Christian faith is above all an
adherence to a person, the person of «Jesus Christ». The author names him (8)
in an incisive sentence that cuts short any hesitation, a nominal sentence,
without any verb. This sentence proclaims the perfect stability of Christ, who
is therefore the strongest support for faith one could wish for.
It is obviously of the glorified
Christ that the author speaks, because, during his mortal life, Jesus was
subject to change, like other people. He was «made perfect» (5:9; 7:28). In his
human nature he acquired a perfection he did not have at the first moment. But
this perfection is henceforth eternal. He has «become high priest for ever»
(6:20; 7:16–17).
What Christ was «yesterday», that is
to say at the time of the Christian conversion of the listeners, he still is
«today», at the moment when they hear the homily, and he will stay so «for
ever». He is «the same».
With this oneness of Christ throughout
the ages, the author contrasts the multiplicity of doctrines propagated at that
time, which was liable to get Christians to lose the rectitude and stability
communicated by faith in Christ. In the New Testament, many are the texts that
express concern over this. The apostle Paul had to struggle against «another
gospel» (Gal 1:6; 2 Cor 11:4), «another Spirit» (2 Cor 11:4), against «the
prescriptions and doctrines of men» (Col 2:22). The pastoral epistles warn
against «doctrines of demons» (1 Tim 4:1). The second letter of Peter excludes
«false prophets» (2 Pet 2:1). Saint John also struggles against «false
prophets» (1 John 4:1–6), against «many seducers» (2 John 7), and exhorts
people to «remain in the doctrine of Christ» (2 John 9–10). (Albert Vanhoye, A
Different Priest: The Letter to the Hebrews [trans. Leo Arnold; Rhetorica
Semitica; Miami: Convivium Press;2011], 411-12)