Congratulations to LST Student Fr. Ryan Janelle A. Salvacion of the Archdiocese of Palo, Philippines, for receiving the Ateneo de Manila University’s Dr. Ramon C. Reyes Outstanding Dissertation Award in the Humanities for 2024-2025!
“The New Priest: A Biblical Theology of Christ’s Priesthood and His Once-For-All Sacrifice in Hebrews 9:1-10:22 in the Context of the Day of Atonement”
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Theology (Biblical Theology)
Adviser: Dr. Markus Locker
Fr. Ryan defended his dissertation on 19 March 2025 before a panel composed of Fr. Felipe Fruto Ramirez, S.J., S.T.D. (Second Reader/Principal Examiner), Fr. Oliver Dy, S.J., S.T.D., Ph.D., Fr. Renato Repole, S.J., S.T.D., and Fr. Rex Fortes, C.M., S.Th.D., Ph.D.
Here is the abstract of the award-winning Dissertation:
The present study is entitled, “The New Priest: A Biblical Theology of Christ’s Priesthood and His Once-For-All Sacrifice in Hebrews 9:1-10:22 in the Context of the Day of Atonement.” In recent biblical studies, there is a gap or lacuna that needs to be addressed regarding the lack of research on the contextual utility of the Day of Atonement allusions in the Letter to the Hebrews to better explain why the priesthood of Christ is new, and how His sacrifice, in the language of the Author of the Letter to the Hebrews is ἐφάπαξ – once-for-all. The present study attempts to answer the following queries concerning the topic:
1. What makes the priesthood (ἱερωσύνη) of Christ and His once-for-all (ἐφάπαξ) sacrifice new vis-à-vis the Old Testament priesthood (Λευιτική ἱερωσύνη) and sacrifices (πολλάκις)?
2. How may the context of Yom Kippur ( יוֹם כִּפּוּר ) help readers of the New Testament better understand Christ’s new priesthood and His once-for-all sacrifice in Hebrews 9:1-10:22?
3. What Yom Kippuric high-priestly actions of Jesus contained in Hebrews 9:1-10:22 might support the notion that the Day of Atonement ritual serves as the background for a more substantial and perceptive interpretation of the passage, resulting in a Biblical theology of Christ’s priesthood and His sacrifice?
4. What is the apt and the correct way to understand the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus? Is it simply synonymous with His Passion and Death on Good Friday, as often construed by many people? Or does it have a wider scope, i.e., His Paschal Mystery (Jesus’ Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and Enthronement in heaven)?
The main aim of this study is to explain the novelty of Christ’s priesthood and the meaning of His once-for-all sacrifice as set forth in Hebrews 9:1-10:22, vis-à-vis the priesthood and sacrifices of the Old Covenant. Furthermore, this study aims to show that the Day of Atonement ritual is not only possible but also the fitting and plausible contextual key to understand better and explain the truth that Christ is the new and definitive high priest who offered His once-for-all sacrifice for the salvation of humanity.
