Living sacrifice
Dear People of St. Boniface,
Your Father David’s invitation to me to comment on ‘my’ Second Readings runs into a little difficulty: last week’s reading was from Ephesians (not by me), this week is from Hebrews (not by me either) and each week of Eastertide this year has a reading by St. John! We must do the best we can.
It was realised long ago that the letter to the Hebrews is not by me, “because the Greek is too polished for Paul” – ah dear, my style problem again! – but also because it pays much attention to the High Priesthood of Christ, which is not a theme of mine, and none to the Resurrection, which very much is.
However, it seems to be written for those, whether Jews or Gentiles, who in their Christian life wanted to worship as Jews. It doesn’t actually mention the Temple, but it does refer to the older ‘Tabernacle’ as the location of God’s presence according to ancient belief in Israel, and shows how this has been supplanted by Christ.
Now in my letter to the Romans I use the idea of sacrifice – Christ’s self-sacrifice; believers’ “living sacrifice” of themselves – in a way that those familiar with the Temple system of worship would understand.
Your experts also believe that the letter to the Hebrews was written for Christians in Rome.
However unlike my letter it wasn’t very well received, and many early Roman lists do not include it as valid Scripture. Perhaps they didn’t like being addressed by an outsider! Of course, I too was an outsider, but by my coming to Rome, staying there, and of course being martyred there, the Romans took me to heart.
My blessing, from Heaven, PAUL