Bible Study The Letter To Hebrews

[Beetow]

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● Heb 4:1 . .Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be
careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

We've been leading up to a new window of opportunity that the Jews of today are in
danger of losing by means of unbelief similar to how the ancient Jews lost their
opportunity.

● Heb 4:2 . . For we also have had a gospel preached to us, just as they did; but
the message they heard was of no value to them because those who heard did not
combine it with faith.

The "gospel" that Moses preached to his people concerned a large area of Palestine,
once described as a land of milk and honey: apparently a figure of speech in that
day depicting regions of very high quality in matters related to agriculture, i.e.
water, weather, and soil. It was to be the Jews' permanent homeland; and once
they took it, they were never to lose control of it to foreign adversaries.

Today, in our time, Jews are being told another gospel whose benefits are just as
permanent as the first but again the message is of no value to many of them
because their degree of confidence in God and His son Jesus is unsatisfactory.

● Heb 4:3a . . Now we who have believed enter that rest

The rest pertaining to Y'shua's gospel, like Moses' gospel, is likened to the creator's
on-going creation rest which has been thus far, and will continue to be, perpetual,
viz: with neither end nor interruption.

● Heb 4:3b-5 . . as He said "As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into
my rest" although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He
spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise "And God did rest the
seventh day from all his works." And in this place again "If they shall enter into my
rest."

The writer is trying to get it across to his fellow Jews that just as the benefits of
that first gospel were a limited-time opportunity, so the benefits of this second
gospel are also a limited-time opportunity and once off the table, there will be no
way to get them back.

● Heb 4:6-8 . . Seeing therefore it remains that some must enter therein, and they
to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: again, He limits a
certain day saying in David "Today" after so long a time; as it is said, "Today if ye
will hear His voice, harden not your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, then
would He not afterward have spoken of another day.

Moses' people were eventually allowed to invade Palestine, but under different
conditions than they would've enjoyed before. Their occupancy has been
interrupted a number of times by foreign powers, and the land has not remained
one of milk and honey-- in point of fact, quite a bit of Israel is not only inhospitable
badlands, but cannot be farmed in its natural condition due to poor soil quality and
a lack of adequate water. Plus, Israel has never to this day known lasting peace.
It's been in a perpetual state of war since its inception in 1948 and nobody is safe
over there.

● Heb 4:9 . .There remains therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God.

Besides the routine day, there are also sabbath years (Lev 25:1-7 & Ex 23:10-11)
and sabbaths relative to certain liturgical events, e.g. Unleavened Bread (Ex 12:16,
Lev 23:5-8) Yom Kippur (Lev 16:29-34) Trumpets (Lev 23:23-25) and Booths.
(Lev 23:39-43)

But here in the letter to Hebrews our focus is upon the duration of the creator's
sabbath rest (Gen 2:1-2) which isn't specified by calendar dates rather; it's open-ended,
i.e. perpetual; and to my knowledge it's thus far the only sabbath like that.
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● Heb 4:10-11 . . For all who enter into God's rest will find rest from their labors,
just as God rested after creating the world. Let us do our best to enter that place of
rest. For anyone who disobeys God, as the people of Israel did, will fall.

"their labors" are relative to the covenant that Moses' people entered into with God
by means of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy-- a.k.a. the Law --
which rewards compliance with blessings, while at the same time penalizes non
compliance with retribution, e.g. Lev 26:3-38, Deut 27:15-26, and Deut 28:1-69.

So then, the people can never relax because the law-- with its requirements and its
consequences --is constantly hanging over their heads like a sword of Damocles,
suspended by a slender thread easily cut by the slightest infraction.

By no stretch of the imagination is the Law comparable to God's creation rest
wherein He ceased from His labors because He was all done; whereas the Law
doesn't permit the people to cease from their labors because their obligations
are never done.

● Heb 4:12-13 . . For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is
hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of
Him to whom we must give account.

The Jews have to expect that Lev 26:3-38, Deut 27:15-26, and Deut 28:1-69 are
one day going to be given their pound of flesh because the scriptures are serious
about what they say, viz: the word of God isn't idle rhetoric that has no honest
intention of fulfillment.
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The Jews' possession of their homeland is in no danger of being lost due to the
people's impiety because God willed it to Abraham and to his posterity by means of
an unconditional promise. (Gen 12:7, Gen 13:14-17, Gen 15:7-21, Gen 17:8, and
Gal 3:16-18)

However, the Jews' occupancy of their land is very dependent upon their
compliance/non compliance with the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with
God per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

In addition; practically every aspect of the Jews' national existence-- their safety,
prosperity, unity, health, water, agriculture, foreign affairs, defense, influence, and
their freedom, etc, is dependent upon their compliance/non compliance with the
covenant.

The thing is: Messiah might be an okay guy, and his administration may please God
in every way, but his kingdom won't survive without first the quality of the people's
character be greatly improved; and the improvement has to be a permanent fix so
the Jews can enjoy their land and their God to the fullest like their divine benefactor
wanted for them in the first place.
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[Beetow]

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● Heb 4:14-15 . .Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we
profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we
are-- yet was without sin.

* I've noticed that sometimes the author of the letter to Hebrews addresses believing
Jews and sometimes those that don't believe. This apparently addresses those who
believe.

For going on 2,000 years now the Jews haven't had a high priest on earth to
represent them before God-- and the so-called Wailing Wall is a very poor
substitute. However; there is one in Heaven standing by --so to speak --to hear
their prayers and speak for them directly to God. (Rom 8:34)

● Heb 4:16 . . Let us then approach the throne of grace with frankness, so that we
may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Now the thing is: Jesus the son of God discourages repetition (Matt 6:7). So the
Jews would be wise to put their prayer books away in storage, step away from the
Wailing Wall, and voice their concerns from the heart with free, candid, forthright,
and sincere expression, viz: with Jesus the Son of God on the job, the Jews may
speak to Heaven just as they'd speak with their wives and/or their best friends.

● Heb 5:1 . . Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to
represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

The high priest's function is primarily to represent mankind's best interests in
matters related to God, especially in the arena of reconciliation. And he must be a
human being. No angels are allowed to hold that job because they cannot relate to
human beings with any more sensitivity than human beings can relate to an oak
tree or a dandelion.

● Heb 5:2-3 . . He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and 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.

Aaron's high priesthood is/was staffed by mortal flesh and blood men who struggled
with human nature and the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune the same as
everybody else. That helped to make them approachable instead of untouchable, i.e.
they could "feel" their fellow Jews, so to speak.
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[Beetow]

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● Heb 5:4 . . No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just
as Aaron was.

That is extremely important to note. The office of high priest isn't a career choice.
It's an appointment, and it's personally supervised by Almighty God himself.
This is one of His pet projects and heaven forbid that any man should pursue a
personal ambition to become a high priest merely because he decides to go for it.
The office of high priest is staffed by draftees, not by volunteers. The candidate
must be recruited-- handpicked by the Almighty Himself.

● Heb 5:5-6 . . So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a
high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your
Father." And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of
Melchizedek.

As God's son, Jesus has some privileges that come with the turf, so to speak.
However, the high priesthood isn't one of them.

The Greek word translated "order" pertains to succession, but not particularly by
means of genealogy. In contrast; the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon
with God specifies that Israel's high priests have to be one of Aaron's paternal
descendants; no exceptions.

"You shall make Aaron and his sons responsible for observing their priestly duties;
and any outsider who encroaches shall be put to death." (Num 3:10)

Not so with Melchizedek. He was a nondescript Gentile, and a genealogy for him
isn't given because in his case, ancestry doesn't matter, viz: his high priesthood
was neither tribal nor inherited.

● Heb 5:7-8 . . During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and
petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and
he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he
learned obedience from what he suffered.

The wording of the passage suggests Jesus was disobedient until such a time as he
learned to be obedient. That's a bit misleading since the Bible clearly says he never
once disobeyed God. (John 8:29, Heb 4:15, Heb 7:26-28, 1Pet 2:22)

No; what God's son learned, from first-hand experience, is what everybody else has
known all along even from the days of Adam-- it's not easy to be faithful to God as
a human being; especially when He requires you to endure a very disagreeable mode
of death like crucifixion.

● Heb 5:9 . . and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for
all who obey him;

High priests are of use only when they have access to an effective atonement
system because it is their specific purpose to reconcile sinners with a God for whom
vindication is a passion. In other words, God is intent upon showing us who's
superior in the grand scheme, and He's also intent upon showing us that He's right
and we are wrong. God also has a passion for justice and retribution.

So it's not all that difficult to appreciate the danger facing mankind without Jesus'
crucifixion offered to God as the very atonement we all need to if we are ever to
avoid perdition. Well, Jesus is perfect in that respect seeing as how he is both the
high priest and the atonement.
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● Heb 5:10 . . Called of God an high priest; after the order of Melchizedek.

The Greek word translated "called" pertains to addressing folk. In this case,
addressing them in a manner that includes their title in an official capacity, e.g.
judge, counselor, president, senator, chief, district attorney, principal, etc. In other
words "high priest" is Jesus' official God-given title in his capacity as mediator
between God and Man.

* We must never forget that Jesus' high priesthood is patterned after Melchizedek's
so as not to make the mistake of thinking Christ's high priesthood picked up where
Aaron's left off. In point of fact, Aaron's order still has quite a bit of time left on its
clock. (Jer 33:17-18, Mal 3:2-4)

● Heb 5:11 . . of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have
become dull of hearing

Though the author of the letter to Hebrews was no doubt duty-bound and inspired
by God to write it, I can sense reluctance in his tone-- not because his audience
lacked enough IQ to keep up. No, nothing like that. The Greek word for "dull"
primarily means sluggish, i.e. lazy, slow, and/or indifferent, i.e. a lack of interest.
In other words, he knew that the recipients of his letter would likely be bored to
tears by this discussion of their Messiah's priesthood, and would resist making an
honest effort to understand it.

● Heb 5:12a . . 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.

Less than 10% of the world's Jews today are Orthodox. The overwhelming majority
are secular, even in the country of Israel. That is tragic indeed. The Jews were
given the privilege of sacred guardians of the knowledge of God, and of being the
source of that knowledge to the Gentiles. But of late, Gentiles are actually doing a
much better job of disseminating that knowledge than Jews.

The author's Jewish audience actually had a very poor grasp of their own
Scriptures-- a.k.a. the Tanakh --if any grasp at all. They were old enough that they
should have been capable of teaching Gentiles but couldn't pull it off because they
just didn't know the old testament well enough themselves to do it. That condition
persists, so that this letter to the Hebrews is just as pertinent now as when the
author penned it.

● Heb 5:12b . .You need milk, not solid food.

Nobody starts out in life with fried chicken and corn on the cob. It's a pretty level
playing field in that respect. Infants don't have teeth, so their diets consist mainly
of liquid and/or mushy foods. But toothless babies are not the end-all. It's a totally
abnormal child who stays an infant and never grows up.

● Heb 5:13-14 . . Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted
with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by
constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

In this case, distinguishing good from evil doesn't concern moral issues. No, it's the
experience we gain as growing children to know which foods are good for us and
which are not so good; e.g. adults are fully aware that it's not wise to attempt to
live on a diet consisting of only Doritos and French Fries. That could lead to serious
deficiencies; and put one's health at risk.

If kids were left to themselves, no doubt many of them would live on Animal
Crackers, Pop Corn, and Gummy Bears; and think nothing of it; plus kids don't read
labels. They only care how good something tastes rather than its ingredients.

The author's Jewish audience was just like kids in respect to knowing what foods
are good for them and what foods are not so good for them. Thus, their knowledge
of the Scriptures was so poor and inadequate as to be stunting their spiritual
growth like a malnourished child; and rendering them unable and/or unwilling to
work at understanding biblical concepts appropriate for their age.
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[Beetow]

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● Heb 6:1a . .Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go
on to maturity,

Time to move on up to higher ground.

● Heb 6:1b-3 . . not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead
to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands,
the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do
so.

The writer acknowledged he will need a green light from God before proceeding with
his concerns.

● Heb 6:4-6 . . For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have
tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have
tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; if they shall fall
away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the
Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

The thing to note is that folks unified with Christ have all been made partakers of
the Holy Ghost.

"Now he which establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God; who
has also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." (2Cor 1:21
22)

"Christ; in whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed
with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the
redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." (Eph 1:13
14)

"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of
redemption." (Eph 4:30)

So then the folks described as fallen away are not lost, no, the thing they've gone
and done is made themselves unteachable, i.e. indifferent.

Well; seeing as how nothing is impossible with God, then I think it's safe to posit
that He figures believers with that attitude are not worth His time for now; and any
effort on our part to get them interested in advanced Bible studies would be like
trying to dig up a coral reef bare handed.

Those indifferent believers will make it to Heaven alright because they're sealed,
but I suspect they'll be shuttled off to a Bible camp to bring them up to speed with
those of us who made the climb to higher ground while still down here instead of
waiting till we got up there.

● Heb 6:7-8a . . Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a
crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land
that produces thorns and thistles is worthless

Perfectly good soil goes to waste when farmers neglect to tend it. Noxious weeds
and plants will soon take it over. That's just the course of nature; and the will of
God. (Gen 3:17-18)

Believers are potentially good ground; but if not careful, can become wild ground
(Jer 4:3-4) and the knowledge of God will fail to take root in them and produce
something worthwhile. (cf. Matt 13:3-9)

● Heb 6:8b . . and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Nothing grown on cursed soil is kept; it's all to be incinerated like so much yard
debris, i.e. a total loss. Instead of growing a field of dreams, that soil has grown a
field of disappointments. In other words: believers who make no effort to
understand the Bible risk becoming something akin to scorched earth. (cf. John
15:1-6, Rev 3:14-16)
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[Beetow]

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● Heb 6:9 . . Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of
better things in your case-- things that accompany salvation.

The Greek word translated "salvation" basically means rescue, safety, and/or
protection. Salvation then, by definition, applies to requiring assistance in an
emergency.

A savior then, can be defined as one who rescues. We've all seen examples--
lifeguards, firemen, cops, emergency medical services, Coast Guard units, snow
patrols, and mountaineering teams. Rescue workers typically save people in
distress who are facing imminent death and/or grave danger and utterly helpless
on their own to do anything about it.

There were saviors (a.k.a. deliverers) in the old testament that rescued the Jews
from a variety of dire straits (Neh 9:27) but Christ's ordeal on the cross is the
ultimate lifeline, so to speak. God is all set to throw that line to anyone and
everyone for whom destiny on the wrong side of things is a foregone conclusion.

NOTE: Just about everybody who's ever heard anything about Christianity is aware
that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world, but what is often unknown is that it
was personal; as Isaiah 53:6 says: The Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall
on him.

In other words: the iniquity of each of us fell on him, i.e. any name we might pull
out of a hat-- including our own name --is an individual for whom Christ endured
the cross; there are no exceptions.

"better things" likely refers to performance, viz: reacting to the knowledge of God
in ways that He can approve; thus avoiding the production of noxious weeds which
are subsequently put to the torch rather than harvested for food.

● Heb 6:10 . . God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have
shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.

The recipients of the letter to Hebrews were apparently very tolerant. Maybe their
fellow Jews didn't buy into Jesus' atonement, but they didn't let that make
them cruel and unkind to the unbelieving element. God took notice of that;
and their benevolence influenced His own attitude towards them

● Heb 6:11-12 . .We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end,
in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to
imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

That word "lazy" is translated from the very same Greek word that was used back
in 5:11 for "dull of hearing" (indifferent). In other words: the writer urged the
recipients of his letter to make an effort to allow the knowledge of God to not only
enlighten them, but also to influence them.
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[Beetow]

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● Heb 6:13-15 . .When God made His promise to Abraham, since there was no one
greater for Him to swear by, He swore by himself, saying: I will surely bless you
and give you many descendants. And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received
what was promised.

* The above incident took place in the 22nd chapter of Genesis wherein an event
called The Akedah (a.k.a. the offering of Isaac) took place.

The quantity of Abraham's descendants were predicted to become as numerous as
the stars above and the sand upon the seashore (Gen 22:17) Well; it's doubtful
Abraham ever saw that many descendants during his lifetime, and I really don't
think he expected to.

So then: the thing to note is that God's oath transforms pipe dreams into realities,
viz: Abraham, inspired man that he was, realized right then and there that his
"many descendants" were in the bag. They say we shouldn't count our chickens till
they hatch; but God's oath on a matter is definitely an exception to the rule.

● Heb 6:16 . . Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath
confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.

A portion of the oath extends to folks who do not descend from Abraham.

"The angel of The Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said: I
swear by myself-- declares The Lord . . . through your offspring all nations on earth
will be blessed. (Gen 22:18)

● Heb 6:17-18 . . Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his
purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.
God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to
lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly
encouraged.

The Greek word translated "hope" pertains to confidence, expectation, and
anticipation. In other words: we are not talking about wishful thinking where folks
are crossing their fingers praying for the best while in the back of their mind
dreading the worst.

So then; the oath wasn't only for Abraham's sake, but also all nations on earth that
would be blessed thru his offspring. They all, both Jew and Gentile alike, can rest
assured that the oath will be, and is being, fully implemented, i.e. the blessing is in
the bag.

● Heb 6:19-20 . .We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It
enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us,
has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of
Melchizedek.

Aaron's official garments included two onyx stones, one on each shoulder engraved
with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; six tribes on each stone (Ex 28:9-12).
Those stones, in essence, were the people of Israel. So, in effect then, Aaron's
constituents came inside the holy place with him every time he went beyond the
curtain.

In that vein, the Jews and Gentiles blessed by God's oath are represented before
Him in the person of Jesus; who is currently seated at God's right hand (Ps 110:1)
whereas Moses' people, in the person of Aaron, weren't permitted to sit down. They
were allowed beyond the curtain for no more time than his priesthood's rituals
required; and that's all.

The difference in quality between Jesus' high priesthood, and Aaron's high
priesthood, is really significant. The one allows its constituents only a brief moment
with the supreme being, whereas the other takes them into His perpetual presence,
i.e. as long as Jesus remains in Heaven's holy place, his constituents remain there.
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[Beetow]

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Jesus could not be a Melchizedekian high priest without divinity; so that has to be
addressed.

● Heb 7:1-3 . .This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He
met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham
gave him a tenth of everything. . . .Without father or mother, without genealogy,
without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest
forever.

From a certain point of view, Mel was a god, viz: there's no record of his birth, nor
a record of his ancestors, nor a record of his death; indicating-- from a certain point
of view --that Mel was an eternal being.

Now in reality; Mel was a man, viz: he was neither a divine being, nor was he
immortal. But he is the Bible's only example of a Melchizedekian high priest so we
are applying some of his spiritual characteristics to Jesus in order produce a clearer
picture of who Jesus is now compared to who he was at first.

From the information we have to work with; Jesus started out as a normal Jewish
man of the tribe of Judah whose paternal ancestors include David and Abraham,
viz: the Bible records his mother, his genealogy, his birth, and his death. Yet Jesus'
position as a Melchizedekian high priest is reckoned as that of a divine being due
to a very unusual administrative procedure.

As compensation for his exceptional service to both God and fellow men; Isa 52:13
and Phil 2:6-11 reveal that God bestowed upon Jesus Christ the name that is above
every name that can be named either in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth.
That name is Jehovah, a.k.a. Yahweh. (Isa 42:8)

So; Jesus is now officially authorized to be respected, to be identified, to be spoken
of, to be spoken to, and to speak for himself, by the name of God, i.e. The
Almighty. (Ps 45:1-7, Rev 1:8) Ergo: as far as the Bible is concerned, Jesus is a
divine being because his identity by the name of God affords him all the attributes
of God: the whole ball of wax, so to speak.

OBJECTION: The Bible says God doesn't share His divinity. (Isa 42:8)

REPLY: That passage speaks of pagans and their religions: it doesn't preclude the
possibility of God sharing His name with His only begotten son within the walls of
His own home.

Bottom line: Jesus easily qualifies for the position of a Melchizedekian high priest
because there is neither a father nor a mother given for Jehovah, nor ancestors,
nor a record of Jehovah's birth, nor of His death.

Jesus' path to divinity may seem a tad ridiculous-- maybe even fraudulent --but it's
the path God chose for him so we have to work with it.

OBJECTION: Your explanation can't possibly be right; not when Deut 6:4 says;
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, The Lord is one." You Christians have two
persons acting as Jehovah, whereas the Law clearly states there is only one.

REPLY: Jesus' identity as Jehovah is an administrative credential which can be
roughly compared to the purpose of the signet ring that Pharaoh lent Joseph. (Gen
41:39-44)

* Jesus' credential was promised to his ancestor Zerubbabel (Hag 2:21-23)
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[Beetow]

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● Heb 7:4-5 . . Just think how great he was! Even the patriarch Abraham gave him
a tenth of the plunder. Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become
priests to collect a tenth from the people-- that is, their brothers --even though
their brothers are descended from Abraham.

Though all Jews descend from the same paternal ancestor, not all Jews are equal.
Obviously the priests are more important than the others.

● Heb 7:6-7. .This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he
collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And
without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.

So then, Mel was more important than not only the Jews' clergy, but he was more
important than Abraham too; which is saying something because Jesus was one of
Abraham's paternal descendants.

● Heb 7:8 . . In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the
other case, by him who is declared to be living.

From a certain point of view; Melchizedek's high priesthood remains superior to the
Jews' clergy because, spiritually speaking, Mel is immortal. In other words; Mel's
high priesthood didn't end with his death.

According to the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God-- per Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy --Aaron and his sons lose their jobs the
instant they die and the post hands down to one of their offspring. But death can't
bump a Melchizedekian priest from office because the position isn't transferable
upon death for the very simple reason that, from a certain point of view,
Melchizedekian priests are eternal beings, i.e. they always were, they always are,
and they always shall be.

● Heb 7:9-10 . . One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the
tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in
the body of his ancestor.

Which again emphasizes that the Melchizedekian high priesthood is superior to
Aaron's.

* The language and grammar of some of the passages coming up are tricky, and if
one isn't careful; they can be led to conclude Moses' law has been revised to
accommodate a priest from the tribe of Judah; but no doubt the writer assumes his
Jewish audience has enough yeshiva under their belts to be well aware that
changes to the covenant's priesthood will never happen because Jer 33:17-22
depends upon the Levites' continuance.

● Heb 7:11a . . The law was given to the people on the basis of the Levitical
priesthood,

When Moses came down from the mount with the first set of stone tables, a
priesthood wasn't in the law then. God later revised the law to include a priesthood
after the people broke it. In fact, when Moses saw what the people had been up to
while he was away, he smashed the first tables and didn't bring them into camp
because there were no provisions in the law at that time for someone to stand
between violators and God to protect them from retribution.

So Moses destroyed the original law and threw it away; and I hardly blame him. He
couldn't possibly obligate his people to the law in its original form. Those first
tables, if permitted to enter the camp, would have endangered his people beyond
measure. Moses destroyed the first form of the law out of concern for his people's
safety.

● Heb 7:11b . . If perfection could've been attained through the Levitical priesthood,
why was there still need for another priest to come-- one in the order of Melchizedek,
not in the order of Aaron?

Aaron's high priesthood, although a vital necessity for sinners under the jurisdiction
of Moses' Law, has its limits. For one thing, there are no sacrifices in the covenant's
atonement system for willful sinners. And for another; Yom Kippur always looks
back, never forward; so as quick as the ritual ends, the Jews begin accumulating
sins towards the next great day of atonement. But the capper is the consequences
specified by Lev 26:3-38, Deut 27:15-26, and Deut 28:1-69. Aaron's high
priesthood can bring about their delay, but he cannot prevent them from eventually
catching up with his people and ruining their day. (Ex 34:6-7)
_

 

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● Heb 7:12-14 . . For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be
a change of the law. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe,
and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord
descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

Moses' Law cannot be revised; it's not only chipped in stone, but also set in
concrete, so to speak. (Deut 4:2, Deut 5:29-30, Mal 4:4, Matt 5:17-19)

Therefore, no one from the tribe of Judah will ever serve as a high priest in the
Temple at Jerusalem. So Melchizedekian high priests have to serve in another
Temple. In fact theirs is a whole different liturgical system, altogether separate
from Moses' Law.

● Heb 7:15-17 . . And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like
Melchizedek appears, one 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 priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

Aaron's descendants become priests much too easily. The position falls into their
laps by heritage, and other than a physical examination (Lev 21:17-23) they don't
even have to take a test and qualify for it. But still, any man serving in the Aaronic
high priesthood has to be one of Aaron's paternal male descendants. That is an
inflexible rule.

In contrast, the primary qualification for Melchizedekian high priests priesthood is
not a man's paternal ancestry, rather, that the man chosen has to be immortal
because the wording of Psalm 110:4 states that the benefactor of that promise is to
be a priest forever. So any man subject to old age and death is automatically
disqualified.

● Heb 7:18 . .The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless

Aaron's high priesthood wasn't/isn't entirely useless, but it's ineffective for
obtaining 100% absolution for a full lifetime of sins. A limitation like that doesn't
work to our advantage.

● Heb 7:19a . . for the law made nothing perfect,

Exoneration is God's ideal for Man. Unfortunately, Moses' covenant has no dynamic
for that. All it does is specify codes of religious and civil conduct, and criminal
justice; while lacking a means for expunging the sinner's criminal history so that on
the books it can appear they have never been anything but 100% innocent.

● Heb 7:19b-22 . . but the bringing in of a better hope did; by which we draw near
to God. And it was not without an oath. Others became priests without any oath,
but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him; "The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind: You are a priest forever." Because of this oath, Jesus
has become the sponsor of a better covenant.

This better covenant spoken of is really the cat's meow because it allows God to
stop keeping track of His people's sins towards future repetitions of the great day of atonement, a.k.a. Yom Kippur.

"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel, and with the house of Judah . . and I will remember their sin no
more." (Jer 31:31-34)

● Heb 7:23-24 . . Now there have been many of those priests, since death
prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a
permanent priesthood.

Note the word "permanent" because that reflects the seventh day in Genesis
wherein God rested after He completed creating the cosmos, viz: Jesus' high
priesthood is perpetual, i.e. forever.

The situation is such now that the only way to put a stop to this new pathway to
God is to put a stop to Jesus; but seeing as how he's immortal, any endeavor to
take him down would likely not succeed; and besides, God's oath guarantees Jesus'
survival.

● Heb 7:25 . .Therefore he is able to save those who come to God through him
from start to finish, because he always lives to intercede for them.
_

 

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● Heb 7:26 . . Such a high priest meets our need-- one who is holy, blameless,
pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

A man with those qualities will never be in danger of getting himself evicted from
God's presence.

Though Christ is a man, his elegance resembles that of a divine being rather than
human; yet he retains his humanness so he can be a high priest because they have
to be selected from among men rather than from among the gods.

* It's sometimes alleged that Christ is a demigod, i.e. half human and half divine.
Well; we can't accept that posit because our understanding is that Christ is 100%
human & 100% divine. In other words: he isn't half and half, rather; he's one and
one which is of course a rational impossibility, but it's Christianity so we have to
accept it while keeping in mind that our faith is anchored in supernatural realities
rather than logical premises.

● Heb 7:27 . . Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day
after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for
their sins once for all when he offered himself.

The sacrifices required by Moses' law cover the people's sins up to a point, but from
thence they began accumulating new sins that require the same sacrifices all over
again. In other words: with Christ, the people can never commit a sin for which he
didn't already give his life. In other words: Isa 53:6 isn't hyperbole, rather, it means
exactly what it says.

● Heb 7:28 . . For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the
oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect
forever.

Within the confines of Moses' law, the high priest isn't a mere convenience, he's an
essential; which means that should the high priest fall out of sorts with God, and/or
become lax in the performance of his duties, then his parishioners would experience
an interruption in services, i.e. a disconnect in their association with God.

● Heb 8:1-2 . . Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a
high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in
the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary, and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord
pitched, not man.

If we can apply one of our colloquialisms here then it can be said that Jesus, as
God's right-hand man, is a competent person who assists God and/or supports
Him in more ways than anyone else, i.e. Jesus is God's most dependable associate.

The Greek word translated "tabernacle" refers to tents, which are portable shelters
made of fabric rather than permanent structures made of sturdy materials like
wood, stone, and brick. Curiously a Greek word for "temple" is nowhere to be found
in the letter to Hebrews, viz: in context, God's sacred habitation is always referred
to as something possible to reposition and/or relocate.
_

 

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● Heb 8:3 . . Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so
it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.

The earthly high priesthood is suggestive of the heavenly priesthood. So it only
stands to reason that if gifts and sacrifices are made by the earthly priesthood,
then something has to be offered by the heavenly priesthood too. After all, the
primary function of a priesthood is reconciliation-- to protect its constituents from
retribution, and to soothe irritations that exist between a righteous God and a
rather unrighteous human race.

● Heb 8:4-5 . . If [Jesus] were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are
already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary
that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned
when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything
according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."

* The letter to Hebrews was apparently written sometime before 70 AD, which is
when Titus the Roman destroyed the Temple because the author spoke of it as still
fully functioning.

Think about this for a second: Jesus is positioned in the highest possible priesthood
office there is. But if he were on the earth, he would not be permitted to operate
because his priesthood has no jurisdiction down here.

Locale dictates the performance of Jesus' duties just as locale dictates the
performance of Aaron's. His boys had to work in a sanctuary housed in a tabernacle
on Earth; and Jesus has to work in sanctuary hosed in a tabernacle out of country
up in Heaven. They, and he, when away from their posts, are technically off duty;
like a waitress who's gone home for the day.

* So where does that leave Mormon men who claim membership in the priesthood
order of Melchizedek? If you are reading this, and are an advanced Mormon; I
mean you no harm and I certainly mean you no insult. I'm sure you are just as
conscientious about your religion as everyone else is about theirs. But if Jesus
cannot officiate as a high priest in the order of Melchizedek down here on earth,
then neither can you.

The earth is still the domain of Aaron and his sons in spite of Jesus' intrinsically
superior priesthood. And one day, in Messiah's very kingdom itself, the Levitical
family will once again be at their posts discharging their official duties in a brand
new Temple at Jerusalem. (Ex 40:12-13 & Jer 33:17-22)

● Heb 8:6 . . But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the
covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on
better promises.

The covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God is an outstanding religious
& civil code; but it not only lacks provisions to atone for willful sins and capital
crimes, but it also sorely lacks provisions to cure the sinner's inclination to sin.
Moses' covenant merely punishes sinners; it doesn't reconstruct them in any way.
But Jesus' ministry does just that. We know from the wording of the new covenant
that the new heart and the new spirit, promised in it, work to generate improved
attitudes within the sinner-- attitudes inclined to listen to God coupled with a good
natured willingness to comply.

The newer covenant works very well to the Jews' advantage; namely: it has the
potential to remove the sinful urges resident in human nature. Not only to atone for
them-- but to surgically remove them so that they never cause problems again.

Moses' law demands a self-performed, inward circumcision.

● Deut 10:16 . . Cut away, therefore, the thickening about your hearts and stiffen
your necks no more.

However, Moses promised that God would one day perform the operation Himself.

● Deut 30:4-6 . . Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there the
Lord your God will gather you, from there He will fetch you. And the Lord your God
will bring you to the land that your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and
He will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your fathers. Then the
Lord your God will open up your heart and the hearts of your offspring to love the
Lord your God with all your heart and soul, in order that you may live. (cf. Jer
31:31-34 & Ezek 36:24-27
_

 

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● Heb 8:7-8a . . For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no
place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people,

That is pretty much the crux of the weakness in the covenant that Moses' people
agreed upon with God per Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. According to Rom
7:12 the Law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good; so there is
nothing wrong with the covenant in that respect. The weakness in it has always
been human nature. (cf. Rom 7:10-23)

● Heb 8:8b-9 . . So He said: The time is coming-- declares The Lord --when I will
make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will
not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the
hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my
covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.

The new covenant is very brief in comparison to the length of the first covenant
because there are no rules and regulations governing a priesthood, no extensive
sacrificial system, and no code of conduct including consequences for non
compliance. Nor does the new covenant give God cause to turn away from His
people and/or evict them from their land.

● Heb 8:10-12 . .This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that
time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their
hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach
his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all
know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more."

* That passage quotes Jer 31:31-34 and implies that Yom Kippur is on track to be
phased out because God will cease recording His peoples' sins to be used as an
indictment against them later on.

● Heb 8:13 . .When God speaks of a new covenant, it means He has made the first
one obsolete. It is now out of date and ready to be put aside.

Although Moses' covenant is obsolete, it's not out of business just yet. Millions of
Jews are still under its jurisdiction because that is their covenant by default (Deut
29:10-15) The first covenant still has teeth. According to Ezek 20:33-38 numbers
of the Diaspora will be granted/denied entry into Messiah's kingdom on the basis of
their compliance with the first covenant.

Now, whereas the first covenant is involuntary, the new is just the opposite. No one
is born into it like they are the first covenant. Jews wishing to enroll in the new
covenant have to step up for it, and if they don't, they'll remain stuck in the first;
which is a very dangerous position to be in because that covenant doesn't allow
God to forget sins; viz: sins stay on the books; even sins that God has forgiven.

"Then The Lord passed by in front of Moses and proclaimed: The Lord, The Lord
God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness
and truth; who keeps loving-kindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity,
transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished: visiting
the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and
fourth generations." (Ex 34:6-7)

When you think about it, a new covenant was pretty much inevitable because God
didn't find fault with the old covenant, rather, He found fault with His people, viz:
it's the Jews' overall human nature that makes the first covenant impractical.

But also; the first covenant contains no provisions for regenerating the Jews and
making them a better person, viz: the first covenant is a rigid code that makes
exacting demands upon them while having no promise of renovating the core of
their being. Their improvement can be forged only within the terms and conditions
of the new covenant.

NOTE: It's not uncommon to encounter Christians claiming that it is impossible to
keep the law of Moses. Well; that's just not true. For example: Josiah was able to
keep it (2Kgs 23:25) Zacharias and his wife were able to keep it (Luke 1:5-6) and
Paul the apostle was able to keep it. (Phil 3:6) But those people were coerced into
keeping the law. It is God desire that folks comply with His instructions because it
is in their nature to do so.
_

 

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● Heb 9:1a . . Now the first covenant had regulations for worship

The old covenant is a two-part way of life-- a civil part and a liturgical part. When
Jews leave out one of those parts, they fail to practice the old covenant; instead
they practice a modified version typically overseen these days by rabbis instead of
their divine benefactor.

● Heb 9:1b-5 . . and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first
room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the
Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, Above
the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But
we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

All those sacred items he listed were part of a portable, temporary place of worship
that could be dismantled in no time at all to be carried around on the march. The
atonement cover was nothing more than the lid of the ark, which was a pretty
simple wooden box overlaid with gold. All those sacred items have some pretty
important indications; but the author didn't want to focus upon those items in this
particular letter-- apparently having, at least in his estimation, much bigger fish to
fry.

● Heb 9:6-7 . .When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered
regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest
entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which
he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

The under-priests are commonly referred to as Levites in the old testament.

The annual ritual performed within the innermost holy place by the high priest
pertains to Yom Kippur and/or the great day of atonement. Many of its details
are explained in the 16th chapter of Leviticus.

Don't miss that word "ignorance" because absolutely none of the old covenant's
rituals sufficed to atone for willful sins. (We'll say more about that in the 10th
chapter)

Now, the thing we're going to discover is that the high priest's business within the
innermost holy place serves to sanitize the people but doesn't serve to exonerate
them, i.e. the people's sins remain on the books and once a year they are officially
reminded of that fact. In other words: the old covenant allows God to pardon sins,
but doesn't allow Him to throw away the books.

● Heb 9:8 . .The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy
Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.

The covenant's sanctuary is a characterization; and the Yom Kippur ritual is a
characterization; and in point of fact: the covenant's high priest himself is a
characterization. The whole shebang is meant to be a picture of something better
and far more effective.

For liturgical purposes, the tabernacle's holy place is where God comes down to
meet with the people. But they themselves are never allowed inside because of
their intrinsic unworthiness to associate with God up close and personal. So they
meet with God by proxy via the high priest-- who doesn't dare even himself to
enter without some means to sanitize his presence because he contaminates the
inner sanctum the same as the people would were they allowed inside.

The whole affair is play-acting of course. Not even the high priest is actually in the
presence of the real person of the Supreme Being back in that gloomy little room
because He Himself resides in a holy place in Heaven which, up till Jesus'
crucifixion, had been impossible for any man to access.
_

 

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● Heb 9:9-10 . .This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and
sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people
who bring them. For that old system deals only with food and drink and ritual
washing-- external regulations that are in effect only until their limitations can be
corrected.

The original sacrificial system is effective-- to a point --for addressing the
peoples' sins, and for sanitizing their bodies, but totally ineffective for addressing
the people themselves, viz: the core of their being.

When Adam tasted the forbidden fruit, his perception of decency underwent a
radical change. Previously he was comfortable seen undressed; afterwards he was
uncomfortable seen naked even by his wife. The thing is: Adam's moral compass
went awry.

"And The Lord God said: The man has now become like one of us, knowing good
and evil." (Gen 3:22)

In other words: Adam became a tin God whose thoughts about good and evil no
longer aligned with his maker's thoughts.

● Heb 9:11-12a . .When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are
already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not
man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of
the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his
own blood,

There's life in blood.

"For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make
atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for
one's life." (Lev 17:11)

The first covenant's tabernacle is a characterization of the tabernacle in Heaven;
therefore the Most Holy Place itself had to be purified with blood too. However; the
blood of a critter is inadequate for the purpose because the tabernacle in Heaven is
far more sacred than the one on earth; requiring that the sanctuary above be
purified with something better. Well a much superior blood is of course that of a
human being because man was created in the image likeness of God; whereas the
critters weren't.

● Heb 9:12b . . having obtained eternal redemption.

The Greek word translated redemption basically pertains to the action of paying a
ransom to liberate someone from captivity, consequence, or obligation.

Jesus' blood is of such a high value that God's son needed to offer himself as a
ransom for his constituents only just the one time. So for the people of God who
are under the new covenant, there is no annual day of atonement because Jesus'
blood is sufficient to clear the way for them to associate with God permanently
instead of just once a year.

● Heb 9:13-14 . .The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on
those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to
death, so that we may serve the living God.

The Greek word translated "consciences" basically pertains to mental activity. In
other words: Yom Kippur's annual rituals don't address the tin-God psychological
corruption resident within the human mind; whereas Christ's one-time offering
does.

* Apparently the psychological corruption resident within the human mind is very
subtle, and a bit of a challenge for people to see in themselves.

"The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how
bad it is? But I know. I, The Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives.
(Jer 17:9-10)
_

 

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● Heb 9:15 . . For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those
who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance-- now that he has died
as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Similar information first appeared in Rom 3:25 where it says, in so many words,
that God passed over sins in the old testament with a view to Christ taking them
upon himself down the road. For example God passed over David's premeditated
sins of murder and adultery when according to Moses' law he should've been
executed.

FAQ: Christ's crucifixion was retroactive?

REPLY: It was actually preemptive, so to speak. In point of fact Jesus was
designated, and scheduled, for the cross very early-on prior to even one atom of the
creation's construction. (Mic 5:2, 1Pet 1:18-20, Rev 13:8) In other words: Jesus wasn't
an emergency responder sent to an unexpected train wreck.

The eternal inheritance, often mentioned in the Hebrews letter, refers to the pact
God made with Abraham and David, regarding possession and occupancy of the
land of Palestine, e.g. Gen 15:7-17, Gen 17:7-8, 1Chron 16:15-18, and 2Sam 7:10.

The realization of that promise would be impossible unless a means were provided
to prevent the first covenant's stipulated consequences from forcing the Jews'
eviction from their land.

● Heb 9:16-18 . . In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one
who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes
effect while the one who made it is living. This is why even the first covenant was
not put into effect without blood.

The interesting thing about the first covenant is that it doesn't appear written like a
will. It's more like a contract; and this is probably the first time in the whole Bible
where Moses' covenant is revealed to be a will rather than a contract. And oddly,
the will was activated not with the death of someone intelligent, but of senseless
beasts. (Ex 24:5-8)

But how can Moses' covenant be the will and testament of illiterate animals who
don't have a clue? Well, that is even more evidence that Moses' covenant was never
intended to be the final option.

● Heb 9:19-22 . .When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all
the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and
branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, "This is the
blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep." In the same way,
he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its
ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,
and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

● Heb 9:23 . . It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be
purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better
sacrifices than these.

It would be insulting indeed to put the heavenly tabernacle on the same level as
the earthly one because God Himself in person inhabits the one in heaven. If the
true tabernacle is immeasurably holier than its copy on the ground, then it has to
require something of much higher value than a critter's life to dedicate it and keep
it sanitized.

● Heb 9:24-26 . . For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a
copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's
presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the
high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.
But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by
the sacrifice of himself.

If Jesus was going to offer himself for sin only that one time, rather than year by
year, then his death had to cover everything the first time from first to last.

In contrast, Yom Kippur never gets out ahead of the people's sins; it's always
catching up instead of getting out ahead; whereas Christ's crucifixion not only
caught up with his people's sins (e.g. David) but also anticipated the sins that the
Jews are presently committing and have yet to commit which verifies that Isa 53:6
is spot-on rather than rhetoric, hyperbole, and/or symbolic language.
_

 

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● Heb 9:27 . . Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment

The proper consequences for Adam's mistake with the forbidden fruit was for him to
get old and die. However; people should realize that if there were consequences for
Adam's disobedience, then they have to expect consequences their own.

● Heb 9:28a . . so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people;

Adam couldn't avoid the consequences for his mistake with the forbidden fruit, but
the crucifixion has made it possible for him, and his posterity, to avoid future
consequences.

● Heb 9:28b . . and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring
salvation to those who are waiting for him.

By one man's disobedience, death came to all. In contrast; by one man's death, life
is possible for all.

● Heb 10:1 . .The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming-- not the
realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated
endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

A shadow doesn't offer much detail-- just a silhouette, i.e. a dark shape of
something without telling too much about its structure, it's texture, its color, or its
dimensions. Shadows aren't reflections, rather, they're just a trace of things much
more complex in their true form.

The entire Levitical systrem is a figure of speech-- a sort of metaphor, and as
such can never effectively remove the real guilt of real sin, nor give worshippers
a real person-to-person audience with the real God.

And a big problem with the Law is that it gives Jews absolutely nothing good to look
forward to; just an uneasy dread of retribution because the Levitical system lacks a
means of making Jews permanently, and irrevocably, reconciled to God, i.e. the
Levitical system cannot assure the people's safety.

● Heb 10:2 . . If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the
worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt
guilty for their sins.

It's very difficult to stifle the guilt associated with one's sins; so it's likely that the
felt guilt in that passage pertains to the dread of retribution, i.e. the anxiety that
fugitives experience when they're running from the law and knowing full well that
they deserve to be apprehended and punished.

● Heb 10:3-4 . . But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is
impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

In other words: Yom Kippur isn't a sort of New Year's celebration wherein folks are
encouraged to forget the past and look forward to the future. No, the ritual's
purpose is to remind the people that their past will one day confront them-- which
helps to explain why no one is allowed to be cheerful on that day. (Lev 23:27-29)

In contrast; the terms of the new covenant allows sinners to put it all behind them.

"For I will forgive their iniquities, and remember their sins no more." (Jer 31:34b)

● Heb 10:5-6 . .Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and
offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings
and sin offerings you were not satisfied.

The New Testament's version of Psalm 40 doesn't exactly match its counterpart in
modern Tanakhs-- but follows a minor variation of the Septuagint.

Unfortunately, the Hebrew manuscripts that were used to create the Septuagint no
longer exist. The oldest Hebrew bible in existence today is relatively recent--
approximately the ninth century AD, and itself is not a copy of previous texts, rather,
a formal rabbinical revision of the Hebrew bible that was made sometime in the
second century AD.

* A footnote in the 1985 JPS Tanakh says that the exact meaning of the Hebrew is
uncertain. So it's hard to know for certain what Psalm 40:7-8 is really supposed to say.

Anyway, point being: though the Levitical system was God-given, it was never
intended to be a permanent fix-- more like a temporary expedient till just the right
the time came to install an everlasting replacement.
_