Study Desk

For every high priest selected from among men is appointed to officiate on their behalfon behalf of men">[fn] in matters relating to God, that is, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.Hebrews 2:17; 8:3-4; 9:9; 10:11; 11:4;">[xr]

He can deal gently with people who are ignorant and easily deceived, since he himself is subject to weakness.Hebrews 2:18; 4:15; 7:28;">[xr]

For that reason he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for those of the people.Leviticus 4:3; 9:7; Hebrews 7:27; 9:7;">[xr]

No one takes this honor upon himself but he is called to it by God, just as Aaron was.Exodus 28:1; Numbers 16:5,40; 1 Chronicles 23:13; 2 Chronicles 26:18; John 3:27;">[xr]

In the same way, Christ did not take upon himself the glory of being a high priest. No, it was God who saidHe said">[fn] to him,Psalm 2:7; John 8:54; Hebrews 1:5;">[xr] "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father."Psalm 2:7">[fn]

As he also says in another place,Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:17,21;">[xr] "You are a priest foreveraccording to the order of Melchizedek."Psalm 110:4">[fn]

In the days of his flesh,During the days of his flesh">[fn] he offered up prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his devotion to God.Psalm 22:1; Matthew 26:37,39, 42,44, 53; Mark 14:33,36, 39,44, 53; Luke 22:43; John 12:27; 17:1;">[xr]

Son though he was, he learned obedience through his sufferingsPhilippians 2:8; Hebrews 3:6;">[xr]

and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,Hebrews 2:10; 11:40;">[xr]

having been designated by God to be a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.Hebrews 5:6; 6:20;">[xr]

We have much to say about this,about him">[fn] but it is difficult to explain because you have become too lazy to understand.Matthew 13:15; John 16:12; 2 Peter 3:16;">[xr]

In fact, though by now you should be teachers, you still need someone to teach you the basic truths of God's word.oracles">[fn] You have become people who need milk instead of solid food.1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Hebrews 6:1;">[xr]

For everyone who lives on milk is still a baby and is inexperienced in the message of righteousness.1 Corinthians 13:11; 14:20; Ephesians 4:14; 1 Peter 2:2;">[xr]

But solid food is for mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.Isaiah 7:15; 1 Corinthians 2:14-15;">[xr]

Therefore, leaving behind the elementary teachings about Christ, let us continue to be carried along to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, faith toward God,Philippians 3:12-14; Hebrews 5:12; 9:14;">[xr]

instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.Acts 8:14-17; 17:31-32; 19:4-6; 24:25; Romans 2:16;">[xr]

And this we will do,Let us do this">[fn] if God permits.Acts 18:21; 1 Corinthians 4:19;">[xr]

For it is impossible to keep on restoring to repentance time and again people who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have become sharers of the Holy Spirit,Matthew 12:31-32; John 4:10; 6:32; Galatians 3:2,5; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 2:4; 2 Peter 2:20-21; 1 John 5:16;">[xr]

who have tasted the goodness of God's word and the powers of the coming age,Hebrews 2:5;">[xr]

and who have fallen away, as long as they continue to crucify to themselves the Son of God and to expose him to public ridicule.Hebrews 10:29;">[xr]

For when the ground soaks up rain that often falls on it and continues producing vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated, it receives a blessing from God.Psalm 65:10;">[xr]

However, if it continues to produce thorns and thistles, it is worthless and in danger of being cursed, and in the end will be burned.Isaiah 5:6;">[xr]

Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case, things that point to salvation.

For God is not so unjust as to forget your work and the love you have shown himshown for his name">[fn] as you have ministered to the saints and continue to minister to them.Proverbs 14:31; Matthew 10:42; 25:40; John 13:20; Romans 3:4; 15:25; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7; 2 Timothy 1:18;">[xr]

But we want each of you to continue to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to give full assurance to your hope.Colossians 2:2; Hebrews 3:6,14;">[xr]

Then, instead of being lazy, you will become imitators of those who are inheriting the promises through faith and patience.Hebrews 6:36;">[xr]

For when God made his promise to Abraham, he swore an oath by himself, since he had no one greater to swear by.Genesis 22:16-17; Psalm 105:9; Luke 1:73;">[xr]

He said, "I will certainly bless you and give you many descendants."Genesis 22:17">[fn]

And so he obtained the promise, because he patiently waited for it.

For people swear by someone greater than themselves, and an oath given as confirmation puts an end to all argument.Exodus 22:11;">[xr]

In the same way, when God wanted to make the unchangeable character of his purpose perfectly clear to the heirs of his promise, he guaranteed it with an oath,Romans 11:29; Hebrews 11:9;">[xr]

so that by these two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to prove false, we who have taken refuge in him might have a strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.Hebrews 12:1;">[xr]

We have this hopehope">[fn] as an anchor for our souls, firm and secure, which reaches behind the curtain,Leviticus 16:15; Hebrews 9:7;">[xr]

where Jesus, our forerunner, has gone on our behalf, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.Hebrews 3:1,5-6,10; 4:14; 7:17; 8:1; 9:24;">[xr]

Now this man Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, met Abraham and blessed him when he was returning from slaughtering the kings.Genesis 14:18;">[xr]

To him Abraham gave a tenth of everything.Genesis 14:18-20">[fn] In the first place, his name means "king of righteousness," and then he is also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace."

He has no father, mother, or genealogy, and has neither beginning of days nor end of life. Like the Son of God, he continues to be a priest forever.

Just look at how great this man was! Even Abraham - the patriarch himself - gave him a tenth of what he had captured!Genesis 14:20;">[xr]

The descendants of Levi who accept the priesthood have a commandment in the law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their own brothers, even though they are also descendants of Abraham.Numbers 18:21,26;">[xr]

But this man, whose descent is not traced from them, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the man who had received the promises.Genesis 14:19; Romans 4:13; Galatians 3:16;">[xr]

It is beyond dispute that the less important person is blessed by the more important person.

The men who collect the tenth die, but we are told thatit is declared that">[fn] he keeps on living.Hebrews 5:6; 6:20;">[xr]

One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,

for he was still in the body of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood - for on this basis the people received the law - what further need would there be to speak of appointing another kind of priest according to the order of Melchizedek, not one according to the order of Aaron?Galatians 2:21; Hebrews 7:18-19; 8:7;">[xr]

For when a change in the priesthood takes place, there must also be a change in the law.

For the person we are talking about belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever servedfrom which no one has served">[fn] at the altar.

For it is obvious that our Lord was a descendant of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe.Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:3; Luke 3:33; Romans 1:3; Revelation 5:5;">[xr]

This point is even more obvious in that another priest who is like Melchizedek has appeared

who was appointed to be a priest,to be a priest">[fn] not on the basis of a regulation concerning his ancestry, but rather on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.

For it is declared about him,Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6,10; 6:20;">[xr] "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."Psalm 110:4">[fn]

Indeed, the cancellation of the former regulation has occurred because it was weak and ineffectiveRomans 8:3; Galatians 4:9;">[xr]

(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we approach God.Acts 13:39; Romans 3:20-21,28; 5:2; 8:3; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:18; 3:12; Hebrews 4:16; 6:18; 8:6; 9:9; 10:19;">[xr]

Now none of this happened without an oath. Others became priests without any oath,

but Jesushe">[fn] became a priestbecame a priest">[fn] with an oath when Godhe">[fn] said to him,Psalm 110:4;">[xr] "The Lord has taken an oathand will not change his mind.You are a priest forever."Psalm 110:4">[fn]

In this way, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24;">[xr]

There have been many priests, since they have been prevented by death from continuing in office.

But because Jesushe">[fn] lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.

Therefore, because he always lives to intercede for them, he is able to save completelythoroughly">[fn] those who come to God through him.Romans 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:24; 1 John 2:1;">[xr]

We need such a high priest - one who is holy, innocent, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.Ephesians 1:20; 4:10; Hebrews 4:15; 8:1;">[xr]

He has no need to offer sacrifices every day like those high priests, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he sacrificed himself.Leviticus 9:7; Romans 6:10; Hebrews 5:3; 10:12;">[xr]

For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.Hebrews 2:10;">[xr]