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| Chapter 7 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
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1 ¶ For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham, who was returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him. 2 To him also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, Melchisedec first being by interpretation "king of righteousness," and after that also king of Salem, which means "king of peace." 3 Without father, without mother and without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, he abideth a priest continually. 4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And verily, those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law--that is, from their breathlessness they come out of the loins of Abraham. 6 But Melchisedec, whose descent is not counted from them, received tithes from Abraham and blessed him that had the promises. 7 And beyond all contradiction, the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 And here men who die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. 9 And, as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedec met Abraham. 11 ¶ If therefore 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 Melchisedec, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken pertained to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And this is yet far more evident when there ariseth another priest according to the similitude of Melchisedec, 16 who is made not according to the law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifieth: "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." 18 For there is verily an annulling of the former commandment because of the weakness and un profitableness thereof. 19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw nigh unto God. 20 And inasmuch as it was not without an oath that He was made priest 21 (for those priests were made without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said unto Him: "The Lord swore and will not repent, ’Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.’") 22 by so much more was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23 And those priests truly were many, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death; 24 but this Man, because He continueth forever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such a High Priest was befitting for us, He being holy, undisposed to harm, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens, 27 who needeth not, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice daily first for his own sins and then for the people’s; for this He did once when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests who have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which came since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. |
Jesus is a better priest because He is a better person:- 1) Because He comes from an Higher order, v1-22 The superiority (being greatest, the best) of Christ over the three religious ceremonies of the Jewish religion, the priesthood, the ministry and the sacrifice is now talked about. The Priesthood of Christ is greater than the Aaron priesthood because it is setup according to those under the conditions of Melchisedec, the king of Salem. This is examined in Chapter 7. Christs ministry is greater because it is spiritual and eternal compared with earthly and only to exist for a short time, discussed in Chapters 8 to 9. Finally the sacrifice of Christ is greater for by one final sacrifice only offered once compared with many sacrifices. Chapter 10. v1-28 The Christ Priesthood is the greatest. v1-2 The characteristics (features, qualities) of Melchisedec and the fact is greater, superior to Abraham. The Jews had great respect for his person Melchisedec, he is only mentioned twice in the Old Testament Gen 14:18-20 when Abraham returned from rescuing his nephew Lot, and Psalm 110:4. Melchisedec has two titles, king of Salem and Priest of the Most High God. Under Jewish religion this joining together of the two positions was not allowed as priesthood was separated from kingship. The mention in Psalms shows that in the writers mind was placed the thought that the full title of Christ would be King-Priest. Melchisedec was not a Jew but Gentile, yet Abraham accepted him as a true priest of the God of Abraham and was given a "tithe" or a tenth of the things captured in the battles, this action showed that Melchisedec was greater than the "father of the Jews." As a priest Melchisedec had the right to "bless the people in the name of the Lord." Melchisedec was also a king, a King of Righteousness and a King of Salem so making Melchisedec a type of the Messiah. v3 The fathers and mothers of the Levitical priesthood could all be traced as this was carefully recorded, without a proof of a proper family line they could not be a priest. Ezra 2:62,63; Nehemiah 7:63-65. Melchisedec does not belong to any priestly family, his priesthood does not depend upon his parents, also it had no beginning or end, eternal. Christ, as God, He had no beginning, no parents and was timeless, Melchisedec resembles The Son of God. The Melchisedec Priesthood is superior (greater) v4-10. The writer now gives four reasons why Melchisedec is superior. v4-6 1) Abraham gave him tithes (tenth) which means he accepted Melchisedec as a priest and superior to him. v6,7 2) Melchisedec blessed Abraham,even though God had promised that the world would be blessed by Abraham’s seed. As a priest of God Melchisedec had been appointed by a divine act, the greater blessing the lesser(lower). v8 3) The Priesthood according to Aaronic rules was temporary, but Melchisedec priesthood was before and eternal. v5,9 4) Levi, who received tithes from the sons of Abraham when he was born, also paid tithes to Melchisedec through the action of Abraham. Legal and spiritual priesthood compared v11-28. The writer now makes a bold statement, the Levitical priesthood was to be replaced, as this is part of the Mosaic system of law, the removal of the priesthood also means that the Mosaic law must also go v11-14. So a spiritual and royal priesthood will replace the formal(following ceremony) and legalized(following rules)v15-17. The spiritual is greater because of the following reason, v18,19 we can draw nearer to God; v20-22 It is confirmed by a divine promise; v23-25 The Priesthood of Christ is for ever and will never change. v11-13 The Melchisedec priesthood appeared in Genesis 14 and was referred to in Psalm 110:4 but disappears even though it was superior(greater) than the Levitical which appeared later but was restricted to the Jews. Yet it was through the Levitical priesthood that God was to bring salvation to the world. The Levitical Priesthood is not perfect for it failed to make the covenant eternal and only gave limited access to God. It was through and under the Levitical priesthood that the Law was given. Now we are told that another Priest has appeared under the order of Melchisedec and not according to the order of Aaron. In addition this new priest was not of the priestly tribe Levi. Both the Old Testament prophecy and the Gospels show that this tribe is the "royal tribe of Judah." Isaiah 9:6,7; Isaiah 11:1-5; Micah 5:2; Matt 2:5-6; Rom 1:3, v13. As Christ was not of the tribe of Levi He could never minister as a priest at the Jewish alters. v14 Though it was prophesied that the Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah this verse indicates that He grew like a plant. (sprang from the roots of Jesse Isaiah 11:1). v15-17 Under the Law the qualifications for priesthood were physical, the new priesthood of Christ is very different, it is eternal and had the power to bring full salvation, not an animal sacrifice. (v25). This New Priest-King, like Melchisedec, can not only bring men to God (v19) but also save them completely, v25. v18,19 This introduction of a new Priesthood by God also cancels out the old priesthood, which was not perfect, and not permanent (eternal). Because of what Christ has done we can now see how poor the old law and priesthood were, completely powerless. Rom 7; Rom 8:3; Gal 3:23,24. The writer is thus teaching the readers not to depend on this old priesthood. v20,21 The new priesthood was created with a divine oath (promise) and so cannot be changed. An oath made by God is as eternal as God. A priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. v22 The priesthood of Christ has been guaranteed (promised it will complete) by God. 2) Jesus gives the salvation that other priests only indicated the possibility. v23,24 We now have the last reason for the superiority. Under the Mosaic Covenant the priests were many because of their physical limits of death, under the new one there is one priest only and He is for ever. v25,26 Because this new High Priest is eternal then He is able to save completely those who come to God and also act as the mediator (go between) of Man and God. This High Priest is holy, will not harm those who seek Him. He is now separated from sinners and cannot be made unclean, unlike the Aaronic priests. All these qualifications means He is worthy of the greatest honour, "higher than the heavens." v27 The writers is referring to the old priests who had to offer a sacrifice for their own wrongs before offering for the people but Christ, who was sinless and perfect, only needed to offer Himself in place of Man once for ever. v28 The law made priests who were not perfect and weak, but the oath made by God made His Son consecrated (made for use of God only) for evermore. |
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