Kollel Shoftim

Kollel Shoftim

Hebrews chapters 5 and 6

Heb 5:1 For every Kohen Gadol, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to Elohim, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

Heb 5:2  The Kohen Gadol can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness.

Heb 5:3  Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.

Heb 5:4  Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by Elohim, just like Aharon was.

The position of Cohen HaGadol is hereditary – it cannot be politically appointed.  The fact that it was politically appointed during the Hellenistic period led to the widespread disregard for the priesthood by the am ha’aretz and several sects who were not shy about voicing their displeasure.  What the writer is telling his audience is that regardless of what’s going on politically at the Temple, they have a valid High Priest, just as Aharon was valid.

Hebrews, continued:

Heb 5:5  So also Messiah didn’t glorify himself to be made a Kohen Gadol, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.”

This comes from Psalms chapter two and specifically refers to the “powers that be” working against Elohim’s hereditary and appointed leadership:

Psa 2:1  Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?   Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against YHWH, and against his Messiah, saying,   Psa 2:3  “Let’s break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us.”   Psa 2:4  He who sits in the heavens will laugh. Adonai will have them in derision.   Psa 2:5  Then he will speak to them in his anger, and terrify them in his wrath:   Psa 2:6  “Yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Tziyon.”   Psa 2:7 I will tell of the decree. YHWH said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your father.   Psa 2:8  Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.   Psa 2:9  You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”   Psa 2:10  Now therefore be wise, you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth.   Psa 2:11  Serve YHWH with fear, and rejoice with trembling.   Psa 2:12  Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

Hebrews, continued:

Heb 5:6  As he says also in another place, “You are a Kohen forever, after the order of Malki-Tzedek.”

Psa 110:1  <<A Psalm by David.>> YHWH says to Adonai, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.”   Psa 110:2  YHWH will send forth the rod of your strength out of Tziyon. Rule in the midst of your enemies.   Psa 110:3  Your people offer themselves willingly in the day of your power, in holy array. Out of the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth.   Psa 110:4 YHWH has sworn, and will not change his mind: “You are a Kohen forever in the order of Malki-Tzedek.”   Psa 110:5  Adonai is at your right hand. He will crush kings in the day of his wrath.   Psa 110:6  He will judge among the nations. He will heap up dead bodies. He will crush the ruler of the whole earth.   Psa 110:7  He will drink of the brook in the way; therefore he will lift up his head.

Malkitzedek is widely considered to be Shem, the son of Noah and long-lived High Priest under the order of the Firstborns after the flood.   His lifespan was so long compared to people born after the flood that he ruled as King and Priest in Jerusalem for several generations of the post-deluge lesser lifespans, making his rule seem eternal to them.  He was a typeology of Messiah during the Millennial Kingdom.

Hebrews, continued:

Heb 5:7  He [Yeshua], in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,

Heb 5:8  though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered.

Heb 5:9  Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation,

Heb 5:10  named by Elohim a Kohen Gadol after the order of Malki-Tzedek.

Yeshua was the ultimate Firstborn.  The Levitical priesthood acted in place of the Firstborns but never completely replaced them.  We know this because every Firstborn Male is still expected to be dedicated to Elohim at his birth.   For example:

Exo 13:1  YHWH spoke to Moshe, saying,   Exo 13:2 “Sanctify to me all of the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Yisra’el, both of man and of animal. It is mine.”

Hebrews, continued:

Heb 5:11  About him [Yeshua] we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.

Heb 5:12  For when by reason of the time you ought to be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of Elohim. You have come to need milk, and not solid food.

Heb 5:13  For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.

Heb 5:14  But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

This is the state of most of the churchgoers today, and even many Messianics, as well as most Jews – they have never studied scripture thoroughly and have only a passing acquaintance with it.  They spend no time reading it or applying it to their lives, relying instead of politically correct motivational blurbs from Rabbis and ministers which in no way challenge them to foresake the world and do teshuvah.

Hebrews, continued:

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Messiah, let us press on to perfection–not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward Elohim,

Heb 6:2  of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

The “dead works” are the traditions and precedents taught by the Rabbinate, the Catholic Church, and uncountable protestant ministers and reverends in place of Elohim’s Written Torah.  They are “dead” because they do not lead to life or salvation.  Observing christmas and easter may make you popular with your kids and retailers, but it will never please Elohim.  Elohim’s Torah, by contrast, is not dead at all.  Indeed, just the opposite:

Deu 32:45  Moshe made an end of speaking all these words to all Yisra’el;   Deu 32:46  He said to them, Set your heart to all the words which I testify to you this day, which you shall command your children to observe to do, [even] all the words of this Torah.   Deu 32:47 For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life…

Pro 6:23 For the mitzvah is a lamp, and the Torah is light. Reproofs of instruction are the Way of life…

Hebrews, continued:

Heb 6:3  This will we do, if Elohim permits.

Heb 6:4  For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Ruach HaKodesh,

Heb 6:5  and tasted the good word of Elohim, and the powers of the age to come,

Heb 6:6  and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of Elohim for themselves again, and put him to open shame.

The doctrine held by many that “once saved, always saved” is here simply shown to be wrong.

Hebrews, continued:

Heb 6:7  For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it, and brings forth a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from Elohim;

Heb 6:8  but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

The harvest metaphor is used repeatedly by the prophets.  It’s not what you believe that counts, it’s what you do:  your fruit.  Disboedience is bad fruit, period.

Hebrews, continued:

Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this.

Heb 6:10  For Elohim is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the holy ones, and still do serve them.

Heb 6:11  We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,

Heb 6:12  that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherited the promises.

Heb 6:13  For when Elohim made a promise to Avraham, since he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself,

Heb 6:14  saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”

This is the promise Elohim made to Abraham specifically due to his obedience (which is how he demonstrated his faith, of course):

Gen 22:15  The angel of YHWH called to Avraham a second time out of the sky,   Gen 22:16  and said, “I have sworn by myself, says YHWH, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,   Gen 22:17 that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your seed greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your seed will possess the gate of his enemies.   Gen 22:18  In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

Hebrews, continued:

Heb 6:15  Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Heb 6:16  For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.

Heb 6:17  In this way Elohim, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;

Heb 6:18  that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for Elohim to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.

Heb 6:19  This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil;

Heb 6:20  where as a forerunner Yeshua entered for us, having become a Kohen Gadol forever after the order of Malki-Tzedek.

The ultimate and irreplacable Firstborn, and Firstfruits of the Dead, whose example assures us that we will also  live again, and be kings and priest in his Kingdom, just as we have been promised, no matter what may happen to us now.

Next week:  Parashat Ki Tetze.