1. Lecture 2: Priesthood of Jesus Christ
Dr. Ann T. Orlando

2. The Trinity IV.19 translated Edmund Hill, New City Press, 1991, pp166-7
And what priest could there be as just and holy as the only Son of God…
Now there are four things to be considered in every sacrifice:
Whom it is offered to
Whom it is offered by
What it is that is offered
Whom it is offered for
And this one true mediator, in reconciling us to God by His sacrifice of peace
Would remain one with Him to whom He offered it
And make one in Himself those for whom He offered it
And be Himself who offered it
One and the same as what was offered

3. Outline Biblical Background: Hebrews Patristic Biblical Scholarship
Review 4th and 5th C Christological controversies
Theodoret of Cyrus
Interpretation of Hebrews

4. Jesus as Priest in Gospels
Neither Jesus nor anyone around Him refers to Jesus as a Priest
‘Priest’ in Gospels refers to Jewish Temple priesthood, rarely to pagan priests
Jesus relation to Temple
Refers to Himself as the Temple
Jesus even as a child displays ‘ownership’ of Temple
Cleanses Temple
Jesus as the paschal sacrifice

5. Authorship of Book of Hebrews
Modern view: Unknown author
Patristic view: various
Some Patristics authors, such as Athanasius, Augustine and Theodoret, attributed Hebrews to Paul
Others, such as Tertullian and Origen (usually), do not
Still others, such as Jerome, are unsure (who thus placed Hebrews at the end of Paul’s Letters)
Reasons for authorial controversy
Format and style dissimilar from anything else in New Testament
Greek is most learned and elegant of any NT book
Whoever wrote it, did write it prior to c. 95 AD since I Clement quotes from Hebrews (see I Clement 36)

6. Outline of Hebrews
From Raymond Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, p. 684.
Introduction 1:1-3
Jesus superior to angels and Moses 1:4-4:13
Jesus’ priesthood 4:14-7:28
Jesus’ sacrifice 8:1-10:18
Disciple’s relation in faith to Jesus and His sacrifice 10:19-12:29
Proper practice 13:1-9
Conclusion 13:20-25

7. Patristic Exegesis Assumes sacred Scripture is ONE BOOK
Multiple human authors, across multiple centuries
But one truth about God and humanities relation to God
But several different approaches develop on how to understand the One Book
Alexandrian
Antiochene

8. Some definitions Historia (history) Theoria (application of historia)
Connected with the literal, historical meaning of text
Emphasizes language and rhetoric of text
Theoria (application of historia)
Rooted in historia, theoria suggests analogies to provide moral lessons
Also provides analogies from historical to suggest anagogical
Allegory (spiritual)
Rooted in philosophical understanding of text(s)
Hidden (spiritual) meanings in texts

9. ‘Antiochene’ School
A group of Christian Biblical Exegetes of 4th – 5th C
Usually said to begin with the school of Diodore in Antioch
Key points of common views among Antiochene
Emphasis on historical interpretation
Concerned about the fanciful allegorical interpretations
Old Testament presents ‘types’ pointing to Jesus
Jesus has two distinct (separate) natures

10. Theodoret of Cyr (Cyrus, Cyrrhus)
Born in Antioch in 393; died as bishop of Cyrus in 457
Became a monk and studied Diodore, Theodore of Mopsuestia and John Chrysostom
Against his will, became bishop of Cyrus
Opposed Nestorius; Theodoret encouraged Nestorius to accept term Theotokos
But he also opposed Cyril as seeming to deny full humanity of Christ
Theodoret attended Council of Chalcedon, but abstained from voting
Pope Leo I wrote Theodoret a letter encouraging him to accept Chalcedon
See Theodoret’s letter to Leo (Letter #113) and Leo’s response (Letter #120)

11. Works by Theodoret Ecclesiastical History
Commentaries on Paul’s Letters
Commentaries on Psalms and Prophets
Letters
Apologetic works

12. Interpretation of Hebrews
Theodoret attributes Hebrews to Paul and condemns those who think otherwise
Believes it is addressed to Jewish-Christians who are being persecuted by non-believing Jews.
Deeply concerned with various Christological controversies
Gnosticism
Arianism
Nestorianism
Monophysitism

13. Key Points in Theodoret on Priesthood of Christ
Superiority of priesthood of Melchizedek over that of the Levis
In His sacrificial suffering, Jesus perfects human nature
Priesthood of Christ continues as mediator

14. Assignments Re-read Letter to the Hebrews
John Chrysostom, Homily XVII.1-5 on Hebrews 9:24-26
We will read second part of Homily later
Greek can be found in PG (Patrologia Graeca, Migne) 63
Review Augustine, CoG X.20
Theodoret, Interpretation of Hebrews, Ch. 1-6
Greek can be found in PG 82
Prepare a page paper and prepare for discussion next week