God has to teach us "the elementary principles" of His
truths before He can take us "on to
perfection" (Hebrews 6:1). There are first parents before there are
offspring. There are patriarchs before there is a promise. There is a Exodus
before there is a wilderness, and a wilderness before there is a Promised Land.
There is agitation and aggravation before there is rest. There is a historical
record of the futility of sinful humanity to save itself in their own strength
before we can truly understand the gracious faith-based gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is an Old Testament before there is a New Testament. We must learn to
roll over, then sit up, then crawl, and toddle and walk before we learn to run.
That is true of children. That is true of us as spiritual children too.
God is patient with us. He walks
us through the stages of growth from sinner to saved and from saved to
sanctified life by His prevenient grace and the help of the Holy Spirit. But
there comes a time when we need to graduate and progress from "milk" to "solid food" (Hebrews
5:12-14). What we will be introduced to in the rest of Hebrews is some solid
spiritual food.
At the end of Hebrews chapter six
the "hope we have as an anchor for
our soul" is affirmed. This hope will anchor us; it will keep us from
drifting away. The reason for that is it is a hope that is "both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the
veil" (Hebrews 6:19). Entering into and living in the presence
of God is the great theme of this epistle.
"Presence " is capitalized because it refers to the Holy
of Holies or the innermost sanctum of the Tabernacle and Temple, where God made
His "Presence" known. Because
the presence of God overwhelms all other things this Holy of Holies was often
simply referred to as "the Presence."
Entering the "Presence" of God and doing so "boldly" or confidently is an
incredible blessing. Whenever we need help, with confidence (not irreverence),
but securely, warmly, in love, we can come, "to the throne of grace , that we may obtain mercy and find grace to
help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). That is a magnificent promise of
God provided by Him through Jesus Christ. There is no greater promise and no
greater gift God could provide to us than making a way for us to be forgiven
and cleansed of our sin and live eternally with Him in His presence.
Jesus is the One by which it is
made possible by God for a sinner to be forgiven and made acceptable to come
into the presence of God. The last verse of Hebrews 6 states that regarding
this "Presence" that Jesus
was "the forerunner" Who "has entered for us, even Jesus,
having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews
6:20). We can enter the Presence of God
and live there as we follow Jesus the forerunner.
In the Old Testament there is a
mysterious priest named Melchizedek. This figure and Jesus are connected in
Hebrews 7. Melchizedek is unique and it's important we understand Who He likely
is. This would have aroused the curiosity of the Hebrew recipients. And when we
look further we will see how important this figure is.
Hebrews 7 (NKJV)
7
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,
Who was
Melchizedek? We are first introduced to Melchizedek in Genesis 14 where Abraham
is returning from a rescue mission to save his nephew Lot. On his return
Abraham was met by Melchizedek. Scripture records:
·
Genesis
14:18–20 (NKJV) - 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out
bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And
he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of
heaven and earth; 20And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered
your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.
Melchizedek came
out to Abraham with "bread and
wine." This is our first clue as to the identity of Melchizedek. Do we
know Anyone else with which "bread
and wine" was used in a significant way? That's right, Jesus
introduced the memorial meal with the Passover the night before He went to the
cross (Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-23).
Melchizedek
blessed Abram noting that Abram was "of
God Most High." Melchizedek connected Abram with the God Most High of
the Bible. Melchizedek identified God Most High as "Possessor of heaven and earth." This speaks to the
sovereignty of God Most High. Melchizedek blessed God Most High and attributed
praise and credit to Him for delivering Abram's enemies into his hand.
Abraham then "gave
him [Melchizedek] a tithe of
all." By giving a tithe to Melchizedek Abraham was recognizing and
accepting the priestly position of Melchizedek. By giving a tithe to
Melchizedek Abraham was acknowledging his position as king and priest. Giving a
tithe was a part of worship. People weren't to give God a tenth of their income
haphazardly. They were to give with their heart, worshipfully. Cain and Abel are an example of how the heart in
giving is just as important as the object given (Gen. 4:3-5). We honor God when
we give (Proverbs 3:9-10). The wise men honored Jesus with gifts (Matthew
2:11). Abram was honoring Melchizedek and God with his tithe.
It should also
be mentioned that the idea of disregarding tithing (or giving a
"tenth" of income) because it is "legalistic" would seem to
be countered here since when Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek it was 400
years before the Law was given.
After this
meeting with Abraham, Melchizedek isn't mentioned again until Psalm 110, a
Psalm of David and a Messianic Psalm announcing the reign of Messiah. this
Psalm states:
Psalm 110
A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right
hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
2 The Lord shall send
the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
3 Your people shall be volunteers
In the day of Your power;
In the beauties of holiness, from the womb
of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.
4 The Lord has sworn
And will not relent,
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”
5 The Lord is at Your right hand;
He shall execute kings in the day of His
wrath.
6 He shall judge among the nations,
He shall fill the places with dead
bodies,
He shall execute the heads of many
countries.
7 He shall drink of the brook by the wayside;
Therefore He shall lift up the head.
This is a Psalm
promising and depicting the final victory of Messiah. It expresses the highest
regard of God for Messiah by stating Messiah was to be seated at His right hand
and that He was "a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."
This is significant because God does not speak of Messiah being a priest
according to the Aaron or the Levitical priesthood, but of this mysterious
priest Melchizedek.
The name "Melchizedek" means literally
king of righteousness. He was an
interesting and mysterious figure in the Old Testament. He was the "king of Salem" which is an early
reference to being the king of what came to be Jeru-Salem or Jerusalem. " Jerusalem is called the city of the Great King."[1] Therefore we might say
Melchizedek was King of the Great King.
Melchizedek was also
the "priest of the Most High
God." This is unique and would be problematic to Hebrews hearing this
or reading this word. That's because the Law forbade one man to be both king and priest. A man could be a king and a
prophet like David or a priest and a prophet like Aaron but they could not be a
priest and a king. King Uzziah, who instituted revival in the kingdom
overstepped his boundaries seeking to be priest in God's Temple. When he did
that God struck him with leprosy (cf. 2 Chronicles 26). But Melchizedek was both the king of Salam and priest of
the Most High God. Hmmm, interesting.
2 to whom also Abraham gave
a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then
also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 without father,
without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of
life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
Who was
Melchizedek? He was respected and recognized as a priest of the Most High God
of Abram. Notice it states, "to
whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all." Abram gave him, Melchizedek, the tithe. It
doesn't say Abram gave a tithe to God Most High, but to Melchizedek.
Melchizedek is
referred to as "king of
righteousness." A Messianic title is "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:16). Jesus,
as Messiah, has the title of being "Prince
of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). When Melchizedek appears on the scene in the
Old Testament he is "without
father, without mother, without genealogy." This would be the case if
Melchizedek was indeed a Christophany or pre-incarnate Christ.
Melchizedek is
further described as "having
neither beginning of days nor end of life." This is just like Jesus,
the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End, the First and the Last (e.g. Rev. 1:8,
11, 17).
Melchizedek is
specifically referred to as, "made
like the Son of God, remains a priest continually." That seems to be a
pretty clear connection of Melchizedek with being a pre-incarnate Jesus. Pastor
Chuck Smith in the Word for Today study
Bible notes comments:
There are some who see Melchizedek
as a type of Christ; interpreting v. 3 to say that his family remains anonymous in order to enhance the symbolic
connection to Jesus. Others take the
most literal meaning, that Melchizedek had no genealogy because he was Jesus Christ Himself, in a Christophany,
and that He had always existed. This would seem to be the most obvious and clear interpretation.
He is called the "king of
Salem," which could be a reference to Jerusalem, where Jesus will rule and reign. But it also means
"king of peace," which He certainly is. He is called the "Prince of Peace" In
Isaiah 9:6. The name Melchizedek means "king of righteousness," and this certainly also describes Jesus.
In two different passages in the
book of Jeremiah, the Messiah is referred to by the name Yahweh-Tsidkenu,
which means "Yahweh our righteousness" (Jer. 23:26; 33:16). Also in John 8:56, when Jesus said that Abraham
rejoiced to see His day and saw it, this could easily
be a reference to when Abraham saw Jesus in the form of Melchizedek.
We can't be dogmatic concerning the
identity of Melchizedek; but whether he was Jesus Himself, or just a type of Jesus, the point here in this passage is
that there is a higher priestly order
than the Levitical order and that Jesus is of the superior order of Melchizedek, which predates the
Levites. Thus, Jesus is eminently qualified to serve as our High Priest. [2]
There is truly
only One "king of peace," and that is Jesus the Prince of Peace.
There is truly only One who is the "king of righteousness," and that
is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, Jesus.
4 Now
consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave
a tenth of the spoils.
Even though Abraham lived 400 years before the Law was
given he knew intuitively to give a tithe or a tenth of his spoils to
Melchizedek. And the fact that the patriarch Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe
indicates the greatness and
authenticity of this priest and his priestly line.
5 And
indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a
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; 6 but
he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and
blessed him who had the promises. 7 Now beyond all
contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8 Here
mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is
witnessed that he lives. 9 Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid
tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10 for he was still in the
loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
The issue being addressed here to the Hebrews is Could Jesus be our High Priest if He did not
come from the tribe of Levi? This was an important issue to the Hebrew.
Jesus was descended from the tribe of Judah and priests came from the tribe of
Levi. Is there a basis to consider Jesus our High Priest even though He didn't
come from the tribe of Levi? That is what is explained here.
It states, "without
contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better." The superiority of
the priesthood of Melchizedek (to which Jesus belongs) to that of the Levitical
priesthood is being established. Since Melchizedek blessed Abraham, Melchizedek
is "better" than Abraham. And, since the Levi and the priestly line
was "in the loins of his
father," then they too are blessed by Melchizedek and therefore lesser
than the priest Melchizedek.
11 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 rise
according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order
of Aaron?
If "perfection"
or completion of the purpose of the priesthood were through the Levitical
priests, then God would not have spoke of Messiah Jesus as rising in the order
of Melchizedek.
12 For the priesthood being
changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.
The Levitical priesthood was introduced in the Law of
Moses. If another priesthood is revealed by God then it indicates a change in
the Law.
13 For He of whom these
things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at
the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from
Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And
it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises
another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a
fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For
He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
Melchizedek is spoken of as the priest of the Most High
God. Messiah Jesus is referred to by God the Father as "a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." Yet
neither were connected to the priestly line of Levi. Therefore, Jesus, our
Great High Priest, is priest "not
according to the law of a 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."
18 For on the one hand
there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and
unprofitableness, 19 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.
The Law of the Old Covenant "made nothing perfect." Therefore there is an "annulling" (Greek athetesis) or a putting away, abolishing, rejection of, nullification of the "former commandment." This is
because of the "weakness" (Greek
asthenes) or lack of strength, feebleness, impotence, sickness, weakness, and "unprofitableness" (Greek anopheles) or uselessness, unprofitableness of the "former commandment." The only thing the Law is powerful in
doing is clarifying and exposing the inability of human beings to keep it in
their own strength.
The critically important point is now made here to the
Hebrews, some of whom may have been contemplating a return to their Old
Covenant ways. The Old Covenant of Law is therefore to be replaced "on the other hand," by the, "bringing in of a better hope, through
which we draw near to God." The Law and keeping the Law is a
powerless, weak, feeble, impotent and in the end sick way of trying to come
into the presence of God. The Law profits
us nothing and is useless to bring us into the precious presence of God. But
thanks be to God there is a "better
hope, through which we draw near to God."
20 And inasmuch as He
was not made priest without an oath 21 (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’ ”), 22 by so much more Jesus has become a
surety of a better covenant.
Wow! Look at this. Paul is saying here that Jesus was "not made priest without an
oath." Jesus was made Priest with
an oath from God! - "The LORD
has sworn and will not relent, You
are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." No
Levitical priest became a priest with such a heavenly endorsement. Levitical
priests became priests by virtue of their simply being from the tribe of Levi.
Jesus was made Priest with the firsthand,
clear and undeniably endorsing oath of God the Father. That is an
incredibly powerful endorsement in God's word (Psalm 110:4) and by God Himself
and shows the absolute superiority of the Priesthood of Jesus over that of the
Levitical priesthood.
Truly "by so
much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant." "Surety" (Greek eggyos means a pledge, a guarantee, a limb
offered as pledge. Jesus Himself, is the "limb offered," in
pledge to the superiority of His Priesthood. He is the reason that the New
Covenant is a "better" (Greek
kretton) or stronger, nobler, more advantageous, more excellent, superior, better,
best "covenant" than
the previous Old Covenant. The New Covenant is not merely another covenant it
is a superior better covenant. A "covenant"
(Greek diatheke) is a a contract, testament, a disposition,
arrangement, a covenant.
23 Also
there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24 But
He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.
The Levitical priests died and therefore there was a
continuous succession of priests and a constant changing in the priests. The
Talmud states there were 18 Levitical high priests before the destruction of
the first Temple and over 300 before the destruction of the second Temple. In
the Levitical line of priests there were many priests. But in the line of
Melchizedek there was only One, Jesus. Jesus is our Dependable and Familiar
High Priest. We don't have to worry about getting a new unfamiliar high priest when we come to
Jesus. Jesus is "unchangeable"
(Greek aparabatos) or not passing away, untransferable,
unchangeable, High Priest. Jesus will always be there for us when we seek
Him out.
Jesus alone is worthy and qualified as High Priest today.
There is a priesthood of believers generally as Christians go to God on behalf
of others and to others as ambassadors of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:18-21; 1 Peter
2). But there is no longer a basis or reason for people to necessarily go to
God through anyone other than Jesus. We can go directly to God through Jesus;
no one else. It is a shame and misrepresentation when the church sets up
priests as a kind of blockade to the throne of God. We are all priests by
virtue of our saving relationship to God in Christ. There are no other steps or
obstacles to God. Remember that because God has torn the curtain of separation
from top to bottom, He has removed all obstacles to enter and live in His
Presence. This is the incredible "uttermost" of salvation provided in
Jesus. This is something any Hebrew would understand and it was an incredible
blessing. What is just as incredible is that apparently some of these Hebrews
were so quickly losing sight of this incredible blessing of Jesus our High
Priest of a better covenant.
25 Therefore
He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him,
since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Because of all of the superiority of the Melchizedekian
priesthood of Jesus, He is able to save "to the uttermost" (Greek panteles)
or to the fullest extent, to the
entirety, completely, perfectly, uttermost extent. This will be an ongoing
theme in Hebrews from this point on; that the priesthood of Jesus and the New
Covenant is superior to the Old Covenant and as such, it would be foolish to
return to the old ways.
Jesus is our unchangeable and constant High Priest, we
can always "come to God through
Him." The idea here is not that Jesus is praying for us constantly.
Jesus is not making intercession for us so much with His words as He is with His wounds. [3]The
scars in Jesus' hands and feet and side are all the evidence the Judge needs to
pronounce a "Not guilty" to all who repent and believe in Jesus.
In a courtroom lawyers stand to
present their case to a jury before a judge. They present their case and then
when they are finished they notify the
judge saying "the defense rests" and sit down. Jesus has presented His case on the cross. The
cross is the basis for the perpetual eternal forgiveness for everyone who
believes in Him. That is why the letter of Hebrews opens with the magnificent
inspired words: "who being the
brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and
upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged
our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high," (Heb.
1:3). Jesus has made His case. His defense for us has rested. And we can rest
in Him. When we approach the throne of grace to find help in time of need, we
can rest assured we will be given forgiveness and grace because Jesus is seated
at the right hand of God.
26 For
such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 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. 28 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 high priests of the Levitical
priesthood were not "Holy" (Greek
hosios) which means undefiled by sin, free from wickedness, pure
and holy. They were not "harmless"
(Greek akakos) or not bad, innocent, harmless, without guile
or fraud, free from guilt. They were not always "undefiled" (Greek amiantos)
or unsoiled, undefiled, free from what
deforms or debases. They were not "separate
from sinners" but were themselves sinful, less than holy, harmful to
others and defiled by the things of this world (v. 26). Not so Jesus! The
Levitical priests had to offer sacrifices for themselves and then for the
people because of their sin (v. 27a). Jesus offered Himself as an atoning
sacrifice for all - "For this He
did once for all when He offered up Himself" (v. 27b; cf. also Hebrews
5:3; 7:27).
Thus, Jesus
completely fulfills the picture and the type of Aaron’s priesthood [cf. Hebrews 5]. But He is represented more fully in
the Melchizedekian order.
Why is this
important?
Because
every one of you is relating to Jesus in one of those two ways.…
Many people
relate to Jesus only as the fulfillment of the Aaronic priesthood. And what they see is this: a Man who became like us,
who laid down His life for us, who did not choose
that position for Himself but only sought to glorify the Father and to obtain
our salvation through His
sacrifice for us. And for them, that’s as far as it goes. They do not understand that Jesus is not only the
fulfillment of the Aaronic priesthood, but that He is Melchizedek. Melchizedek’s ministry is not to obtain
salvation. It is to maintain salvation.
That is why Jesus ever lives to make intercession (Hebrews 7:25).
The
Melchizedekian order is a ministry of maintaining my salvation based upon His wounds—and it’s a done deal. That
means that as I drive home tonight, and I have something
I need to pray about or a promise I wish I could claim, I don’t have to say, “I
can’t claim this promise because I
haven’t prayed with the kind of intensity I should,” or, “I can’t pray now because I haven’t
read my Bible in three months.” No, I can simply say, “Jesus continues to save me because His ministry is
intercession based upon what He once
offered, upon the wounds He now has. There’s no discussion about my worthiness.
I am free. I am completely and
totally free.”
Aaron’s line was always busy working,
always pleading, always sacrificing. In the Melchizedekian
order, however, there’s nothing more to be said, nothing more to do. It was done once and for evermore when our
Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, offered Himself
as a sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary.[4]
Under the Law high priests were
weak because they were fallen men. But Jesus, High Priest by God's ordained
oath, which came after and replaces the Law, "has been perfected forever." Jesus' atoning sacrifice is
totally sufficient and fulfills all that is required for the person who desires
to come into the presence of God. To that all we can say is "Glory!"
and "Thank You Lord!!!"
[1] Courson,
J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application
Commentary (p. 1477). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
[2] Chuck
Smith, The Word for Today Bible, (Costa
Mesa, CA: Word for Today, 2012), p. 1586.
[3] Courson,
J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application
Commentary (p. 1479). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
[4] Courson,
J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application
Commentary (p. 1480). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
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