Hebrews Chapter 7 Christ’s Priesthood - Greater in Order
Chapter 7 address the qualifications of our Great High Priest The apparent problem… For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests (7:14).
A better order:
-The greatness of Melchizedek (1-10).
-The new priesthood supersedes the old (11-19).
-The superiority of the new High Priest (20-28).
The greatness of Melchizedek (Gen 14:18-20, Psalm 110:4)
Verses 1-3
King of Salem – Salem is an older name for Jerusalem (Ps 76:2).
Priest of the Most High God – Hebrew is El-Elyon which emphasizes God’s exalted position above all creation (Gen 14:22, Matt 5:7).
King of Righteousness – The literal meaning of his name. Malek = king, Tsedeg = righteousness. Melchizedek’s righteous standing before God is the emphasis. Peace follows righteousness! The peace that God gives, always follows being righteous.
Without father, without mother, without genealogy- None is recorded in Scripture. Levitical priests had to be able to prove their ancestry (Neh 7:63-65).
Having neither beginning of days nor end of life – His birth and death are nor recorded in Scripture.
Made like the Son of God,– Literally, “similar, or resembling.”
He abides a priest perpetually – Continually or for all time (Heb 10:1, 12, 14 for the only other uses of this word in the NT). He was a prototype of Jesus in that He was both a king and a priest and He was characterized by righteousness and peace
NOTE – Levitical priests depended on their physical ancestry, not their personal character. Melchizedek’s and Christ’s qualifications depended on their personal character, not their physical ancestry.
Now observe how great this man was – Verses 4 through 10 show that
Melchizedek was greater than Abraham.
-Melchizedek received a tenth from Abraham.
-Melchizedek blessed Abraham.
-The greater received from and blessed the lesser.
-Melchizedek was not an Israelite.
-Melchizedek received tithes because of who he was personally, not because of any legal covenant.
-The Levites received tithes as dying men but Melchizedek lives forever.
The new priesthood supersedes the old (11-19).
The imperfection of the Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic Law (1114).
Perfection = Bringing to completion. The OT backdrop now shifts to Psalm 110:4. Since God promised the Messiah would be a priest after Melchizedek’s order, He therefore intended to terminate and replace the “Levitical priesthood” because of its inadequacy. When the priesthood changed the whole old covenant (the Law) changed also.
The greater replacement (15-19).
-The power of an indestructible life!
-A priest forever!
-A better hope!
The superiority of the new High Priest (20-28).
The inviolability of God’s oath (20-22).
An oath – See 6:16-18. The Lord has sworn…He will not change
His mind…Thou art a priest forever… Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
The mortality of Levitical priests (23-25)
(see pdf notes)
The superiority of Jesus (26-28).
-Holy – In His relation to God
-Innocent – In His relation to man, free from evil
-Undefiled – In His nature, not need for cleansing
-Separated from sinners – He has ascended
-Exalted – Seated at God’s right hand
His sacrifice:
-Does not need repeating (daily sacrifices)
-Was made once for all John 19:30, Heb 9:27, 10:10
-When He offered up Himself John 10:17-18
The word of the oath came after the Law! (see pdf notes)