Hebrews 8-10: the maker of failed blood covenants self-incarnated
to deliver mercy
Failing goodness, The Trinity acquired blood, in order to deliver human atonement
at the heavenly Holy of Holies.
Guide: CJB emphasis in bold (CJB online), mine in green with footnotes replaced in blue; NIV in magenta ; Nomads* discussion in yellow; and my comments in gray.
*Participative Sunday-school-class
at UBC led by Kenneth Tipton. My continually improved statement about Genesis
1:26-28 is at the end of this. Also: Why did The Church canonize this
particular literature? (To be answered in future.)
Major concerns from Chapters 9 and 10 (Ch 8 scripture
covered earlier.)
1. The writer establishes in
Chapter 1 my accusations: failure to integrity.
a. I address intentional
omissions rather than ignorance.
i.
In 9:22, the writer speaks for The God: forgiveness requires blood;
I don’t think so and don’t know the ineluctable truth.
ii.
In 9:26, the writer can’t fathom the ages of universe and world; but
we do – 13.8 billion years and 4.6 billion years, respectively. And Homo
sapiens is over 200 thousand years old.
iii.
In 10:7, the writer omits the Psalms point about obeying the Torah.
b. It prompts the
question: Why did The Church canonize
Hebrews?
2. The writer of Hebrews avoids, or is ignorant
of, the reason Terah left Ur. I think he left to avoid human killings that
provided blood and body parts to be burned in the fires of gods including the
fire god. Abraham retained Ur’s practice of animal, bird, and grain sacrifices.
Seven generations later, Moses presented the Torah, featuring both moral
behavior and sacrificial ceremony.
3. Does “eternal inheritance”, 9:15, refer to
Israel as chosen people? Or life after death as a soul?
4. In CJB 9:15, “covenant” is equated to
“will”. This gets at least doubly confusing, because NIV, 9:15-16, clarifies
the equivocation by footnote, and seems to infer this idea: Yeshua-Jesus made
the new will, but to take effect, Yeshua-Jesus had to die. But all the
covenants were negotiated by The God. It follows that Yeshua-Jesus was The God.
But The God, being eternal does not die. Nor does The God shed blood. This
rationalization is difficult to accept, unless, perhaps the Holy Spirit
controls both Yeshua-Jesus and The God. Cynthia instructed me that she did not
need to rationalize the Father and Son:
It’s a mystery. But we never discussed the Holy Spirit, and I regret
that. I will discuss it with Mint, Cynthia’s sister one day when I feel I may
and can.
5. So far, 1900 years have passed since the
writer expressed “the end of the ages” (9:26).
6. Blood and other offerings ceased when the
Romans destroyed the 2nd temple in 70 CE (10:2).
7. In 10:8, does “will” mean “covenant”? I
think so.?, m
8. The placement of the Torah
(10:16) in the hearts “for these” 10:17 excludes me, and that is alright with
me. I do not know the ineluctable truth.
9. From 10:19 there seems to be change from
universal reasoning to persuasion to a congregation. There seems to be a shift
from sins of ignorance to intentional sin and guilty conscience. Promotion of
mutual support or cooperation. Hope for forgiveness falls to terror and “so
little time”.
10. The Hebrews’ challenge informs me
a. Goodness has been a choice from the
beginning of time – 13.7 billion years ago to the universe, 4.6 bya to earth,
and more than 200 thousand years to Homo sapiens.
b. Genesis 1:26-28 advises humankind to rule to
self-interested goodness
c. From Genesis 2:4 through the rest of the
complete Bible, a God competes for power over humankind, without humility
toward The God
i.
The
God is perhaps whatever caused what-is, whatever constrains each human choice,
or something as yet unimagined
ii.
It
seems good to be humble to The God, without objection or imposition.
d. The complete Bible informs humankind
i.
The
choice to rule to goodness is in each person’s self-interest, and people who
discover this evidence and collaborate to the good are civic citizens.
ii.
People
who by ignorance or by accommodating dependency may harm humankind. Yet they
are fellow citizens who may learn to reform.
iii.
A
few people intend to harm fellow citizens, and both civic citizens and
dependent fellows may and can eradicate evil.
iv.
The
essential duty of civic citizens and civil legislation is to lessen ignorance about goodness vs badness and to eradicate evil.
e. Hebrews would distort Judaism’s sequential
covenants that began with the Mesopotamian blood sacrifice and finally ended
the practice.
i.
Civil
codes to guide personal behavior overcame ceremonial sacrifice.
ii.
Hebrews
attempted to change the object to salvation of souls.
iii.
Influence
to rule earth to the good morphed to blood sacrifice to redeem error, whether
of ignorance or intent, which Hebrews attempt to change to sacrifice of God
incarnate: the author of the will has to die to fulfill the promise.
f.
In
summary: goodness existed in the beginning;
i.
polytheistic
Mesopotamians surmised that the gods expected them to rule on earth so
developed civil codes to order human inhabitants according to personal choice
of good, bad, or evil
1. Collaborators to the good would flourish by
constraining the bad and annihilating the evil.
2. Competitive monotheism in Mesopotamia
introduced blood sacrifice to redeem error
a. Some Semitic-speaking people fled human
sacrifice, retaining animal and fowl sacrifice.
b. Israel gradually and ineluctably ended
sacrifice altogether
c. A small faction believe Yeshua is the
anointed descendant of David
3. Hebrews discounts Yeshua to promote blood
sacrifice by Christ.
a. The consequence is defiance of the
opportunity to rule on earth to goodness.
b. Whereas Genesis 1:26-28 encourages people to
choose to flourish, Judeo-Christianity developed blood sacrifice
c. Recognizing error empowers the choice to
reform.
Yale Video, Session 5, seeming to address
Hebrews 8, 9, and 10
https://yalebiblestudy.org/courses/hebrews/lessons/yom-kippur-video/
The professors jovially dismiss patience for
me to comprehend their cooperative divinity.
1. Addressing Chapter 8: Christ is the new high
priest. Referred to Melchizedek – ideal, perfect, rightful, peaceful. Mid 8 to
mid 10 is a homily.
2. Jeremiah seems unrelated but suggests
Christ’s relevance to the audience. [What does “homiletical mind” mean?]
3. High priest only can perform atonement – Yam
Kippur. Christ’s day.
4. The shadow – is that Plato, Philo. First, it’s
Exodus. The tent is a shadow of heaven.
a. The world is a temple and the Holy of Holies
is heaven.
5. Jesus as high priest is a mediator to the
last days. This is where Jeremiah becomes important – a new covenant written or
their hearts, of the house of Israel. Jeremiah had in mind a continuation of
the prior covenants. Other factions considered themselves covenant
beneficiaries.
6. Christ went to heaven carrying his own
blood, not the blood of priests. Now, Jeremiah passage seems more relevant
based on a pun: will as covenant. Jeremiah wrote of an agreement. Hebrews
writes of inheritance upon death. At 11 min the prof says its Jesus’ death.
That death results in inheritance.
7. Hebrews wrestles with the issue of how
Christ’s death forgives sins. Mark speaks of ransom for many. Two things: the
will and Jesus’s example of faithful obedience.
8. Hebrews speaks of the day coming and hoped
for. The promise is given but the benefit yet to come. “Once for all” refers to
the good of old (annual) replaced by permanence – better.
9. [The Hebrews formula has no chance if the
people do not accept Yeshua’s influence, for example, by appealing to the
wonder-working Jesus, or the soul-saving Christ.]
Study guide
https://yalebiblestudy.org/courses/hebrews/lessons/yom-kippur-study-guide/
1) In Aaron’s lineage, the high priest on the
annual Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, spread blood in the high altar. [Through
capitalization, are these Christian professors attempting to appropriate Jewish
tradition? It’s like capitalizing Creator, in order to express knowledge of The
God – whatever caused the cosmos and subsequent evolution and whatever
constrains the consequences of each human choice.]
a) 9:1-10 the ordained Yom Kippur
b) 9:11 Christ in heaven
c) 9:15-22 projecting Christ’s death onto
Jeremiah 31:31-34
d) 9:23-28 Christ’s heavenly action
e) Earth 10:1-10
f)
Projecting
theology on Jeremiah again, 10:11-18
2) Hebrews 8:1-6 Jesus as heavenly high priest
vs tent traveling with Israelites wandering in the desert.
a) Like Plato’s forms “sketch and shadow”
b) Copy of the reality in heaven
c) Jesus the “mediator of a better covenant”
3) Hebrews 8:7-13 quoting Jeremiah 31:31-34
a) Jeremiah citation the longest OT quote in
the NT. Sin causing Babylonian exile removed.
b) Heartfelt acceptance of God’s laws (V10)
c) Inherit ancient Israel
d) Hebrews claims new covenant makes old
obsolete (V 13), disagreeing with Jeremiah. [Also, Judaism continues to amend
the Tanakh, in order to pursue goodness.]
e) Hebrews will disparage Jewish observances in
13:9.
4) Hebrews 9
a) In 9:1-5, Hebrews’ tent differs from the
description in Exodus 25 and 26.
b) In 9:6-10 Hebrews’ priestly actions from
Leviticus 16.
i)
Hebrews
deems them weak, dealing only with the flesh.
ii) Others, like Philo, surmised psychological
processes, perhaps pursuit of goodness.
iii) Hebrews expects something to come (the messiah,
but for souls not people).
c) In 9:11-14 heavenly Yom Kippur
i)
Brought
blood
ii) Done “through the Eternal spirit” V 14
d) In 9:15-22 covenant becomes will, requiring
death of the promiser
i)
Paul exploits the covenant/will ambiguity in
Galatians 3:17-18.
ii) In Exodus 24:3-8 Moses sprinkled blood on
the people (not just the altar). Quote in V 20.
iii) Another blood event in Leviticus 8:15,19.
iv) Leviticus 17:11 “for, as life, it is the
blood that makes atonement.”
v) The new covenant: “heartfelt obedience to God and forgiveness of sin”, quoting
the Yale professors”. [It’s like God imposes sinless-ness as the individual’s forgiveness.
It would be great if people intended to accept The God’s imposition of goodness
as a choice, in self-interest.]
Questions and my
answers:
1)
Is it possible for the symbolic rhetoric of Hebrews to
speak to a twenty-first century audience?
No.
Most people are too busy living to do the work to comprehend blood sacrifice.
2)
How important is the notion of “covenant” in your
understanding of religious commitment?
Goodness
provides its own, actually-real rewards, so quid pro guo with mystery is not an
aid, either individually or corporately. Humility toward The God, whatever it
is, seems a necessity.
3)
Is the language of “sacrifice” valuable for
understanding the Christ event? Our own lives?
It
seems good to understand the Christ/soul story, in order to collaborate with
fellow citizens to pursue goodness -- on agreement, drawing from Yeshua’s
example and messages.
Hebrews, Chapters 9 and 10 (my coverage of Chapter 8 is in the
earlier file).
9:1 Now the first covenant had both regulations for
worship and a Holy Place here on earth. 2 A tent [earthly sanctuary. 2 A
tabernacle] [https://www.bereaninsights.org/bible-gem-2113-the-sanctuary-the-tent-and-the-shadow-hebrews-81-13/]
was set up, the outer one, which was called the Holy Place; in it were
the menorah, the table and the Bread of the Presence. 3 Behind
the second parokhet [curtain] was a tent called the Holiest
Place, 4 which had the golden altar for burning
incense and the Ark of the Covenant, entirely covered with gold. In the Ark
were the gold jar containing the man [manna], Aharon’s rod that sprouted [budded] and the stone Tablets of the Covenant; 5 and
above it were the k’ruvim representing the Sh’khinah,
casting their shadow on the lid of the Ark — but now is not the time to discuss
these things in detail.
6 With
things so arranged, the cohanim go into the outer tent all the
time to discharge their duties; 7 but only
the cohen hagadol enters the inner one; and he goes in only
once a year, and he must always bring blood, which he offers both for himself
and for the sins committed in
ignorance by the people. 8 By this
arrangement, the Ruach HaKodesh showed that so long as the
first Tent had standing [was
still functioning], the way into the Holiest Place was still
closed. 9 This symbolizes the present age and
indicates that the conscience of the person performing the service cannot be brought to the goal
by the gifts and sacrifices he offers. 10 For they
involve only food and drink and various ceremonial washings — regulations
concerning the outward life, imposed until the time [of the
new order] for God to reshape the
whole structure.
11 But
when the Messiah [Christ]
appeared as cohen gadol of the good things that are happening already, then,
through the greater and more perfect Tent [tabernacle] which is not man-made (that is, it
is not of this created world [this creation]), 12 he entered the
Holiest Place once and for all.
And
he entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood,
thus setting people free forever [obtaining eternal
redemption]. 13 For
if sprinkling ceremonially unclean persons with the blood of goats and bulls
and the ashes of a heifer restores their outward purity; 14 then
how much more the blood of the
Messiah, who, through the
eternal Spirit, offered himself to God as a sacrifice without blemish,
will purify our conscience
from works that lead to death [this implies relief from death or restoration to a godly status of
eternal living], so that we can serve the living God! [But we can choose goodness even
though we die! I disagree with the writer’s inference that without eternal life
we cannot serve The God, whatever it is – I call it goodness.]
15
It
is because of this death that he is mediator of a new covenant [or will]. Jeremiah 31:30(31) “Here, the days are coming,” says Adonai, “when
I will make a new covenant with the house of Isra’el and with the house of Y’hudah.”
Because a death has occurred which sets people
free from the transgressions committed under the first covenant, those who have
been called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. [For
this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who
are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he
has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first
covenant.] 16 For
where there is a will,
there must necessarily be produced evidence of its maker’s death, 17 since
a will goes into effect only upon death; it never has force while its maker is
still alive.
18 This is why the first covenant too was inaugurated with blood. [The first covenant developed
from Terah’s escape from human sacrifice in Ur – body and blood of humans was
replaced with animals and birds.] 19 After
Moshe had proclaimed every command of the Torah to all the
people, he took the blood of the calves with some water and used scarlet wool
and hyssop to sprinkle both the scroll itself and all the people; 20 and
he said, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has ordained for
you.” Exodus 24:8, “Moshe took the blood, sprinkled it on the
people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which Adonai has
made with you in accordance with all these words.” 21 Likewise, he sprinkled with the blood both the
Tent and all the things used in its ceremonies. 22 In
fact, according to the Torah, almost everything is purified with
blood; indeed, without the
shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins [I think the writer of Hebrews
went too far – speaking for The God. Furthermore, the writer obscures the
reality that Terah left Ur to escape the priest-influenced killing of people
for sacrifice to the fire and to the fire god.].
23 Now
this is how the copies
of the heavenly things had to be purified, but the heavenly things themselves
require better sacrifices than these. 24 For the
Messiah [Christ]
has entered a Holiest Place which is not man-made and merely a copy of the true
one, but into heaven itself, in order to appear now on our behalf in the very
presence of God. [This is
the writer projecting heaven onto Moses’ tabernacle.]
25 Further,
he did not enter heaven
to offer himself over and over again, like the cohen hagadol who
enters the Holiest Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for
then he would have had to suffer death many times — from the founding of the
universe on [since the creation of the world]. [These times are 13.7 billion years and 4.6 billion years,
respectively. NIV was published in 1976 and CJB in 1998, and each could have
addressed this issue.] But as it is, he has appeared once at the end of the ages [So far, at least 1900 years
have passed since the writer speculated.] in order to do away with sin
through the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as human
beings have to die once, but after this comes judgment, 28 so
also the Messiah [Christ],
having been offered once to bear the sins of many, Isaiah 53:12, “Therefore I will assign
him a share with the great, he will divide the spoil with the mighty, for
having exposed himself to death and being counted among the sinners, while
actually bearing the sin of many and interceding for the offenders.” will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to deliver [bring salvation to] those who are eagerly waiting for him [the 12 tribes of Israel or the
Pauline church? Why “many” and not everyone.].
10:1 For the Torah [the law] has in it a
shadow of the good things to come, but not the actual manifestation of the
originals. [From 9:28 to
10:1 the writer cleverly insinuated that terminating blood ceremony negated the
law, respecting sin.] Therefore, it can never, by means of the same
sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, bring to the goal those who
approach the Holy Place to offer them. 2 Otherwise,
wouldn’t the offering of those
sacrifices have ceased? [The writer does not accept that blood offerings ceased after the
destruction of the second temple in 70 CE.] For if the people performing
the service had been cleansed once and for all, they would no longer have sins
on their conscience. 3 No, it is quite the contrary
— in these sacrifices is a reminder of sins, year after year. 4 For
it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. [It does not follow that the
blood of a man can take away sins.]
5 This
is why, on coming into the world, he says,
“It has not been your will
to have an animal sacrifice and a meal offering;
rather, you have prepared for me a body.
6 No, you have not been pleased
with burnt offerings and sin offerings.
7 Then I said, ‘Look!
In the scroll of the book
it is written about me.
I have come to do your will.’” Psalm 40:7–9(6–8), “Sacrifices and grain offerings you don’t
want; burnt offerings and sin offerings you don’t demand. Instead, you have
given me open ears; so then I said, “Here I am! I’m coming! In the scroll of a
book it is written about me. Doing your will, my God, is my joy;
your Torah is in my inmost being.” [The
writer cut the quote short about Torah.]
8 In
saying first, “You neither willed nor were pleased
with [did not desire]
animal sacrifices, meal offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings,”
things which are offered in
accordance with the Torah; 9 and
then, “Look, I have come to do your will” [covenant?]; he takes away the first
system in order to set up the second. 10 It is in
connection with this will [covenant?]that we have been separated for God
and made holy, once and for all, through the offering of Yeshua the Messiah’s [Jesus Christ’s] body.
11 Now
every cohen stands every day doing his service, offering over
and over the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But
this one, after he had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, sat
down at the right hand of God, 13 from
then on to wait until his enemies be
made a footstool for his feet. Psalm
110:1 Adonai says to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” [I do
not accept that The God is so crass and do not know the ineluctable truth.] 14 For by a single
offering he has brought to the goal for all time those who are being set apart
for God and made holy.
15 And
the Ruach HaKodesh too bears witness to us; for after saying,
16 “ ‘This is the covenant which I will make
with them after those days,’ says Adonai:
‘I will put my Torah on their hearts,
and write it on their minds . . . ,’ ” Jeremiah 31:32(33), “For this is the covenant I will make
with the house of Isra’el after those days,” says Adonai: “I will put my Torah within
them and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people. “
17
he
then adds,“ ‘And their sins and their wickednesses
I will remember no more.’ “ Jeremiah 31:33(34), “No longer will any of them teach his
fellow community member or his brother, ‘Know Adonai’; for all will know
me, from the least of them to the greatest; because I will forgive their
wickednesses and remember their sins no more.”
18 Now where there is forgiveness for these, an offering for
sins is no longer needed. [That
is, those in whose hearts Adonai place the law no longer need sin offering. Since
I am not reared under the Torah, I have not the Torah in my heart, to my
knowledge or intention.]
19 So,
brothers, we have confidence to use the way into the Holiest Place opened by the blood of Yeshua [Jesus]. 20 He
inaugurated it for us as a new and living way through the parokhet [Curtain], by means of
his flesh. 21 We also have a great cohen over
God’s household. 22 Therefore, let us approach the
Holiest Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from
trusting — with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience [with the law in your heart, you
don’t cause offense, so there’s no guilt] and our bodies washed
with pure water. Ezekiel 36:25, “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you,
and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from
all your idols.” 23 Let
us continue holding fast to the hope we acknowledge, without wavering; for the
One who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let
us keep paying attention to one another, in order to spur each other on to love
and good deeds, 25 not neglecting our own
congregational meetings, as some have made a practice of doing, but, rather,
encouraging each other. And let us do this all the more as you see the Day approaching [The day has been approaching
ever since.]. 26 For if we deliberately continue to sin after
receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for
sins, 27 but only the terrifying prospect of
Judgment, of raging fire that will consume the enemies. Isaiah 26:11, “Adonai, you raised your hand, but they still
didn’t see. Yet with shame they will see your zeal for the people. Yes, fire
will destroy your enemies.” [This
seems to contradict V 17.]
28 Someone
who disregards the Torah of Moshe is put to death without
mercy on the word of two or three witnesses. Exodus 24:8, “Moshe took the blood, sprinkled it on the
people and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which Adonai has
made with you in accordance with all these words.’” 29 Think how much worse
will be the punishment deserved by someone who has trampled underfoot the Son
of God; who has treated as something common the blood of the covenant Deuteronomy 17:6, “The death sentence is to be carried out
only if there was testimony from two or three witnesses; he may not be
sentenced to death on the testimony of only one witness.”; 19:15, ““One witness alone will not be sufficient
to convict a person of any offense or sin of any kind; the matter will be
established only if there are two or three witnesses testifying against him.”
which made him holy; and who has insulted the
Spirit, giver of God’s grace!
30 For
the One we know is the One who said,
“Vengeance is my responsibility;
I will repay,”
and
then said,
“Adonai will judge his people.” Deuteronomy 32:35–36, “Vengeance and payback are mine
for the time when their foot slips; for the day of their calamity is coming
soon, their doom is rushing upon them.’ “Yes, Adonai will judge his people, taking pity on his
servants, when he sees that their strength is gone, that no one is left, slave
or free.”
31 It
is a terrifying thing
to fall into the hands of the living God!
32 But
remember the earlier days, when, after you had received the light, you endured
a hard struggle with sufferings. 33 Sometimes you
were publicly disgraced and persecuted, while at other times you stood loyally
by those who were treated this way. 34 For you
shared the sufferings of those who had been put in prison. Also when your
possessions were seized, you accepted it gladly; since you knew that what you
possessed was better and would last forever.
35 So
don’t throw away that courage of yours, which carries with it such a great
reward. 36 For you need to hold out; so that, by
having done what God wills, you may receive what he has promised. 37 For
“There is so, so little
time!
The One coming will indeed come,
he will not delay.
38 But the person who is righteous
will live his life by trusting,
and if he shrinks back,
I will not be pleased with him.” Habakkuk 2:3-4 “For the vision is meant for its appointed
time; it speaks of the end, and it does not lie. It may take a while, but wait
for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. “Look at the proud: he is
inwardly not upright; but the righteous will attain life through trusting
faithfulness.”
39 However,
we are not the kind who shrink back and are destroyed; on the
contrary, we keep trusting and thus preserve our lives! [The writer did all he could to
turn trust and commitment into blind faith. I am glad I am not buying Hebrews’pursuit
of goodness, giving the benefit of doubt.]
[Genesis
1:26-28 informs humankind to flourish in goodness rather than accommodate
badness and, together, sacrifice to evil:
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in
our likeness, so that
they may rule over
the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all
the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created mankind in his own
image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and
increase in number; fill the
earth and subdue it. Rule over the
fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that
moves on the ground.
This,
the conclusion of the first chapter of the Holy Bible informs Today that
humankind may and can rule on earth. Acceptance of this power, authority, and
responsibility is human being (verb) – is pursuit of goodness. The rest of the
Bible discloses the chaos that ensues if most individuals choose wanton
behavior, chiefly, sex.
The
civic collective cannot rule if most fellow citizens practice badness and
accommodate evil. It’s a matter of personal choice: either pursue human being
(verb) or accommodate dependency and sacrifice to evil.
Yeshua
affirmed Genesis 1:26-28, e.g. in Matt 5:48 (be as perfect as goodness), 18:18
(don’t expect error-correction), and 19:4-6 (don’t divide goodness).
Today there are more than
8,000 religions and 45,000 Christian sects on earth. Today is time for individuals to accept the
power, the authority, and the responsibility to practice civic integrity.
“Ourselves” may continue to leave reliable responsibility to “our Posterity”,
referring to the preamble to the US Constitution.]
