December 19th, 2021

This Sunday is the Fourth (and last) Sunday in Advent. This time the epistle text is Hebrews 10:5-10. And that is a significantly different text from the previous readings.

We are not even sure who wrote this letter to the Hebrews; many believe that Saint Paul also wrote this one. Whoever wrote it meant it to be anonymous. So our focus should be even more on the content rather than the author. The letter has the structure of a ‘word of exhortation’ [see Hebrews 13:22], and it was originally written to the Jews who were followers of Christ. Incidentally, those Jews in Jerusalem are described in Acts as numbering ‘thousands’ or, literally, myriads [see Acts 21:20].

We have been looking at how Christianity was ‘spoken against’ in the book of Acts, and it was certainly spoken against by the Jews at various places in that book. It starts relatively close to the beginning of the book, on the Day of Pentecost, with a relatively jovial accusation. When the Spirit comes down and the followers of Jesus begin to speak in tongues which they did not know, we are told that some people around them mocked them and said that they were filled with ‘sweet wine’ [Acts 2:13; the word ‘sweet’ is basically the word ‘glucose’].

When the followers of Jesus end up in Rome, the accusations that end up are significantly greater. Note in the following quotation spoken by the Jewish people in Rome that St. Paul himself is not accused of anything bad. What they have heard bad things about is that ‘heresy’, that ‘sect’, this Christianity (and this is a somewhat-literal translation):

We ourselves received neither letters about you from Judea, nor anyone of the brothers, arriving, told or spoke anything evil about you. And we think it worthy from you to hear what things you think, for, indeed, concerning this heresy, it is known that everywhere it is spoken against [Acts 28:21-22].

There are many more details about the ‘speaking against’ after what was just spoken (and, again, this is a somewhat-literal translation):

And arranging with him a day, they came to him in the lodging, more, to whom he set forth, solemnly witnessing the kingdom of God, and persuading them the things concerning Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning until evening. And, on the one hand, some were persuaded by the things being said; and, on the other hand, some disbelieved, and being with one another, they disagreed, they were dismissed, Paul, having said one word:

Well the Holy Spirit spoke through Isaiah, the prophet, to your fathers, saying, ‘Go to this people and say: in hearing, you will hear, and not at all understand, and looking, you will look, and not at all see. For the heart of this people was thickened, and with the ears, they heard heavily, and their eyes, they closed; lest at any time they see with the eyes and hear with the ears, and understand with the heart and turn, and I will cure them. Therefore, let it be known to you that to the nations the salvation of God was sent; and they will hear [Acts 28:23-28].

The contrast is interesting. At Pentecost the Jews from around the known world say, ‘We hear them speaking in our tongues the great deeds of God [Acts 2:11].’ When the followers of Jesus finally make it to Rome, St. Paul says at the very end of his ‘one word’ that ‘the salvation of God was sent to the nations, and they will hear’.