '1 : 4: trus twort hy high priest of God's religio n, abl e to a tone fo r huma n sins . -That is, 18 2. a . The Law, aiven th ro ugh the intermed iary of Christ .
15: 5 7 a ngels, cr. G o 3:19 +. and sanc tioned by severe 1. By his resurrection . which Is th e guaran tee to
M /4:! because he has h imself been through temptation he is able to help o thers wh o a re
R rn .\. 15 pena lties. be lievers that they will rise, Rm 8:11 +.
I I n 2:2; tempted . b. vute. adds 'You have m ad e him lord over th e 3 I. C hr ist is bo th 'epoene' , t.e. so meo ne 'se nt' b Y
11 4:10 w ork of yo u r hand s,' . God to the human race, a. Jn 3:17.34; 5:3f ; 9:7;
c. T he firs t C h ristia ns. de spi sed and persec uted, R m I: 1 + ; 8:3: Ga 4:4. and hla h priest representing 0..
were s ttl l wa it in g for the co m Ina of G oo's reign on the h uman race be fore God, cr. 2 :17; 4:14; 5:5.10:
'1'
II. JESUS THE FAITHFUL A ND ME RC IFUL H I GH P RIEST ea r th , 2 P 3:4. Alt ho u gh C hr ist ha d a lread y en tered hi s 6:20 ; 7:26 ; 8: 1; 9: 11 ; 10:21.
s torv. his retgn on ear th has to co ntinue in time till he
ha s co nquered all his enemies (I : 13) before h is fu ll a nd b , Add. un waveaina r la ht till the end ' .
Chr ist higher than M oses flna l triu mp h. 4 a . T his 'co mparison be tween Moses a nd Jes us.
11 2:17; 7:26 ; d . C hr ist is s lorifted -bec ause he has suffered and 3: If : cr. Ac 7:2()..44+: Jn 1:21 +. can be extended 10
_ X:I ; 10:21 ; this tr ium ph sho ws th at God accep ts th e redem p tive the relat ionsh ip between Israelites a nd Ch r ist ian s. '7z
Th at is wh y all yo u wh o are holy bro thers a nd hav e had the same heavenl y
)
. 11:1 6; 12~
Eo 1:18
P h 3: 14
3 call should turn yo ur min ds to Jesus, the a post le a nd the high prie st " of our
religion . • He was faithful to the o ne wh o appointed hi m, ju st like Moses, wh o
I
nat ure of his dea th.
e . 'God's grace ": ra re var. 'without God' which may
t,.. . e bee n a gloss mean t to emphasise that the Messiah
Since th e Is raelites refused to be lieve Go d 's promi se
a nd so never reac hed the peace o f the pro mised hand.
3:7- 19. t his promise (w hich can no t be em pty. beca use
"1-'

~
4: 14: 10:23 co uld su ffer o nly in his h uman . not in his d ivine, na ture: it was made by God) Is st ill open to C hr istia ns who
N b 12:7LXX
2 Co 3:7 f
stayed fai thful in all his house; • but be ha s been fo und to deserve a greater glory b ut It cou ld be an allusion to wh at Jesus cried out from are Invit ed to rea ch the pea ce of the spiritua l promised
tha n Moses. It is the differ ence between the honour given to the man that bui lt the cross ( Mt 27:46 ), o r It could be taken as meaning land , of which the earthly promised land was o nly a ::>
th at C hrist d ied fo r a ll. but not for God. cr. I Co 15:27. type . -,

r
/Ii' the house a nd to the hou se itself. • Every house is built by som eone, o f cou rse ; 4 f. By d ying and fulfilling t he wlll of Go d, Ch rist b . E .R. Josh ua and Cal eb , cr. Nb 13·1 4 . Var.
bu t God built ever ything that exists. - It is true th at Moses was fa ithful ill the bec omes the one perfect sav iour , res uo nslble fo r the 'be ca use (the messaae) was not accompanied bY faith
en tr y of hum a n be in gs into t he glory of Go d. in what they hea rd ' .
hous e of God , as a ser vant , acti ng as witness to the things which were to be I . F rom the cont ext, the tran slati on co uld read c. 'however' : var. 'therefore' . " place of rest'.
1:2+ ; 10:21 'form a s1nale who le' . var. ' the place of rest '.
di vulge d later ; but C hrist was fait hful as a son, and a s the master in the house. 6
I C o 3:9
.~
a::
4:10 H E B R EWS 376 HEBREWS 6:2 0
377
for Go d's people," th e sevent h-d ay rest, -s ince to reach the place of rest is to rest 10
have fallen aways-i-it is impossible for them to be renewed a second time. T hey i re S:16 ..
aft er your work , as Go d did after his. •We mu st th ere fore do everyth ing we can 11
cannot be repe ntant if they have wilfully crucified the Son of God and openly
to reach this place ofrest, or so me of you migh t copy th is exa mple of disobed ience 7 mocked him .• A field that has been well watered by frequent rain, and gives the
and be lost. 2 Tm2:6
crops that are wanted by the owners who grew them , is given God's blessing ;
but one that grows brambles and thistl es is abandoned , and practically cursed . G n 3:17-1&
The word of God and Christ the priest
Is 49:2 It will end by being burnt.
1 Th2:13 + T he word of God ' is so mething alive and acti ve: it cuts like an y do uble -edged 12
1 P 1:23
Rv 1: 16 sword but mo re finely: it can slip through the place where the sou l is divided from Words of hope and encouragemen t
Rml:9 +
I C o 15:44 + the spirit, or joints fro m the ma rrow ; it can judge the secret emo tions an d
Ep 6:17 9 But you, my dear people-in spite of what we have just said , we ar e sure you
J I']4:2 /- 22 thoughts. •N o created thing can hide from him ; everyth ing is unc overed and open 13
Ps 139:2-3 10 are in a better state and on the way to salvation. -G od would not be so unjust
Ws 1:6 to the eyes of th e one to whom we must give account of ou rselves. 10:32-34
3:1: 9:11, as to for get all you have done, the love that you have for his name or the services
24 : 10:22 Since in Jesus, th e Son of God, we have the supreme high priest who has go ne 14 Ep 1:ISp
Dn 13:42 II you have done, and are still do ing, for the saints.' -Our one desire is that every
thr ough to the highest heaven , we must never let go of th e faith that we have
2: 17- 18; one of you sho uld go on showing the same earnestness to the end, to the perfect
5:7 + profes sed . • Fo r it is not as if we had a high priest who was incapable of feeling IS 2 T h 3:7
In 8:46 12 fulfilment of our hopes, •never growing careless, but imitating those who have the
Rm 8:3 our weaknesses with us; but we have o ne who ha s been tempted in every way th at Ga 3:14 .29
2 Co 5:2 1 faith and the perseverance to inherit the pro mises. Ep 1:13-14
10:1 9 + we a re, th ough he is without sin. • Let us be confident, then, in appro ach ing the 16
Ep 3: 12 13 When God made the promise to Abr aham, he swore by his own self, since it Gn 22:16f
throne of grace, that we shall have mercy from him and find grace when we are in
14 was impossible for him to swear by anyo ne greater: ./ will shower blessings on
need of help. Rm 4:20
IS you and give you many descendants. -Because of that, Abraham persevered and
Jesus the compassionate high priest 16 saw the promise fulfilled.• Men, of Course, swear an oath by something greater
8;3 5 Every high priest has been ta ken out of mankind an d is appointed to act fo r
men in their relations with G od, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins ; an d so
1
17
than themselves, and between men , confirmation by an oath puts an end to all
dispute. - In the same way, when G od wanted to make the heirs to the promise
thoro ughly realise that his purpose was unalterable, he conveyed th is by an oath;
he can sympathise with th ose wh o are ignorant or uncertain becaus e he too lives 2
Nb 23:19+
7:27 18 so that there would be two unalterable things! in which it was impossible for God 2 Tm 2:13
Lv 9:7 ; 16:6 in the limitat ions of weakness. -Th at is why he has to make sin offer ings for TlI :2
In 3:27 to be lying, and so that we, now we have fou nd safety, sho uld have a strong
himself as well as for the peopl e. •No one take s this honour on himself, but each 4
Ex 28:1 19 encouragement to take a firm grip on the ho pe that is held out to us.• Here we
one is called by G od, as Aaron was . •No r did Christ give himself the glory of Lv 16:2
Ps 2:7 have an anchor for our soul, g as su re as it is firm, and reaching right through Mt 27:Slp
becoming high priest , but he had it fro m th e one wh o said to him: You are my 9:3 : 10:20
20 beyond the veil·where Jesus has entered before us and on our behalf, tu become I n 14:3
Ps 110:4 son, today I have become your fath er, -an d in another text: You are a priest of 6 5 :10
a high priest Of the order of Melchi zedek, and lor ever. Ps 110:4
5:7 ; 4:1 5 the order of Me lchi zedek, and for ever. • Du ring his life on ear th, a he offered up 7
M' 26:36fp
In 12:27 pray er and entreat y, aloud and in silent tea rs, to the on e who ha d the power to
save him out of death, I. an d he submitted so humbly that ' his pra yer was heard .
Ph 2:8
Alth ough he was Son, he learnt to o bey through suffering; -but having been
2:10 + ; 7:2 8
I n 17:19 made perfect," he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvati on
Rm I:S +
6:20 and was acclaimed by God with the title of high priest of the order of Melchizedek, 10

III. THE AUTHENTI C PRIESTHOOD OF JESUS CHRIST d. God's people. re sting in C an a an afte r the aH that Christ tau ght ab out the righ teousness of G od as
Exodus, is taken as a figure of God restin g in heaven ap p lled to mankind, R m 3:21-26, a nd espe cially ab ou t
aft er the creat ion: the new covenant calls tho se who h is ow n p ries thood of med ia tion, nren aured by
Christian life and theology are fait hful to its terms to sha re Go d's beatitude. M elchlzectek, the 'kina of rtsbte ousne ss' 7:2.
6 a . In sp ite of th e d imc ult les h is rea de rs will have ,
~
e . All th at G od has revealed through the proph et s
On this subject we ha ve man y thin gs to say, an d th ey are difficult to exp lain II
or through h is Son , 1:1-2: 2:1-4 ; 3. Since the pr om ises the author is go ing fa fry and sumutete the m bY
S13 7:28
1 Co 3:1-3 because you have grown so slow at understanding. • Really, when you shou ld by 12 and threats of th e message are st ill ' a live' an d In for ce . for mu lati ng th e dIfficult doctrine al ready mentioned
they make it im po ssib le fo r human bei ngs to a void in 5: 11.
this time have become masters, you need someone to teach you all ove r again th e dectarlna th eir tr ue int entions, i.e. they 'j udge' them . b. AnYfhi ng d one wit hout fai th and the d ivine tife
elementary pri nciples of inte rpre ting G od' s oracles; you have gone back to need ing S a . Li t. ' in the days of his flesh ' (on th e wor d Is ca ned a 'd ead' action becaus e if is done in the context
1 P 2:2
milk , a nd not solid food . -T ruly, any one who is still living o n milk cannot digest 13
' flesh' cr, R m 7:5 -i-). The em phasis o f thi s section is o n of sin, Rm 1: 18-3:20, which lead s to de ath, R m 5:12,21: ~
1 Co 2:6 I- h uma n it y: a pr iest mu st be hu ma n since he rep resen ts 6:2 3; 7;5 ; I Co 15;S6 ; Ep 2:1; Co l 2;13; cf. Jm 1;15;
the doctrine of righte ousness' because he is still a baby. ·Solid food is for mature 14 human be ings and he mu st sha re th eir sufferings since In 5:24 ; I In 3;14 .
Ph 1:10 +
men with minds trained by practice to disti nguish between goo d and bad. he mu st feel co m pass ion fo r the m . cr. 2: 17-18; 4:15. c. Not on ly C hristian ba pti sm , cf. Ac 1:5 + ;
Co l 3:10 + Jes us suffered in this way all throu gh his life on earth, R m 6:4 +, b ut a ll the washings. lus tra t io ns and
a nd especia lly in his ag o ny and d ea t h. p ur ifica tor y ri tes the n practised. includin g th e 'b ap tism
The author explains his intention b. N o t saved fro m dying. since th at was the who le of John ' Ac 18:2S; 19;I·S.
"!z
p ur pose of his life. In 12:27f, but rescued fr om d eat h ~ -,

9:14
6 Let us leave behind us then " all the elementary teaching about Christ and
concentrate on its completion, wit hout going over the fundamental doctrines
again : th e turn ing away from dead actions"and towards faith in God; -the teachin g
I

2
a fter dying. Ac 2:24f. Go d tr an sf or med h is death b y
raisi ng him to glory aft er it , I n 12:27f ; 13:3 1f ; 17:5 ;
P h 2:9-11 ; H eb 2;9.
d . The irreparable apos tasy of rej ecti n g C h rist
an d no t be liev ing in the pow er of his sac rifice to save .
e. T he sa me phrase is used , R m 15: 25 .31; 2 Co 8:4 ;
Ep 2: 1+ c. Lit . 'beca use of h is eulabela' (i.e. reli giou s awe) . 9: 1,12. about a co llect io n for th e ch urc h in Jerusalem.
Mt 3:2 + It was bec au se the p ray er of C hrist in Get hsemane
Ac 2: 38 + about baptisms' and the laying-on of hands ; the teaching about the resurrection T he 'sa in ts ' are a ll C h ristia ns. but especia lly members
::l
Rm 1;16 + ; was a pra yer 'of to ta l su b miss io n to the will of his of th e mo th er ch urch a t Jeru sal em and in par ticu lar -s
2:6 + of the dead a nd eternal judgement. -T his, God willing , is what we propose to do. 3 Fa ther, M t 26 :39.42 . tha t it was h ea rd an d answere d. the apost les, cf. Ac 9: 13 +.
I Tm4: 14 +
10:32 + As for tho se peop le who were once brought into the light, and tasted the gift 4 d. H a vin g tot all y succeeded in his ta sk of be ing f. I.e . the pr omi se and the oa th of God who
Ep 5: 14 pr iest a nd victim. 'd oes not lie', T t 1:2.
Rm5:5 + from heaven , a nd received a share of the Holy Spirit, -and appreciated the goo d 5 e . 'Th e doc trine o f righteo usness' like ' G od's g. An ch or: sy mbol of stability in th e classica l
10:26-3 1: worl d. adop ted in C h ristia n ico nograp hy of zuc c. as a
12: 17 message of God and the powers of the worl d to come -and yet in spite of this o racles ' can mean eith er the c .T ., cf. 2 T m 3:16, or
·>
the who le bod y o f doctrine. H ere it seems to mean symbo l of hope.
w
~
7:1 HEBREWS 3 78 379 H E BR EWS 8:6
his power to save is utterly certain, since he is living for ever to intercede fo r all fr:, ~::~~..
A. CHR IST'S PRIESTHOOD HI GH ER THAN LEVITICAL who come to God through hi m. R v 1:18..

PR IESTHO OD The perfection of the heavenly high pries t


26 To suit us , the ideal high priest would have to be holy , innocent and 3:1+
Gn 14 : 18 + Me lchizedek- Ex29:1
Ps 110:4 + uncontaminated, beyond the influ ence of sinners, and raised up above the I In 3:5-6
9: 25 -28
G n 14:17- 20 You remember that Melchizedek, k ing of Salem, a priest of God Most High ,
7 went to meet Abraham who was on his way back after defeating the kings, and
blessed him ; -a nd also that it wa s to h im that Abraham gave a tenth of all that
27 heavens; ' one who would not need to offer sacrifices every day, as the other hig h
priests d o for their ow n sins and then for those of the people, because he has do ne
5:3: 9:7.12:
10:11-14
Rm6:10
2 28 this once and fo r all " by offering himself. -The Law appoints high priests wh o are
he had . By th e inter pret atio n of his nam e, he is, first, 'k ing of righteousness' an d men subject to weakness; but the promise on oath, whic h came after the Law,"
also k ing of Sa lem, th at is, 'king of peace' ; •he has no father, mother or ances try , appointed the Son wh o is made perfect for ever. 5:9
] :2 "1'"
an d h is life has no beg inn ing or ending; he is like th e So n of God. He re main s
I n 7:27 a priest fo r ever.

M elchizedek a ccepted tithes from Abraham B. THE SUPERIORITY OF TH E WORSHIP, THE SANCTUARY
G n 14:20 Now thi nk how great th is man must ha ve been , if the pa triarch Abraham paid AND THE MEDIATION PROVIDED BY CHRIST THE PRIE S T
him a tenth of the treasure he had capt ured. " •We know that any of the descenda nts
D I 14: 22 + of Levi wh o are admitt ed to the p riesth oo d are obliged by the Law to take tithes The new priesthood and the new sanctuary
from th e people, and th is is tak ing the m from their own bro thers although they The great point of all that we hav e sai d is that we have a h igh priest 3:1+
to o are descended fro m Abrah am .• But this man, who was not of the sam e
descent, took his tenth from Abr a ha m, and he gave his blessing to the hol der o f 2
8 of exactly this kind. He has his pla ce at the right of the throne of divine
Majesty in the heave ns, -and he is th e ministe r of the san ctuary and of the true
Ps 110: 1
Ac 2:33 +

the promises . •Now it is indisputable that a blessing is given by a superio r to an 7 Tent o f Meeting whi ch the Lord, a nd no t any ma n, set up. a -It is the duty of every Nb 24:6
LXX
inferior. • F urther , in th e one case it is or d ina ry mo rtal men wh o receive th e high priest to o ffer gifts and sacrifices, and so th is one too mus t have somethi ng 5:}

tithes, and in the other, someone who is declared to be st ill ali ve. -I t co uld be sa id 9 4 to offer. -I n fact, if he were on ea rth , he would not be a priest at all , since there 7: l3 f
tha t Levi himself, wh o recei ves tithes, actually pai d the m, in the perso n of ar e others wh o mak e the offerings laid do wn by the Law -a nd th ese on ly main tai n 9:23 ; 10: 1
A c 7:44
G n 14: 17 A braham, •beca use he was sti ll in the loins of his a ncestor when Mclchizedek R v 11:19
10 the service of a mo del or a reflect ion of the hea venl y realities. F or M oses, whe n
came to meet him he had the Tent to bu ild, was warned by God wh o said: See that you make Ex 25:40

everything according to the patte rn shown you on the mountain.


From levitical priesthood to the priesthood of Melchizedek c
Now if per fection had been reached through the leviti cal prie stho od because II Christ is the mediator of a greater covena nt
the Law given to the nation rests on it, why was it st ill necessary for a We have seen tha t he has been given a mini stry of a far higher order, and to 7: 12.22 ; 9:
P s I IO;4 15; 12:2 4
new priesthood to ar ise, one ofthe same order as Me lchizede k not coun ted as being the sa me degree it is a better covenant of wh ich he is th e mediato r, b founded on I T m 2:5
8:6f I I n 2:1
'of th e sam e or der as' Aa ron? •But a ny change in the priesthood must mea n a 12
change in the Law as well. 7 a . M elch izedek the p rie st- kin g: an 0 T . typ e of preparation. 1:1f; cf R m 10:4; it occurs at ' the
R:4 Ch rist. G n 14 is od dl y s ilent a b o u t a ny a ncestors or appoin ted time ', Ga 4 :4 + . R m 3:26+ . and it be gin s
So ou r Lord, of whom th ese th ings were sa id, belonged to a d ifferent tribe, 13
descendants of Melchi zedek and th is suggested the ide a the esch a to lo gica l epoch . T h ou gh the Last Day.
G n 49 : 10
Mt 1:lf:2: 6 the mem bers of which ha ve never d one service at the altar ; ' everyo ne kno ws he 14 tha t he represented the eterna l pr iesthood. vv. 1-3 . t Co 1:8+ : Rm 2:6+ . will follow. 2 Co 6:2+ . only at
Rm 1:3
ca me from J ud a h, a tr ibe whi ch Moses did not even ment ion when dea ling with cr. vv , 15-17 and Ps t 10:4 + . He was s upe rior to some unspecified. 1 Th 5:1 -t-, time in the future:
Rv 5:5 A bra ha m in so far as Abraham offe red him. Gn 14:20. salvation for the human race has been in essence cert ain
priests. a ti th e of e ver yth ing that had been ca p tured, so f rom the moment when. in the p erso n of Christ. it died

v a fortior i, the ar gum ent goes, h e was superior to all the to sin a n d ro se to live ag a in. H e b makes a special p oin t
The abrogation of the old Law descend ants of A b ra h am, in clud in g t he Levites, v. 4f. of h ow th e whole of t hi s h ope flows from th e absolut ely . ~
...,
b. T he tithe pai d to lev it ical pr iests, Dt 14:2 2 + , un ique, unrepeatable sacrifice of Christ. 7:27; 9:12 ,26.
Th is" beco mes even more clea rly evident when there appears a second 15 was b ot h the sti pe nd for their mini st ry at th e altar a nd 28 ; 10:10 ; cf. R m 6:10: I P 3: 18. Bein g unrep eata b le,
ack no wledg e ment th a t as pr iests they were me mbers 10:12-14 . th is sacrifice is d iffere nt fro m all others in th e
R m 1:4 + Melc hizedek , wh o is a pr iest. not by virtue of a law about physical descent,r but i6 of a high e r class tha n those wh o paid . Le vi (in th e C .T . t hat ha d to be repea ted again an d ag ain because
J r 33:18
by the power of an indestr uctible life.• F or it wa s about him that the pro phecy 17 pe rs on of Ab ra ham ) could only have p aid his tithe if they wer e unable actually to save anyone.
~;
Ps 110:4 Me lch izedek we re a priest of an eve n higher class th an h . c r. th e prom ise made before the La w was given .
was made: You are a priest of the order of Melchizcdek , and fo r ever. -The 18 him self . Ga 3: 17.
earli er commandment is thus a bo lished , because it was neither elTective nor useful, c. T he arg u me nt her e is bas ed o n P s 110 :4. T h is 8 a. T h e ar gu m ent so fa r has bee n to prove th at wh a t
10:1 ; 11:40 te xt pr ophesies that the K ing -M es siah will no t be C hr ist is, i.e. a n et e rnal a nd pe rfect p r ies t, is s uperior
R m 7:7 I- since the Law could not ma ke anyone per fect; but now this commandment is 19 des ce nded fr o m Le vi, but w ill be a n etern al priest to wha t the lev itical priests are, sin ce they ar e all mortals
10:19 + replaced by so met hing better- t he hope that brings us nearer to God. in th e sa m e sen se as M elchized ek. This implies th a t a nd si nn ers . ch. 7 : now t he a rg ume nt go es o n to show
wh en C hr is t co mes, h is sort of priesthood will replace that what C h r ist does is equally superior to wh at th e
th e levit iea l priesthood, a nd th is in turn will necessita te levi tica l pries ts do: Chr ist's sanctuary is better because ~~
Christ 's priesthood is unchanging a ne w law since the ol d on e was only concerned with the it is in heaven , 8:1-5. cf. 9: 1If, while th e on e o n ea rt h
le vit ical priesthood. vv. 12, 16f, 21. is onl y a copy of it , Ex 25:40 ; and th e cov enant b rough t
Wh at is mo re, th is was no t done with ou t the taki ng of an oath. The ot hers, 20
d . What ha s been sa id in v. 12. b y the mediat ion of Ch r ist is a better cov en an t . vv. 6- 13,
ind eed, were made priests with out an y oath ; -but he with an oath sworn by the 21 e . Li t. 'a la w of a carnal commandment'. namely cf. 9:1 5f.
Ps 110 4 th e law tha t restr icted t he pries thood of Levi to h is b . Tec h nically Christ is th e one a nd on ly true
one who declared to him : The Lord has sworn an oath which he will never ret ract : ph ysica l d escendan ts. cf. Nb I :47f ; 3:5f : Dt 10:8f: m ed ia tor: he is true m an and true God, Col 2:9, and ..,::J
8:6·13 you are a pr iest, and for ever.! -And it follows that it is a greater co vena nt for 22 18: l f ; 33:8f. so the on e a nd only in ter m ed iar y, R m 5:15-1 9 ; 1 Tm 2:5,
f. A dd 'of the order of M elchize d ek ". cf. I Co 3:2 2-23 ; 11:3, betwee n G od and th e human
which Jesus has beco me o ur guarantee. -Then there used to be a great number of 23
rac e. He u nites th em and re conciles them, 2 Co 5:14- 20.
those other pries ts, beca use dea th put an. end to eac h o ne of them ; • but thi s one, 24 T hro u gh h im come gr ac e, In 1:16- 17; E p 1:7. and
9 :21 ; 10: 19+ g. T he on e a nd on ly sa cr ifice of C hri st is th e centre comple te reve lat ion , H eb 1:1-2. In heaven he co nti nues
N b 18:1 because he remains for ever, can never lose his priesthood. -It follows, then, that 25
of salva tio n h isto ry, Ac 1:7 +. It clo ses a long ep o ch of to in tercede for thos e wh o are fa ithful to h im , 7:25+ . . iii
a:
II
8:7 H E BREWS 380 381 HEBREWS 9:28
III have incurred defilement and they restore the holiness of their outward lives; 17-20 ..
better pro mises. -If that first cove nan t had been without a faul t, there would have 7 Ps 51:7 ..
been no need for a second one to replace it. -And in fact G od do es find fault with 8 14 how much more effectively the blo od of Christ, who offered himself as the 10:10+
2Co 13:13 +
th em ; he says: perfect sacr ifice to God through the eternal Spi rit, " can purify our inner self fro m J P 1:18- 19
6: 1+
dead actions so tha t we do our service to the living Go d. 12: 28
Jr 31:31·34 See, the days are coming-it is the Lord who speak s- Rm 1:9+
Mt 26:28 + when I will establish a new covenant
1 Co 11:25 Christ seals the new covenant with his blood"
with the House of Israel and the House of Judah,
15 He brings a new covenant, as the mediator, only so that the people who were 8:6+
but not a covenant lik e the one I made with their ancestors
called to an etern al inheritance may actually receive what was promised: his death Ga 4:1-7
on the day I took them by the hand
16 took place to cancel the sins that infringed the earlier .covenant. •Now wherever
to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
17 a will is in quest ion, the death of the testator must be established ; •indeed, it only
They abandoned that covenant of mine,
becomes valid with that death, since it is not meant to have any effect while the
and so Ion my side deserted them . It is the L ord who speaks .
10:16-17 18 testator is still alive . •T hat explains why even the earlier covenant needed
No, this is the covenant I will make 10
19 somethi ng to be killed in order to take effect, -a nd why, after Moses had
with the House of Israel
a nnounced all the com ma ndme nts of the Law to the peo ple, he took the ca lves' Ex 24:6-8 ~
when those days arrive-it is the Lord who speaks.
blood, the goat s' blood and some water, and with these he sprinkled the boo k
I will put my laws into their minds
20 itself and all the people, using scarlet woo l and hyssop; -saying as he did so : This k~:~~: 8
and write them on their hearts.
21 is the blood ofthe covenant that God has laid down for you . • After that , he spri nkled M126:28p
Then I will he their God
22 the te nt and all th e liturg ical vessels with blood in the same way. -In fact, Lv 17:11 +
and they shall be my people.
according to the Law almost everyth ing has to be purified! with blo od; and if
There will be no further need f or neighbour to try to teach neighbour, 11

i
23 th ere is no shedd ing of blood, ther e is no remission. -Obviously, only the copies 8:5
or brother to say to brother,
of heavenly things can be pur ified in this way, and the heavenly things the mselves
'L earn to kn ow the L ord' .
24 have to be purified; by a higher sor t of sacrifice than this. - It is not as though 4:~~ii?5 :
No , they will all kn ow me,
Christ had entered a man -made sanctu ary which was only modelled on the real ~C~:t~:6 +
the least no less than the greatest,
one; but it was heaven itself, so that he cou ld ap pear in the actua l presence of Go d . 7:2 5+
since I will f orgive their iniquities 12
10:17 25 on our behalf. -A nd he does not have to offer himself again and again, like the
and never call their sins to mind.
high priest going int o the sanct uary year after year with the blood that is not his
i;~l~;L~ By spea king of a new covenant, he implies that the first one is already old. Now 13 26 own , -or else he wo uld have had to suffer over and over agai n since the worl d
a nything old o nly gets mo re ant iqua ted until in the end it disa ppears. began . Instead of that, he has made his appearance once and for all," now at the I7:27 +
n 1:29
27 end of the last age, to do away with sin by sac rificing himself. -Since men only Ga 4:4 +
I P 3:18 +
Christ enters the heavenly sa nctuary 28 die o nce, a nd after th at co mes j udgement, -so Christ, too , offers himself only on ce 10:10
1 T m 6:14 4
Ex 25· 26 + :
T he first cove na nt also " ha d its laws governing wor ship , and its sa nct ua ry, to take the fau lts 0/ many on himself, and when he ap pear s a second time , it will A1sc53:12
26:31
9 a sanctua ry on this earth. -T here was a ten t which co mprised two
compa rtments: th e first, in which th e lamp- stand, the table a nd the present ati on
I

not be to dea l with sin but to reward with salvat ion those who are waiting for
3:20-21
Ph 3:20-21

him.'
6: 19 loa ves were kep t, was called the H oly Place ;" -t hen beyond the seco nd veil, a n
innermost pa rt which was called the H oly of H olies · to whic h belonged the gold 4
Ex 30:1 +
Ex 25: 10 + alt a r of incense: and the a rk of the covenant, plated all over with gold. In this
Ex 16:1 +
db 17:25 were kept the gold jar containing the man na, Aaron 's branch that grew the bud s,
Ex 24: 12 + an d the sto ne tablets of the covenant. -O n top of it was the thr one of mercy, a nd
9 a . Om. 'a lso' , de a th of C h ris t was essential fo r h im to act as med ia tor,
Ex 25: 17 +. outspread over it were the glo rious cherubs. T his is not the time to go into It d oes thi s bY making use o f a p un : th e Greek word
~
b. In the: desert Te nt-Sanctuary . Ex 25-26 (cf . th e
18 + great er detail a bout this. Temp le o f So lo mo n, I K 6) a cu r tain hun g be tween dialh i k e can mea n ' pact " as in vv, 15, 18-20 , o r ' las t
Lv 16:1 the H o ly Pla ce a nd t he Ho ly of Ho lies, Ex 26:31. will a nd testamen t', as in vv , 16- 17; th is ma kes it
Under these provi sion s, priests a re cons ta ntly goin g into the outer tent to 6
O n ly th e h ig h pri est ever went in to th e H oly o f H olies po ssib le for the au tho r to arg ue th at a ' pact ' or
Ex 30: 10 ca rr y o ut their acts of wor shi p, •but the seco nd tent is entered o nly o nce a yea r, 7 and he di d so on ly once a yea r o n r om k ttmur, the co vena nt sug gests th e de ath of a ' testa to r', A ll pa ct s
7:27+ a nd then o nly by the high priest who must go in by himself a nd take the blood to D ay of A to neme nt. C f. Lv 16:1 +. wer e sea led wit h th e shedd ing o f b lood, Ex 24:6-8 ,
Lv 17:11+ i. E ,g, th e altar. Lv 8: 15 ; 16:19; the p ries ts . Q.
c . Ex 30:6 : 40:26 says t ha t th e incen se alt ar,
~
offer for his ow n faults and the peop le's . • By this, the Ho ly Spi rit is sho wing that 8 Ex 30:1 -l-, was in the H o ly Pla ce : H eb may be follow ing Lv 8:24-30 ; th e Le vltes, Nb 8: I 5 ; the sin fu l peop le,
10:20 a d ifferen t l ltu r xical tr ad it ion , or the sense ma y be th at Lv 9 : 1 5~ 1 8 ; a mother, Lv 1 2: 7~8, e rc. : one exception,
no one has th e right to go into the sa nct uar y as lon g as the ou ter te nt remains th e pl ace o f th e a lta r of incense was imm edi atel y in fro nt cf. Lv 5: 11.
1 Co 10:6 + standing; ·it is a symbo l for th is pre sent time." No ne of the gifts a nd sacr ifices 9 j, The ' p u rifica lio n' o f the sa nc tua ry. wh eth er the
of the cu r tai n o f t he inner sa nctu a ry,
11:40+ d . T he sp iritua l mean in g o f thi s cere mon ial ea rt hly o r the heave nly one, does no t nece ssar ily im p ly
offered under thes e regul at ion s ca n possibly br ing any wor shippe r to perfecti on arrangement is th at un der the o ld co vena n t the peop le any pr evio us 'im p urity' : it is a consecra tory and
Co l 2:16- 17 in his inner self; -they are rules a bout t he outwa rd life, co nnec ted with foo ds and 10 Inau gura l rile ,
MZ
had no access to G od . Under th e new covenan t, C h ris t ~ '"")
him sel f is the way to the Fa ther, Jn 14:6 : cf. Heb 10: k , T he sa cr ifice of C hrist is u niqu e, 7: 27 + : be ing
d rin ks a nd washing at var ious times, intended to be in fo rce o nly until it sho uld o ffer ed 'a t t he end of the last age' (lit. "at the co m p let io n
19 , . T he a bro gat io n o f th e o ld wo rsh ip can thu s be
be time to reform them . appropria tely s ym bo lised by th e Te m p le cur tain of the aeo ns ') , i.e. the end o f hu ma n h istory, the re is no
sp lit t in g wide op en at the de a t h of Jesus, M t 27:51p, need fo r it t o be repeated , since it wipes ou t sin, not
Bu t now Christ has co me, as the high priest of all th e blessings which were to 11
e . Var. ' b lessin gs a lready wan', with non -h uman Call en ' ) brcoc . . but with C h rist' s
4: 14 : 9:24 :
10:20 come.' He has passed through the greater, the more perfect tent, wh ich is bett er f. In his ascen sio n C hrist 'passed th r o ugh " all th e ow n bloo d , cf. 9: 12-14 , so its effect is unc ondit ion al. ::>
-,
A c 7:48
tha n the one made by men' s hands beca use it is not of this crea ted orde r; -a nd he 12 s uccess ive heav e nly sp he res tha t fo rm the 'Holy Plac e' I. The first co m ing of Chr ist eave him a dir ect
of the celest ial Te nt , and so ca me in to t he p resence relat io nsh ip to sin, Rm 8:3 ; 2 Co 5:21. T he second
7:27 + has entered the sanc tuar y! once a nd for all, ta king with him no t the blo od of goats o f G od in the ce lest ia l ' H o ly of Ho lies' , corni ng of C h rist will, since th e rede m pt ion is com plete,
M126:28 hav e n o co nn ect ion with sin. Ch r fstta ns wait fo r th is
R m 3:24 + a nd bull calves, but his own blood, having won an etern al redem ptio n fo r us. parousia th at w ill la ke place at the Ju dgem en t,
10:4 g , Va r . ' th e Ho ly Spirit' , cf. R m 1:4 +,
N b 19:2- 10. Th e blood of goats and bulls an d the ashes of a heifer are sprinkled on thos e who 13 h. Th is sec tio n is parallel to 8:6- 13: it sho ws th a t th e I Co 1:8 +: R m 2:6 +.
·>
w
n::
10 : r H EBREWS 3 82 3 83 HEBRE W S r 1:4
24 th e on e who ma de the pr om ise is fait hful. - Le t us be concerned fo r eac h other, 3: 2 : 4 :14 :
11: 11
S UMMARY : C H R I S T' S SACRIFICE SUPERIO R TO T H E 25 to stir a respon se in lo ve and good works.• Do no t stay a way fro m the meetin gs I Co 1:9 +

of the co mm unity, as some do, but e ncoura ge eac h o t her to go ; t he mo re so as yo u 3:13


SAC R I F ICES OF THE MOSA I C LAW
see the Day " d ra wing near. 1 Co 1:8 +

The old sacr ifices ineffective The danger of apo stasy


8:5: 10:11
So , since t he Law ha s no more t ha n a refle ct ion of th ese rea lities, a nd no
Co I2: l ?
7: /9
R m 7:7 f
10: /91 :
10 finis hed pictu re of the m, it is qui te incap abl e of bring ing the worsh ippers to
perfection, with the sam e sacr ifices re pea ted ly o ffe red yea r after year . -Ot he rw ise, 2
26
27
If, after we ha ve been given knowled ge of th e truth , we should de libera tely
commit a ny sins , the n t here is no longe r a ny sacrifice for th em .' -T he re will be
6:4-6 ; 12: 17

11:40 1 left o nly th e dr eadful prospect of judgem en t and of the raging fir e th a t is to burn Is 26:1 1
LXX
t he offer ing of them wou ld ha ve stopped, becau se t he worsh ip pers, when they had 2R rebels. • A nyo ne who d isrega r ds the Law of Moses is r ut hlessly put to deat h on the Dt 17:6
bee n purified o nce, wo uld ha ve no aware ness of sins . - Instead of t ha t, t:1C sins a re 3 29 word of two witnesses or three; -a nd yo u may be sure that anyone who tramples
9: 13
recalled year a fter yea r in th e sac rifices.• Bulls' blo od an d goa ts' blood are useless 4 o n t he Son of G od , and who treats the blood of the co venant wh ich sa nc tified him 6:6 : 9:20
Ex 24:8
for ta king away sins, -a nd th is is what he sa id, o n co m ing into t he wo rld : as if it were no t ho ly, a nd who insults th e Sp ir it of grace , will be con demned to a
Ps 40: ()..H
You who wanted no sacr ific e or oblation , 30 far severe r puni shment. • We a re a ll aware who it was that sa id: Vengeance is D I32:3 5-36
!- X X

prepared a body for me. 31 mille ; I will repay . A nd aga in : The Lo rd will iudg e his people. • It is a dreadfu l th ing M I 12:31-
320
You took no pleasure in holocausts or sacrifices for sin ; to fa ll int o the hands of th e livin g G o d .
Mt 10:280
then I said ,
Motives for perseverance
ju st as I was com manded in the scro ll of the book ,
32 Reme m be r all th e sufferings that yo u had to me et af ter yo u received the 6:4. 10
'Go d, here I am ! I am com ing to obey your will.' Eo 5:14
33 light ," in ea rlie r day s; - sorn etirnes by bei ng yo urselves publicly exposed to insults I C o 4:9
Notice tha t he says first: You did not want what th e Law la ys do wn as t he t hings H a nd vio lence, and so metimes as assoc iate s o f o t he rs wh o we re tr eat ed in the same
to be offe red, that is: the sacrifices, the oblations, the holo caust s and the sacrifi ces 34 way .• For yo u not o nly sha red in t he suffer ings of th ose who were in priso n,' but 13: 3
I ~nln~ f or sin, a nd yo u took no pleas ure in t hem; - a nd then he says: Here I am ! I am 9 yo u happily accepted bein g stripped of yo ur bel on gin gs, kn owin g th at you ow ned M t 5: 11.40
M , ~6i~9 : coming to obey your will. He is a bolishing the first so rt to repl ace it with the M16 :20
35 so met hing tha t was bet ter and lastin g. • Be as co nfide nt now , the n, since th e rewa rd
109II~'I8: seco nd. -A nd t his will wa s for us to be ma de hol y by the off ering of his body made 10 36 is so grea t. • Yo u will need en dura nce to d o G od's will a nd gain wha t he has Lk 2 1:19
Ac 14:12 -1
i n 1O~1:51: ~ o nce a nd fo r all by Jesus C h rist. pr omised. 1 Th 3:4
7:27 +
The efficac y of Chr ist's sacri fice 37 O nly a litt le while 1I0W, a very littl e while, Is 26:20
L XX
10:1· 4 and the one tha i is corning will ha ve come; he will not delay . L k !/ :28
A ll the priests sta nd a t t he ir d uties eve ry da y, o ffer ing ov e r a nd over aga in II
JR 71Ie right eous 111011 will li ve by fai th , H ab 2:3-4
the sa me sac rifices which a rc q uit e inca pa ble of takin g sins a wa y. . He, o n the 12 LX X
7:27 + : but if he dra ws back , my soul will tak e 110 pleasure ill him . R m 1:17
10: 10 I o t he r ha nd , has offe red o ne single sac r ifice for sins , an d (hen taken his place for
Ps 110: / e ve r, at the right hand of God, -w herc he is now wa iti ng until his enem ies are ma de
Ac 2:33 I 13
Jy Yo u a nd r a re not the sor t o f peop le who draw back, a nd ar e lost by it ; we a re
10: 10: into a footstoo l fo r him . • By virt ue o f that one single o ffe rin g, he has ac hieved 14
11:40 + th e so rt wh o keep fa ithful un til our souls a re sa ved . Lk 21: 19
I n 17: 19 I 1 P 1:9
t he e ternal perfectio n of a ll wh om he is sa nctifying. •T he Ho ly Spirit assu res us 15
of t his; fo r he says , first: The exem pla ry faith of our ancesto rs Si 14

Rm 1: 16 +·
O nly fait h ca n guarantee th e blessings th at we hope for , or prove the
11
8: 10
J r 3 1:33-34 This is the covenant I will make with them 16 4:20: 8:
24-2 5
when those days arrive; . existence of t he realiti es t hat at present rema in unseen ." -It wa s fo r fa it h 2 C o 4 :1~
that o ur ancestor s wer e co m me nded .
a nd the Lord th e n go es o n to say : It is by fait h that we understa nd th a t th e world wa s crea ted by o ne wo rd from G n!
R m 1:20 . ~
..,
H: 12
I will put my la ws into their hear ts G od, so tha t no appa rent ca use can acco unt for th e th ings we ca n see. "
It was becau se of his faith that A bel offer ed G od a bett e r sacr ifice th an Ca in, 12:24
and write them /I II their minds.
a nd fo r that he wa s declared to be right eou s when God made acknowledge ment G n 4:4
I will never call their sins to mind, 17
o f his offer ings. T ho ug h he is dead , he still speaks by fa ith . G n4 : IO
o r th eir o lTence s. Jb 16: 18 I n,
M 123 :35 ~
W he n a ll sins ha ve been forgive n, there can be no more sin offerings . 18
l Oa . O nly the hi gh pri est co u ld e n ter th e Ho ly of « r. R m 6:4 1 ).
H o lies , a nd he co u ld do so o nly o nce-a year. Fro m c. VaT. 'of my c ha ins ', refe rrin g to Pa u l' s im -
no w on, a ll who a rc fait hful will be abl e to re ach Clod pr iso n men t , Ph 1:7 ; C o l 4: I H.
IV . PE RSEVE R I N G FA I T H th r ou gh C hr ist. C f. 4 : I s: 7: 19,25 : 10: 1: R m 5:2 : En 1:4 : II a. Va T. 'Fa it h is th e assura nce of thm as hoped for
2: IH : ]: 12 : <:0 1 1:22, ( heaven) a n d til e co nv ic u on of thin gs un w ant ed ( hell) ' . '?z
~ ..,
Th e Je wish C hr istia ns to whom he is wr it ing have
T he C hristia n oppor tunity b . W he n C h rist re tu rns at th e e nd of h ist o ry, been d isco u ra ged by persec ution . so the a u thor
d. ! Co! :H! . J'his ve rse m a y refer to th e si an s e m phasises t ha t it is o nly wha t is futu re a nd what is
4: 16: 7:19. In o ther word s, bro ther s, throu gh the blood of J esus we have the right to enter 19 preceding th e parousia . na r ticut a rt v to th e d isturbances In vtviblc tha t conce rns hope . T h is ver se wax ad opted
25 : 10 :1
6 '/9 -20 : t ha t p re lud e the destr uc t io n of Je rus a lem . itse lf one as a t hcolo elc a! de fi n i t ion of f ait h . l .e. t he an tic i pa ted
the sa nc tua ry," - by a new way which he has opened for us, a living opening 20
9 :8, 11· 12
I n 14:6 thro ugh th e c urta in, t ha t is to say, his body. ·A nd we have the supreme high priest 11
o f t he 'v isita tio ns ' of the Lord . a nd assured possessio n of hea ve nly realiti es , d . b:5 ;
c. T he ..in of anos ta s v o r d e libera te revo lt a~ a i ns l Rill 5:2: E p I : 13f. Th e e xam ples ta ken fro m t he lives o f ..,::>
3:1+.6 : 4: 14 C,o d , d . b:6 .. .I he lir e, v . 27 , is the tr ad itio na l weapo n O .T . sa ints a re me ant to illustra te how fa ith is the
Ze 6: 11-1 2 o ve r a ll the house of God. -So as we go in , let us be si ncere in hear t a nd filled with 22
Rm 6:4 + C;o d use s III an xcr . Is 2b: l l : M t 3: 11-1 2 ; M k lJ:4 H-4 Y ; source o f naue ncc a nd stre ngth.
1 P 3:2 1 fa ith, o ur min ds sprink led a nd free from a ny trace of bad co nscie nce and o ur av 11:5. b. Cr cauo n see n with th e eye of fa it h re vea ls
d. ' Enlia hte nme nr' or 'i llu mi na tio n ' in N .T , as in ' u nsee n re a lity ' : before c reat io n e verythi ng rea l existe d
bod ies was hed with pure water. - Let us keep firm in th e ho pe we profess, because 23 pat ri stic wr iters a lwa ys refer s to ba pt ism , 6:4 ; E n 5:14 in God fro m who m e ve ryth inw: co mes.
·>
w
a:
1 1:5 HEBREWS 384 3 85 HEBREWS 12 :1 3
SI44;16 It was because of his fait h that Enoch was taken up and did not ha ve to 5 34 earned the promises. They could keep a lion's mouth shut , -put out blazing fires ~~n~-50
G n 5:24 experience dea th : he was not to be f ound because God had tak en him. This was and emerge unscath ed from battle. They were weak people who were given
because before his assumption it is attested tha t he had pleased God. •Now it is 35 strength, to be bra ve in war and drive bac k foreign invaders. •Som e came back
R m2 :7; 10:
14
impossible to please God without faith , since an yone who comes to him must to their wives from the dea d, by resurrecti on; an d others submitted to to rture, ~ Ii: g~3
Ex 3:14 +
Jr 29:12·1 4
believe tha t he exists and rewar ds those who try to find him. C 36 refusing release so that they would rise agai n to a better life. •Some had to bear 2l:ff/ 8-
Gn 6:8-22
Mt 24:37- 39
It was throu gh his faith that N oah, when he had been warned by Go d of 7 37 being pillorie d a nd flogged , or even cha ined up in prison . •They were stoned , Jr 20:2 ; 37:
I P 3:20 something that had never been seen before, felt a holy fear and built an ark to save or sawn in half," or beheaded ; they were homeless, and dressed in the skins of 15f
2 P 2:5
his family. By his faith the worl d was convicted," and he was able to cla im the sheep and goats ; they were penniless and were given nothing but ill-treat men t.
R m 1:16 + righteousness which is the reward of faith. 38 T hey were too goo d for the world and they went out to live in deserts an d
Gn 12:1-4 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the cal1 to set out for a country that was 8 39 mountains and in caves an d ravines. -These are all heroes of faith , but they did I P 1:J(}· 12
R m 1:5 +
the inher itance given to him and his descend ants, and that he set out without 40 not receive what was promi sed, -since God had made pro vision for us to have 7:1910:1 ; 9:9 ;
. 14;
G n 23: 4;
2 ~ :3 ; 35 : 12
know ing where he was going. •By faith he arrived, as a fo reigner, in the Promi sed something better, and they were not to reach perfection except with us.' 12:23 +
I P3: 19 +
Land, an d lived there as if in a stra nge coun try, with Isaac and Jacob , who were The example of J esus Christ
13:14
Rv 2 1: 10-22 heirs with him of the sa me pro mise. •T hey lived ther e in tents while he looked
forwa rd to a city founded, designed and built by God.
10
I 12 should
With so man y witnesses in a great cloud on every side of us, we too, then,
throw off everything that hinders us, especially the sin that clings
10:23 It was equal1y by faith tha t Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made ab le II
G n 17:19 ;
2 1:2 to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promi se would be 2 so easily, and keep running stead ily in the race we have started. • Let us not lose G a 5:7 i ·
R m 4: 19-2 1
faithful to it. •Because of this, the re came from one man , and one who was 12
sight of Jesus, who leads us in our faith and bring s it to perfection: for the sak e of ~\04:3_IIP
G n22: !7 already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many the jo y which was still in the future , he end ured the cross, disregarding the ~nJi~\f:9
Ex 32: 13
D n 3:36 as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore. shamefulness of it, andjrom now on has taken his place at the right of God' s throne. ~~ fig:~
LXX
AI1 these died in faith, before receiving any of the things that ha d been 13
3 Think of the way he stood such opposition from sinners" and then you will not t~ n~ +
Jn 8:56 promised, but they saw them in the far distance and welcomed them, recognising 4 give up for want of courage. - In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to
G n 23:4 that they were only strangers and nomads on earth. •People who use such terms 14
keep fighting to the po int of death . 1O:32f
Ps 39 ;12 ;
119: 19 ab out themselve s make it quite plain tha t they are in search of their real homel and . God' s fatherly instruction
They can hardly have meant the country they came from , since they had the 15
Have you forgotte n that encouraging text in which you are addressed as sons ?
13: 14 opportunity to go back to it; •but in fact they were long ing for a better homelan d, 16 Pc 3: 11- 12
Ph 3:20 M y son, when the Lord corrects you, do not treat it lightly ; but do not get discouraged
their heavenly homelan d . T hat is why God is not asha med to be called their God, LXX

3:1 6 when he reprimands you . - For the Lord trains the ones that he loves and he punishes Rv 3:19
R v 21:2 since he has founded the city for them .
Gil 22:/- /4 7 all those that he acknow ledges as his sons. · Sufferin g is part of your training; "
5 144: 20-2 1 It was by faith that Abra ha m, when put to the test, off ered up Isaac. He offered 17
3m 2:2 1-22 G od is treat ing you as his sons. Has there ever been any son whose father did not
to sacrifice his only son even tho ugh the promises had been mad e to him -and he 18
G n 21: 12
8 train him?·l f you were not gettin g this trainin g, as all of you are, then you would
had been to ld: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. •He was 19
R m 4:17-21
not be sons but bastards. -Besides, we have all had our hum an fathe rs who
confident tha t Go d ha d the po wer even to raise the dead; a nd so. figurati vely
1 Co 10:6 pun ished us, and we respected them for it ; we ought to be even more willing to
spea king,' he was given back Isaac from the dead .
G n 27:27f ,
1'0 submit ourselves to our spiritual Fa ther, to be given life. -Our human fathe rs
It was by faith that this sam e Isaac gave his blessing to Jacob and Esau for the 20
39 f
Gn 48:15 f
were thinking of this short life when they punished us, and could only do what
still distant future .• By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's 21
G n 47:3 1
they th ought best ; but he does it all for ou r own goo d, so that we may share his Lv 17: 1 +
sons , leaning on the end ofhis stick as though bowing to pray . -It was by faith that , 22 2 P 1:4
II own holiness. -Of cour se, any pu nishment is most pain ful at the time, and far In 16:20
when he was abo ut to d ie, Joseph recalled the Exod us of the Israe lites and made 2 Co 7:8-11
G n 50:24- 25
from pleasa nt; but later, in those on whom it has been used, it bears fru it in peace 1 P 1:6-7
the ar ra ngement s for his ow n burial.
E x 2:2 It was by faith tha t Mose s, when he was born, was hidden by his parents f or 23
g and goodness. -So hold up your limp arms and steady your trembling kn ees -a nd Jm 1:2-4
Is 35:3
A c 7:20
three months; they defied the roya l edict when they saw he was such a fine ch ild.!
smooth out the path you tread; then the injured limb will not be wrenched, it will Pr4:26 ~
Ex 2: 11
grow stro ng again . LX X
It was by fa ith that , when he grew to manhood, Moses refused to be known as the 24
so n of Pharao h's daug hter -a nd chose to be ill-treated in company with G od's 25 c . The faith that is essential for sa lvat io n has two (th rough fa ith, s ince the Mess iah was still in the
o bjects ; be lief in the exis ten ce of one person al Go d, future) SUffe red. Cf. 10:33 : 13:13.
peop le rat her than to enjoy for a time the pleasures of sin. •He co nsidered that 26 Ws 13: I. who by his ve ry nature canno t be see n, In I:18: e,
'1'
13: 13 the insults offered to the Ano inted» were somethi ng more precious than all the Rm 1:20 : C o l 1:1 5 ; I T m 1:17 : 6:16 ;J n 20:29 : 2 Co 5:7,
Ps 89: 50f and belief that Go d will pay a jus t wage fo r all e ffo rt h , So me apo cryphal book s say th is was how king
treasures of Egypt, becau se he had his eyes fixed on the reward . - It was by faith 27 spe nt in searchin g for him ; d . Mt 5:12p ; 6:4,6, IN; Manasseh had Isaiah exec uted . Ad d . 'tem pled' (put
Ex 2:15 that he left Egypt and was not afraid of the king's an ger ; he held to his purpose 10:4 Ifp: 16:27; 20 : 1- 16 ; 25:3 1-46 ; L k 6:35 ; 14:14 ; throu gh ord ea ls).
R m 2:6 ; I Co 3:8. 14 ; 2 Co 5: 10 ; Ep 6:8 ; 2 Tm 4 :8.14 ; I. Th e esc ha tolo gica l e poc h of 'perfec tio n' was
Ex 12111 , like a man who cou ld see the Invisib le. • It was by faith that he kept the Passover 28
22:23 1 P 1:17 ; 2 In 8 ; Rv 2:23 ; 11: 18 ; 14:13 ; 20: 12- 13; inau gu rated by Christ. 2:10 ; 5:9: 7:2N; 10:14, and
":'2
a nd sprinkled the blood to prevent the Destroyer from touchi ng any of the first- 22:12. acces s to the d ivin e life has bee n made av ailab le on ly "1-'
d. Noa h's confide nce in what G od had said by hi m , 9:llf; 10 :19f. T he a .T . sai nt s. who co uld
E x 14:22.27 born sons of Israel. -I t was by faith they cross ed the Red Sea as easily as dry land , 29 'co nvic ts ' a sinner, cf. Ws 4:16 : Mt 12:4 1. not be 'perfected' by the Law, 7:19 : 9 :9 : 10:1. had thu s
while the Egyptians, trying to do the same, were drow ned . c. Lit. 'by a parab le'. T he sav ing o f Isa ac from to wait till the resurrec tio n o f Christ befo re th ey co uld
dea th prefigures [he resurrection of all human s and, enter the pe rfect life of heave n. 12:23: c f. Mt 27 :52f :
J os 6:20 It was through faith that the wal1s of Jeric ho fell down when the peop le had 30 acc ording to tradi tional exeges is, the deat h and 1 P 3:19 + .
Jos 2: 11: been round them for seven days. · It was by fait h that Rahab the prostitute 31 resurrec tio n of Christ. 12 a . Lit . ' en d u red co ntradic tio ns o f s inners against ::>
6;17 -,
J m 2:25 f. So me au thori ties insert the sto ry o f the murde red hi msel f ' ; va T. '. .. against them sel ves".
welcomed the spies and so was not killed with the unbelievers. Egyp tian here , cr. Ex 2:1 1- 12; Ac 7:24 . b. To the eye s o f fai th. the va rio us trials of life are
Is there a ny need to say more? There is not time for me to give an acco unt 32 g . In the psal m, God 's 'A no inted ' who is 'insulted ' all part o f the way Go d is bring ing us up . The argume nt
Jg4; 6 ; refers to the people of G od, v. 25, co nsec rated to de pe nds o n the biblical co ncep t o f edu ca tion , musar,
13:24
of Gideon, Bara k, Samson, Je phthah, or of Dav id, Sam uel and the prop hets. Ya hweh, Ex 19:6 + . The author of Heb applies the patdeia, me an 'te ac hi ng throu gh hnune. pun ishi ng',
The se were men who thro ugh faith conquered kingdoms, did what is right and 33 tex t to Christ himself o n whose acc o unt Mo ses er, 3b 5: 17 : ) ~: 1 9 : Ps 94: 12 ; S i 1;27 ; 4: 17 : 23:2.
·>
w
0::
1 2: r4 HEBREWS 386 387 H EBREWS 13:2 5
Unfaithfulness is punished 12 high priest fo r the atonement of sin are burnt outside the camp, -and so Jesus too Nb 19:3
/0:/4
Ps 34: 14 A lways be wanting peace with all people, and the ho liness without which no M t 2 1:39p
Rm 12: 18
14 13 suffered outside the gate to sanctify the people with his own blood," • Let us go to I n 19:20
Mt 5:8 -9 one can ever see the Lo rd. •Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God Ac 7:58
I In 3:2
15 14 him, then , outside the camp, and share his degradation. -For there is no eternal 1 1:26
Dr 29: 17
LXX
and that no root ofbitterness should begin to grow and mak e trouble; th is can poison 15 city for us in this life but we look for one in the life to come . -T hrough him ,' 11:/0./4-16
1 Co 7:29 -31
Ac 8 :23 a whole com munity. -A nd be careful th at there is no immorality, or that any of 16 let us offer God an unending sacrifice of praise, a verbal sacrifice that is offered Ph 3:20
Ps 50 :14.23
G n 25:33 you does not degrade religion like Esau,v who sold his birthright fo r o ne single 16 ever y time we acknowledge his name. •Keep do ing good works and sharing your Ho 14:3
A c2:21+
meal. -As you know, when he wanted to obtain th e blessing afterwards, he was 17 resources, for these are sacr ifices that please G od . R m 1:9 +:
10:9
G n 27:30-40 rejected and, though he pleaded for it with tears, he was unable to elicit a change Ph 4:18
of hea rt. Obedience to religious leaders
17 Obey your leaders and do as they tell you, beca use they must give an account Ez k 3:18
The two covenants 1 Co 16:16
of the way they loo k after your so uls ; make this a joy for them to do, and not a 1 T h 5:12f
Ex 19:16.18 What you have co me to is nothing known to the senses:" not a blazing fire, 18 R m 15:30
18 grief-you yourselves would be the losers .• We are sure that ou r own conscience Ep 6:19
or a gloom turni ng to total darkn ess, or a storm ; ' o r trumpeting thunder or the 19
is clear and we are cer tain ly determined to beh ave honourab ly in everythin g we Co1 4 :3
0 [ 4: 11 1 T h 5:25
Ex } O: JC)
great voice speak ing which mad e everyo ne that heard it beg that no mor e sho uld do ; pray for us. ·1 ask you very particularly to pra y that I may come back to you 2 Th 3:1
Ph 2:24
Ex 19: 12f
be said to them.' •T hey were a ppalled at the o rder that was given: If even WI animal 20
all the soo ner. Phm22
touches the mountain, it must be stoned. -T he whole scene was so terr ible that 21
D19: 19 Moses said: I am afraid , and was trem bling with fright. • But what you have co me 22
Rv 14 :1 : to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jer usa lem whe re the
21:10 EPILOGUE
millions of angels have gathered for the festival, -w ith the whole Ch urch in which 23
everyone is a 'first-bo rn so n' and a citizen of heaven. Yo u have co me to G od him- News, good wishes and greeting s
R m 2:6 + self, the sup reme J udge, and been placed with the spirits of th e saints who have 20 I pr ay tha t the G od of peace, who brought our Lo rd Jesus back from the dead Is 63:11
11:40 + been mad e perfect ; -a nd to Jesus, the med iator who brings a new covenant and a 24
8:6 +: I I:
to become the great Shepher d of the sheep by the blood that sealed an eternal ~~::NJ+:
4+
blood for purification which pleads more insistently th an Abel's.• Ma ke sure that 25
2 1 covenant, ' may make you rea dy to do his will in a ny kind of good actio n; and Jn3?6~161
Gn 4: 10 you never refuse to listen when he speaks. T he people who refused to listen to the turn us all into whatever is accept able to himself th ro ugh Jesus Chr ist, to who m ~J:l}]: 5:4
warn ing fro m a voice on ea rt h co uld not esca pe their puni sh ment, and how shall
2:2-3
be glory for ever and ever , Amen. Rm 16:27 +
we esca pe if we turn away from a voice tha t warns us fro m heaven? -That t ime 26
22 I do ask yo u, brothers, to ta ke these wo rds of advice kindl y ; tha t is why I have
H.2:6
Ex 19 :I H
his voice made the ear th shake, but now he has given us this promise: I shall make written to you so briefly.
J .5:4-5
Ps 68:8
the earth shake once more and not only the earth but heaven as well. •The wo rds 27
23 I want you to know th at our bro ther Timo thy has been set free. If he arrives Ac 16: 1+
once more show that since the things being sha ken are created thin gs, they are
"4 in time, he will be with me when I see you. -Greetings to all your lead ers and to
M 12 4:35p going to be changed, so that the unshak eable things will be leftJ •We have 2,;
2 P 3: 12- 13 25 all the saints. T he saints of Ita ly send you greetings. -Grace be with you all.
nv 21: 1 been given possess ion of an unshakeable kingdom. Let us therefore hold o n to the
9 :14
R m 1:9 1'
grace tha t we have been given and use it to wo rship Go d in the way that he finds
D14:24 accepta ble, in reverence and fear." • For our God is a consuming fire. 29
Is 33: 14

APPEND IX

Final recommendations
R I11 12: 13 Co ntinue to love eac h o ther like brothers, -a nd remem ber always to
(;11 N/ :2f;

J~
19: I f
6:1 1-24 :
13:3-23
13 welco me st ra ngers, for by doin g this, so me people have enterta ined a ngels
witho ut know ing it. • Keep in mind th ose who are in prison , as thou gh you were
~
T b 5:4 f
10:34
in pr ison with them ; and th ose who are being bad ly treated, since you too are in
!\til 25: 36 the o ne bod y. • Ma rriage is to be honoured by all, a nd mar riages are to be kept 4 c. Lit. 'o r be profane like Es au' . T h is refe rs t o the 13 B. The heads of the communi ty.
sin co m m itt ed b y Esau when h e su rre nd er ed th e b. C hris t Jesu s was th e cen tr al t heme on which th e Q.
Ws3: 13 un de filed , because forn icato rs and ad ulterers will com e und er God's ju dgemen t.
En 5:5-6
Ph 4:1 2
p os iti o n that was his b Y birth, of be ing he ir to the head s of t he community preach ed . T hey may di e but ~
Put greed out of you r lives and be co ntent with whatever you have ; God himself 5 m essianic promises . Ch rist rem ain s. and so it is to him th at C hri stia ns ow e
Dt 3 1:6 d, Lit . ' Yo u have no t approached something that their allegiance .
has sa id: I will not fa il yo u or desert you, -and so we can say with con fidence: (, can be touched ', var . ' .. .8 mountain th at ca n be c . N o t th e t abl e used for the Euc ha ris t. but either
Ps I I H;() ;
27: 1-3 Willi the Lord to help me, I f ear nothing: what can man do to me ? to uched ', cf . v. 22. th e cross o n wh ich Chr ist was sa cr ificed, or C hr ist
Rm ,1\ :]1 · 31) e. As at the theopha nv on Sinai. when the old him se lf thr o ug h whom we offer the sa cr ifice o f pr ayer
cov ena nt was made . The new covenan t re p lace s fear to God. Non-C h risti an Je ws who s till ' ser ved the '7z
Faithfulness ~ ...,
with peace. ta bernacle' ca nno t participate.
n 1:5 1 Re member your lead ers," who preached the wo rd of G od to you, a nd as you 7 r. C os m ic upheavals are traditional met aphors in
2 T h 3:7 I a p ocalypses for the time when G od intervenes to
/'.\" J02: 27 reflect on the o utco me of their lives, imitate their fait h. -Jesus Christ is the same x introduce a new regi me, cf . A m 8:9 +; 1 Co 1:8 + ; d. O n th e D aY of Atonem ent th e hi gh priest went
Ep4 :14 today as he was yesterday a nd as he will be for ever. " • Do not let yourselves 9 M I24:1 + . int o the Holy of Holies and s pr in kled it wi th th e blo od
g . T h is is th e rea l concl us io n. and a n apt o ne fo r a of a n ima ls th at had been ki lled , a nd t he bo d ies of
be led ast ray by all so rts of stra nge doctrines: it is better to rely on grace for inner lett er that lays suc h emphasis on t he liturgy. The th ese an ima ls we re b ur nt ou tside the camp. T his
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I C o H:H I strength than o n dietar y laws which have done no good to those who kept them . ' u nsha kea ble ' kin gdom sum m a r ises vv. 22-24 . God p refigured how Jesus as exp iatory victi m was to be
Lv 3: 1 i rei gn s over bo th h is a n gels and his saims in the kingd om k illed o u ts ide the wa lls of Jer usalem . T he lesson d rawn
We have o ur ow n alta r' from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right 10 of he aven. the ete rn a l and s p ir itu a l Jeru salem . F rom fro m thi s is th at C hr istia ns shou ld bre a k with J ud ais m
Lv 16:27 to eat. •T he bodie s of the a nimals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the II n o w on C h r istia ns a re a ble to e nter th is kin gdom a nd and thi n k o f th em selves as exiles fro m th e world.
Iive there a life th at is a eucharistic li turgy . e . 'Through him' , add . 't her efo r e' .
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