Philip Dampier's Blog

“The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,” There were several priests who served the altar in any given year, but year after year, some of them died, and new ones were appointed. There was only one high priest at a…

“This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.” We now get to the underlying point of this discourse. To the Jews, the covenant that came through Moses was the complete guide for every aspect of their life but especially when it came to being righteous. Their entire concept of…

“but this one was made a  priest with an oath by the one who said to him, ‘The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’’” The previous priests were not confirmed with an oath, but this one, Jesus, was confirmed by an oath.…

“And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath,” The appointment of Jesus as an eternal priest and thus His priesthood as a never-ending one was significant. It was more significant because it was done with an oath. The oath…

“(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” Now we know why the author of Hebrews called the old law useless and weak. It could not make anything perfect. Since God is perfect, then it…

“For, on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness.” We are about to get two reasons that God abolished the first law. This verse gives us the first one. The Law, as given to Moses, had two fatal flaws. First, the Law…

“For it is witnessed of him, ‘You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.’” This quote comes from Psalm 110:4. The entirety of this psalm is related to the aspect of the promised messiah king. It is the psalm where David calls the Messiah, Lord. The one who…

“Who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.”   The author understands the Jewish argument for the priesthood. He is quick to point out that Jesus is not connected to that argument in the least.…

“This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,” Jesus is from the tribe of Judah, but that is only significant in the sense that Judah was the tribe of kings and not the tribe of priests. When Jesus was announced as the priest of…

“This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,” Jesus is from the tribe of Judah, but that is only significant in the sense that Judah was the tribe of kings and not the tribe of priests. When Jesus was announced as the priest of…