Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today we continue reading the Epistle
of St. Paul to the Hebrews, chapters 5 through
8. Chapter 5 For every high priest, taken from
among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining
to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices
for sins. He can have compassion on those who
are ignorant and going astray, since he himself
is also subject to weakness. Because of this,
he is required as for the people, so also for
himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no
man takes this honor to himself, but he who is
called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ
did not glorify himself to become high priest,
but it was he who said to him, You are my son,
today I have begotten you. as he also says in
another place you are a priest forever according
to the order of Melchizedek who in the days of
his flesh when he had offered up prayers and
supplications with vehement cries and tears to
him who was able to save him from death and was
heard because of his godly fear though he was
a son yet he learned obedience by the things
which he suffered And having been perfected,
he became the author of eternal salvation to
all who obey him, called by God as high priest
according to the order of Melchizedek, of whom
we have much to say and hard to explain since
you have become dull of hearing. For though by
this time you ought to be teachers, you need
someone to teach you again the first principles
of the oracles of God, and you have come to need
milk and not solid food. for everyone who partakes
only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness
for he is a babe but solid food belongs to those
who are of full age that is those who by reason
of use have their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil chapter six therefore leaving
the discussion of the elementary principles of
christ let us go on to perfection not laying
again the foundation of repentance from dead
works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine
of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection
of the dead. and of eternal judgment. And this
we will do if God permits. For it is impossible
for those who were once enlightened, and have
tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers
of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good
word of God and the powers of the age to come,
if they fall away to renew them again to repentance,
since they crucify again for themselves the Son
of God and put Him to an open shame. For the
earth which drinks in the rain, that often comes
upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by
whom it is cultivated receives blessing from
god but if it bears thorns and briars it is rejected
and near to being cursed whose end is to be burned
but beloved we are confident of better things
concerning you yes things that accompany salvation
though we speak in this manner For God is not
unjust to forget your work and labor of love,
which you have shown toward his name, in that
you have ministered to the saints and do minister.
And we desire that each one of you show the same
diligence to the full assurance of hope until
the end, that you do not become sluggish, but
imitate those who through faith and patience
inherit the promises. For when God made a promise
to Abraham, Because he could swear by no one
greater, he swore by himself, saying, Surely
blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I
will multiply you. And so after he had patiently
endured, he obtained the promise. For men indeed
swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation
is for them an end of all dispute. Thus, God
determining to show more abundantly to the heirs
of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed
it by an oath, that by two immutable things,
in which it is impossible for God to lie, we
might have strong consolation, who have fled
for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before
us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and steadfast, and which enters the
presence behind the veil, where the forerunner
has entered for us, even Jesus having become
high priest forever according to the order of
Melchizedek. Chapter 7 For this Melchizedek,
king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who
met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the
kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave
a tenth part of all, first being translated king
of righteousness, and then also king of Salem,
meaning king of peace, without father, without
mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning
of days nor end of life, but made like the Son
of God, remains a priest continually. now consider
how great this man was to whom even the patriarch
abraham gave a tenth of the spoils and indeed
those who are the sons of levi who received the
priesthood have a commandment to receive tithe
from the people according to the law that is
from their brethren though they have come from
the loins of abraham but he whose genealogy is
not derived from them received tithe from abraham
and blessed him who had the promises now beyond
all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the
better. Here mortal men receive tithe, but there
he receives them of whom it is witnessed that
he lives. Even Levi, who receives tithe, paid
tithe through Abraham, so to speak, for he was
still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek
met him. Therefore, if perfection were through
the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people
received the law, what further need was there
that another priest should rise according to
the order of melchizedek and not be called according
to the order of aaron for the priesthood being
changed of necessity there is also a change of
the law for he of whom these things are spoken
belongs to another tribe from which no man has
officiated at the altar for it is evident that
our lord arose from judah of which tribe moses
spoke nothing concerning priesthood and it is
yet far more evident if in the likeness of melchizedek
there arises another priest who has come not
according to the law of a fleshly commandment
but according to the power of an endless life
for he testifies you are a priest for ever according
to the order of Melchizedek. For on the one hand,
there is an annulling of the former commandment
because of its weakness and unprofitableness.
For the law made nothing perfect. On the other
hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope,
through which we draw near to God. And inasmuch
as he was not made priest without an oath, for
they have become priests without an oath, but
he with an oath by him who said to him, The Lord
has sworn and will not relent. You are a priest
forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
By so much more, Jesus has become a surety of
a better covenant. Also there were many priests
because they were prevented by death from continuing.
But he, because he continues forever, has an
unchangeable priesthood. Therefore he is also
able to save to the uttermost those who come
to God through him, since he always lives to
make intercession for them. For such a high priest
was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners, and has become higher
than the heavens, who does not need daily as
those high priests to offer up sacrifices, first
for his own sins and then for the people's. For
this he did once for all when he offered up himself.
For the law appoints as high priests men who
have weakness, but the word of the oath, which
came after the law, appoints the son, who has
been perfected for ever chapter eight now this
is the main point of the things we are saying
we have such a high priest who is seated at the
right hand of the throne of the majesty in the
heavens a minister of the sanctuary and of the
true tabernacle which the lord erected and not
man for every high priest is appointed to offer
both gifts and sacrifices therefore it is necessary
that this one also have something to offer For
if he were on earth, he would not be a priest,
since there are priests who offer the gifts according
to the law, who serve the copy and shadow of
the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed
when he was about to make the tabernacle. For
he said, See that you make all things according
to the pattern shown you on the mountain. But
now he has obtained a more excellent ministry,
inasmuch as he is also mediator of a better covenant,
which was established on better promises. For
if that first covenant had been faultless, then
no place would have been sought for a second.
Because finding fault with them, he says, Behold,
the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will
make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah, not according to
the covenant that I made with their fathers in
the day when I took them by the hand to lead
them out of the land of Egypt, because they did
not continue in my covenant, and I disregarded
them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws
in their mind and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God, and they shall be my
people. None of them shall teach his neighbor,
and none his brother, saying, Know the Lord,
for all shall know me, from the least of them
to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful
to their unrighteousness, and their sins and
their lawless deeds I will remember no more.
In that he says a new covenant. He has made the
first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete
and growing old is ready to vanish away. I hope
you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did
and I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow
to continue on our journey. God bless you and
have a great day.