WEBVTT 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:09.380 in a year. Today we continue reading the Epistle 00:00:09.380 --> 00:00:12.019 of St. Paul to the Hebrews, chapters 5 through 00:00:12.019 --> 00:00:16.420 8. Chapter 5 For every high priest, taken from 00:00:16.420 --> 00:00:19.320 among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining 00:00:19.320 --> 00:00:22.640 to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:25.929 for sins. He can have compassion on those who 00:00:25.929 --> 00:00:28.649 are ignorant and going astray, since he himself 00:00:28.649 --> 00:00:31.550 is also subject to weakness. Because of this, 00:00:31.690 --> 00:00:34.689 he is required as for the people, so also for 00:00:34.689 --> 00:00:38.310 himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no 00:00:38.310 --> 00:00:41.509 man takes this honor to himself, but he who is 00:00:41.509 --> 00:00:45.770 called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ 00:00:45.770 --> 00:00:48.310 did not glorify himself to become high priest, 00:00:48.509 --> 00:00:51.570 but it was he who said to him, You are my son, 00:00:51.750 --> 00:00:55.210 today I have begotten you. as he also says in 00:00:55.210 --> 00:00:58.070 another place you are a priest forever according 00:00:58.070 --> 00:01:01.210 to the order of Melchizedek who in the days of 00:01:01.210 --> 00:01:03.570 his flesh when he had offered up prayers and 00:01:03.570 --> 00:01:06.670 supplications with vehement cries and tears to 00:01:06.670 --> 00:01:09.209 him who was able to save him from death and was 00:01:09.209 --> 00:01:12.170 heard because of his godly fear though he was 00:01:12.170 --> 00:01:15.030 a son yet he learned obedience by the things 00:01:15.030 --> 00:01:17.840 which he suffered And having been perfected, 00:01:17.859 --> 00:01:20.819 he became the author of eternal salvation to 00:01:20.819 --> 00:01:23.959 all who obey him, called by God as high priest 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:27.079 according to the order of Melchizedek, of whom 00:01:27.079 --> 00:01:30.359 we have much to say and hard to explain since 00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:33.299 you have become dull of hearing. For though by 00:01:33.299 --> 00:01:35.560 this time you ought to be teachers, you need 00:01:35.560 --> 00:01:37.799 someone to teach you again the first principles 00:01:37.799 --> 00:01:40.799 of the oracles of God, and you have come to need 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:44.099 milk and not solid food. for everyone who partakes 00:01:44.099 --> 00:01:46.799 only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:50.400 for he is a babe but solid food belongs to those 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:53.500 who are of full age that is those who by reason 00:01:53.500 --> 00:01:57.060 of use have their senses exercised to discern 00:01:57.060 --> 00:02:03.739 both good and evil chapter six therefore leaving 00:02:03.739 --> 00:02:06.140 the discussion of the elementary principles of 00:02:06.140 --> 00:02:09.080 christ let us go on to perfection not laying 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:11.379 again the foundation of repentance from dead 00:02:11.379 --> 00:02:14.360 works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine 00:02:14.360 --> 00:02:17.379 of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection 00:02:17.379 --> 00:02:20.530 of the dead. and of eternal judgment. And this 00:02:20.530 --> 00:02:23.669 we will do if God permits. For it is impossible 00:02:23.669 --> 00:02:26.349 for those who were once enlightened, and have 00:02:26.349 --> 00:02:29.110 tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers 00:02:29.110 --> 00:02:31.449 of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good 00:02:31.449 --> 00:02:34.229 word of God and the powers of the age to come, 00:02:34.370 --> 00:02:37.530 if they fall away to renew them again to repentance, 00:02:37.770 --> 00:02:40.750 since they crucify again for themselves the Son 00:02:40.750 --> 00:02:43.949 of God and put Him to an open shame. For the 00:02:43.949 --> 00:02:46.490 earth which drinks in the rain, that often comes 00:02:46.490 --> 00:02:49.639 upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by 00:02:49.639 --> 00:02:52.300 whom it is cultivated receives blessing from 00:02:52.300 --> 00:02:55.900 god but if it bears thorns and briars it is rejected 00:02:55.900 --> 00:02:59.240 and near to being cursed whose end is to be burned 00:02:59.240 --> 00:03:02.300 but beloved we are confident of better things 00:03:02.300 --> 00:03:05.439 concerning you yes things that accompany salvation 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:08.560 though we speak in this manner For God is not 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:11.159 unjust to forget your work and labor of love, 00:03:11.319 --> 00:03:13.780 which you have shown toward his name, in that 00:03:13.780 --> 00:03:16.300 you have ministered to the saints and do minister. 00:03:16.500 --> 00:03:19.280 And we desire that each one of you show the same 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:21.960 diligence to the full assurance of hope until 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:24.960 the end, that you do not become sluggish, but 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:27.419 imitate those who through faith and patience 00:03:27.419 --> 00:03:30.400 inherit the promises. For when God made a promise 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:32.840 to Abraham, Because he could swear by no one 00:03:32.840 --> 00:03:36.000 greater, he swore by himself, saying, Surely 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:38.379 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I 00:03:38.379 --> 00:03:41.080 will multiply you. And so after he had patiently 00:03:41.080 --> 00:03:44.080 endured, he obtained the promise. For men indeed 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:46.939 swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation 00:03:46.939 --> 00:03:50.800 is for them an end of all dispute. Thus, God 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:53.340 determining to show more abundantly to the heirs 00:03:53.340 --> 00:03:56.840 of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed 00:03:56.840 --> 00:03:59.860 it by an oath, that by two immutable things, 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:03.060 in which it is impossible for God to lie, we 00:04:03.060 --> 00:04:05.599 might have strong consolation, who have fled 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:08.400 for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:11.360 us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, 00:04:11.580 --> 00:04:15.159 both sure and steadfast, and which enters the 00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:17.980 presence behind the veil, where the forerunner 00:04:17.980 --> 00:04:20.980 has entered for us, even Jesus having become 00:04:20.980 --> 00:04:24.420 high priest forever according to the order of 00:04:24.420 --> 00:04:30.699 Melchizedek. Chapter 7 For this Melchizedek, 00:04:30.860 --> 00:04:33.879 king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who 00:04:33.879 --> 00:04:36.019 met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the 00:04:36.019 --> 00:04:38.899 kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave 00:04:38.899 --> 00:04:42.399 a tenth part of all, first being translated king 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:45.319 of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, 00:04:45.500 --> 00:04:48.519 meaning king of peace, without father, without 00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:51.399 mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:54.759 of days nor end of life, but made like the Son 00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:58.649 of God, remains a priest continually. now consider 00:04:58.649 --> 00:05:01.649 how great this man was to whom even the patriarch 00:05:01.649 --> 00:05:04.850 abraham gave a tenth of the spoils and indeed 00:05:04.850 --> 00:05:07.550 those who are the sons of levi who received the 00:05:07.550 --> 00:05:10.329 priesthood have a commandment to receive tithe 00:05:10.329 --> 00:05:12.970 from the people according to the law that is 00:05:12.970 --> 00:05:15.910 from their brethren though they have come from 00:05:15.910 --> 00:05:18.670 the loins of abraham but he whose genealogy is 00:05:18.670 --> 00:05:22.310 not derived from them received tithe from abraham 00:05:22.310 --> 00:05:25.149 and blessed him who had the promises now beyond 00:05:25.149 --> 00:05:28.240 all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:32.120 better. Here mortal men receive tithe, but there 00:05:32.120 --> 00:05:35.000 he receives them of whom it is witnessed that 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:38.680 he lives. Even Levi, who receives tithe, paid 00:05:38.680 --> 00:05:41.660 tithe through Abraham, so to speak, for he was 00:05:41.660 --> 00:05:44.379 still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek 00:05:44.379 --> 00:05:47.480 met him. Therefore, if perfection were through 00:05:47.480 --> 00:05:50.000 the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:52.699 received the law, what further need was there 00:05:52.699 --> 00:05:55.300 that another priest should rise according to 00:05:55.300 --> 00:05:57.980 the order of melchizedek and not be called according 00:05:57.980 --> 00:06:01.000 to the order of aaron for the priesthood being 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:03.879 changed of necessity there is also a change of 00:06:03.879 --> 00:06:06.699 the law for he of whom these things are spoken 00:06:06.699 --> 00:06:09.699 belongs to another tribe from which no man has 00:06:09.699 --> 00:06:13.180 officiated at the altar for it is evident that 00:06:13.180 --> 00:06:16.339 our lord arose from judah of which tribe moses 00:06:16.339 --> 00:06:19.120 spoke nothing concerning priesthood and it is 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:22.860 yet far more evident if in the likeness of melchizedek 00:06:22.860 --> 00:06:26.060 there arises another priest who has come not 00:06:26.060 --> 00:06:28.439 according to the law of a fleshly commandment 00:06:28.439 --> 00:06:31.079 but according to the power of an endless life 00:06:31.079 --> 00:06:34.550 for he testifies you are a priest for ever according 00:06:34.550 --> 00:06:37.730 to the order of Melchizedek. For on the one hand, 00:06:37.750 --> 00:06:40.230 there is an annulling of the former commandment 00:06:40.230 --> 00:06:42.790 because of its weakness and unprofitableness. 00:06:43.009 --> 00:06:45.870 For the law made nothing perfect. On the other 00:06:45.870 --> 00:06:48.670 hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, 00:06:48.829 --> 00:06:52.769 through which we draw near to God. And inasmuch 00:06:52.769 --> 00:06:55.990 as he was not made priest without an oath, for 00:06:55.990 --> 00:06:58.550 they have become priests without an oath, but 00:06:58.550 --> 00:07:01.879 he with an oath by him who said to him, The Lord 00:07:01.879 --> 00:07:04.779 has sworn and will not relent. You are a priest 00:07:04.779 --> 00:07:07.379 forever according to the order of Melchizedek. 00:07:07.579 --> 00:07:11.220 By so much more, Jesus has become a surety of 00:07:11.220 --> 00:07:13.860 a better covenant. Also there were many priests 00:07:13.860 --> 00:07:16.920 because they were prevented by death from continuing. 00:07:17.060 --> 00:07:20.259 But he, because he continues forever, has an 00:07:20.259 --> 00:07:23.240 unchangeable priesthood. Therefore he is also 00:07:23.240 --> 00:07:26.399 able to save to the uttermost those who come 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:29.459 to God through him, since he always lives to 00:07:29.459 --> 00:07:32.459 make intercession for them. For such a high priest 00:07:32.459 --> 00:07:36.740 was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, 00:07:36.899 --> 00:07:39.360 separate from sinners, and has become higher 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:42.600 than the heavens, who does not need daily as 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:45.779 those high priests to offer up sacrifices, first 00:07:45.779 --> 00:07:49.180 for his own sins and then for the people's. For 00:07:49.180 --> 00:07:52.000 this he did once for all when he offered up himself. 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:55.579 For the law appoints as high priests men who 00:07:55.579 --> 00:07:58.600 have weakness, but the word of the oath, which 00:07:58.600 --> 00:08:01.670 came after the law, appoints the son, who has 00:08:01.670 --> 00:08:07.750 been perfected for ever chapter eight now this 00:08:07.750 --> 00:08:09.730 is the main point of the things we are saying 00:08:09.730 --> 00:08:12.629 we have such a high priest who is seated at the 00:08:12.629 --> 00:08:15.310 right hand of the throne of the majesty in the 00:08:15.310 --> 00:08:18.269 heavens a minister of the sanctuary and of the 00:08:18.269 --> 00:08:21.029 true tabernacle which the lord erected and not 00:08:21.029 --> 00:08:24.009 man for every high priest is appointed to offer 00:08:24.009 --> 00:08:27.490 both gifts and sacrifices therefore it is necessary 00:08:27.490 --> 00:08:30.759 that this one also have something to offer For 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:33.379 if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, 00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:36.259 since there are priests who offer the gifts according 00:08:36.259 --> 00:08:38.899 to the law, who serve the copy and shadow of 00:08:38.899 --> 00:08:41.840 the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:44.659 when he was about to make the tabernacle. For 00:08:44.659 --> 00:08:47.139 he said, See that you make all things according 00:08:47.139 --> 00:08:49.899 to the pattern shown you on the mountain. But 00:08:49.899 --> 00:08:52.559 now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, 00:08:52.779 --> 00:08:56.080 inasmuch as he is also mediator of a better covenant, 00:08:56.299 --> 00:08:59.419 which was established on better promises. For 00:08:59.419 --> 00:09:02.700 if that first covenant had been faultless, then 00:09:02.700 --> 00:09:05.120 no place would have been sought for a second. 00:09:05.460 --> 00:09:08.559 Because finding fault with them, he says, Behold, 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:11.159 the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:13.059 make a new covenant with the house of Israel 00:09:13.059 --> 00:09:15.919 and with the house of Judah, not according to 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:18.419 the covenant that I made with their fathers in 00:09:18.419 --> 00:09:20.360 the day when I took them by the hand to lead 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:22.779 them out of the land of Egypt, because they did 00:09:22.779 --> 00:09:25.620 not continue in my covenant, and I disregarded 00:09:25.620 --> 00:09:28.000 them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:30.539 that I will make with the house of Israel after 00:09:30.539 --> 00:09:33.360 those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:35.879 in their mind and write them on their hearts, 00:09:36.019 --> 00:09:38.759 and I will be their God, and they shall be my 00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:41.299 people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, 00:09:41.419 --> 00:09:44.200 and none his brother, saying, Know the Lord, 00:09:44.360 --> 00:09:47.100 for all shall know me, from the least of them 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:49.779 to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful 00:09:49.779 --> 00:09:52.500 to their unrighteousness, and their sins and 00:09:52.500 --> 00:09:55.100 their lawless deeds I will remember no more. 00:09:55.580 --> 00:09:59.179 In that he says a new covenant. He has made the 00:09:59.179 --> 00:10:02.059 first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete 00:10:02.059 --> 00:10:11.000 and growing old is ready to vanish away. I hope 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:12.840 you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did 00:10:12.840 --> 00:10:14.940 and I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow 00:10:14.940 --> 00:10:17.460 to continue on our journey. God bless you and 00:10:17.460 --> 00:10:18.139 have a great day.