http://www.easterbrooks.com/cgi-bin/Cathcal.cgi?20050119

First Reading: Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 110:1, 2, 3, 4
Gospel: Mark 3:1-6

First Reading: Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17

1

¹ This "Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High," ² "met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings" and "blessed him."

2

³ And Abraham apportioned to him "a tenth of everything." His name first means righteous king, and he was also "king of Salem," that is, king of peace.

3

Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, ⁴ thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

15

⁵ It is even more obvious if another priest is raised up after the likeness of Melchizedek,

16

who has become so, not by a law expressed in a commandment concerning physical descent but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. ⁶

17

For it is testified: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

Table of Contents Hebrews 7

Footnotes

¹ [1-3] Recalling the meeting between Melchizedek and Abraham described in Genesis 14:17-20, the author enhances the significance of this priest by providing the popular etymological meaning of his name and that of the city over which he ruled (Hebrews 7:2). Since Genesis gives no information on the parentage or the death of Melchizedek, he is seen here as a type of Christ, representing a priesthood that is unique and eternal (Hebrews 7:3).

² [1] The author here assumes that Melchizedek was a priest of the God of Israel (cf Genesis 14:22 and the note there).

³ [2] In Genesis 14, the Hebrew text does not state explicitly who gave tithes to whom. The author of Hebrews supplies Abraham as the subject, according to a contemporary interpretation of the passage. This supports the argument of the midrash and makes it possible to see in Melchizedek a type of Jesus. The messianic blessings of righteousness and peace are foreshadowed in the names "Melchizedek" and "Salem."

⁴ [3] Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life: this is perhaps a quotation from a hymn about Melchizedek. The rabbis maintained that anything not mentioned in the Torah does not exist. Consequently, since the Old Testament nowhere mentions Melchizedek's ancestry, birth, or death, the conclusion can be drawn that he remains . . . forever.

⁵ [15-19] Jesus does not exercise a priesthood through family lineage but through his immortal existence (15-16), fulfilling Psalm 110:4 (Hebrews 7:17; cf Hebrews 7:3). Thus he abolishes forever both the levitical priesthood and the law it serves, because neither could effectively sanctify people (Hebrews 7:18) by leading them into direct communication with God (Hebrews 7:19).

⁶ [16] A life that cannot be destroyed: the life to which Jesus has attained by virtue of his resurrection; it is his exaltation rather than his divine nature that makes him priest. The Old Testament speaks of the Aaronic priesthood as eternal (see Exodus 40:15); our author does not explicitly consider this possible objection to his argument but implicitly refutes it in Hebrews 7:23-24.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 110:1, 2, 3, 4

1

¹ A psalm of David. ² The LORD says to you, my lord: "Take your throne at my righthand, while I make your enemies your footstool."

2

The scepter of your sovereign might the LORD will extend from Zion. The LORD says: "Rule over your enemies!

3

³ Yours is princely power from the day of your birth. In holy splendor before the daystar, like the dew I begot you."

4

⁴ The LORD has sworn and will not waver: "Like Melchizedek you are a priest forever."

Table of Contents Psalms 110

Footnotes

¹ [Psalm 110] A royal psalm in which a court singer recites three oracles in which God assures the king that his enemies are conquered (Psalm 110:1-2), makes the king "son" in traditional adoption language (Psalm 110:3), gives priestly status to the king and promises to be with him in future military ventures (Psalm 110:4-7).

² [1] The LORD says to you, my lord: literally, "The LORD says to my lord," a polite form of address of an inferior to a superior. Cf 1 Sam 25:25; 2 Sam 1:10. The court singer refers to the king. Jesus in the synoptic gospels (Matthew 22:41-46 and parallels) takes the psalmist to be David and hence "my lord" refers to the messiah, who must be someone greater than David. Your footstool: in ancient times victorious kings put their feet on the prostrate bodies of their enemies.

³ [3] Like the dew I begot you: an adoption formula as in Psalm 2:7; 89:27-28. Before the daystar: possibly an expression for before the world began (Proverb 8:22).

⁴ [4] Like Melchizedek: Melchizedek was the ancient king of Salem (Jerusalem) who blessed Abraham (Genesis 14:18-20); like other kings of the time he performed priestly functions. Hebrews 7 sees in Melchizedek a type of Christ.

Gospel: Mark 3:1-6

1

¹ Again he entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand.

2

They watched him closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him.

3

He said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up here before us."

4

Then he said to them, "Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" But they remained silent.

5

Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and his hand was restored.

6

² The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

Table of Contents Mark 3

Footnotes

¹ [1-5] Here Jesus is again depicted in conflict with his adversaries over the question of sabbath-day observance. His opponents were already ill disposed toward him because they regarded Jesus as a violator of the sabbath. Jesus' question Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil? places the matter in the broader theological context outside the casuistry of the scribes. The answer is obvious. Jesus heals the man with the withered hand in the sight of all and reduces his opponents to silence; cf John 5:17-18.

² [6] In reporting the plot of the Pharisees and Herodians to put Jesus to death after this series of conflicts in Galilee, Mark uses a pattern that recurs in his account of later controversies in Jerusalem (Mark 11:17-18; 12:13-17). The help of the Herodians, supporters of Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, is needed to take action against Jesus. Both series of conflicts point to their gravity and to the impending passion of Jesus.