Papyrus 46 is dated between the first Century and 175 A.D. This is Hebrews 5 and is very, very intact and legible. House and owned by the University of Michigan.
Hebrews 5
Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.
5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,
“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.”
6 And he says in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Work today goes on at the Temple Mount sifting for artifacts. The Report written by Charles Warren, the Detective on the Jack the Ripper Case - and his eyewitness accounts of being under the Temple Mount - are amazing. Charles Warren's Letters from the expedition would be published later as a journal, in 1870.
Mount Moriah means "Ordained considered by the LORD." The mountain ranges of Genesis and where Abraham was going to kill Isaac. Which is an unusual choice for a Temple location given that God was so impressed with Abraham's willingness to confront the Lord God Almighty of All Creation to argue to help save people from destruction. (My opinion here is: Father God had hurt feelings Abraham didn't argue and say, "I expect Mercy of You. You are God. You are responsible for Life being upheld and when You withdraw, we will fall into Your hand!") This is where the Temple was placed and the Ark of the Covenant was God's Mercy Seat. Where God saved Abraham and Isaac and they were Grateful.
Paul had know several High Priests quite well in his career of choice - climbing up the career ladder of working as an Official in the Temple. Of all the people writing the New Testament - Paul is the most able to explain about a High Priest.
Paul also would know very well about the maturity of Spiritual Journeys. He was in all fervor as he went to Damascus to persecute more Christians about believing Jesus Christ. Paul would have said he was in maturity to do this investigation of Christians.
What High Priest would Paul have based this Compassionate not Glory Seeking High Priest? Surely not Paul. He knew and admitted he was seeking self glory in striking Christians down.
Paul was telling us about what Paul knew in Good High Priests - Gamaliel !
Acts 5:33-39
When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.
35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
Acts 22:3-8
Then Paul said: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied.
Jesus and His Love - Changed the Heart and the journey of Paul.
Gamaliel represents the people in matters related to God. Gamaliel is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer mercy sacrifices for sins. Gamaliel takes no honor on himself, but he receives a call for Peace and Wisdom when called by God, just as Aaron was.
Because of Gamaliel's actions and words of God -
Gamaliel's words have gone forth for Millenniums. He is a Priest Forever.
Ephesians 3 says God names us. Consider all the messenger's of God are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael. Gamaliel.
El - means messenger of God.
Acts 5
2 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats.
What would Paul have witnessed safely as an Official of the Temple?
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions
Jesus was heard because of His reverent submission.
Paul probably saw something of this(perhaps part of his Jewish trials), but not the death of Jesus to avoid contamination at Passover. Paul might have been in the Temple the day multitudes arrived to talk about Jesus and Gamaliel was called to speak -
Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him
and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
What was Paul's reaction to Jesus being Mercy each day over Sacrifice and Law?
We have much to say about this,
but it is hard to make it clear to Paul because Paul no longer tried to understand.
In fact, though by this time we understand this 2 millenniums later,
Paul needed someone to teach Paul the elementary truths of God’s word all over again.
Paul needed milk, not solid food!
Paul thought he was a teacher of Israel and was still an infant.
Paul was not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. Worship of Spirit and Truth.
Paul was not in constant use of training himself to distinguish good from evil. Love the Lord with All Your Heart. Love others as yourself - on this hang All the Law and the Prophets.
1 John 4
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
Who had planted seeds in Paul to have comprehension for meeting Jesus?
Gamaliel. The Mishnah, the Talmud, records Gamaliel held a senior position in the highest court in Jerusalem. "Since Rabban Gamaliel the Elder died, there has been no more reverence for the law, and purity and piety died out at the same time."
Gamaliel's family name has been confirmed by archaeological findings. In a tomb in the catacombs of Beth-Shearim, near the Sea of Galilee, in a section called the Tomb of the Patriarchs, one of the graves has an inscription in Hebrew and Greek: “This [tomb] is of the Rabbi Gamaliel.” The Gamaliel of Bible fame was the first of an illustrious rabbinic family bearing his name. This tomb was that of one of his descendants.
The historian Josephus describes Gamaliel as a benevolent and brilliant man. William Barclay adds: “He was a kindly man with a far wider tolerance than his fellows. He was, for instance, one of the very few Pharisees who did not regard Greek culture as sinful. He was one of the very few to whom the title 'Rabban' had been given. Men called him 'The Beauty of the Law.'
Father God, Paul was always seeking first the Kingdom of God. Not always correctly. However these things were given and added up to You. In Jesus Christ, what is old has passed away and we are Your new creation.
Some things are mystery, Jesus Christ in us is our hope of Your Glory. In our toil and struggle, work mightily in us in Jesus Christ the Lord. In Jesus all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. In Jesus, we find our peace. Where the Fullness of God is pleased to dwell.
In Profound Gratitude. In our Greatest of all Thanksgivings.
Jesus does not condemn, and does intercede for all of His Beloved. Nothing of tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword will separate us from the Love Jesus Christ brings forth.
In Jesus we are conquerors through Father God, who loves us.
Father God, You are profoundly sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Father God, bless us and equip us to do all Good Works You have prepared for us. I ask Your blessings mightily and deeply and profoundly. Let these blessings overflow to the ones we love. And for the people You have placed in our lives. For this Nation to still believe and trust in You. In Jesus the Lord. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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