Justin Appel

Friends,

In today’s Epistle reading from Hebrews, St. Paul (whether directly or indirectly, the Church traditionally holds him to be the source of this content) describes Jesus as a “Hight Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

In this long and protracted argument, aimed to explain Jesus’ identity to a Jewish readership, the author compares him to the mysterious and enigmatical figure mentioned in the book of Genesis: Melchizedek, the King of Salem—that is, the “King of Peace.” 

The issue of tithing is referenced here, to show that Melchizedek was superior to Aaron, the father of the Jewish priesthood. The former, after all, has no lineage, no genealogy to show his legitimacy in a system where lineage determines everything.

Melchizedek’s priesthood is not based on the entire Levitical system through which God’s law was given, but rather, it rests on something far more solid: an “indestructible life.”

Put colloquially, Jesus is a “way better” version of what the High Priest was supposed to be, while the latter served only as a shadow.

However, this idea could serve as a segue into a much longer conversation. I suspect we humans like to look at God and imagine him as a much bigger version of whatever we know or value, whether we are talking about characteristic actions like “love” or “wrath,” or about conceptual realities like “fatherhood,” “rationality” or even “personality.”

We tend to reflect our understanding, our cultural assumptions, our theology, back on God. This would be a mistake.

Rather, this lesson reminds us that God is the type, the original, from which our creaturely categories flow. We are made in God’s image. Jesus is the High Priest who reconciles us to God and saves us from our sinfulness through an infinitely superior sacrifice—the Lamb of God!

Yours in Christ,

—Justin