What is the definition of Hebrews 7:23? ๐ ๐
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
Explanation:
Okay, letโs break down this verse from Hebrews 7:23 together. Itโs a really interesting and slightly surprising one!
Here's the explanation in simpler terms:
Basically, this verse means that there were multiple priests serving God in ancient Israel.
Letโs unpack it piece by piece:
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โHebrews 7:23โ
: This is just the title of the passage. Itโs a specific part of a larger section in the book of Hebrews about the priesthood and how it was structured.
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โAnd they truly were many priestsโฆโ
โ This means that God didn't have just ๐one๐ priest to offer sacrifices for people. He had multiple priests, each with their own special role.
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โโฆbecause they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:โ
- This is the key part. It says that these priests werenโt allowed to keep doing their jobs after someone died. Think of it like this: God gave people a specific job โ offering sacrifices โ and it was meant to be done for a limited time. When someone dies, their position ends.
So, what does this tell us about the Old Testament priesthood?
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It wasn't just one priest:
The Old Testament had priests who performed rituals and offered sacrifices. But there were several of them.
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They werenโt limited by death:
The idea that these priests ๐couldnโt๐ continue after someone died was a significant point of debate among scholars. It suggests that the priesthood wasn't tied to a single person or a specific lifespan.
Why is this important?
This verse helps us understand why the Jewish people believed in a single, unchanging God and the importance of continuing to observe His law. It was a way for them to believe in one true God, even after the death of their priests.
In short:
This verse speaks about a system where there were multiple priests serving God, which helped to ensure that worship would continue even after the death of the priests themselves.
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Do you want me to:
๐ Explain another verse?
๐ Discuss the context of this passage in more detail?
๐ Answer any specific questions you have about it?