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After the Order of
Melchizedek
A Reflection for the
Church of Jesus Christ Incarcerated
May 20, 2007
By Philip D. Ropp
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The Gospel According to Saint John is not
only the deepest and most
theologically profound of the four New Testament accounts of the life
and
ministry of Jesus Christ, but also the most misunderstood. While
the
three synoptic Gospels share much material in common, and are often
treated by
scholars as if they comprise three separate parts of the same whole,
the Gospel
of John stands alone in its format, its concept, and its vision of who
our
Savior is and how we are to relate to him. The very word
"synoptic" means "one vision," and we can almost envision
the early church fathers assigning this work its key position as
Scripture precisely
because it does offer a different point of view.
Church Tradition has always credited this
Gospel to
John the Evangelist, the disciple and apostle of Jesus. While
scholars,
by their nature, tend to question such assertions, strong internal
evidence
supports the claim of the author that we are reading an eyewitness
account, and
there is nothing to discredit the ancient tradition that this
eyewitness is Saint John.
There
is an intimacy and immediacy that presents the personality of Jesus
from the
perspective of one that not only knows him, but loves him with an
adoration
that exceeds his love for any mortal man. He refers to himself as
"the disciple whom Jesus loved" and does so in such a way that the
reader senses the awe he feels in knowing he is thought of in this way
by
Jesus. And we sense this awe because no one else in all of
Scripture
grasps, as does John, the depth and meaning of the ultimate truth that
Jesus
Christ is God Incarnate. Because John knows this as he does, and
expresses this truth with a power that somehow exceeds the capability
of the
language that he uses, we, too, are made aware that Jesus far exceeds
the
limitations of his own humanity. And so, when he appears on the
shore of
our earthly existence, and beckons to each of us as he did his first
disciples
in the 21st chapter of this Gospel, we are able to respond as did John:
"It is the Lord." And, because of who John was and the beauty
and power of the words he left for us, we know that each of us can
become that
disciple whom Jesus loves, and through him far exceed the limitations
of our
own humanity.
It is the content of John's Gospel that has,
over the
centuries and millennia, raised the most questions. It is more
literary
and symbolic than the synoptics; it does not reproduce the same
stories,
and the events recorded do not follow the same order. To a far
greater
degree, it is more deeply developed theologically and it represents the
purest
expression of what has come to be called the "Johannine
Tradition."
In modern times, critics have seen this Johannine Tradition as the
later
theology of the early church projected backward
into the time of Jesus. But as scholarship advances, and the dating of
all
the Gospel traditions is pushed farther back into the first century and
closer
to the days in which Jesus actually walked the earth, it becomes more
apparent
to the honest scholar that this Gospel represents the deepest teachings
of
Jesus, as preserved by John, and projected forward
into the theological development of the early church. Saint Paul
would
draw heavily upon John and
base his own profound theological knowledge upon this teaching.
He would,
in turn, spread this knowledge throughout the known world, and in the
next
generation the early church fathers would begin to solidify this
tradition into
the universal truths that we hold to as Christians to this very
day.
Therefore, it is entirely fair to say that John is the most catholic
of
all the Gospels.
In structure, the Gospel of John can be divided
into four
distinct parts. There is the familiar and magnificent prologue that
proclaims
Jesus the Word of God made manifest among us. There is the Gospel
narrative that tells the story of his ministry and presents the "seven
signs" that define the nature of Jesus as both man and Christ.
There
is the glory of the Passion that contains the farewell discourses and
the
crucifixion and resurrection sequences. And, finally, there is an
epilogue in which the risen Jesus appears to his disciples on the shore
of the Sea of Galilee. While it
is beyond the scope of
today's lesson to venture into the various theories as to the hows and
whys of
the construction of the Gospel, it can be noted that the work does bear
a
rather striking resemblance to the Greek plays of that day.
Should you
surmise that these four elements of the Gospel were at some point
combined into
their current form for the purpose of being presented on the stage,
you'll get
no argument from here. In fact, if we presume that the Gospel in its
current
form was compiled as a commemoration to John the Apostle at his death
near the
end of the first century, then we propose a theory that does neatly tie
together a number of historical loose ends. But I digress.
Today's Gospel reading comes from the farewell
discourses. In fact, it is the fervent prayer of Jesus to the
Father that
is the climax of these discourses, and it is a most fitting place to
visit as
the Easter season draws to a close and we enter the brief season of
Pentecost
and the Solemnities. Traditionally, this 17th chapter of John has been
called
the "high priestly prayer" of Jesus. In it, he presents himself
as our intercessor, our high priest, as he speaks directly to the
Father and
allows the disciples to overhear. It is a prayer of petition not
only for
those in his immediate presence, but for all that would ever be called
to
discipleship -- ourselves included. Listen again to the words of
Jesus: "I pray not only for them, but also for those who will
believe in me through their word..."
After centuries and millennia of praying to
our
heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, it has become difficult
for us to
grasp just how revolutionary this concept of direct spiritual
communication
with God through the priesthood of our Divine Savior really was at the
time it
was introduced. Prior to this, it was the priests of Israel
through
whom communication from God was given to the people. When this
system
broke down, God raised up his prophets and spoke His eternal truth to
the
masses through the public proclamation, "Thus sayeth the
Lord..." While it was God's intention from the beginning that all
might have open and ready access to Him, a narrow-minded wickedness
entered
into the priesthood of Israel,
killed the prophets, and hid this fact from the people. This
false
priesthood taught the great lie that all human contact with the Lord
was to be
mediated through the Temple
-- and at a price. Now the turning over of the money changers'
tables
comes more sharply into focus. Now we understand why Jesus
referred to
his body as the Temple, because in the
act of
his death and resurrection, this Temple
was, indeed, torn down and was rebuilt to accommodate a new divine
priesthood
in which our Savior Himself mediates our direct communication with God
Almighty
through the power of the Holy Spirit. And because we know that this
priesthood
was established not only for them, but for all of us that believe and
ever will
believe in the word of these original apostles, we now understand why
it is we
pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
This theme of the high priesthood of Jesus,
while
established in the Gospel of John, is expounded upon in great depth as
the
theme of the Book of Hebrews, and I would certainly direct your
attention here
for further study on this subject. However, for our purposes
today, let
me quote Hebrews 5 verses 8 through 10. "Son though he was, he learned
obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he
became the
source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, declared by God high
priest
after the order of Melchizedek." Now, it is certainly a fair
question
to ask just who this Melchizedek was that he would have Christ as a
priest
within his order, and understanding this is the key to understanding
the
teaching presented by the author of the Book of Hebrews and Saint John
as
well.
In Genesis 14, Abram must rescue his nephew, Lot, from a band of
marauding kings led by the
infamous
Chedorlaomer. The victorious Abram is welcomed in the Valley of
the King,
and we read in verses 18 through 20 that: "Melchizedek, king of Salem,
brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he
blessed
Abram with these words: 'Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator
of
heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes
into
your hand.' Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything."
Melchizedek is king of Salem
(which would later come to be called Jerusalem)
over a thousand years before the time of David. He is a priest of God
Most High
hundreds of years before the priesthood of Israel
would be established through
Aaron and his descendants in the time of Moses. The only explanation
for this
is that Melchizedek must have been ordained a priest directly by God
Most High at
a time that predates the establishment of both the nation of Israel
and its
priesthood. Abram (who as Abraham is the father of the nation of
Israel)
recognizes and submits to the priestly authority of Melchizedek by
offering his
tithe to him, and this legitimizes this priesthood for all of the
descendants
of Abraham. And so it becomes the true priesthood that both precedes
and supersedes the false priesthood that offered Jesus
up to the pagans
to be crucified. The crucified Jesus is the Lamb of God, the once and
for all, True
Paschal Sacrifice and propitiation for the sins of humankind
forever.
Because he has offered the true sacrifice, the resurrected Christ is
the true
high priest, and ascends to his rightful place at the right hand of the
Father
for eternity. As John teaches us, Jesus is the preexistent "Word"
through
whom all things were made. He is, therefore, not only a priest
after the
order of Melchizedek, but the originator of the eternal priesthood that
Melchizedek represents. In the same way that he is both root and
offspring of David and the True King of True Israel, he is, likewise,
both root
and offspring of Melchizedek and the True High Priest of True
Israel. And
True Israel is all those for all time that believe and profess that
Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh, is risen from the dead, and rules in
heaven at
the right hand of God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, forever and
ever, Amen!
Now we understand the depth of the conflict
between
the early Christians and the Jews. Now
we know why Saint Stephen was stoned to death when he related his
vision of
Jesus at the right hand of God. Now we understand why these early
Christians were so ardently persecuted for their faith. And, now we
know why
one of these persecutors named Saul, when struck blind by the powerful
reality
of our Savior on the road to Damascus, would have the scales fall from
his eyes
and proceed to take this message of God's salvation through Jesus
Christ unto
the ends of the earth: "For God so loved the world that he gave his
only
Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might
have
eternal life." This is the Easter message that we have been
celebrating for, lo, these seven weeks now, and it is indeed the
greatest cause
for rejoicing that any of us shall ever know.
When we come within these walls to worship
with you
and share our faith together as the Lord would have us do, there is one
question we hear that is both the most common and, at the same time,
the most
difficult to answer. That is, "How do I live a Christian life within
this
environment?" The answer is that none of us can answer this for
you. But we know who can. This high priest we serve, this
priest
before and after the order of Melchizedek, through what is perhaps the
greatest
miracle of them all, has made himself accessible to all of us through
the power
of the Holy Spirit. Like the old hymn says, "He walks with me,
and
he talks with me, and he tells me I am his own..." Like the old
Johnny Cash tune tells us, he is "Your own personal Jesus." In
the trenches of life, and especially when times are the toughest, keep
Jesus in
your heart and do what your heart tells you and you won't go
wrong. Not
only will you live a Christian life within this environment, you will
lead
others to do the same, and lay up profound treasure in heaven. All of
the twelve
apostles share one thing in common with all of you: They all did
time;
and to a man they would, I'm sure, tell you that Jesus was with them
every step
of the way. As we heard in the Gospel today, Jesus was praying to
the
Father for you nearly two thousand years before you were born.
Remember
always what your brother John has taught you: That you are that
disciple whom Jesus loves,
and through him you will far exceed the limits of your
own
humanity.
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Acts
7:55-60
Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God
and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and Stephen said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened
and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
But they cried out in a loud voice,
covered their ears, and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out,
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice,
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them;”
and when he said this, he fell asleep.
Ps
97:1-2, 6-7, 9
R. (1a and 9a) The Lord is king, the most high
over all the
earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many islands be glad.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. The Lord is king, the most high over all the
earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
All gods are prostrate before him.
R. The Lord is king, the most high over all the
earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth,
exalted far above all gods.
R. The Lord is king, the most high over all the
earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Rev
22:12-14, 16-17, 20
I, John, heard a voice saying to me:
“Behold, I am coming soon.
I bring with me the recompense I will give to each
according to his deeds.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last,
the beginning and the end.”
Blessed are they who wash their robes
so as to have the right to the tree of life
and enter the city through its gates.
“I, Jesus, sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.
I am the root and offspring of David,
the bright morning star.”
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”
Let the hearer say, “Come.”
Let the one who thirsts come forward,
and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water.
The one who gives this testimony says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
Jn
17:20-26
Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:
“Holy Father, I pray not only for them,
but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
so that they may all be one,
as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that they also may be in us,
that the world may believe that you sent me.
And I have given them the glory you gave me,
so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me,
that they may be brought to perfection as one,
that the world may know that you sent me,
and that you loved them even as you loved me.
Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me,
that they may see my glory that you gave me,
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,
but I know you, and they know that you sent me.
I made known to them your name and I will make it known,
that the love with which you loved me
may be in them and I in them.”
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