In this week’s lectionary epistle passage, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews maintains that Jesus has rendered the Jewish high priests obsolete: while the high priests are term-limited (“prevented by death from continuing in office”) and “are subject to weakness,” Christ “has been made perfect” and “holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.” Moreover, while the high priests “offer sacrifices day after day, first for [their] own sins, and then for those of the people,” there is no longer a necessity for this process after Christ made a permanent intercession for us t
