Fragments on Hebrews
Fragmenta in epistulam ad Hebraeos
The Word as Radiance and Substance§1
1The heretics claim that the epistle is not Paul's, and they bring forward two proofs for this: first, that his name is not placed at the front as in the other epistles; second, that the phrasing is different, meaning it is foreign to Paul and his style. Therefore, it must be known that Paul was hated by the Jews as one teaching a departure from the law, which is why he was endangered in Jerusalem and, having only just escaped, was sent to Rome. Thus, writing something useful to the Hebrews, he does not set forth his own name, so that he might not be harmed by the hatred toward him, losing the benefit from the epistle. He writes to them, as the blessed Severianus says, in the Hebrew tongue, which was also interpreted by one of the disciples, either Luke or rather Clement, of whom he remembers. Because of this, the phrasing is foreign. And this was sought by those before us, and Eusebius, being more historical than those before and after him, mentioned this inquiry, and that it seemed to our ancient fathers, the bishops, that the epistle is Paul's.
In many ways, according to the differences of the ages in which things concerning us were dispensed (Hebrews 1:1-2), such as in the generation of Adam, in those according to Cain, in those according to Noah, in those according to Abraham, in those before the law, and in those after the law; for many are the parts of God's administration on our behalf. Also in various ways, that a command was given to Adam, another to Noah, another to Abraham, and through Moses another, and through the prophets various. He spoke...
In us in the Son, instead of through the Son; for not in him as in an instrument, but through him as one managing the flesh, so that from here the hearing of the Jews, having grasped the Word by a certain touch, might be lifted up to the eternal existence. For previously it was said: he spoke to us in a Son whom also he appointed heir—instead of he made—he led the Word into the eternal existence. And he does this continuously, partly ascending into theology, partly descending into humanity.
Seeking to present more grandly that the Word was begotten from the essence of the Father, he mentioned the radiance; for the radiance is from the essence of that of which it is a radiance, and it is continuous both from it and never thought of without it. But since the radiance shows a lesser nature compared to that of which it is a radiance and not in its own subsistence, he presented this in a different expression, saying: and the character of the subsistence, the first having set forth for the proof that it is purely from the essence, and the second, that it is not unsubstantial. Just as John, having named the Word, led us forward: he was with God and he was God (John 1:1), so also Paul, having said radiance, added: and the character of the subsistence.
This is what Jeremiah says: mighty works of his word (Jeremiah 32:27). Even if the Word became flesh, yet indeed he was in the glory and nature of the deity, and from the most high of God the Father he did not depart from the thrones; and being abased briefly by the angels because of the measure of humanity.
Greek · §1
Fragmenta in epistulam ad Hebraeos (in catenis) Hebr: Prolog Οἱ αἱρετικοί φασι μὴ εἶναι Παύλου τὴν ἐπιστολήν, καὶ τούτου πρώτην ἀπόδειξιν προφέρουσι τὸ μὴ προτετάχθαι αὐτοῦ τὸ ὄνομα ὡς ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις ἐπιστολαῖς· δεύτερον τὸ τὴν φράσιν ἄλλην εἶναι, τοῦτ' ἔστι ξένην παρὰ τὴν Παύλου καὶ τὴν κατασκευήν. δεῖ τοίνυν εἰδέναι ὅτι Παῦλος ἐμισεῖτο ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων ὡς ἀποστασίαν νόμου διδάσκων, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ κινδυνεύσας ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις καὶ μόλις διαφυγὼν ἐπέμφθη εἰς Ῥώμην. ὠφέλιμα τοίνυν γράφων Ἑβραίοις οὐ προτίθησι τὸ ὄνομα ἑαυτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ τῷ μίσει τῷ πρὸς αὐτὸν ζημιωθῶσι τὴν ὠφέλειαν τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς. Γράφει δὲ αὐτοῖς ὥς φησιν ὁ μακάριος Σευηριανός τῇ Ἑβραίων γλώττῃ, ἃ καὶ ἡρμηνεύθη ὑπό τινος τῶν μαθητῶν, ὑπὸ Λουκᾶ, ἢ μᾶλλον ὑπὸ Κλήμεντος οὗ καὶ μέμνηται. διὰ τοῦτο ξένη φράσις. καὶ 346 τοῦτο ἐζήτηται τοῖς πρὸ ἡμῶν, καὶ Εὐσέβιος ὁ Παμφίλου ἱστορικώτερος γεγονὼς τῶν πρὸ αὐτοῦ καὶ μετ' αὐτοῦ, ἐμνημόνευσε τῆς ζητήσεως, καὶ ὅτι τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν τοῖς παλαιοῖς τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἔδοξε Παύλου τὴν ἐπιστολὴν εἶναι. Hebr 1,1–2 Πολυμερῶς μὲν κατὰ τὰς διαφορὰς τῶν χρόνων ἐν αἷς ᾠκονομήθη τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν, οἷον ἐν τῇ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ γενέσει, ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τὸν Κάϊν, ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τὸν Νῶε, ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τὸν Ἀβραάμ, ἐν τοῖς πρὸ νόμου, ἐν τοῖς μετὰ νόμον· πολλὰ γὰρ τὰ μέρη τῆς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ διοικήσεως. πολυτρόπως δέ, ὅτι ἄλλη ἐδόθη ἐντολὴ τῷ Ἀδάμ, ἄλλη τῷ Νῶε, ἑτέρα τῷ Ἀβραάμ, καὶ διὰ Μωϋσέως ἄλλη, καὶ διὰ τῶν προφητῶν διάφοροι. Ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ, ἀντὶ τοῦ δι' υἱοῦ· οὐ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ ὡς ἐν ὀργάνῳ, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτοῦ ὡς οἰκονομοῦντος σάρκα, ἵν' ἐντεῦθεν ἀρξαμένη τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἡ ἀκοή, καὶ ὥσπερ δραξαμένη ψηλαφίᾳ τινὶ τοῦ λόγου οὕτως ἀναχθῇ εἰς τὴν προαιώνιον ὕπαρξιν. πρότερον γὰρ εἰρηκώς· ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ ὃν καὶ κληρονόμον ἔθηκεν –ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐποίησεν–, ἀνήγαγε τὸν λόγον εἰς τὴν προαιώνιον ὕπαρξιν. καὶ τοῦτο ποιεῖ συνεχῶς, πῆ μὲν ἀνιὼν εἰς τὴν θεολογίαν, πῆ δὲ κατιὼν εἰς τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν. Hebr 1,3α Ζητῶν παραστῆσαι τρανότερον τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρὸς γεγεννῆσθαι τὸν λόγον, τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος ἐμνημόνευσεν· τὸ γὰρ ἀπαύγασμα ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας ἐστὶν ἐκείνου οὗ ἐστιν ἀπαύγασμα, καὶ διηνεκὲς καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐδέποτ' ἄνευ ἐκείνου ἐπινοούμενον οὗ ἐστιν ἀπαύγασμα. ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα ἐλάττονα δείκνυσι τὴν φύσιν παρ' ἐκεῖνο οὗ ἐστιν ἀπαύγασμα καὶ οὐκ ἐν ἰδίᾳ ὑποστάσει, ἑτέρᾳ λέξει τοῦτο παρέστησεν εἰπών· καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον τεθεικὼς εἰς ἀπόδειξιν τοῦ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας ἀμερῶς εἶναι, τὸ δὲ δεύτερον, ὅτι οὐκ ἀνυπόστατον. ὥσπερ γὰρ Ἰωάννης λόγον ὀνομάσας ἐπήγαγε· πρὸς θεὸν ἦν καὶ θεὸς ἦν, οὕτω καὶ Παῦλος ἀπαύγασμα εἰπὼν προσέθηκεν· καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως. 347 Hebr 1,3β Τοῦτό ἐστιν ὃ λέγει Ἰερεμίας· ἰσχυρὰ ἔργα λόγων αὐτοῦ. Hebr 1,3ξ Εἰ καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ἀλλ' οὖν ἐν δόξῃ καὶ φύσει τῆς θεότητος ἦν καὶ τῶν ὑπερτάτων τοῦ θεοῦ πατρὸς οὐκ ἀπέστη θρόνων· καὶ ἠλαττωμένου βραχὺ παρ' ἀγγέλους διὰ τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος μέτρον–
The Superiority of the Son over Angels§2
2For the glorious human nature is placed beneath the angels, yet it was also thus superior to every name that is named. Just as John imitated the mind in the dawn and the character, having named the Word and having said he is toward God (Heb 1:7–8), so also here he imitates John. Just as he said: 'This was in the beginning, all things came through him' (Heb 1:2), instead of 'this was, these things were', so also Paul: regarding the angels, 'the one doing'; but regarding the Son, 'your throne'—in order to show: that which is being done was not, but the one having the throne was always toward the Father eternally.
He does not say a change of nature is happening, but speaks by comparison, that these things are more likely to perish, just as they are destroyed in comparison to the setting forth of the Son's immortality (Heb 1:12–14). For the Lord, foretelling the second coming, says that stars shall fall, but not yet sun or moon or heaven. To which of the angels has he ever spoken? Having left all creation behind, he says that which is superior to this, the angels; for if there is a difference to the Son according to the fact of being born versus not being born, how much more according to all the invisible things? And it must be noted that through the phrase 'you yourself are' (Heb 1:10), he demonstrated the eternal and the unshakeable nature, and through the phrase 'are not all they are ministering spirits for service' (Heb 1:14), he demonstrated that the Son is not a minister but a co-worker.
He does not say a law, but the one many times administered through angels (Heb 2:2). It was confirmed to us by those who heard. This is similar to that in the epistle to the Galatians, where he says, 'I went up according to a revelation, and I proposed the gospel to them, lest I should be running in vain or have run' (Gal 1:12). It was confirmed not by our asking, but by the being fully convinced of all the others, that what I preach, I preach well.
He says 'the time to come' (Heb 2:5). Immediately he added 'the last'; but now we do not yet see all things made subject to him; but we see Jesus, being made a little lower than the angels (Heb 2:7–9). So what is it that he says, 'you remember him'? He says it was fitting for Jesus; for the things of common humanity were fitting for him. But as the Son himself says, 'out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself, and I will see the heavens as the work of your fingers' (Ps 8:2), no one would say that the man of whom God remembered, having prepared praise out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies for the sake of your enemies, and I will see the heavens as the work of your fingers, had prepared it; he remembered the man and made him a little lower than the angels. And who is the man? Jesus. Because of the suffering of death, being made a little lower than...
Greek · §2
ὑποκάθηται γὰρ τὼν ἀγγέλων τὸ εὐκλεὲς ἡ ἀνθρώπου φύσις–, ἦν δὲ καὶ οὕτως ὑπεράνω παντὸς ὀνόματος ὀνομαζομένου. Hebr 1,7–8 Ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος καὶ τοῦ χαρακτῆρος ἐμιμήσατο τὸν νοῦν Ἰωάννου, λόγον ὀνομάσαντος καὶ πρὸς θεὸν εἶναι εἰπόντος, οὕτως καὶ ἐνταῦθα μιμεῖται τὸν Ἰωάννην. ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος εἶπεν· οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ, πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, ἀντὶ τοῦ οὗτος ἦν, ταῦτα οὐκ ἦν, οὕτως καὶ ὁ Παῦλος· πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγγέλους· ὁ ποιῶν, πρὸς δὲ τὸν υἱόν· ὁ θρόνος σου– ἵνα δείξῃ· τὸ μὲν ποιούμενον οὐκ ἦν, ὁ δὲ θρόνον ἔχων αἰώνιον ἀεὶ πρὸς πατέρα ἦν. Hebr 1,12–14 Οὐ μεταβολὴν λέγει φύσεως γινομένην, ἀλλὰ κατὰ σύγκρισιν, ὅτι ἐγχωρεῖ ταῦτα ἀπολέσθαι μᾶλλον καὶ ὥσπερ ἀπόλλυται ὅσον πρὸς παράθεσιν τῆς τοῦ υἱοῦ ἀϊδιότητος. καὶ γὰρ ὁ κύριος προλέγων τὴν δευτέραν παρουσίαν, ἀστέρας μὲν πεσεῖσθαι λέγει, οὐκέτι δὲ ἥλιον ἢ σελήνην ἢ οὐρανόν. Πρὸς τίνα δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἴρηκέν ποτε; ἀφεὶς τὴν κτίσιν πᾶσαν τὸ ταύτης ἀνώτερον λέγει, τοὺς ἀγγέλους· εἰ γὰρ πρὸς ἀγγέλους διαφορὰ τῷ υἱῷ κατὰ τὸ τοὺς μὲν γενέσθαι, τὸν δὲ μὴ γενέσθαι, πόσῳ μᾶλλον πρὸς τὰ ἀόρατα πάντα; δεῖ δὲ ἐπισημήνασθαι ὅτι διὰ τοῦ σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὸ προαιώνιον καὶ τὸ ἄτρεπτον τῆς φύσεως ἐδήλωσεν, καὶ διὰ τοῦ φάναι· οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα εἰς διακονίαν ἐδήλωσεν ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς οὐκ ἔστι λειτουργὸς ἀλλὰ συνεργός. 348 Hebr 2,2–3 Οὐ νόμον λέγει, ἀλλὰ τὸν πολλάκις δι' ἀγγέλων οἰκονομηθέντα. ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκουσάντων εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐβεβαιώθη. τοῦτο ὅμοιόν ἐστιν ἐκείνῳ τῷ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Γαλάτας ἐπιστολῇ, τῷ ἀνέβην κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν, καὶ ἀνεθέμην αὐτοῖς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, μή πως εἰς κενὸν τρέχω ἢ ἔδραμον. ἐβεβαιώθη δὲ οὐχ ἡμῶν δεηθέντων, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἄλλων πάντων πληροφορηθέντων, ὅτι ἃ κηρύσσω, καλῶς κηρύσσω. Hebr 2,5–9 Τὸν μέλλοντα αἰῶνα λέγει. αὐτίκα τελευταῖον ἐπήγαγεν· νῦν δὲ οὔπω ὁρῶμεν αὐτῷ ὑποτεταγμένα τὰ πάντα· τὸν δὲ βραχύ τι παρ' ἀγγέλους ἠλαττωμένον βλέπομεν Ἰησοῦν. ὥστε τὸ τί ἐστιν ὅτι μιμνήσκῃ αὐτοῦ; τῷ Ἰησοῦ προσήκειν φησίν· τὰ γὰρ τῆς κοινῆς ἀνθρωπότητος αὐτῷ προσῆκεν. ἀλλὰ ὡς αὐτὸς ὁ υἱὸς λέγει τὸ ἐκ στόματος νηπίων καὶ θηλαζόντων κατηρτίσω αἶνον ἕνεκεν τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου, καὶ ὄψομαι τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἔργα τῶν δακτύλων σου, οὐδεὶς δ' ἂν εἴποι τὸν ἄνθρωπον οὗ ἐμνήσθη ὁ θεός, πεποιηκέναι τὸν ἐκ στόματος νηπίων καὶ θηλαζόντων καταρτισάμενον αἶνον ἕνεκεν τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου, καὶ ὄψομαι τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἔργα τῶν δακτύλων σου· οὗτος ἐμνήσθη τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἠλάττωσεν αὐτὸν βραχύ τι παρ' ἀγγέλους. τίς δὲ ὁ ἄνθρωπος; Ἰησοῦς. διὰ τὸ πάθημα τοῦ θανάτου ἠλαττωμένος βραχύ τι παρ'
The Superiority of the Melchizedekian Priesthood§3
3Angels. Just as he leads in for one day the present age (Heb 3:13). He says of a division of soul and spirit (Heb 4:12), when the soul suffers with the body, but the grace of the Holy Spirit draws upward toward the heavenly things. Since the beginning of Christ is from Judaism—for he lived according to the law—because of this he says: leaving these, let us bring forward perfection, knowing that according to the order Melchizedek must be a priest who is to be without law. From dead works, and faith toward God, and baptisms. To the Christians, the earthly things are dead. It is therefore absurd, he says, to depart from this course, whether from faith, or from having been made dead by all, to come again to the baptisms according to the law. The Lord, having come, proclaimed repentance, saying: Repent; for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near; but repentance from dead works. Thus, therefore, it is to be read: repentance from dead works, instead of the repentance from the dead works. What he therefore says is this: it is not necessary to leave the repentance from dead works and the faith toward God and the baptism—which he named in the plural because of the multitude of those being made worthy. And he spoke of baptisms and the teaching, and the laying on of hands through which there are ordinations, and of the resurrection, the hope, and the following things—to turn back to the law. But this prepares the way, since the priests in the law were avenging the law, but Melchizedek was outside the law; and not having come according to the order, he was Melchizedek. It is not necessary, he says, to leave the Melchizedekian one according to the order to avenge the priesthood in the law, so that the things standing in the law might remain. But he said the things in the law are a foundation, since they have become a precursor of piety for men.
The apostles raised up dead men (Heb 6:6). And this was the power of the resurrection. Speaking by way of example, he said that if baptism is a mystery, the once-for-all suffices. But if the thing happens a second time, it is contempt and an example. An example was taken, not for the baptism—for how could a second baptism be prevented?—but for the power of the Holy Spirit greatly benefiting the land (Heb 6:7–8). Having spoken above of the full assurance of hope, he showed that God provided full assurance to Abraham, not through works that belong to the citizenship, but through the administration (Heb 6:17). It is impossible, having made God swear, to be changed; it was impossible to change the power of the promise. He does not merely mention how Melchizedek met Abraham when the Assyrians were surrounding, and gave him tithes from all things (Heb 7:1–2), but showing that the forefather of the Levitical tribe used Melchizedek. Therefore, the priesthood without law is superior to the priesthood.
Greek · §3
ἀγγέλους. Hebr 3,13 Ὥσπερ μίαν ἡμέραν τὸν παρόντα αἰῶνα εἰσάγει. Hebr 4,12 Μερισμὸν ψυχῆς καὶ πνεύματος λέγει, ὅταν ἡ μὲν ψυχὴ προσπάσχει τῷ σώματι, τοῦ δὲ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἡ χάρις ἀνθέλκει πρὸς τὰ οὐράνια. Hebr 6,1–2 Ἐπειδὴ ἡ ἀρχὴ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἰουδαϊσμοῦ–κατὰ νόμον γὰρ ἐπολιτεύσατο–, διὰ τοῦτο λέγει· τοῦτ' ἀφέντες ἐπὶ 349 τὴν τελειότητα φερώμεθα, εἰδότες ὅτι κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ δεῖ εἶναι τοῦ ἄνευ νόμου μέλλοντος ἱερέως εἶναι. Ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων, καὶ πίστεως ἐπὶ θεόν, βαπτισμῶν. τοῖς Χριστιανοῖς νεκρά ἐστι τὰ γήϊνα. ἄτοπον οὖν ἔστι, φησίν, ἀποστάντας τῆς διαγωγῆς ταύτης, εἴτε τῆς κατὰ πίστιν, εἴτε ἀπὸ τοῦ νενεκρῶσθαι τοῖς πᾶσιν, ἐλθεῖν πάλιν ἐπὶ τοὺς κατὰ νόμον βαπτισμούς. ὁ κύριος ἐλθὼν μετάνοιαν ἐκήρυξεν, λέγων· μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικε γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν· μετάνοιαν δὲ ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων. οὕτως οὖν ἀναγνωστέον· μετανοίας ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων, ἀντὶ τοῦ τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν νεκρῶν ἔργων μετανοίας. ὃ οὖν λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· οὐ δεῖ ἀφέντας τὴν μετάνοιαν τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν νεκρῶν ἔργων καὶ τὴν πίστιν τὴν εἰς θεὸν καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα–ὃ πληθυντικῶς ὠνόμασεν διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν καταξιουμένων. εἴρηκε δὲ βαπτισμῶν καὶ τὴν διδαχήν, καὶ τὴν ἐπίθεσιν τῶν χειρῶν δι' ἧς αἱ χειροτονίαι, καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τὴν ἐλπίδα καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς–ἀνατρέχειν ἐπὶ τὸν νόμον. τοῦτο δὲ προκατασκευάζει, ἐπειδὴ οἱ ἐν νόμῳ ἱερεῖς νόμον ἐξεδίκουν, ὁ δὲ Μελχισεδὲκ ἐκτὸς ἦν νόμου· οὐ δὲ ἐλθὼν κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἦν. οὐ δεῖ, φησίν, ἀφέντας τὸν κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἐκδικεῖν τὴν ἐν νόμῳ ἱερατείαν, ἵνα τὰ ἐν νόμῳ ᾖ ἑστῶτα. θεμέλιον δὲ εἶπε τὰ ἐν νόμῳ, ἐπειδὴ προοίμιον εὐσεβείας γεγένηται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Hebr 6,6 Νεκροὺς ἤγειραν οἱ ἀπόστολοι. αὕτη δὲ ἡ δύναμις τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἦν. παραδειγματίζοντας εἶπεν, ὅτι εἰ μυστήριον τὸ βάπτισμα, τὸ ἅπαξ ἀρκεῖ. ἐὰν δὲ δεύτερον γίνηται τὸ πρᾶγμα, καταφρόνησις καὶ παραδειγματισμός. Hebr 6,7–8 Ὑπόδειγμα ἔλαβεν, οὐκ εἰς τὸ βάπτισμα–πῶς γὰρ δεύτερον βάπτισμα ἐκώλυεν; –ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος δύναμιν πολλάκις εὐεργετοῦσαν. Hebr 6,17 Ἀνωτέρω εἰπὼν τὴν πληροφορίαν τῆς ἐλπίδος ἐδήλωσεν ὅτι ὁ θεὸς παρέσχε τῷ Ἀβραὰμ πληροφορίαν, οὐ τὴν δι' ἔργων τὴν τῇ πολιτείᾳ προσήκουσαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν δι' οἰκονομίας. 350 Ἀδύνατον ὀμόσαντα τὸν θεὸν μετατεθῆναι, ἀδύνατον ἦν μετατεθῆναι τὴν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας δύναμιν. Hebr 7,1–2 Οὐχ ἁπλῶς μέμνηται ὅπως συνήντησεν ὁ Μελχισεδὲκ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ περιγεγονότι τῶν Ἀσσυρίων, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ δεκάτας ἀπὸ πάντων, ἀλλὰ δεικνὺς ὅτι ὁ προπάτωρ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς φυλῆς ἱερεῖ ἐχρήσατο τῷ Μελχισεδέκ. κρείσσων ἄρα ἡ ἱερωσύνη ἡ ἄνευ νόμου τῆς ἱερωσύνης
Melchizedek and the Law§4
4Regarding those in the law (Heb 7:3). Without father, without mother, without genealogy in the way priesthood works, because in the Levitical tribe it appeared who was a priest or a woman priest. There were periods of priesthood, where some had them for a day, and others ministered for a whole life. And these both are found among the priests in the law, even if not in the same periods.
He says Melchizedek is without father and without mother and without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life according to the logic of priesthood; for he neither had a priestly race, nor did he begin anywhere as one succeeding another, nor from a day another, nor as having a law to be a priest for a whole life. And all these things are said entirely by way of analogy to the priests in the law. But it is said concerning Melchizedek: having been made like to the Son of God, he remains a priest continually. And how does Melchizedek remain a priest? It is a question called forth, but the solution is this: just as Moses calls the law, so likewise here Melchizedek says both the man and the priesthood itself. If then Melchizedek is made like through the priesthood according to Christ, he remains continually; for not the mortal man, but the dignity of the priesthood.
Just as the tabernacle was constructed according to Moses so that the services might take place (Heb 9:11), so this tabernacle, the composition of grace, is greater, the body of Christ having Christ as head. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come (Heb 11:11). Previously he set Jacob, then Esau, not according to the sequence of birth, but according to the order of the blessing. The world was not worthy of them (Heb 11:38). He does not say this concerning all, but concerning these last ones whom even a witness saw. He remembers those who fell in the encampments and because of the usefulness of the people having received them.
Laying aside every weight (Heb 12:1). Sin of carnal enjoyment is a weight, from which the most easily encompassing sin is born. And he said the sin that easily surrounds us and leads us to its own will is 'most easily encompassing'. For a festival and a feast of angels is the one to the glory of God, and to the assembly of firstborns inscribed in the heavens and to God, the judge of all (Heb 12:22-23). This is what Paul says elsewhere: for he removes the form of this world, so that the temporary things might pass away and the eternal things might come (Heb 12:27). This is, those in the law do not have this gift of which we partake. But outside the encampment, instead of being outside the legal ones and the Israelite encampment.
Greek · §4
τῆς ἐν νόμῳ. Hebr 7,3 Ἀπάτωρ, ἀμήτωρ, ἀγενεαλόγητος κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἱερωσύνης λόγον, ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῇ φυλῇ τῇ Λευϊτικῇ ἐφαίνετο τίς τίνος ἦν ἱερέως ἢ γυναικὸς ἱερείας. ἦσαν δὲ χρόνοι τῆς ἱερωσύνης, καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐφημερίας εἶχον ἐνιαυσίους, οἱ δὲ δι' ὅλης τῆς ζωῆς ἱεράτευον. καὶ ταῦτα εὑρίσκεται ἐκάτερα παρὰ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι τοῖς ἐν νόμῳ, εἰ καὶ μὴ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους. ἀπάτορα λέγει τὸν Μελχισεδὲκ καὶ ἀμήτορα καὶ ἀγενεαλόγητον, μήτε ἀρχὴν ἔχοντα ἡμερῶν μήτε ζωῆς τέλος κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἱερατείας λόγον· οὔτε γὰρ γένος ἱερατικὸν εἶχεν, οὔτε ποθὲν ἤρξατο ὡς ἄλλον διαδεξάμενος, οὔτε ἐξ ἐφημερίας ἕτερον, οὔτε ὡς νόμον ἔχων δι' ὅλης τῆς ζωῆς εἶναι ἱερεύς. καὶ ὅλως πάντα τὰ λεγόμενα κατὰ παρεξέτασιν τῶν ἐν νόμῳ ἱερέων. εἴρηται δὲ περὶ τοῦ Μελχισεδέκ· ἀφωμοιωμένος δὲ τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ, μένει ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸ διηνεκές. καὶ πῶς ὁ Μελχισεδὲκ μένει ἱερεύς; ζήτημα τὸ λεγόμενον, ἔστι δὲ ἡ λύσις αὕτη· ὥσπερ Μωϋσέα καλεῖ τὸν νόμον, οὕτω κἀνταῦθα Μελχισεδὲκ πῆ μὲν τὸν ἄνθρωπον λέγει, πῆ δὲ αὐτὴν τὴν ἱερατείαν. εἰ τοίνυν ἀφωμοίωται ὁ Μελχισεδὲκ διὰ τῆς ἱερατείας τῆς κατὰ Χριστόν, μένει διηνεκῶς· οὐχ ὁ ἄνθρωπος θνητὸς γάρ, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀξίωμα τῆς ἱερατείας. Hebr 9,11 Ὥσπερ ἡ σκηνὴ κατεσκευάσθη ἐπὶ Μωϋσέως ὥστε τὰς λατρείας γίνεσθαι, οὕτω μείζων ἡ σκηνὴ αὕτη, τῆς χάριτος ἡ σύστασις, τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ κεφαλὴν ἔχον τὸν Χριστόν. 351 Hebr 11, Πίστει περὶ μελλόντων εὐλόγησεν Ἰσαὰκ τὸν Ἰακὼβ καὶ τὸν Ἠσαῦ. πρότερον ἔθηκεν τὸν Ἰακὼβ εἶτα τὸν Ἠσαῦ, οὐ κατὰ τὴν τῆς γενέσεως ἀκολουθίαν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν τῆς εὐλογίας τάξιν. Hebr 11,38 Ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος. οὐ περὶ πάντων λέγει τοῦτο ἀλλὰ περὶ τούτων τῶν τελευταίων οὓς καὶ μάρτυρας οἶδεν. ἐπιμέμνηται τῶν κλινάντων παρεμβολὰς καὶ διὰ τὸ χρήσιμον τοῦ λαοῦ εἰληφότων χάριν. Hebr 12,1 Ὄγκον ἀποθέμενοι πάντα. ὄγκος ἐστὶν ἡ ἁμαρτία τῆς κατὰ τὴν σάρκα ἀπολαύσεως, ἐξ ἧς ἡ εὐπερίστατος ἁμαρτία τίκτεται. εὐπερίστατον δὲ εἶπε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τὴν εὐκόλως ἡμᾶς περιϊσταμένην καὶ ἄγουσαν εἰς τὸ ἑαυτῆς θέλημα. Hebr 12,22–23 Πανήγυρις γὰρ καὶ ἑορτὴ ἀγγέλων ἡ εἰς τὸν θεὸν δόξα, καὶ ἐκκλησίᾳ πρωτοτόκων ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ κριτῇ θεῷ πάντων. Hebr 12,27 Τοῦτό ἐστιν ὃ λέγει ὁ Παῦλος ἀλλαχοῦ· παράγει γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, ἵνα παρέλθῃ τὰ πρόσκαιρα καὶ ἔλθῃ τὰ αἰώνια. Hebr 13,10–13 Τοῦτ' ἔστιν οἱ ἐν νόμῳ οὐκ ἔχουσι τὸ δῶρον τοῦτο οὗ μετέχομεν ἡμεῖς. ἔξω δὲ τῆς παρεμβολῆς, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἔξω τῶν νομίμων καὶ τῆς Ἰσραηλιτικῆς παρεμβολῆς.