Practicing faith

Chapter 11 gets away from priests and such, and gets down to individuals who practised their faith.

Interestingly, we find this about Moses, “Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt” (v. 26).  The writer knew the timelessness of the Christ -that silver (or is it golden) thread that can be recognised throughout all time.  

“The Christ is here all dreams of error breaking…” our beloved hymn 412 tells us.  The words of this hymn are by Rosa M. Turner, a Christian Scientist.  The Hymnal Notes say of the words that they “…seem to have been carefully moulded to this melody, to express its lovely mood of meditation and tenderness – of yearning aspiration.  It is altogether the song of those who know that they seek a country.”

That had me curious about Rosa.  JSH-online.com shows that Rosa was Miss and lived in Warwickshire, England.  There are many, many poems in the periodicals written by her; also a testimony; and many expressions of appreciation for the words of hymn 412.

A couple of things in the last two chapters.  “Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin” (12.4).  Christianity is not for sissies, is it?

The note at the end of the book says, “Written to the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy”!!  I think I referred to the last verses as sounding like Paul.  Still does to me.  I have the vision of a pupil of Paul’s being given the assignment by him to write a paper on the problems he saw facing the Hebrews.  And his adding a note at the end before it was sent.  So there you have it.

Joyce Voysey

In our hearts and minds

New Testament writers were very familiar with what we now call the Old Testament. We see that over and over again. So the writer of Hebrews reminds us that God’s promise to the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness looking for rest is our promise too. The writer is plainly somewhat frustrated with his audience when he/she writes (Heb 5: 11):

I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you’ve picked up this bad habit of not listening. (The Message)

This exasperation is shown gently in the nudge to us all to go beyond the babe’s milk and on to meat. Eugene Peterson helps us here where he paraphrases Heb. 6:1 -

               So come on, let’s leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ.  (ibid)

Now we’re given a history lesson. We are told that Christ Jesus now has the role of high priest “after the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 6: 20 Message). We learn that Melchizedek was king of Salem, which means peace. So Jesus has ushered in a brand new order which builds on the commandments of Moses and re-invents them because the old priesthood system simply didn’t work. It was based on personalities. The new way, the text tells us, provides us with an eternal priest. This is all according to prophecy (Heb 8: 14 cf Jer 31:33).  The “old laws” were written on tablets of stone, and later inscribed on door posts as daily reminders. Now God will inscribe them into our hearts and minds (Heb 8:10)!

Julie Swannell

Who was Melchizadek?

Melchizadek seems to be one of the enigmas of the Bible.  I began to wonder if he was a real person.  So I looked him up on JSH-Online.com.  Some folk may remember a series of short articles by Thomas Leishman which was published in the Christian Science Journal, titled The Continuity of the Scriptures. He speaks of Melchisadek as a real person. 

Mentions of him are very rare in the Scriptures, but Psalms, and Hebrews Chapters 5, 6, and 7 have the most.  My Bible Dictionary speaks of him as a supernatural figure having miraculous origin and indestructible life which foreshadowed the eternity of the Son of God.

Now this reminds me that Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (by Mary Baker Eddy) has a remarkable paragraph about kings and priests (see page 141) –

    All revelation (such is the popular thought!) must come from the schools and along the line of scholarly and ecclesiastical descent, as kings are crowned from a royal dynasty. In healing the sick and sinning, Jesus elaborated the fact that the healing effect followed the understanding of the divine Principle and of the Christ-spirit which governed the corporeal Jesus. For this Principle there is no dynasty, no ecclesiastical monopoly. Its only crowned head is immortal sovereignty. Its only priest is the spiritualized man. The Bible declares that all believers are made “kings and priests unto God.” The outsiders did not then, and do not now, understand this ruling of the Christ; therefore they cannot demonstrate God’s healing power.  Neither can this manifestation of Christ be comprehended, until its divine Principle is scientifically understood.

I found it difficult to single out the sentence, “Its only priest is the spiritualized man.”  Hence my quoting of the full paragraph.

These chapters from Hebrews are big on priests.  I have just read the Bible Dictionary on priests.  My goodness!  There is a lot to comprehend.  So complicated, with all the duties and rituals to be held to.  During the Hellenic period (ca. 333 BC – AD 70) priests dominated the nation. The High Priest, as head of the temple, was the de facto head of government of Judea.  He dealt with the ruling powers, collected taxes, and was responsible for the spiritual welfare of the people.

I am interested that the writer of Hebrews must have given his or her readers credit for knowing the Hebrew Scriptures well to be acquainted with Melchisadek and with the functions of priests and kings throughout their history.

I certainly haven’t grasped all that this book has to teach me yet.

Joyce Voysey