(A.D.60-63?) God, who once spoke through the prophets, has now spoken through His Son, the first-begotten of Him. Jesus, being made in the image of God, higher than the angels, to be worshipped by them, made and sustains all things. He is everlasting, sending forth His ministering angels to minister to all the heirs of His salvation.

His message, witnessed by man, therefore, is paramount, to be heard and obeyed by all, neglected by none, if we are to escape this world alive. Man, being crowned with glory and honor, was given dominion over all things, having all things placed under his feet (control). But yet he, because of his sin, lost and no longer holds dominion over his own death, it seizing and enslaving him. Christ, then, being made as man, lower than the angels by His choice for a season, and being made perfect through His suffering, became the Captain of our salvation. He defeated Satan who was given the power over man's death by man himself ( Gen.2:17; 3:17-19), returning death back under man's feet. Man is finally able through Christ to be free from the bondage and fear of death. Because of His suffering and temptations while overcoming death for us, He is able to minister to us in our present suffering under death's curse.

Partaking of this Heavenly calling, we now have a High Priest and Apostle who will be faithful to the finish of this calling, with greater glory than Moses who was faithful to Israel. Therefore, let us hold fast this confidence and hope, with a believing and obedient heart, to the end that we may enter into His rest, unlike the unbelieving fathers in the first Earthly Exodus who died out in the wilderness.

Let us put away all unbelief and labor (believe) with faith to enter into the rest that remains for us even to this day. Be cautioned that His Word is able to lay open our hearts, even to the minutest detail of our deepest thoughts and intentions. Because we have so great a High Priest who once experienced all that we ever will, yet without sin, let us approach His throne with bold confidence for grace and mercy in our needs. [See Jn.6. Jesus' teaching on labor (work).]

Therefore, Christ, called of God to be a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec, became the author of our salvation after having been made perfect in His learning obedience through much suffering, even unto His death. This is a hard teaching, unable to be understood by immature believers whose spiritual senses are dull and unexercised, unable to discern the deeper things of God. Meat, not milk, grows one to maturity in Christ, enabling them to teach others.

May God permit us, then, to go on beyond the basic principles (teachings) of Christ concerning our salvation: baptism, laying on of hands, the resurrection, and eternal judgment. It is impossible to begin again and again, for that requires His sacrifice anew and anew, thus putting Him to open shame, in that His first was not sufficient. Know that God will not forget our work and labor of love, and He Himself will remain faithful to His promise to us; this He swears by Himself, and He is not a liar. This is our hope, the anchor of our soul beyond the veil, that is the Lord Jesus our High Priest.

Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God who received tithes of Abraham from his victory in Lot's rescue, is the Old Testament type of our high priest in Christ. (Without father, mother, descent, beginning or end, abiding a priest continually forever.) He descended not of the Levites, in fact, Levi, being in his father's loins, paid tithes unto him. Furthermore, we are not even made perfect through Aaron's priesthood, or else there would have been no need for another. Aaron's priesthood, being made after the carnal commandant without oath, is temporal, for they were sinners themselves, who also needed a sacrifice, and who all died. Therefore, the priesthood was changed, and with it, the carnal Law disannuled, and Christ, from the lineage of Judah, not Levi, who needed no sacrifice for Himself, with an oath, has become a new Priest. Because He continues forever, needing not daily ministration for Himself, as Aaron's priesthood once did, offered Himself once and for all as our full and final sacrifice, consecrated forevermore.

[A summary follows.] We now have a High Priest, a Minister of the true Tabernacle, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majestic in Heaven. His is the true priesthood of the true Tabernacle, the old priesthood being only a foreshadow given to Moses pointing to and preparing for the coming of the new in Christ. If we have a new Priest and Tabernacle, then a new Covenant is needed. This He gives, and instead of writing it on stone as before, He now writes into our hearts and minds His laws, with no need of a teacher but Him. As a result of His new Covenant, the first, then, is made old and vanishes.

The old (first) Covenant contained ordinances of divine service and a Tabernacle of division, with objects made holy from annual blood sacrifices. The outer division (Sanctuary) contained the Candlestick, Table, and Shewbread; the inner (Holiest) contained the Golden Censer, Ark of Covenant, Golden Pot with manna, Aaron's budding rod, stones of the old Covenant, and the cherubims overshadowing the Mercy Seat. These were only a shadow of the true Heavenly things. The blood sacrifices offered by the Earthly priests could only purify the flesh and the physical, but the blood of Christ (spotless) is able to purge the conscience, sanctifying the believer as a fit temple for His indwelling Glory ( I Cor.6:19). Whereas the first priests offered blood sacrifices annually, Christ, now at the end of the ages, has offered His blood once and for all, and for all who look for Him He will reappear without sin for our salvation.

The Law, therefore, being only an imperfect shadow of those true and better things to come, can never make one perfect, else there would have been no need of continual sacrifices, having been made perfect by them in the first offering. Being made perfect, there would have been no more sin, hence no more need for further sacrifice. Thus, these sacrifices, being imperfect, are unacceptable to God. Christ, then, coming, being obedient to God's will unto death, and being made perfect through His obedience, offered Himself once and for all, forever perfecting those who are sanctified in His blood. A new Covenant is given to us, and having such a High Priest, with our sins remitted and forgotten by Him, being justified in Him, we now can draw near to Him. This should provoke us to faithful service and brotherly love. Know that the Lord will judge those who despise His Spirit of Grace. Remember your sufferings, keep your confidence, and live by faith, for you have greater reward in Heaven than your temporal Earthly losses.

The roll call of the Old Testament (covenant) is given for our encouragement, illustrating the substance (assurance) of faith, demonstrating that without faith it is impossible to please God. This is done that we might recognize faith in us and that we might also be fruitful in our faithfulness. (Examples given: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sari, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses' parents, Moses, Israelites in the Exodus and battle, and Rahab. Added to these are: Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, Samuel, and the prophets.) The fruit of their faith is listed. (Examples: kingdoms subdued, dead raised, suffering and death endured.) The world was not worthy of such faithful, who will receive a greater reward from the promise not received in total in this life.

Because we are surrounded by this Heavenly host of witnesses and the example of Christ's obedience and faith unto His joy, let us not faint, for we, unlike them, have not yet struggled with sin unto death (blood). Also, let us not faint when rebuked by Him, for we know by His chastening of us we are sons and not bastards. Let our attitude and conduct therefore be so as becoming our position in Him. Let us refuse not Him (Christ) who speaks to us, as the Israelites refused to hear God with Moses at the mountain. Of a surety: His voice will shake both heaven and Earth, that the true things may abide. Only these will be fit for Heaven. Therefore, know the lesson of Moses, and get grace for reverent service, because God is a consuming fire.

Remember our new commandment and let brotherly love continue toward each other, being content with such as you each now have. And always remember: Jesus is the same forever, never changing, His love to us always sure! Therefore, submit to those brothers who are in authority, who care for your soul, remaining in sound doctrine, together seeking a continuing city above. An apostolic benediction is given. Salutations from all the brethren in Italy to all the Hebrew Christians as they receive Timothy. Grace be with all.