Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25 nrsv)

Readers have to jump through hoops of Old Testatment arcana to grasp more fully what this text says. Jesus is not of Levitical descent, he is a priest nonethless, and a far superior priest than the Levitical ones. He lives forever, he has not sinned and needs no atoning for his short coming first, and he is priest by virtue of being the Son, not by the Law. Consequently, his priestly activity is so effective that he does not offer sacrifices repeatedly but just once (7:24-28). All these references to Levitical priesthood (versus the near mythical Melchizedek in 7:1) and Law make it hard for the text to resonate, even though we may have no difficulty in understanding the drift of the argument.

However, the real difficulty for the text to resonate is not the need to cut through the thicket of historical bramble. The text speaks to "those who [want to] approach God." Those who are even only half-hearted in approaching God may find the the talk of sacrifice and priest completely foreign. Nevertheless they soon will appreciate the infinite difference between God and human and the latter's inability to cross the abyss, and be comforted by the thought of one worthy enough to intercede unceasingly on their behalf. Yet the text sounds alien to those feeling no need to approach God.

I say "half-hearted" above because we vacillate in our faith and the text appears Martian at some point to us. The phrase "for all time" is therefore all the more remarkable. The phrase itself may on first glance mean simply that Jesus has to offer the sacrifice only once and the effect extends to all generations. Surely the larger point is that the definitive act of God at one moment of history speaks to all variegated circumstances and vicissitudes of life, even when one feels no need of God. I hope I may be allowed to say even this: justificatin by faith alone is not very comforting, indeed quite useless, if God does not at the same time grant faith despite our refusal.

"Heavenly High Priest, here on earth our help, our stay... hear the sinful cry to you from day to day. Intercessor, Friend of sinners, earth's Redeemer, hear our plea." - William Dix

Contributed by Hon-Wai
Monday November 5, 2012
Liturgical Year B: Week 50
Liturgical Color: Green
Sunday Gospel reading:
Lectionary 31 (Proper 26)
Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost