ألآنَ تُطْلِقُ عَبْدَكَ بِسَلام، أَيُّهَا السَّيِّد، بِحَسَبِ قَولِكَ، لأَنَّ عَيْنَيَّ قَدْ أَبْصَرَتا خَلاصَكَ، أَلَّذِي أَعْدَدْتَهُ أَمَامَ الشُّعُوبِ كُلِّهَا، نُوْرًا يَنْجَلي لِلأُمَم، ومَجْدًا لِشَعْبِكَ إِسْرَائِيل
إنجيل القدّيس لوقا02/من25حتى35/:”كانَ في أُورَشَلِيمَ رَجُلٌ ٱسْمُهُ سِمْعَان. وكانَ هذَا الرَّجُلُ بَارًّا تَقِيًّا، يَنْتَظِرُ عَزَاءَ إِسْرَائِيل، والرُّوحُ القُدُسُ كانَ عَلَيْه. وكانَ الرُّوحُ القُدُسُ قَدْ أَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَنْ يَرَى المَوْتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرَى مَسِيحَ الرَّبّ. فجَاءَ بِدَافِعٍ مِنَ الرُّوحِ إِلى الهَيْكَل. وعِنْدَما دَخَلَ بِٱلصَّبِيِّ يَسُوعَ أَبَوَاه، لِيَقُومَا بِمَا تَفْرِضُهُ التَّورَاةُ في شَأْنِهِ، حَمَلَهُ سِمْعَانُ على ذِرَاعَيْه، وبَارَكَ اللهَ وقَال: «أَلآنَ تُطْلِقُ عَبْدَكَ بِسَلام، أَيُّهَا السَّيِّد، بِحَسَبِ قَولِكَ، لأَنَّ عَيْنَيَّ قَدْ أَبْصَرَتا خَلاصَكَ، أَلَّذِي أَعْدَدْتَهُ أَمَامَ الشُّعُوبِ كُلِّهَا، نُوْرًا يَنْجَلي لِلأُمَم، ومَجْدًا لِشَعْبِكَ إِسْرَائِيل!.» وكانَ أَبُوهُ وأُمُّهُ يَتَعَجَّبَانِ مِمَّا يُقَالُ فِيه. وبَارَكَهُمَا سِمْعَان، وقَالَ لِمَرْيَمَ أُمِّهِ: «هَا إنَّ هذَا الطِّفْلَ قَدْ جُعِلَ لِسُقُوطِ ونُهُوضِ كَثِيرينَ في إِسْرَائِيل، وآيَةً لِلخِصَام. وأَنْتِ أَيْضًا، سَيَجُوزُ في نَفْسِكِ سَيْف، فتَنْجَلي خَفَايَا قُلُوبٍ كَثيرَة».
أَقْسَمَ الرَّبُّ ولَنْ يَنْدَمَ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ كَاهِنٌ إِلى الأَبَد. فعَلى أَساسِ ذلِكَ القَسَم، صارَ يَسُوعُ ضَمَانَةً لِعَهْدٍ أَفْضَل
إلى العبرانيّين07/من20حتى28/:”يا إخوَتِي، إِنَّ اللاَّوِيِّينَ صَارُوا كَهَنَةً بِغَيرِ قَسَم، أَمَّا يَسُوعُ فَبِقَسَمٍ مِنَ القَائِلِ لهُ: «أَقْسَمَ الرَّبُّ ولَنْ يَنْدَمَ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ كَاهِنٌ إِلى الأَبَد». فعَلى أَساسِ ذلِكَ القَسَم، صارَ يَسُوعُ ضَمَانَةً لِعَهْدٍ أَفْضَل. ثُمَّ إِنَّ أُولئِكَ كَانُوا كَهَنَةً كَثِيرِين، لأَنَّ المَوْتَ كانَ يَمْنَعُ بَقَاءَهُم. أَمَّا يَسُوع، فَبِمَا أَنَّهُ بَاقٍ إِلى الأَبَد، فلا زَوَالَ لِكَهَنُوتِهِ. ومِنْ ثَمَّ فَهُوَ قَادِرٌ أَنْ يُخَلِّصَ الَّذِينَ يتَقَرَّبُونَ بِهِ إِلى اللهِ خَلاصًا تَامًّا، لأَنَّهُ حيٌّ على الدَّوامِ لِيَشْفَعَ لَهُم. أَجَل، كانَ يُلائِمُنَا عَظِيمُ أَحْبَارٍ مِثْلُ هذَا، قُدُّوس، بَرِيء، نَقِيّ، قَدِ ٱنْفَصَلَ عنِ الخَطأَة، وصَارَ أَعْلَى مِنَ السَّمَاوَات. وهُوَ غَيرُ مُضْطَرٍّ كُلَّ يَوْم، كَعُظَمَاءِ الأَحْبَار، أَنْ يُقَرِّبَ ذَبَائِحَ عَنْ خَطايَاهُ هُوَ أَوَّلاً، ثُمَّ عَنْ خَطايَا الشَّعْب، لأَنَّهُ فَعَلَ ذلِكَ مَرَّةً واحِدَةً حينَ قَرَّبَ نَفْسَهُ. فَالشَّرِيعَةُ تُقِيمُ عُظَمَاءَ أَحْبَارٍ أُنَاسًا ضُعَفَاء، أَمَّا كَلِمَةُ القَسَم، الَّتي جَاءَتْ بَعْدَ الشَّرِيعَة، فَتُقِيمُ ٱلٱبْنَ عَظِيمَ أَحْبَارٍ جُعِلَ كَامِلاً إِلى الأَبَد.”
‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 02/25-35/:”Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’”
You are a priest for ever” ’accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.
Letter to the Hebrews 07/20-28/:”This was confirmed with an oath; for others who became priests took their office without an oath, but this one became a priest with an oath, because of the one who said to him, ‘The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest for ever” ’accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant. Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever.”