Author: P Antonio Rivero LC where an apology or defense on the priesthood of Christ.
I. INTRODUCTION This letter has aroused amazement and bewilderment. Amazement, by solemn language. Perplexity, due to the concepts and symbols difficult to interpret. Perplexed, to hear that this letter is a letter, or Paul wrote, or directed at the Jews. The words "the Jews" may have arisen because of the strong influence that Hellenistic Judaism had on this paper. hardly find a more stimulating writing, which is reflected best the Christian and the Christian community, to collect our experiences and problems with such depth and humanity, as does the Hebrews.
No paper translated the New Testament has so boldly and depth the most serious temptation that can derail our Christian identity, both personal and community: the lure of fatigue. A tired from work-something not normal and perfectly understandable, but of the loss of sight of the actual dimensions of the Christian mystery, determining their requirements, their hopes rewarding. II. DOCTRINAL
OBJECTIVE: To know the wonderful and perplexing letter to the Hebrews. III. LIVING OBJECTIVE: thank God we have sent His Son Jesus Christ, the only effective Priest of the New Covenant.
IV. THESIS Letter to the Hebrews is a sermon or theological treatise where an apology or defense on the priesthood of Christ, superior to the Levitical priesthood, to clarify doubts and encourage Christians in times of persecution hard to stay faithful to the greatness of their faith, as God is faithful, and not get carried away by the weariness of the struggle for the Christian faith, giving to the abandonment of route taken, the total defection, apostasy. It pays to be a Christian!
V. EXPLANATION OF THE THESIS:
was believed that it was Paul. But the doubts about its Pauline origin comes from the difference in style and theological conception. Besides the central theme of the sermon, the priesthood of Christ, he is never clear in the letters of Paul. Rather, it is estimated that Paul wrote one listener. recipients are indeed Christians, and they are for some time. It is not even clear that the case of Christians from Judaism. Is not excluded that in the case of communities was felt the influence of the Judeo-Christian culture. It is a community that is undergoing a difficult time, a typical crisis of the second generation: indolence and neglect of faith, little appreciation of the salvation brought by Christ, abandonment of community meetings where Christian love is communicated. The author describes this situation as serious, as it constitutes a significant decline in faith and can reach a true apostasy.
What year was this letter written? More or less between 70 and 90.
2. Literary characteristics
a)
Language solemn, like the speeches of antiquity.
b) not letter, but piece of oratory, written to be delivered orally. It is therefore a homily or sermon in which he is exposed orally and defend the mystery of Christ in the light of salvation history and of Scripture.
c) combining
know the doctrinal and apologetic to the warrant and full of comfort. d)
His statements are strong, solid.
3. Division and thematic content
a) Part
(1-2): speaking of Christ's saving position, which is more valuable and beneficial to men than the angels.
b) Part
(3-5, 1-10): preach the virtues of the priesthood of Christ and urges that rely Priest credible.
c) Part Three
(5-10): the central part and wider, develops specific aspects of the priesthood of Christ, calling back to the faith and trust.
d) Part Four (11-12): more specifically addresses two basic aspects of Christian life: faith and constancy. e) Part Five (12-13): introduces the topic of Christian behavior in their dual dimension: toward God and our brothers.
4. Theological and spiritual content
End of letter
: instilling the preexcelencia of the New Partnership on Old and calls for greater faith and hope in Jesus Christ, Savior effective and definitive, as many were in danger of losing faith and return to Judaism, no only because of the persecutions to which they were exposed, but rather by slow spiritual progress and the attraction exerted upon them the magnificence of the Temple and the worship of their traditions.
theological and spiritual content of the letter is this:
1) Jesus Christ is the only holy priest
, compassionate and trustworthy, that his sacrifice on the cross, His death and resurrection, ascension and intercession, saved us and opened the gates of heaven, establishing the new covenant. He alone has saved us by his obedience to the Father.
2)
Hebrews stresses the contrast between the new and the old cult,
which it describes as ineffective. Only the blood of Christ can man purify his heart and live your inner conversion and communion with God.
3) This brings the
commitment to live with intensity and perseverance of hope and faith
, especially in hard times and testing, and thus do not fall into apostasy, the cooling of the faith. Faith and perseverance are two attitudes are particularly necessary for Christians of the second generation.
4) help us in this journey of faith strong and sturdy some illustrious characters of the Old Testament. It underlines the paradoxical nature of faith has not yet possess, that is not yet known, used to save and to give evidence, that is, to condemn. In the series patriarchal figure of Abraham is the center of the scene. His faith, which is the origin of the divine promises and makes you stand the test of just having to sacrifice his son, depositary of the promises, is a model for all descendants. Moses, his faith overcomes all the trials and tribulations that inevitably involves faithfulness to God. Faith, then, starts, moves and ends the whole adventure of the Exodus and the conquest of land, crucial events in the history of God's people. Without faith that history is not explained and neither could explain the Christian people. Therefore, faith is a guarantee of full success, both for glory and to confront the toughest challenges. Therefore, you have to run tough stage of life to win the battle of faith, stripped of all that which hinders agility in this case it is rid of sin, which thwarts fundamental.
5)
value of suffering: it is something to be reckoned with and should not be regarded as a punishment from God. Instead, the trials and sufferings we correct, we transform, we improve, and are a demonstration of God's fatherly care for us.
6) Acting Christian is synthesized in two aspects: pursuing peace and holiness. Holiness does not necessarily mean moral, existential world but separation and communion with God. This act is specifically Christian in this: love the brothers, respect for marriage, live detached from earthly goods
CONCLUSION: end this letter saying that Christ the Priest is the cause of the ministerial priesthood, of which all the priests, and at the same time, Christ is the joy of every priest.
PRAYER: Lord, you acknowledge you as a priest of the New Partnership and thank you for your obedience to the Father, through which we are redeemed by your blood. We ask that all priests are alike to you, especially in the continuous desire to sacrifice in the death of themselves, to give life to the world. Amen.
TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IN THE FORUM
1. What is the relationship between the priesthood of Melchizedek and the priesthood of Jesus? 2. How did the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah and Abraham, according to the passage in Hebrews 11, 1-10?
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