Eastertide #17:

An anchor for our soul.

(Hebrews 6:19-20)

At the mention of Melchizedek, the book of Hebrews knows that readers are starting to fade: “About this Melchizedek, we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become dull in understanding” (5:11).  Notice, by way of authorship, that the writer(s) is plural: “We have much to say…” Nothing more is said of the author. Who is this “we”? Maybe the “we” is a believing community writing to other believing communities (Hb13:24).  So, if I refer to the author as “she” it can refer to the sending church community since the church is always a she; or, the “she” can be Priscilla who taught even Apollos the deeper things of God. You decide. Maybe a bit of both. Maybe it is written to us from Priscilla’s church (Ro 16:3-4 = Hb 13:24).

Where were we? Oh yes…Melchizedek. Knowing that this is going to be tough going for us; the writer steps back for a chapter to prod us along. We are warned not to become dull Christians: “Do not become sluggish” (chp. 6). To become un-dull and to grow into spiritual maturity means we dare to go deeper into the meaning of the Cross—the meaning of our salvation, of our baptism. With a better knowledge of Melchizedek, we are lead deeper into the meaning of the Cross. Such spiritual understanding will provide, she assures us, a deep “anchor for our soul.”