Christ's Melchizedek Priesthood Surpasses the Levitical Hebrews 7
1. The Priority of the Melchizedek priesthood
Welcome to Tongues of Fire-Pastor Paul's Podcast-Episode #56-On The Way Again #81. The Priority of the Melchizedek priesthood
This "King Melchizedek of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him."; 2and to him Abraham apportioned "one-tenth of everything." His name, in the first place means "king of righteousness"; next he is also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace." 3Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
4 See how great he is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils. 5And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their kindred, though these also belong to their ancestry, collected tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises. 7It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek me him.
7:1-3 Melchizedek was a Canaanite king who reigned in Salem and who worshiped the true God (Gen 14:17-24). He was therefore a Gentile in the kingdom of God. He was raised up by God to be a representative of Christ and was honored as such by Abraham. The expression 'without father, without mother' means no more than that Melchizedek's parentage has been kept hidden from us so he might typify Christ, who had no human father according to his human nature and no mother according to his divine nature.
7:4 When Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, he paid tithes to Jesus Christ who is represented in Melchizedek. In other words, Jesus is superior to Abraham, the first ancestor of the Jews.
7:9 Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, and by implication, Levi was paying these tithes in his grandfather Abraham before his conception. In other words, descendants of Levi (e.g., Aaron, the high priest), who regularly received tithes, themselves paid tithes to Jesus. Thus the author of Hebrews has demonstrated how Jesus is superior to the priesthood of Aaron.
7:12 a change in priesthood...a change in the law. The tribe of the priesthood was changed from Levi to Judah, when Jesus was born as our high priest. Levi and the law went together, while Jesus and the good news go hand in hand. The O.T. priesthood was weak, imperfect, and could not save. Christ's priesthood is perfect, has power, and takes away sin.
7:17 The quotation from Psalm 110.4 comes from the lips of David. When he wrote this by the help of the Spirit, he would not have known that the author of Hebrews would appropriate it and claim it to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who came from the seed of David but whose priesthood sprang from Melchizedek.
7:21 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. The God of the covenant does what is permanent and effective, not what is temporary and provisional. The divine purposes will be fulfilled, sinners will be brought into fellowship with God, and their sins will be forgiven.
7:26 Jesus Christ, as opposed to all the high priests from the tribe of Levi, is precisely the high priest sinners need. The O.T. priests were sinners and they eventually died. Christ, on the other hand, is sinless-he was born without original sin and remained undefiled throughout his life. And he now lives forever exalted above the heavens, even above the angels, because of his personal holiness and dignity.
7:28 Jesus, the Son, is God and shares divine attributes, such as the following: holiness (v. 26; John 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21); eternity (Micah 5:2; John 1:1; 8:58; 17:5,24; Colossians 1:17); omnipotence (1:3; Matthew 28:18; Revelation 1:8); omniscience (Matthew 9;4; John 6:64; 16:30; John 2:24; 18:4; Colossians 2:3); immutability (1:11,12; 13:8); omnipresence (Matthew 28:20; John 3:13; Matthew 18:20; Ephesians 1:23); creative activity (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:8,10); power to forgive sins (Mark 2: 5,7-10; Luke 24:47; John 1:29; Acts 10:43; 1 John 1:7); the right to be worshiped (Matthew 8:2; Philippians 2:10).
4 See how great he is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils. 5And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their kindred, though these also belong to their ancestry, collected tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises. 7It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek me him.
2. The transitory priesthood of Aaron versus the eternal priesthood of Christ
New Revised Standard Version Study Bible_________11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the levitical priesthood-for the people received the law under this priesthood-what further need would there have been to speak of another priest arising according to the order of Melchizedek, rather than one according to the order of Aaron? 12For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. 13Now the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
15 It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling Melchizedek, 16one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life. 17For it is attested of him,
"You are a priest forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek."
18 There is, on the one hand, the abrogation of an earlier commandment because it was weak and ineffectual 19(for the law made nothing perfect); there is, on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope, through which we approach God.
15 It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling Melchizedek, 16one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life. 17For it is attested of him,
"You are a priest forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek."
18 There is, on the one hand, the abrogation of an earlier commandment because it was weak and ineffectual 19(for the law made nothing perfect); there is, on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope, through which we approach God.
3. The superior efficacy of Christ's priesthood
20 This was confirmed with an oath; for others who became priests took their office without an oath, 21 but for this one became a priest with an oath, because of the one who said to him,
"The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
'You are a priest forever'"-
22accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.
23 Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; 24but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For it is fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
"The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
'You are a priest forever'"-
22accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.
23 Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; 24but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For it is fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
7:1-3 Melchizedek was a Canaanite king who reigned in Salem and who worshiped the true God (Gen 14:17-24). He was therefore a Gentile in the kingdom of God. He was raised up by God to be a representative of Christ and was honored as such by Abraham. The expression 'without father, without mother' means no more than that Melchizedek's parentage has been kept hidden from us so he might typify Christ, who had no human father according to his human nature and no mother according to his divine nature.
7:4 When Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, he paid tithes to Jesus Christ who is represented in Melchizedek. In other words, Jesus is superior to Abraham, the first ancestor of the Jews.
7:9 Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, and by implication, Levi was paying these tithes in his grandfather Abraham before his conception. In other words, descendants of Levi (e.g., Aaron, the high priest), who regularly received tithes, themselves paid tithes to Jesus. Thus the author of Hebrews has demonstrated how Jesus is superior to the priesthood of Aaron.
7:12 a change in priesthood...a change in the law. The tribe of the priesthood was changed from Levi to Judah, when Jesus was born as our high priest. Levi and the law went together, while Jesus and the good news go hand in hand. The O.T. priesthood was weak, imperfect, and could not save. Christ's priesthood is perfect, has power, and takes away sin.
7:17 The quotation from Psalm 110.4 comes from the lips of David. When he wrote this by the help of the Spirit, he would not have known that the author of Hebrews would appropriate it and claim it to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who came from the seed of David but whose priesthood sprang from Melchizedek.
7:21 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. The God of the covenant does what is permanent and effective, not what is temporary and provisional. The divine purposes will be fulfilled, sinners will be brought into fellowship with God, and their sins will be forgiven.
7:26 Jesus Christ, as opposed to all the high priests from the tribe of Levi, is precisely the high priest sinners need. The O.T. priests were sinners and they eventually died. Christ, on the other hand, is sinless-he was born without original sin and remained undefiled throughout his life. And he now lives forever exalted above the heavens, even above the angels, because of his personal holiness and dignity.
7:28 Jesus, the Son, is God and shares divine attributes, such as the following: holiness (v. 26; John 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21); eternity (Micah 5:2; John 1:1; 8:58; 17:5,24; Colossians 1:17); omnipotence (1:3; Matthew 28:18; Revelation 1:8); omniscience (Matthew 9;4; John 6:64; 16:30; John 2:24; 18:4; Colossians 2:3); immutability (1:11,12; 13:8); omnipresence (Matthew 28:20; John 3:13; Matthew 18:20; Ephesians 1:23); creative activity (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:8,10); power to forgive sins (Mark 2: 5,7-10; Luke 24:47; John 1:29; Acts 10:43; 1 John 1:7); the right to be worshiped (Matthew 8:2; Philippians 2:10).
Scriptures within the message are:
- John 1:14-18
- John 14:6
- John 1:45
- John 6:66-69
- Colossians 2:16
- Hebrews 13:13
- Hebrews 12:1
- Matthew 5:17
- Matthew 12:6
- Revelation 1:17
- Revelation 3:7-8
- On The Way Again #8 was originally recorded January 18, 1985.
- Running Time: 1:30 File Size: 83 MB
- Your Hostess with the Mostest Jeanine coming to you from Spirited North Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
- Make an Audio Comment the number is 1-715-808-0318 I would like to hear from you. Like voice mail it is recorded and can be played on the podcast.
- Send your comments, questions and suggestions to me, jeanine.at.pastorpaul.org
- Make a comment at the Blog-wwwpastorpaul.blogspot.com (no dot after the 3W's). Your comment will be posted.
- Pastor Paul's Mission is located in the historic Mikro Kodesh synagogue in North Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
- Send your check and make a US tax deductible donation. We need your support-Thank You!
- Special Links:pastorpaul.org
Download the Podcast Here:
Tongues of Fire-Pastor Paul's Podcast-Episode #56-On The Way Again #8
Next Friday Listen to Episode #57-On The Way Again #9
No comments:
Post a Comment