Lectionary 313, 312, and 311
Everyone who reads Genesis chapter 14 becomes interested in a mysterious
king named Melchizedek. This name will appear also in the Psalm that we
have for our responsorial, a Messianic Psalm, that is quite prophetic in
its complicated verses. Happily, this name and psalm are cited and
interpreted in another great piece of inspired writing that is our daily
nourishment during the early weeks of ordinary time, namely, the Epistle to
the Hebrews. We have learned that it is not from St. Paul and that it is
more of an essay on the royal highpriest Christ (Messiah) and on his role
in salvation history through becoming all too human! His sighs, tears, and
fears are mentioned and he is one with those for whom he offers his life in
a sacrificial way out of his unbounded unconditional love for us.
The author of Hebrews is an Alexandrian Jew who is quite learned in the
Scriptures and knows the Septuagintal version of them quite well (the
earliest translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek). He is a convert to
the newly formed faith of the Christians and probably is in one of the
leading communities in Alexandria. His method of interpretation shows he
comes from the Alexandrian school that is unique both in Judaism and
Christianity. It favors the symblolic, the spiritual, and the allegorical
ways of interpreting the Old Testament. The author is displaying his
skills in this method by a rather thorough interpretation of Psalm 110
which together with Psalm 3 and Psalm 45 is a messianic prophetic psalm for
Christians. It is a royal psalm for the Hebrew people that emphasizes the
beloved David, Israel's greatest king.
Jesus has a twofold role within this essay. He is both priest and king as
messiah. He is through his human nature with all its limitation also the
creative agent of God's redemptive love. This is what is behind the
theology of Hebrews. And the method used for interpretation is seen in what
is called "typology". This is continued especially in the Catholic Church
and in the new catechism from the end of the last century (1993).
This method sees persons in the Old Testament as prototypes or models for a
person in the New Testament, for example, Adam then becomes the new Adam in
Christ, Eve the first woman becomes the anti-type for Mary the New Eve.
This applies to theological themes, symbols, and mysterious things or
persons like Melchizedek who is the person featured in Hebrews and Psalm
110 both of which depend on chapter 14:17-20 of Genesis.
Genesis 14:17-20 shows there is a covenantal relationship between Abram
(Abraham) and Melchizedek whose name means King of Justice . Salem is
associated with his name and this is the city of peace, Jerusalem. The
offering made is that of bread and wine as the sign of the covenant so it
is easy to see that the tradition of the New Testament and the Great Church
(so called by scholars) associated these elements with the Lord's Supper,
the Eucharist. Thus the author of Hebrews is very interested in
interpreting this incident in the life of Abram and Melchizedek. He does
so with his typological methodology.
"Hebrews, perhaps, the typological reader par excellence, is a prime
example of this point (for example, see the end of chapter 5 in Hebrews).
Our moral growth (or lack of it) affects discernment, which affects what
relationships we will hear, taste, and see between God's covenant
realities." ( Daniel J.Treier, Dictionary on Theological Interpretation of
the Bible, p.826). Amen.
Scripture: Lectionary 311, Jan. 17, 2011. Hebrews 5:1-10. Psalm
110:1.2.3.4. Mark 2:18-22:
Did Jesus and his disciples observe the discipline of fasting? Certainly,
but in today's Gospel we have an example of where Jesus' disciples are said
not to fast, while those of the Pharisees and John the Baptist visibly show
they fast. Jesus has strong words about external manifestations of one's
penitential practices in Matthew on this point. As an itenerant preacher
followed by disciples who were learning how to imitate him they frequently
were forced into fasting like the crowds who often had no food for
themselves while following Jesus and hoping for a cure. Jesus knew how to
make exceptions to rules and rituals including fasting. These mostly were
made by humans and he knew that and let his compassion flow out to help
others rather than to observe these rituals.
Mark uses this incident of the comparison of Jesus' disciples with those of
the Baptist in telling his own and others that there would come a time when
fasting was appropriate together with mourning. The Cross is always being
foreshadowed in Mark and once Jesus has died on the Cross then the
disciples will fast and mourn.
Jesus uses a metaphor of new wineskins are made for new wine; old wine
skins are better for old wine.This brings home the point about fasting
within the context of the above comments. "The real focus of the passage
is not so much old practice as Jesus the messianic bridegroom; his public
ministry is a special time in which the old forms of religious practice
were not appropriate." (New Jerome Biblical Commentary, p. 602) Amen.
Scripture: Lectionary 312. Hebrews 6:10-20. Psalm 11:1-2.5-5.9-10. Mark
2:23-28.
Again contrasts are seen in the way the essay of Hebrews gives us a
portrait of Jesus. While bein our highpriest par excellence, he is at the
same time beset with weakness and frailty. Add to this the indifference
many showed to him by their actions, their rejection of his words, and the
growing hostility that mounted as he continued his actiive ministry. He
was, however, able to continue on as our highpriest offering his sacrifices
and sufferings for our own weakness and our sins. He was called by his
Father to deal patiently with us sinners and to asked patiently whatever
was heaped upon him by the proud, the indifferent, the poweful, and those
who were totally self-centered. He was just the opposite in his words and
actions.
Again, our author of Hebrews, returns to Psalm 110 to show us our
highpriest as king and messiah. "You are a priest forever according to the
order of Melchizedek. Jesus' dignity and reverence demonstrates his
priestly actions among us. He shows us humility, patience, and total
self-givng to others especially to sinners and the marginalized.
In the final paragraph of our selection from Hebrews we are at the heart of
the contrast that is brought together in Jesus' life among us. It is a
beautiful passage that shows us the humanness of our Savior:
"In the days he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with
loud cries and tears to God who was able to save him from death, and he was
heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience
from what he suffered; and when perfected, he became the source of eternal
salvation for all who obey him, designated by God as highpriest according
to the order of Melchizedek." Amen.
posted by Fr. Bert SM at 2:47 PM
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