HEBREWS 7:1-28

WE ARE STILL STUDYING THE TYPE OF CHRIST, THE ENIGMATIC OLD TESTAMENT PRIEST, MELCHIZEDEK. We will see again how knowing about him can enhance our understanding and appreciation of Jesus Christ, our Eternal Priest.  This is another passage that exalts, lifts up Jesus.  One of the greatest things about systematically studying this complex, often demanding, but always wonderful book of Hebrews is that it focuses our eyes on Jesus, wonderful Jesus, our eternal high priest.

ALL SCHOLARS EMPHASIZE THE UNIQUE IMPORTANCE OF CHAPTER 7, MOST INDEED, VIEW THIS MIDDLE CHAPTER IN THE BOOK AS THE MOUNTAIN PEAK OF HEBREWS. One writer (Kistemaker) wrote, “The heart of the doctrinal section of the Epistle to the Hebrews lies in the discussion of the high priesthood of Christ recorded in chapter 7.”  Another (MacArthur) says, “Chapter 7 is the focal point of Hebrews.”  And one more reliable source (Bible Knowledge Commentary) said, “The theme of chapter 7 is the core theme of Hebrews.” It is my humble and respectful belief that the emphasis is well called for.  I think chapters 7 through 10:18 constitute the main point of the writer’s argument that can be rightly described as the superiority of Christ over the religious system of Judaism.  He is making this point, the reason he wrote the letter, his controlling purpose for writing, to show the futility of returning to Judaism.  He has been warning them in chapters 5 and 6 not to fall away from Christ but to go on to maturity in Christ.

ALL THIS TO SAY THAT AFTER WRITING NOW THREE BLOGS ON V. 1-3 OF CHAPTER 7, “MELCHIZEDEK – A TYPE OF CHRIST,” “THE GREATNESS OF MELCHIZEDEK,” AND “THE SUPERIORITY OF MELCHIZEDEK,” AND CONTINUING TO STUDY THE CHAPTER THROUGH READING VARIOUS AUTHORS’ COMMENTARIES ON HEBREWS, I’VE BECOME CONVINCED THERE IS MORE WORK TO BE DONE. Probably the major determining factor in formulating that decision has been the simple repetitive reading of chapters 7-10, for such reading makes it abundantly clear that the effects do not stop with v. 28, the last verse of chapter, nor do they conclude even with the ending verses of chapter 8, but extend at least to the end of chapter 10, which could be said to mark the beginning of the writer’s conclusion of his main argument to GO ON AND NOT TURN BACK, a message most probably meant for Jewish members of the congregation but surely for all readers whatever their spiritual relation to Christ. I feel certain that anything that comes across in this blog as unnecessarily repetitive will in time prove to be worthwhile and more than likely most insightful.

I HESITATE TO SAY MUCH MORE ABOUT MY FEELING OF THE WRITER’S INTENTIONS UNTIL WE HAVE FINISHED AT LEAST CHAPTER 7 AND ARE WELL INTO CHAPTER 8’S DETERMINATIVE TEACHING ON THE NEW COVENANT. So for now I’ll move on…

IN CHAPTER 7, THE WRITER ARGUES THAT CHRIST’S PRIESTHOOD, LIKE MELCHIZEDEK’S, IS SUPERIOR IN SEVERAL IMPORTANT WAYS. In chapter 8, the emphasis will be on Christ’s better covenant – the New Covenant.  In chapter 9, it is Christ’s better sanctuary, and in chapter 10, it is His better sacrifice.  The writer to the Hebrews, as much a preacher as he is an author, as the book of Hebrews is as much a sermon as it is a letter, in this middle and most important section of the book is conclusively proving the superiority of Christ and the inferiority of Judaism.

SO, HEBREWS 7 IS A MAJOR CHAPTER. It is well worth our while as Christians to deal positively with whatever difficulties the text may present to our modern minds. Along these lines, one writer (Steadman) commented, “This chapter establishes Melchizedek historic identity; his precedence and superiority to the Levitical priesthood; the consequent need for a radical replacement of the Law; and the remarkable advantages which the Melchizedek ministry affords. These themes are little noted or understood in the average church today but desperately needed if the church (or the individual Christian) is to effectively confront the world with power and grace.”

CHAPTER 7 CAN BE ACCURATELY SUMMARIZED IN A PARADIGM OF 8 POINTS: “(1) Jesus represents all while Aaron represented Israel only; (2) Jesus was both a King and a Priest while Aaron was only a priest; (3) Jesus is concerned with righteousness and peace, while Aaron was concerned with sin and judgment; (4) Jesus did not inherit or pass on His priesthood while Aaron did not pass on his priesthood and his descendents inherited the priesthood from him; (5) Jesus’ priesthood brings believers to maturity but Aaron’s priesthood kept those he represented in a state of infancy; (6) the ministry of Jesus resulted in blessing while Aaron’s only produced that which was weak and unprofitable; (7 ) the Aaronic priesthood (a.k.a. the Levitical priesthood) was based on the Law of Moses which was functioned by an endless procession of slaughtered animals and dying priests, whereas the priesthood of Jesus is based on a covenant that made Him a priest forever, unchangeable, permanent – eternal; and (8) the priesthood of Jesus is based on the sinlessness of the priest while the Aaronic priesthood was created through sinful man.” – Fructenbaum

HEBREWS 7 DIVIDES INTO TWO EXTENDED PASSAGES: VERSES 1-10, PART 1, AND VERSES 11-28, NEXT WEEK’S PART 2, HOWEVER, PART 2 WILL SURELY BE DIVIDED INTO AT LEAST A COUPLE MORE PARTS, DUE TO ITS VERSES LENGTH AND COMPLEXITY…

^NAS Hebrews 7:1-10 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.  Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he abides a priest perpetually.  Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils.  And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham.  But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham, and blessed the one who had the promises. But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.  And in this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

DIFFICULT WORDS, STRANGE TO OUR EARS. But within these 10 verses we can understand relatively easily that the writer is drawing a comparison between this mysterious figure Melchizedek and the Lord Jesus Christ.  And we can surmise from what the text has taught us in the previous chapters that his intention is to exalt Jesus and to demonstrate to his readers Jesus’ superiority…

THEREFORE, THE MAIN THOUGHT THIS WEEK WILL, AS IT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS, BE A COMPARISON OF MELCHIZEDEK AND JESUS leading to an exaltation of Jesus as the Eternal Priest.  Throughout chapter 7, as well as throughout the first 10 chapters of the book, the writer’s intention is to lift up Christ, to show His convincing superiority over all people and things of Judaism…

FIRST, THE COMPARISON…  Melchizedek was a priest, and so is Christ.  Melchizedek was a king, and so is Christ.  Melchizedek was all about righteousness and peace, and so is Christ.  Based upon a loose interpretation of Genesis 14, particularly as it is presented in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew O.T.)…

WHATEVER THE SPECIFIC BOUNDARIES ONE CHOOSES TO PLACE AROUND THE WRITER’S COMMENTS ABOUT MELCHIZEDEK, THE ENTIRE DISCUSSION COULD BE SAID TO BE A COMPARISON BETWEEN HIM AND JESUS, AS WELL AS A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE OLD COVENANT AND THE NEW.

FIRST, LET’S REVIEW JUST WHO MELCHIZEDEK WAS. You may remember from previous blogs that he was a mysterious figure in the Bible who is only mentioned in two passages in all the Old Testament…

^NAS Genesis 14:10-20 Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell into them. But those who survived fled to the hill country. Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food supply, and departed. And they also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed, for he was living in Sodom. Then a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were allies with Abram. And when Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people. Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tenth of all.

^NAS Psalm 110:1-4 A Psalm of David. The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.” The LORD will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Thine enemies.” Thy people will volunteer freely in the day of Thy power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Thy youth are to Thee as the dew. The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, “Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

THESE TWO PASSAGES, YOU’LL REMEMBER FROM PREVIOUS BLOGS, ARE THE ONLY TWO PASSAGES IN ALL OD THE OLD TESTAMENT WHERE MELCHIZEDEK IS MENTIONED.

I THINK WE CAN SAY THAT THE BEST DEFINITION OF MELCHIZEDEK IS THAT HE WAS A TYPE OF CHRIST. In the Old Testament there are many types.  A type in biblical studies is essentially an example, an analogy, an illustration. A type points to an antitype, who is the reality of the illustration. The type is historical and real, but it is imperfect and temporary.  The antitype is perfect and eternal. Melchizedek was a type of Christ; Christ is the antitype of that type. Melchizedek was the facsimile of which Christ is the reality.  We can look at Melchizedek and see in him features or reflections of features which were later brought to full realization in the Lord Jesus.  In one sense, all the hundreds of types found in the O.T. are types of Christ.  Everything – Moses, the Tabernacle with all its furnishings and sacrifices – the sacrificial lamb – all ultimately points to Jesus.  Melchizedek was not Christ Himself, as some claim. Rather, Melchizedek was a type who prefigured Christ.

SECOND, THE EXALTATION. In vs. 11-28 the writer continues his comparison by showing first the inadequacy of the Old Priesthood (7:11-19), and then the Superiority of the New Priesthood (7:20-28).  As some commentators I’ve been reading suggest and very well may myself be following in my blogs, these two sections may also accurately be divided into three sections and titled: (1) the Historical Argument dealing with Melchizedek and Abraham, and (2) the Doctrinal Argument, dealing with Christ and Aaron, and at the end of chapter 7 (vs. 25-28), the Practical Argument, dealing with Christ and the believer.  Aaron, you will remember, was the brother of Moses and the first high priest of ancient Judaism.

THE JEWISH NATION AND THE ORIGNAL JEWISH CHRISTIAN READERS OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS WERE LONG ACCUSTOMED TO THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE TRIBE OF LEVI.  As you probably know, there were twelve tribes making the nation of Israel.  This tribe of Levi was chosen by God to serve in the Tabernacle…

^NAS Numbers 18:1-2 So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s household with you shall bear the guilt in connection with the sanctuary; and you and your sons with you shall bear the guilt in connection with your priesthood. But bring with you also your brothers, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may be joined with you and serve you, while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony.”

THE PRIESTS OF NATION OF ISRAEL HAD MANY FAILURES BUT, GENERALLY, THEY HAD SERVED YAHWEH (THE LORD) FAITHFULLY FOR CENTURIES.  But now the preacher of the book of Hebrews is arguing to his mostly Jewish readers that this Levitical priesthood had ended.  In effect, he was saying to these Jewish Christians – or those Jews who were contemplating following Jesus (chapters 5-6), who, under persecution, were considering returning to the Jewish religious system of priests and sacrifices, there was nothing to return to.  The religious system of the Jews had served its purpose, but now Christ had come.  With the coming of Christ, the religious system of the Jews was ended.  In chapter 7 he is proving this mainly by the 6 stark comparisons he presents in PART 2 of our study.

LORD WILLING, WE’LL LOOK AS THOSE 6 COMPARISONS IN VS. 1-3 AND MUCH MORE NEXT WEEK…

– Professor Thomas A. Rohm