The Epistle to the Hebrews and Catholicism
A Study
INTRODUCTION
One of my greatest joys has been the study of the Divine Scriptures. From my youth, Providence placed me in those conditions necessary to understand and enjoy the Sacred Page. Not that I properly understood these texts while in a heretical communion, but rather that, like the Jews, I labored to grasp the letter of Scripture without truly becoming acquainted with its spirit. Yet, as the body must be formed in order to receive the soul, so too must the letter be grasped in order to enter into the spirit. Hence, as deformed and inaccurate as my understanding of the Sacred Page was, it nevertheless served as a preparation for my future studies.
It was only by the mercy of God, without any merits of my own, that He so graciously drew my mind and heart to the Catholic Faith. Yet, at first, it was more my heart than my mind. I was beset by many obscurities and temptations to doubt, yet my will remained firmly fixed, eliciting that faith without which it is impossible to please God.
By the grace of God, these swelling affections that once waged war against my soul have been healed through study and prayer. Through the opposition of heretics, I was driven to have recourse to God for His aid in understanding the truth. Ever adhering to the doctrine of St. Thomas Aquinas, I came to understand the Divine Scriptures (especially the doctrine of St. Paul, whose writings I have continually read from the time in which I could read). Indeed, by the guiding hand of St. Thomas, I found within myself the principle attributed to Pope John XXII confirmed: that one may gain more in a year with his writings than in a lifetime with those of any other author.
In my own mind, I have experienced the darkness and obscurity of heresy, which led me to vainly oppose the Catholic Faith. I have felt the residual wounds which such heresy continues to inflict upon the soul even after conversion. Yet I have also experienced the gradual freedom from these effects, which comes through firm adherence to the Catholic Faith and the study of the Doctors of the Church.
As converts from heretical depravity, we follow the way of St. Paul. Initially, we are freed from our errors by the illumination of Christ; yet this very illumination can blind us for many days. It is only through prayer and fasting that the scales fall from our eyes, enabling us to see the truth clearly.
One of these matters that continues to blind opponents of the Catholic Faith is the interpretation of Epistle to the Hebrews, especially the tenth chapter: “by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”
Many Protestants gloss this passage as somehow contrary to the practices and doctrines of the Catholic religion—especially on two points. First, whether this can be said to be true in light of the Catholic teaching on the Eucharistic Sacrifice and the Priesthood. Second, whether this can be said to be true in light of the Catholic teaching on penance and redemptive suffering.
In this article, I intend to explain briefly the entire Epistle and bring the major themes to bear on the proper interpretation of this passage for the edification of Catholics and the salvation of those in the darkness of heresy.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy upon us.
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PROPER CONTEXT
While it is quite common to simply appeal to Hebrews 10 in isolation, this is bad practice. The argument that culminates in Hebrews 10 starts at the very beginning of St. Paul’s epistle. Hence, it is first important to reference the line of reasoning in order to apply these frequently repeated themes to the exegesis of the text itself. It is in this way, rather than merely through some sort of minute investigation of grammar and syntax that we are able to come to a full and certain understanding of the text, as the great medieval exegetes were apt to do in their division of text.
In any discourse, we can distinguish the subject and the purpose of the discourse. The former concerns the matter discussed in the intellectual line, the latter concerns the reason for discussing in the moral line. In Hebrews, the subject is the superiority of the New Covenant established by Christ over the Old Covenant, the prupose is the exhortation of the hearers to fidelity to the New Covenant. Hence, the various arguments, illustrations, and exhortations will coalesce on these points. This will become evident from our overview.
In the first and second chapters of the Epistle, St. Paul argues for the superiority of the New over the old as to the messengers of the covenant. The Old Covenant was “declared by angels” (2:2) and delivered “by the prophets” (1:1). Yet, the New Covenant was “spoken to us by a Son.” (1:2)
He extensively proves this superiority of the Son over Angels by various authorities of the OT itself in the first chapter.
The purpose of this declaration (which will be a frequent theme) is to show the superiority of the salvation in Jesus Christ. The conclusion is drawn at the beginning of the second chapter by an a fortiori argument: “if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” (2:2-3)
The line of reasoning runs thus, Jesus Christ is the legate of the NT and Angels are the legates of the OT, now the transgressions of the OT were harshly punishment, therefore how much more the transgression of the NT (which transgress against a more noble legate, as was demonstrated in the first chapter).
The practical consequence of this is that we ought to be even more careful to adhere to the demands of the NT than the Jews were of the OT.
From the very beginning of the Epistle, the subject and purpose are clearly evident.
An interesting point to note is that adherence to this message as a matter of principle comes by the message’s confirmation with signs and miracles as motives of credibility, along with the authoritative legates of Christ: “It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will.” (2:3-4)
Yet, it is quite easy at this point to formulate an objection, especially for a Jew to whom this Epistle is addressed. If Christ is truly superior to Angels, why did he become man and suffering? Wouldn’t this be contrary to his superiority?
St. Paul both directly answers the objection and provides the reason for the incarnation.
First, he answers the objection by stating that the incarnation did not make Christ inferior since the world to come is to be subjected under men in the world to come by the gifts of glory (2:5-8).
Second, he explains the reason for the incarnation, which makes its fittingness evident. This second point illuminates very much what is to come in the epistle.
It was specifically by his suffering and death that Christ (in His humanity) became higher than the angels: “his lessening is not in relation to the nature of his divinity nor absolutely according to his human nature, but in the sense that he suffered according to it.” (Heb.C2.L3.n122.5)
This suffering and death in His Sacred Humanity was most fitting, as St. Paul explains, due to the unity necessary for the purpose of the Incarnation. Christ was to suffer in order to redeem men. This redemption, i.e., their perfect salvation, came through one who was like them insofar as both the redeemed and the redeemer shared flesh.
These two principles will be repeated throughout the Epistle, 1. The unity of the redeemer with the redeemed, and 2. The perfect salvation by this redemption. These two principles are as keys for understanding the entire Epistle, as we shall see later.
These two principles of unity and perfection become the two-fold foundation for the glorious effects of the redemption. He becomes like us so that he may be both “merciful” and “faithful.” (2:17) This makes it so that he may have the two effects of his redemption, i.e., “to make expiation for the sins of the people” (2:17) and “to help those who are tempted.” (2:18)
This is explained in detail by Catholic theology in our articulation of the two-fold effect of sin (stain and obligation to punishment) along with the two-fold effect of the redemption to heal each defect (the descending mediation of grace and the ascending mediation of propitiation). Christ in his perfect sacrifice propitiates God so that he is merciful towards the debts of punishment that we owe and he merits for us the graces to both heal the stain and overcome temptation. This is the perfect redemption preached by the Catholic faith from Scripture.
In chapter 3, we gather two more principles that have already been alluded to in the first two chapters when he turns to Christ’s comparison with Moses.
First, we ought to look to the perfection of redemption and the merciful gaze of our redeemer with a spirit of hope, “we are his house if we hold fast our confidence and pride in our hope.” (v. 6)
Second, we ought to consider the greatness of our redemption in its two-fold aspect so as to fear the lack of the requisite conditions to enter into the rest hoped for by the disobedience of sin, “to whom did he say that they should never enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.” (v. 18-19)
Here we have four golden principles that arise time and time again throughout the epistle,
Christ is a merciful redeemer who has become like unto us and can help free us from all the effects of sin,
Christ is a perfect redeemer whose powerful redemption can perfect us from all the effects of sin
Therefore, we ought to hope in his redemption
And be careful to avoid disobedience, which cuts us off from his redemption
These are fruitful principles which contain the entirety of the Catholic doctrine on the matter. Christ is the objective principle of our redemption in both its ascending and descending aspects. We ought to enter into this redemption by faith. This redemption consists of the remission of sin, the “perfecting” of those being perfect, i.e., in the forgiveness of our faults and the cleansing of our souls. We ought to fear contradicting this redemption by mortal sin, which is unbelief and disobedience, and will be eternally punished.
The remainder of the epistle goes into more detail with some of these principles invoked from the very beginning.
In chapter 4:1-13, the conditions of the NT are emphasized. The sabbath rest was a symbol of the future rest to come. Yet, this rest was not given unto those who were disobedient to God. Therefore, we ought to heed the warning already stated to “strive to enter that rest, that no one fall by the same sort of disobedience.” (4:11)
In chapter 4:14-5:10, the priesthood of Christ in ultimately bringing about this sabbath rest is explained. For, an objection can easily arise on this point. “Are you not asking too much, St. Paul? If our fathers could not bear the yolk of obedience, how much less can we? Isn’t it inevitable that our weakness lead to disobedience and ultimately to damnation, losing such a great hope and reward?”
As a good pastor, St. Paul mixes the warnings with exhortations of hope founded upon Jesus Christ. If we remember from above, Jesus Christ is BOTH a perfect mediator and one who has become like unto us, “we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sinning.” (4:15) Therefore, it inevitably follows that we ought to confidently seek his help in helps against temptations to disobedience AND mercy for our many sins, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (4:16)
We are to “draw near” to Christ in order to benefit from the fruits of his high priesthood. It is only by this drawing near that we are flooded by mercy for our failings and grace to overcome these very temptations to disobedience.
He then goes on, in the second part of this section, to derive this from the nature of his priesthood performed on earth. For, Christ as a priest was able to merit for us the benefits of salvation by his person and work. He interceded for us by his prayers and supplications constantly in order to merit for us those gifts of mercy and grace. By this work of his priesthood, he become “the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” (5:9)
At this point, the main points of this epistle are clear to readers. Christ by his objective redemption of the world in his suffering merited the gifts of grace for us. He is the only perfect source and mediator of our salvation. Hence, we ought not to disobey Him, but to obey him by belief in Him, drawing near to him due to the fear of retribution and hope in his promises.
It is this fear of retribution and hope in his promises that becomes the theme of the sixth chapter of the Epistle.
From verses 1-8, he explains again under a different image what he had previously emphasized, i.e., that disobedience to the NT by apostasy leads to eternal damnation.
Yet, in verses 9-20, he gives them a message of hope in their reliance on the mediation of Jesus Christ. St. Paul states that he has confidence in their salvation amidst the possibility of damnation due to the justice of God is paying back their merits, “God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love which you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.” (v. 10) The purpose of the warnings is so that they continue in the same spirit unto the end. For, if they violate this spirit, they are placed in danger of hellfire.
Yet, as he goes on to highlight in the second part (v. 13-20), we retain confidence in this situation (like Abraham) insofar as our redemption is based on the promises of God toward us.
In the seventh chapter, he takes this as an opportunity to highlight the objective redemption itself by explaining the superiority of the priesthood of Christ. He first proves the superiority of the priesthood of Christ (i.e., the priesthood of Melchizedek) over the priesthood of the Levites in v. 1-10.
Then he explains the import of this superiority in a lengthy section lasting from 7:11-10:39, of which 10:19-39 is a repetition of the frequently invoked pastoral applications of both fear and hope.
The import is explained in terms of the priesthood (ch. 7), the mediation (ch. 8), the sanctuary (ch. 9), and the sacrifice (ch. 10).
As I have mentioned above, the themes of this section are already present in the earlier sections of this epistle and are simply re-emphasized and explained in more detail under distinct images. Hence, chapter 10 becomes completely unintelligible without the themes exegeted from the previous sections and reemphasized in the earlier parts of this section as well.
He begins chapter 7 by demonstrating the superiority of the priesthood of Melchizedek (which Christ has) over the priesthood of the Levites.
The superiority of such priesthood in its elimination of sin is given in the passage. For, he states first that perfection was not attainable in the priesthood of Levi, “if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood...what further need would there have been for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named according to the order of Aaron?” (v. 11-12) With this same principle, he proves the existence of a new law over the old law since law is proportioned to priesthood.
The hope of this perfection by a new law through a new priest is the very purpose of invoking this history, “On the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” (v. 18-19)
The purpose of invoking this distinction is the same as the glories lauded for the priesthood of Christ above. By the old law, we were not able to draw near to God since it did not perfect, but by the new law we are able to draw near to God and this drawing near to God is a “better hope.” This superiority of Christ is found in that He is able to “save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (v. 25)
This consequence is explained and amplified in the following chapters, but its sense is already clear from what has come before in the Epistle. Christ is able to bring about the forgiveness of sin and able to give us those heavenly blessings of obedience to God.
In chapter 8, this is amplified. He is enacting a covenant with “better promises.” (v. 6) These “better promises” do not merely consist of the benefits of eternal life, but the fact that “I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach every one his fellow or every one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (v. 10-12)
These elements were already explained above. Christ is giving a better hope insofar as he is able to internally teach, internally sanctify, and provide forgiveness before God.
This contrast becomes stark in chapter 9 with a comparison between the benefits hoped for in each covenant. In the old covenant, there were external benefits, but it “cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with...regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.” (v. 9-10)
This “perfecting of the conscience” is brought about by Christ insofar as he secured an “eternal redemption” by a redemption which was “by his own blood.” (v. 12) This “eternal redemption” ought to be interpreted both in light of what came before and what came after. Before, this “eternal redemption” which is the “perfecting of the conscience” is described in terms of something internal, i.e., the writing of the law on the heart. This is found in the effects of sanctifying grace, which both teaches us by faith and causes obedience within us by charity.
This “eternal redemption” is described after as purifying of “your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (v. 14) The conscience is purified by the work of Christ so that we may serve God. This is found in both the forgiveness of sins and in the grace which renovates man, as explained above. This is evident from the intention of this purification, which is “so that we may serve the living God.” The means are proportioned to the intention. Now, the means that bring about service to God is primarily the writing of the law of God on our hearts, which is by grace. Further, this cleansing of conscience also occurs with the consciousness that we are forgiven or at least can approach God for forgiveness.
Another effect of this redemption is that “those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.” (v. 15) The hope of eternal life is the end, yet this is concretely stated to occur through a certain means, i.e., “a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions.” First, there is the death which is the meritorious cause of our justification. Second, there is the redemption from transgressions, which purifies our conscience. Eternal life is said to occur initially through the death, yet through the very means of the effects of such death within us. This is the reversal of the “disobedience” warned throughout the entirety of the Epistle up to this point.
This entire work is summarized in v. 26, wherein the work of Christ is said to “put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” insofar as this involves the shedding of blood.
Up to this point, we have explained and investigated the key themes of Hebrews in relation to what will be explained clearly in chapter 10.
Christ’s suffering and death is the foundation of his priesthood, the objective means whereby he merits eternal life.
The effects of this suffering and death are found in the purification of conscience, which involves the merciful forgiveness of sins and the redemption of the inner man by the writing of the law on our hearts, along with the helps given to us in order to avoid mortal sin.
This great redemption is brought about within us by faith, whereby we draw near to God.
In light of these great truths, we ought to fear disobedience which cuts us off from this great redemption while also hoping in Christ, who is gentle and understanding of our weakness, and has promised to us BOTH sufficient helps and the rewards of eternal life.
THE EXEGESIS OF HEBREWS 10
In Hebrews 10, all these great truths are synthesized in light of the passion of Christ with the highest sublimity.
First, the reason for the imperfection of the law is given, “since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices which are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near.” (v. 1)
The law is imperfect due to its function. The law was a shadow of something to come in the future, i.e., the work of Christ. Hence, it was not able to “make perfect those who draw near.”
a) The sense of “make perfect” is already clear from what has been said above. To “make perfect” refers both to the forgiveness of transgressions and the transformation of the interior of man so that he is able to avoid sin.
b) The sense of “draw near” is also clear. To “draw near” in this epistle constantly refers to drawing near by some sort of reliance on something else for aid. When it comes to the law, the reliance on the law is uncertain. Yet, when it comes to Christ, we are able to have hope in drawing near since he is able to give to us what we need, i.e., to be “made perfect” by mercy and grace.
Second, a confirmation of this is brought forward, “Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered? If the worshipers had once been cleansed, they would no longer have any consciousness of sin.” (v. 2, n.b., continues to v. 4)
We have seen above that the “consciousness of sin” does not merely refer to a subjective psychological state, but a true a well founded reflex judgement whereby we are able to confidently judge (cf. ST.I-II.Q112.A5) that we are freed and cleansed from sin insofar as the law of God is written on our hearts and we are no longer under obligations to punishment insofar as we are forgiven of our sins.
While these benefits come with Christ, as we shall see, they do not come with the law.
Third, this is also demonstrated by the desire of Christ to become a sacrifice to God rather than to simply offer the sacrifices of the Levitical priesthood.
It is in light of this that we come to the most important section in the epistle for what we are considering (v. 9-18):
He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, then to wait until his enemies should be made a stool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their misdeeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
First, St. Paul states the ultimate consequence of the relationship between the OT and NT as described above, i.e., that the first is abolished and the second is established.
Rather than being sanctified externally and without internal effect of perfection or cleansing of consciousness, “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
The demonstration of the perfection of this offering is related to its repeatability. The OT sacrifices were imperfect since they were repeated. If they were actually able to have the effects described here and above of the sacrifice of Christ, then they would be able to be done once and be over with, yet “every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.”
Let’s interpret the “take away sins” in light of what was stated above. This is a fundamental point of discussion in how we interpret the text. Throughout the entire beginning of this text, this “taking away of sins” is described alongside the perfecting of conscience/consciousness. The taking away of sins refers BOTH to the graces of overcoming disobedience in being able to adhere to Christ (the “writing of the law on the heart,” perfecting for good works, etc.) AND the merciful forgiveness of sins. These concepts are central to the Epistle and have been repeated multiple times.
Unlike the law, Christ CAN take away sins by His once for all sacrifice, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God...For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (v. 12-14)
First, we should clarify what this does not mean.
a) It does not mean that the intercession of Christ is not continual. For, Christ “lives to make intercession” for us (7:25) since he is a “minister in the heavenly sanctuary.” (8:2) The “sitting down” of Christ does not refer to the effective removal of sin, the raining down of heavenly blessings, or the forgiveness of guilt. A major purpose of the Epistle to the Hebrews is to seek these things from Christ with hope in order to receive the benefits enumerated.
b) It does not mean that we do not need to “draw near” to God by faith, prayer, and penance. The perfect work of Christ is something that is brought about within us in perfecting our conscience and writing the law of God in our hearts by drawing near to him, as has been repeated multiple times above.
Second, what does it actually mean?
While it neither refers to the effects of the redemption (a) or the conditions necessary for grasping such a redemption (b), it does refer to the redemption itself considered as an objectively sufficient reality. The redemption itself is something that continually comes to us by the intercession of Christ (a) and is accessed by us by our approach to God (b), but it is never repeated since it has sufficiency.
The point being made by St. Paul (as he had done time and time again) is about the abundant virtue of the redemption of Christ over and against the redemption of the Levitical priests. If a system is able to explain redemption in such a way that all is done in virtue of the sacrifice of Christ, then it in no way contradicts what St. Paul says here. There is no need for there to be physical or numerical union between the acts, but only a moral or virtual union between the acts whereby any act of redemption is done in virtue of the sacrifice of Christ.
The complete destruction of the false wisdom leveled against the Church from this passage is complete upon the recognition of what the unique effects continually claimed for the sacrifice of Christ actually are, i.e., the perfecting of conscience, the writing of the law of God on the heart, the forgiveness of sins, etc.. This has been extensively demonstrated in this article and appear in the immediate context of this passage, the writing of the law of God on the heart (v. 16) and the “forgetting” of sins (v. 17). This concerns the benefits of the redemption infused within us by sanctifying grace and the propitiation of our obligation to punishment by the passion of Christ.
These effects are brought about by various kinds of “drawing near” (to use the words of St. Paul). To take an example, the preaching of the gospel. Does the gospel bring about these effects? One would need to distinguish. In virtue of its own power and without moral union with the work of Christ and his continual intercession? No. In virtue of the sufficient power of the passion of Christ and with moral union with the work of Christ and his continual intercession? Yes.
It is purely arbitrary on the part of the Protestant to restrict the scope of Hebrews 10 as referring to the effective propitiation of sins, rather than the clearly broader scope of our full redemption in all its virtualities. Hence, the Protestant proves too much, while the Catholic interpretation is harmonious.
The completion of this entire study is terminated in the careful consideration of the final verses of the chapter, v. 19-39.
This passage follows the same pattern given above of hope (v. 19-25) based on the glories and the abundance of the redemption in Christ and threats (v. 26-39) based on the reality of the Divine Judgement.