Do I save or destroy life (Wednesday, Week 2, Year 1)

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As noted earlier, the Letter to the Hebrews attempts to establish that the priesthood of Christ is superior to the priesthood of Aaron in the Old Covenant. In the portion for today (cf. Heb. 7:1-3. 15-17), the writer goes further to compare Jesus with a priest called Melchizedek. Who was Melchizedek? Melchizedek was a special kind of priest: first, he was a king of Salem (translated as “peace”); and by the translation of his name, he was the king of righteousness; he was without father or mother or genealogy, and has neither beginning nor end. In simple terms, Melchizedek was eternal and his priesthood was likewise eternal. Now, the writer makes his point by stating that Jesus’ priesthood is in the likeness of that of Melchizedek. In other words, just like Melchizedek, the priesthood of Christ is eternal. Just like Melchizedek (who was a king of peace and righteousness), part of Christ’s mission was the establishment of peace and righteousness. Furthermore, just like Melchizedek and every other priest, Jesus is no less a mediator; He is a link between God and humanity; He comes to save life not to destroy it.

As evident in the gospels, Jesus goes about saving lives: teaching, preaching, healing the sick, and so on. A concrete example is the healing of the man with withered hands in the synagogue (cf. Mk. 3:1-6). The regrettable part of that story is the reaction of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were in the synagogue not to learn, not to pray, not to worship but to watch if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath so that they could have enough reason to accuse Him of working on the Sabbath, to accuse Him of not keeping the Sabbath day holy as contained in their fanatical interpretation of the law. Out of anger for their hardness of heart, Jesus asked them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” They did not answer. At last, Jesus healed the man with a withered hand. 

I am sure that that man with a withered hand was already known by the Pharisees even before Jesus met him. The Pharisees did not make any effort to save him; but they were all poised to prevent him from being saved just because it was a Sabbath day. The question is: When did healing become an unholy act that it shouldn’t be done on a Sabbath day? The Bible says that God rested on the seventh day (the Sabbath day). The Sabbath is thus holy because it is set apart for rest, for our good so that we may rest from work. The Sabbath was made for us, for the human person. But for the Pharisees did not understand it that way.

The good news is that with us and through us, Jesus continues with the mission of saving lives. And that is why He has given us the privilege of sharing in His priesthood so that we can as well be mediators, helpers; stand in the gap and save lives in His footsteps. The question is: AM I REALLY A HELPER OR A SAVIOR IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS? OR AM I AN OBSTACLE TO SUCH MISSION, A MORALE KILLER OR A FAULT-FINDER IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE PHARISEES? Let us not remind Jesus that it is “Sabbath”; let’s not withdraw from the mission of saving lives and helping people just because of what people may say or think. If there is any opportunity to save or help, please DO.       




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