TEXT: Hebrews 7:1-28

SUBJECT: Exposition of Hebrews #7: Melchizedek and Christ

The theme of Hebrews is Christ Over All. In chapters 1-4, He is placed over the prophets, the angels, and Moses. In chapters 5-10, He is put over Aaron and what he stands for, the priesthood of Israel.

This is no easy argument to make. The priests, after all, were appointed by God, performed holy acts, and were held in the highest esteem. Even wicked men--like Ananias--were "not spoken evil of". So, how will the Evangelist do it? How will he prove that the Lord Jesus is superior to Aaron? Not by attacking the Old Testament Scriptures (as Marcion did 100 years later), but by using them to prove his point.

The argument of chapter 7 is this: The priesthood of Christ is superior to Aaron's because it is modelled upon an older and better priesthood, Melchizedek's.

In vv.1-3, the great man is briefly described. "For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated `King of Righteousness' and then also king of Salem, meaning `King of Peace', without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but make like the Son of God, remains a priest continually".

Melchizedek was a "king". This is, itself, an honored title. If he was a king, he was worthy of respect. But more than this, he was the "king of righteousness" and the "king of peace". These are Hebraisms, which mean, he was a righteous and peaceful king. Melchizedek, therefore, was a far cry from most men who occupy seats of power. Far from the perverted and murderous Herod, no less the evil men who sat on Caesar's throne. Melchizedek was David's ideal: "He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God".

He was also the "king of Salem". Salem is the ancient name for Jerusalem. Its king, therefore, must have owned an illustrious place in the Hebrew mind. Especially in the First Century, when no king ruled from the Holy City.

Melchizedek was also "Priest of the Most High God". "Most High God" is a quote from Genesis 14. Who is He? He is Abraham's God! He worshipped the "Most High God" while Abraham was still bowing to the idols of Ur!

One other thing is said of this great man. He was "without father, without mother, without genealogy, neither beginning of days nor end of life..." What does this mean? Men have indulged the most outlandish speculations. Some have said he was the Holy Spirit; others have thought he was the Son of God; some have said `an angel'. These, and other super-human beings have been identified with Melchizedek.

What do we make of him? How can a man be "without mother, without father" and so on? Its quite simple, once you remember the subject of this chapter. What is it? Melchizedek or his priesthood? His priesthood, of course. Thus, what it means is this: Melchizedek was not from a priestly line. He did not receive it from his father or bequeath it to his son. Nor did he enter the priesthood at age 30 or retire at 50 as the sons of Aaron did. In short: His priesthood is unique.

This is the point of his argument: If the priesthood is confined to the family of Aaron, the Lord Jesus is not a priest. But if there is another priesthood--one parallel to Aaron's--then we must "Consider the High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus".

In this way, Melchizedek resembles "the Son of God", in that they both exercise a "continuing" priesthood. Not proscribed by "term limits".

Having described Melchizedek, the author proceeds to relate him to Aaron, vv.4-10. "Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. And indeed, those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. Even Levi, who receives tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him".

Who is the greater of the two? Melchizedek. Why? For two reason: (1) Levi paid tribute to Melchizedek. What? Levi wasn't even born at the time. He wouldn't be born for more than 100 years. How could he pay tribute to Melchizedek? The Hebrews didn't think individualistically, as we do. They thought in terms of racial solidarity. Therefore, Levi (one of Jacob's sons and the priestly tribe) was "in Abraham" when he gave his tithe to Melchizedek. Thus--in a very real way--Aaron paid tribute to Melchizedek. And this proves, what? That Aaron's priesthood was inferior to Melchizedek's.

The second reason is this: Melchizedek blessed Abraham. This was a formal invocation; it did more than wish him well, it communicated God's favor. Who blessed whom? Abraham blessed Isaac, Isaac blessed Jacob, Jacob blessed Joseph, and so on. Father blessed son. But this slightly misses the point. According to the Law, the priests blessed the people of God. But Melchizedek blessed Abraham. Therefore, Melchizedek was Abraham's priest--and consequently, Levi's priest, too. And Aaron's! If Melchizedek was Aaron's priest, then surely Aaron's priesthood cannot be superior to Melchizedek's!

If the Lord Jesus is "a priest according to the order of Melchizedek", therefore, His priesthood is far superior to anything that Aaron's descendants could offer. By the First Century A.D., Aaron's priesthood had degenerated to the point of no return. But had it not--had the holiest men occupied the office--they still would have been vastly inferior to the Lord Jesus. They would have happily surrendered their priesthood to the "Great high priest of our confession, Christ Jesus".

Picking up on this idea, the author tells us what was wrong with the Priesthood of Aaron, vv.11-19. "Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law) what further need was there that another priest should arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning the priesthood. And yet it is far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies:

`You are a priest forever

According to the order of

Melchizedek'.

For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the Law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God."

This language may well shock the pious mind. It tells us--in no uncertain terms--that the priesthood of Aaron was "imperfect", "weak", and "unprofitable". How can this be? Is it because it became degenerate by the evil men who occupied it? No. How do we know this? Because it was faulty even in the days of David when Psalm 110 was written. And this was Israel's "Golden Age". The system was imperfect from the beginning. How can this be? Wasn't it designed by God? Yes it was. But doesn't He do everything perfectly? Yes He does. How then can an imperfect priesthood be designed by a Perfect God? Because He purposely designed it that way. It was perfectly imperfect.

What does this mean? It means: Aaron's priesthood was a partial and temporary measure intended to serve God's people until the coming of Christ. And no longer!

His priesthood, therefore, produces "a better hope, through which we draw near to God". The Old Covenant kept people away from God; the veil hung in the Temple as a barrier; it warned all (but the High Priest) "Stay out--or die". But our Lord's priesthood brings us near to God--into "the Presence behind the veil".

How can the Hebrews prefer a system that impeded their access to God when--in Christ--they had a Priest who can bring them into the Holy of Holies?

Three brief comparisons are made between the Priesthoods of Melchizedek and Aaron.

The first is How each came to it, vv.20-22, "And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:

`The LORD has sworn

And will not relent,

You are a priest forever

According to the order of

Melchizedek'

...by so much more, Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant". The priests of Israel came to their office by the stipulations of the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant, however, was never meant to be permanent. Therefore, when it passed away, so did Aaron's priesthood.

But the Lord Jesus was inducted into the Priesthood by a Divine oath--which can never be rescinded. In short, their priesthood was temporary, His is eternal.

The second comparison is the number of men occupying each, vv.23-24, "And there were many priests because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood". The Aaronic priesthood could not be perfect because all of its priests died. But the Lord's priesthood is perfect because He lives forever! Which is better: the dying priests or the Living Priest?

V.25 leaves no doubt: "Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them." Aaron could intercede to God for you until he died. After that, he could pray no more. But Christ never dies, therefore, He prayed for His people before their birth, during their lives, after their deaths, and for eternity. And so, who'd you rather have? A priest who'll pray for you 20 years or One who'll pray for you

"Throughout all ages,

World without end?"

The third comparison is the qualifications of each, vv.26-28, "For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become made higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the Law appoints as High priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever".

The priests of old were also sinners. Our High Priest is not. They had to spend much of their time atoning for their own sins. Christ does not. They offered up bulls, goats and sheep. He offers Himself as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". Therefore, His qualifications are infinitely superior to theirs.

Christ Over Aaron! Christ Over All!

Therefore, we can come to God by no other. Not by personal worth. Not by good works. Not by religious rite. Not by church membership. Not by knowledge. Not by experience. Not by any but Christ. "There is no other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved".

Only a priest can bring men to God. And only the Lord Jesus is a Priest. Therefore, come to God by Him--or not at all. The Gospel is both wide and narrow. Wide in that its invitation is to all. Men, women, children; Scribes and Pharisees, publicans and harlots. But it is narrow in that it offered only in Jesus Christ.

But not only does Christ bring us to God, He also keeps us there. It is not our holiness that makes for a good conscience, but Christ. It is not our witnessing that give access to God, but Christ. It is not our Bible-reading that gives us knowledge of God, but Christ. You see, He is not merely "the author of our salvation"--but its "finisher" as well.

He is

"Made for us, our wisdom and righteousness,

and sanctification and redemption".

The summary is 8:1: "Now this is the main point of the things which we are saying: we have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens..."

Do you have "such a High Priest"? God make it so, for Christ's sake. Amen.