James Swetnam 116 first state of Christ by the use of the word ‘tested’ (peiravzw), which, in the context of the epistle, means that Christ has been exposed to the need for faith in the face of death as Abraham and Isaac were (cf. Heb 2,18 and 11,17) 71. Thus, in order to explain these data, one must think of Jesus’ priest- hood as involving two stages: 1) the earthly stage in which His assuming human blood and flesh permitted His sacrificial death (cf. Heb 2,14); 2) the heavenly stage in which His resurrected body permits His exercise of the priestly ministry which has resulted from His earthly sacrifice. This two-fold stage in the priesthood of Jesus is present in Heb 5,7-8. The first stage is alluded to in the phrase ‘in the days of His flesh’ (ejn tai~ hJmevrai~ th`~ sarko;~ aujtou`). The second stage is alluded to with ` the words ‘addressed by God as high priest’ (prosagoreuqei;~ uJpo; tou` qeou` ajrciereuv"). In the context this refers to Christ becoming a priest according to the order of Melchizedek on the occasion of his resurrection (cf. Heb 5,5-6). The technical term for this in Hebrews is ‘to perfect’ or ‘to complete’ (teleiovw), used at Heb 5,9. In Hebrews, as understood by the present writer, this term refers to the second, definitive state of Jesus’ priesthood willed by God. This definitive state implies physical ‘perfec- tion’ so that Jesus is no longer subject to death in any way 72. The activity of the risen Jesus in His definitive priestly stage includes that of expiating the sins of the people (cf. Heb 2,17 as well as Heb 4,16). The role of forgiver of sins is essential for the understanding of Jesus Christ in Hebrews, for it is at the heart of His role as high priest, a role which is central in the epistle. Christ’s priestly role in the definitive expiation of sins is based on His once-for-all sacrifice in the first stage of His priesthood. But the continuing exercise of this expiation is in the second stage. As a result of this unique priesthood the nature of the covenant between God and His people changes, and hence the people, in a sense, change as well.73 It is in this sense that the definitive fulfill- ment of God’s promise of progeny to Abraham is achieved: the progeny are God’s people definitively purified from their sins by the earthly and risen Jesus. 71 Cf. Swetnam, «Hebrews 1,1 – 3,6», 61-65. 72 Cf. Swetnam, «Christology and the Eucharist», 77-78. 73 «En employant à plusieurs reprises le mot «peuple», l’épître aux Hébreux marque la continuité entre le peuple d’Israël et l’Eglise chrétienne. Mais l’aspect de rénovation n’est pas ignoré pour autant, ni l’exigence d’une certaine rupture: l’auteur declare avec netteé que le sacerdoce du Christ entraîne nécessairement pour le peuple un changement de constitution (7,11-12; cf. 9,10; 10,9; 13,9-4). Cest seulement dans la nouvelle alliance que se vérifie pleinement la parole: «Je serai leur Dieu et ils seront mon peuple», car la réalisation de cetter promesse est liée à la rémission effective des péchés (Jr 31,32-34; Héb 8,10-12; 20,16-18» (A. Vanhoye, Situation du Christ. Hébreux 1–2 [Lectio Divina 58; Paris 1969], 383).