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希伯来书：：4-10：4你们想一想，先祖亚伯拉罕将自己所掳来上等之物取十分之一给他，这人是何等尊贵呢！5那得祭司职任的利未子孙，领命照例向百姓取十分之一，这百姓是自己的弟兄，虽是从亚伯拉罕身中生的（身原文作腰），还是照例取十分之一。6独有麦基洗德，不与他们同谱，倒收纳亚伯拉罕的十分之一，为那蒙应许的亚伯拉罕祝福。7从来位分大的给位分小的祝福，这是驳不倒的理。8在这里收十分之一的都是必死的人；但在那里收十分之一的，有为他作见证的说，他是活的。9并且可说那受十分之一的利未，也是藉着亚伯拉罕纳了十分之一。因为麦基洗德迎接亚伯拉罕的时候，利未已经在他先祖的身中（身原文作腰）。
《希伯来书》的作者使用了希伯来人的逻辑来证明耶稣比旧约中的任何祭司都更尊贵，因为他是按照麦基洗德的等次成为祭司。如果亚伯拉罕将自己掳来的上等之物取十分之一给麦基洗德，你就可以辩论说所有亚伯拉罕的后代，包括利未人在内，都藉着亚伯拉罕给了他十分之一。关键在于希伯来人，甚至是希伯来基督徒，都非常尊敬亚伯拉罕，那么他奉献给麦基洗德十分之一这一事实使得麦基洗德比亚伯拉罕更尊贵。但是作者辩论的焦点根本不在于麦基洗德，而在于耶稣，《诗篇》的作者称耶稣是按照麦基洗德的等次做了永久的祭司。
这对于今天的我们有什么意义呢？为什么除了耶稣我们不能向任何人也不能藉着任何人祷告呢？耶稣被上帝任命做我们永久的大祭司。马利亚听不到我们的祷告。圣经没有应许我们要藉着马利亚祷告。天上的圣徒听不到也回应不了我们的祷告。向祖先祷告也无济于事，因为他们在我们需要帮助的时候也无能为力。但是耶稣坐在上帝的右边并替我们向上帝代求。所以除了耶稣我们能向谁或者藉着谁祷告呢？
祷告：主耶稣，当我将祷告带到你面前的时候，请你垂听我。你完全取了人的样式并处处为我着想。你了解我的需求，也知道受试探的滋味。不论今日还是此生的每一天，求你在我需要帮助的时候帮助我。让我远离罪和试探。救我脱离死亡和魔鬼。求你开通我的心，指教我遵行你的诫命。阿们。
Hebrews 7: 4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. 6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9 One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
The writer to the Hebrews uses Hebrew logic to make the point that Jesus is better than the Old Testament priests because he is a priest in the order of Melchizedek. If Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of the plunder, you could argue that all of Abraham’s descendants, including the Levites, gave a tenth through Abraham. The point was that the Hebrews, even Hebrew Christians, venerated Abraham and the fact that he gave Melchizedek a tenth made Melchizedek greater than Abraham. But the point that he is making is really not about Melchizedek at all, but about Jesus, whom the Psalmist called a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
What value does this have for us today? Why would we pray to or through anyone else but Jesus, whom God has appointed to be our high priest forever? Mary can’t hear our prayers. No promise of Scripture tells us to pray through Mary. The saints in heaven cannot hear or answer our prayers. Praying ancestors cannot help, because they are helpless to help us in time of need. But Jesus sits at the right hand of God and intercedes to God on our behalf. Why would we pray to anyone else but to or through Jesus? Prayer: Hear me, Lord Jesus, as I bring my prayers to you! You have walked in my shoes by becoming fully human. You know my needs and what it is like to be tempted. Help me today and every day in my time of need! Keep me from sin and temptation. Deliver me from death and the devil. Enlarge my heart and teach me to walk the way of your commandments. Amen.