The Letter to the Hebrews:
An Explanation of the Mechanism
of Our Salvation
Lesson 7 Power of an Indestructible Life
the Letter to the Hebrews 7:1–17
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
Tami Palladino’s visual-meditation journal
cross references in the Letter to the Hebrews
next lesson: A Better Hope Is Introduced
This material coordinates with Lesson 7 on pages 26–28 in The Letter to the Hebrews: An Explanation of the Mechanism of Our Salvation.
“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard for his godly fear. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”—the Letter to the Hebrews 5:7–10
welcome to our in-depth study of the Letter to the Hebrews
We invite you to check out the sample first lesson and video from this 18-lesson 
Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. Our online study pages link to free 
lesson videos and cross references in the biblical text, and include illustrations and prayers based on Scripture in each lesson. The Letter to the Hebrews: An Explanation of the Mechanism of Our Salvation has been granted an imprimatur. It currently being expanded; the content will be available in a new printed study at a later date. Please contact us if you’re interested in purchasing a digital copy of the existing study.
open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:
Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.
Jesus isn’t going away
At the heart of what allows for the possibility of salvation is the power of an indestructible life. This is the one clear thing the Scriptures indicate that Jesus and Melchizedek have in common. As far as we’re able to tell, this is the distinguishing feature of the priestly order of Melchizedek. As Christians, we’re accustomed to thinking of the eternal nature of Jesus—although just because we’re somewhat familiar with the idea doesn’t make it any less mysterious. Most Christians are relatively unfamiliar with the Old Testament, however, and have given little or no thought to how it is that Melchizedek is able to be a priest forever. When the Letter to the Hebrews introduces this idea in connection to Jesus Christ, it raises a number of unanswerable questions. Don’t miss Tami Palladino’s illustrated reflections on the Scripture passages that form the basis of The Letter to the Hebrews: An Explanation of the Mechanism of Our Salvation. Click on the illustration (left) to enlarge it, and also check out Tami’s visual-meditation journal to see all of her drawings. Her reflections for this lesson, “Power of an Indestructible Life,” are on pages 26 through 29 of her journal.
every lesson has a free video (08:56)
Don’t forget—each lesson of The Letter to the Hebrews: An Explanation of the Mechanism of Our Salvation 
has a related video. In these short presentations, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps reads the biblical text for the lesson and comments about it. You can watch the videos as part of your preparation for group discussion or to catch up if you have to miss a discussion. Some groups watch the videos together prior to their discussions. Because the videos are on YouTube, you can access them wherever and whenever it’s convenient—and they’re free. This study and its 
videos are undergoing revision to incorporate additional material. The original content will be included in a different printed study. The original 18 lessons pertaining to the Letter to the Hebrews currently are available digitally.
let’s look at what we know about how salvation works
Rather than focusing on what we can’t know about Melchizedek, we should take our cue from the author of the Letter to the Hebrews and focus, as he did, on what is possible for us to know. Just because we’re unable to understand how an indestructible life is possible doesn’t hamper our ability to think about how it figures into the mechanism for our salvation, that is, how our salvation actually works. How salvation can occur is the topic that the author of the Letter to the Hebrews will be examining in
more detail as we move forward. You can check out the only Old Testament information about Melchizedek in the book of Genesis 14:17–24, covered in Lesson 8 The Call of Abram in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, and in Psalm 110:4, covered in Lesson 3 You Are a Priest Forever and Lesson 17 The LORD Has Sword an Oath, 
both in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers.
WHAT DO YOU THINK about this somewhat mysterious verse?
In the Letter to the Hebrews 7:12, the author tells us something that’s easily overlooked but nevertheless plays a big part in how salvation works: “For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.”
? The first priest mentioned in the Scriptures is Melchizedek, so it’s logical to look at what changes in the priesthood we’ve encountered so far in the Letter to the Hebrews. What are those changes?
? It also makes good sense to ask: What kind of law is it that the author of the Letter to the Hebrews has in mind?
? What changes in this law have accompanied the changes we’ve seen so far in the priesthood?
? What might be God’s purpose in bringing about these changes in the priesthood and in the law?
? Finally, what difference does all of this make in our own lives?
perfect—you could look it up in our archives
How are Christians and the Church being made perfect? To learn about the relationship of perfection and completion—and how perfection relates to our faith, you can read Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.
the popes inspire us—what do we understand about reality?
What’s real and what’s not? To find out, read “Ultimate Reality” on page 28 in The Letter to the Hebrews: An Explanation of the Mechanism of Our Salvation. In a general audience, Pope Benedict XVI discusses the importance of royal and priestly power converging in the figure of Melchizedek, who in Psalm 110:4 is tied to a promise of eternity. Psalm 110 is covered in Lesson 3 You Are a Priest Forever and Lesson 17 The LORD Has Sword an Oath, both in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers.
what do you know about tithing?
In the seventh chapter in the Letter to the Hebrews, the author mentions that Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth part of all the spoils from his recent battle, and then ties this to the tithes later paid to the Levites. You can learn more about the word tithe, which means a tenth, in the vocabulary box on page 27 in The Letter to the Hebrews: An Explanation of the Mechanism of Our Salvation.
pray with the Psalms—more about the prayers of the Church
There are a large number of biblical figures about whom very little is written in the Scriptures, but probably none of these is more important
than Melchizedek. It’s the genius of the author of the Letter to the Hebrews that he recognized the immense significance of the special relationship between Melchizedek and Jesus Christ, described in a single verse in Psalm 110 in the Old Testament. This verse first is quoted in the fifth chapter in the Letter to the Hebrews, and the author again drops in the name of Melchizedek at the end of the sixth chapter. It isn’t until the seventh chapter, however, that the author begins to expand on why Melchizedek is so important to Christianity. Prayed at Sunday Second Vespers (Weeks I and II), Psalm 110 is included
as part of Lesson 3 You Are a Priest Forever and Lesson 17 The LORD Has Sworn an Oath, both in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic BiIble study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers
t
he best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in The Letter to the Hebrews: An Explanation of the Mechanism of Our Salvation, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however.
the Letter to the Hebrews 7:3—paragraph 58
the Letter to the Hebrews 7:11—paragraph 1537
the Letter to the Hebrews 7:16—paragraph 648
the Letter to the Hebrews 7:24—paragraphs 1366, 1564
the Letter to the Hebrews 7:25—paragraphs 519, 662, 2634, 2741
the Letter to the Hebrews 7:25–27—paragraph 1364
the Letter to the Hebrews 7:26—paragraph 1544
the Letter to the Hebrews 7:27—paragraphs 1085, 1366, 1540
to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant 
cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for The Letter to the Hebrews: An Explanation of the Mechanism of Our Salvation.
don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a passage in Scripture, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book. If you want to revisit a particular commentary, you can look that up by title in the topics index. If you want to learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, you can read the online commentaries and watch any accompanying videos by going to the online study directories. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.
ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
You can find links to magisterial documents referred to in Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible studies 
at ex libris—magisterial documents. This page includes a listing of significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.
wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
the Letter to the Hebrews 7:1–17 (NIV)
close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers you can follow our four easy steps, or you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s text from the Letter to the Hebrews.
God our Father,
in providing the foundation for Jesus’ priesthood
you also provided the foundation for our salvation.
Help us truly to appreciate this great gift
and to seek to be worthy of it.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,
who is our priest for ever. Amen.
Lesson 8 A Better Hope Is Introduced, the Letter to the Hebrews 7:18–28
Lesson 6 A Steadfast Anchor of the Soul, the Letter to the Hebrews 6:1–20
you also may like our study of the book of Genesis
The first seven lessons of In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, a 28-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, provide an in-depth look at the very earliest biblical history—including the two accounts of Creation, events surrounding the Fall of Adam and Eve, the relationship between Cain and Abel, and the baptismal foreshadowing present in the account of Noah and the Flood. Remaining lessons look at lives of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.
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Thank you for your interest in The Letter to the Hebrews: An Explanation of the Mechanism of Our Salvation. 
Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer your questions and to offer support. Contact us if you’re interested in purchasing a digital version of this study, in starting another Turning to God study, or in having your study schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer
*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus—but the same books aren’t found in existing Hebrew manuscripts, which aren’t as old as the oldest version of the Septuagint. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?
Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online pages of The Letter to the Hebrews: An Explanation of the Mechanism of Our Salvation are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.
The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces those with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.
Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.
You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.