It took a year to read the Bible, then almost 9 months to read the Apocrypha. Now, I'm going to try to offer reflections on the Narrative Lectionary. But, I won't be posting daily--at least, for a while.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

A merciful and faithful high priest, Reflection on Hebrews 2;14-18

My Cokesbury Bible has a heading for Hebrews 2:5-18, "Exaltation through Abasement." Even Jesus was made, for a while, lower than angels. As a human being, as one like us, Jesus suffered and died (2:6-9). Jesus becomes for us a pioneer, one who shows us the way (10).

Luke tells us: As a human child, born to Jews in that part of the world, he was taken to the temple in Jerusalem. This ritual was in response to the law that the first born belonged to the Lord. Note that the law intended for the parents to offer a substitutional sacrifice, e.g., a pair of turtledoves or pigeons.

This reading in Hebrews focuses on the temple and the High Priest in the temple. Jesus is both the sacrifice and the priest. Jesus suffers. Jesus intercedes for those who are suffering.

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