Hebrews, chapters 4 - 7

• The symbol {XV #.} after a word/phrase means that word/phrase is given in Greek on page XV (Hebr)-- on that page, scroll down (if necessary) to C.#;
• the symbol  means the Greek is the same as for the same word recently covered;
• the symbol  means the word does not exist in Greek.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Chapter 5 unknown writer(s)

Every High Priest{XV 13.} is selected from among men & is appointed to represent them in matters related to GOD, to offer gifts{XV 17.} & sacrifices{XV 26.} for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant & are going astray, since He himself is subject to weakness. This is why He has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. No 1 takes this honor upon himself; He must be called by GOD, just as Aaron was, So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a High Priest{XV 13.}. But GOD said{XV 35.} to HIM before creation, YOU are MY SON{XV 47.}; today{XV 45.} I become YOUR FATHER (Psa 2:7ab). And HE says (it was sung) in another time & place, YOU are a simple Priest{XV 28.} forever{XV 8.} in the order of Melchizedek (Psa 110:4b). During the days{XV 23.} of Jesus' life on earth, He lifted up prayers & petitions with loud cries & tears to the ONE who could save Him from death, & He was heard because of His reverent submission. Although He was a Son{XV 47.}, He learned obedience by the things which He suffered &, 1x made perfect, He took on the sins of the world & became the source of eternal{XV 9.} salvation for all who will obey Him & was then designated by GOD to be High Priest{XV 13.} also in the order of Melchizedek.

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because You are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time You ought to be teachers, You need someone to teach You the elementary truths of GOD's Word all over again. You yet need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not even acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained{XV 14.} themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Chapter 6 unknown writer(s)

Therefore let Us leave the elementary teachings about Christ & go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, & of faith{XV 41.} in GOD, instructions about the baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, & eternal{XV 9.} judgment. And GOD permitting, We will do so. It is impossible for Those who have been 1x enlightened, who have tasted the Heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit{XV 43.}, who have tasted the goodness of the Word of GOD & the powers of the coming age{XV 8.}, if They fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to Their loss They are now crucifying the Son{XV 47.} of GOD all over again & subjecting HIM to public disgrace-- communicating that God's grace & promises can be totally nullified by human actions; confusing/frustrating those who are ashamed of past actions, that they are doomed to hopelessness; that one's testimony is unimportant. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it & that indeed produces a crop useful for whom it is farmed receives the Blessing of GOD. But land that produces thorns & thistles is worthless & is in danger of being cursed now. In the end it will be burned. But let's move on from land (this narrow metaphor)! Even though We speak{XV 35.} like this, dear friends, We are confident of better things in Your case-- things that accompany salvation. GOD is not unjust; HE will not forget Your work & the love You have shown HIM as You have helped HIS People{XV 5.} & continue to help Them. We want each of You to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make Your hope{XV 19.} sure. We do not want You to become lazy, but to imitate Those who through faith{XV 41.} & patience inherit what has been promised{XV 20.}.

When GOD HIS made Promise{XV 21.} to Abraham, since there was no 1 greater for HIM to swear by, HE swore by himself, saying, I will surely bless You & give You many descendants-- sworn after he had offered Isaac (Gen 22:16-17). And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised{XV 20.}. Men swear by someone greater than themselves [as in the initial prayer of salvation], & the oath confirms what is said & puts an end to all argument. Because GOD wanted to make the unchanging nature of HIS purpose very clear to the heirs{XV 34.} of what was promised{XV 20.}, HE confirmed it with an oath (as in the initial prayer of salvation). GOD did this so that, by 2 unchangeable things in which it is impossible for GOD to lie, We who have fled our ungodly lives to take hold of the hope{XV 19.} offered to Us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm & secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the 2nd curtain{XV 33.} where only the high priest used to go, but this 2nd curtain now torn from top to bottom allows us to enter, where Jesus our High Priest, who went before Us, has entered on Our behalf. Upon crucifixion, HE has become a High Priest{XV 13.} forever{XV 8.}, in the order of Melchizedek. We shall see this hope explained more gloriously-- this 2nd curtain was His crucified body (Hebr 10:20), torn by GOD the Father in 2 from top to bottom, wherethrough we pass-- that's our perpetual hope!

Now regarding the oath mentioned above: my Study Bible referred in particular to the oath described in Gen 22:16 as, I swear by myself (likely because that was the hallmark issue in the passage-- since there was no 1 greater). But since there has been some controversy:

There were other callings, oaths & promises; those to Noah, Abraham, Isaac & Jacob (Israel):

1. God to Noah- Gen 6:13-18; 9:1-17;
2. God to Abram- the initial calling to into Canaan (Gen 12:1-3,7);
3. God to Abram- Abram & nephew Lot left Egypt, & soon after this Abram & Lot separated (Gen 13:1-18);
4. God's promises to Abram (Gen 15:1-21);
5. God to the age 99 Abram/Abraham- Abram renamed Abraham (Gen 17:1-8); covenant of circumcision instituted (Gen 17:9-14); Sarai renamed Sarah, son Isaac promised (Gen 17:15-22);
6. God to Abraham- after the test about sacrificing Isaac (the 1 the Bible scholars above referred to, Gen 22:15-18;
7. God to Isaac- after Abraham died; because of God's promise, Isaac didn't go to Egypt, but remained in Gerar (Gen 26:1-6);
8. God to Jacob- a dream Jacob had on His way to get a wife (Gen 28:10-15);
9. God to Jacob- Jacob's name changed to Israel; farther promises (Gen 35:9-10,11-13).

Other refs. to the oaths to Abraham, Isaac & Jacob:

• God mentioned to Moses about the oaths (Exo 33:1: Deu 34:4);
• Moses referred to the oaths (Deu 1:8; 11:9).

Also, Exo 32:13 has Remember YOUR Servants Abraham, Isaac & Israel, to whom YOU swore by YOUR Own Self; & in Isa 45:23ac we find Isaiah quoting God, By myself I have sworn a Word that will not be revoked.

Let's return #3 above-- when Abram & Lot left Egypt, after which Abram to Canaan & Lot went to the plains near Sodom (Gen 13:12). Gen 13:13 says, Now the men of Sodom were wicked & were sinning greatly against the Lord. Some 14 years later 4 kings warred with 5 kings (1 of the 5 was the king of Sodom). Despite the odds, the 4 kings defeated the 5-- but Lot was carried off! Then Abram rescued Lot. However, Lot opted to remain in Sodom-- the last ref. to him in Genesis was Gen 19:36 (though his descendants were mentioned in Deu 2:9,19; Psa 83:8-- & Lot himself was spoken of in Luke 17:28-29; 2nd Pet 2:7).

But beyond Gen 20:1 we have Abraham being referred to often! But let's go back to Gen 14:17 & look at Abraham. After Abram returned from defeating the 5 kings, the king of Sodom came out to meet Him, but when Melchizedek king of Salem (Jerusalem), Priest of GOD Most High blessed Abram, Abram gave Him a 10th of everything-- & Abram rejected the offers from the king of Sodom (Gen 14:17-24).

Chapter 7 unknown writer(s)

This Melchizedek was king of Salem & a simple Priest{XV 28.} of GOD Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings & blessed Him, & Abraham gave Him a 10th of everything. 1st His name means "king of righteousness"; then also "king of Salem" means "king of peace." Without father{XV 12.} or without mother{XV 11.}, without genealogy, without beginning of days{XV 23.} or end of life, like the Son{XV 47.} of GOD He remains a simple Priest{XV 28.} forever. Just think how great He was: even the patriarch Abraham gave Him a 10th of the plunder! Now the Mosaic Law requires the descendants{XV 47.} of Levi who became simple Priests{XV 36.} (received the office of priesthood) to collect a 10th from the people-- that is, Their brothers{XV 7.}-- even though Their brothers are descended from Abraham. I.e., this was many generations before Moses. Abraham begat Isaac, who begat Jacob, who begat Levi-- some 400 yrs. later Moses was born; the Mosaic Law went back those 400 yrs. to Levi-- but Levi's great grandfather had already tithed! This man (Melchizedek), however, did not trace His descent from Levi (but preceded him-- and was not even related to him), yet He collected a 10th from Abraham & blessed Him who had the promises{XV 20.} of descendants, circumcision & Sarah, as we saw above in Chapter 6 #4. And without doubt the lesser person (Abraham) is blessed by the greater-- Melchizedek did the blessing. In the 1 case [the 2nd tithing, after the priesthood was changed (see below)], the 10th is collected by men who eventually die-- Abraham, Levi, etc., did-- recall Melchizedek lived forever; but in the other case (the 1st tithing), by Him who is declared to be living. One might even [better] say that Levi, who later collects the 10th, initially paid the 10th through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of His ancestor {XV 40.}. Now this might be somewhat confusing but recall that we saw in ch. 5 above that Jesus would 1st be a simple (not high) Priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek (Psa 110:4b). During the days of Jesus' life on earth. He lifted up prayers & petitions with loud cries & tears to the ONE who could save Him from death, & He was heard because of His reverent submission. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience by the things which He suffered &, 1x made perfect, He took on the sins of the world & became the source of eternal salvation for all who will obey Him & was designated by GOD to be High Priest in the order of Melchizedek (i.e., after He died & arose HE became High Priest-- Hebr 7:12 says there is a change of the priesthood & Law)! Some N.T. references to priesthood:

• Luke 1:9 has about the old custom of the priesthood, to go into the Temple of the LORD & burn incense; Luke 3:2 mention that there was a High Priesthood-- we know the High Priest went 1x a year into the Most Holy Place with the blood of the atoning sin for all the sins of Israel (Exo 30:10; Lev 16:34);
• Hebr 4:14-15 speaks in general of Jesus our High Priest;
• Hebr 5:1,5 says that every High Priest is selected from among men & appointed to offer gifts & sacrifices-- thus we have the resurrected Jesus, for Christ did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest;
• Hebr 5:10 & 6:20 speaks specifically of Jesus the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek;
• We shall shortly see that (in this ch. 7):
  • this High Priesthood was called the Levitical priesthood (v.11);
  • there was a change of the priesthood (v. 12);
  • Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood (v. 24);
  • He offered himself 1x for all (v. 27);
• Hebr 9:12 has, He entered the Most Holy Place 1x for all by His own blood;
• 2ndCor 3:6 refers to Us... ministers of the New Covenant;
• 1stPet 2:5 has, You are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesrhood;
• 1stPet 2:9 has, You are a royal priesthood, that You may declare the praises.

If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood{XV 29.} (for on the basis of it the Law was given to the people), why was there still need for another simple Priest{XV 28.} to come-- 1 in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when there is a change of the priesthood{XV 29.}, there must also be a change of the Law. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, & no 1 from that tribe ever has ever served at the altar{XV 27.}. Many generations after Levi (1 of the 12 forefathers; his tribe & descendants were called Levites), Aaron, Moses & Miriam were born to Amram & Jochebed (both descendants of Levi); soon after exiting Egypt, Aaron was given the everlasting ordinance of priesthood ministry (Exo 28:43)-- & Moses later received the 10 Commandments. However... For it is clear that Our LORD descended from Judah (Matt 1:2.16 has Abraham father of Isaac, father of Jacob, father of Judah... Joseph husband of Mary, mother of Jesus; Luke 3:23,33 has Jesus son of Joseph... son of Judah, son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham), & in regard to that tribe Moses said{XV 35.} nothing about Priests{XV 29.}. And what We have said is even more clear if another simple Priest{XV 28.} like Melchizedek appears, 1 who has become a Priest not on the basis of a regulation as to HIS ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: YOU are a simple Priest{XV 28.} forever{XV 8.}, in the order of Melchizedek (Psa 110:4bc). The former regulation is set aside because it was weak & useless (for the Law made nothing perfect), & a better hope{XV 19.} is introduced, by which We draw near to GOD.

And it was not without an oath! Others became simple Priests{XV 28.} without any oath, but HE became a simple Priest{XV 28.} with an oath when GOD said to HIM: The LORD has sworn & will not change HIS Mind (1stSam 15:28-29; 28:17): YOU are a simple Priest{XV 28.} forever{XV 8.} (Psa 110:4ab). That 1st part is a ref. to the time when all 12 tribes of the Kingdom of Israel were given to neighbor David; this is not to be confused with the time later when the Kingdom was divided & 1 (Judah) remained with Solomon's son-- though, geographically speaking, 2 tribes, since maps I've seen have Judah encompassing both the original tribes of Judah & Simeon (see 1stKi 11:11-13,29-36). Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant{XV 15.}. Now there have been many of those simple Priests{XV 28.} that became priests by virtue of their descent, since death prevented Them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever{XV 8.}, HE has a permanent priesthood{XV 29.}. Therefore HE is able to save completely Those who come to GOD through HIM, because HE always lives to intercede for Them. Such a High Priest{XV 13.} meets Our need-- 1 who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other High Priests{XV 13.}, HE does not need to offer sacrifices{XV 26.} day after day{XV 23.}, 1st for HIS own sins, & then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for Their sins (remember He was sinless) once for all{XV 22.} believing people when He offered himself for the cross. For the Law appoints as High Priests{XV 13.} men who are weak-- for they are unable to remain sinless; but the oath, which came after the Law, appointed the SON{XV 47.}, who has been made perfect forever{XV 8.}.