Tonight we are gathering to read through Hebrews 5-7 with Fr. Gabriel. One of the writer’s purposes of his book is to encourage his readers to move towards maturity and partake of solid food. Heb. 5:14-6:1. In other words, his Jewish audience should leave behind the elementary faith found in the Hebrew Scriptures. As a follower of Jesus, a faith founded upon obedience to the Law of Moses and the rituals of Judaism must necessarily move to the fullness of faith founded upon Christ Jesus. This is one of the reasons the writer invokes Melchizedek. For Melchizedek was outside of the Law. He was neither circumcised nor a descendant of Abraham. He did not have the Law or the rituals. And yet he was a priest of the Most High God. Therefore, as we read through these chapters, think about whether we, like the intended recipients of the letter, fail to have a mature faith. How do we, like them, ground our salvation in legal obedience or ritual observance and not in the freedom given to us by Christ?
Dinner is a 6. The menu is chicken potato casserole. Discussion about 6:45. Hope to see you here.
Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
Galatians 4:23-26