ss away from Him to others; and this eternal, independent priesthood
of Christ is typified in the king-priest Melchizedek. Before He began to
act in His priestly office God said to Him, "Thou art a Priest for ever
after the order of Melchizedek." When He has been perfected and learned
His obedience[82] by the things which He suffered, God still addresses
Him as a High-priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

FOOTNOTES:

[64] Chap. viii. 4.

[65] Chap. ix. 24.

[66] Cf. chap. x. 21.

[67] Chap. iv. 15.

[68] =eukairon= (iv. 16).

[69] Chap. v. 1, 2.

[70] =metriopathein=.

[71] Lev. xvi. 6.

[72] Chap. vii. 26.

[73] Chap. vii. 28.

[74] Chap. v. 10, 11.

[75] Chap. v. 7.

[76] Luke xxii. 44. The genuineness of the verse is not quite certain.

[77] Cf. John x. 18.

[78] =apo tes eulabeias= (v. 7).

[79] Chap. v. 4.

[80] =timen= (v. 4); =edoxasen= (v. 5).

[81] Chap. i. 5.

[82] =ten hypakoen= (v. 8).

CHAPTER V.

_THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF RENEWAL._

"Of Whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation,
seeing ye are become dull of hearing. For when by reason of the time
ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you
the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are
become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. For every
one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of
righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is for full-grown
men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern good and evil. Wherefore let us cease to speak of the first
principles of Christ, and press on unto perfection; not laying again
a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
of the teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of
resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we
do, if God permit. For as touching those who were once enlightened
and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy
Ghost, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to
come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto
repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
and put Him to an open shame. For the land which hath drunk the rain
that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for
whose sake it is