30/10/16 Hebrews 7:1-13 “A
priesthood after the order of Melchizedek”
A number of passages in Hebrews appear to clearly teach
that it must be possible to lose one’s salvation (just the once, of course),
despite so many people apparently teaching that one just cannot lose one’s
salvation; that is, they have what is commonly described as “eternal security”.
Of course, if the Bible were to consistently contradict the possibility of
losing one’s salvation, then that same consistency would demand that the passages
in Hebrews be interpreted accordingly. However, while the Bible consistently
teaches that God will never forsake us, nor will He permit anyone or anything
to remove us from His hand, not one passage teaches that we lose our free-will
in this matter once we are saved, even though we must, in opposition to such as
the calvinists, maintain our full right to free will in obtaining our
salvation.
And I fail to understand how we can actually not have free
will to maintain our salvation when we have total responsibility via our
free will to choose our salvation. That is, if grabbing hold of a
life-line is not a work toward our salvation, then, likewise, continuing to
hold on (“hold fast”) is not a work either.
Thus, while Hebrews teachings concerning not holding onto
our salvation could be “hypothetical”, it could also be a reality that must be
avoided, a reality that the writer is warning his listeners to note lest they
neglect such great salvation and not escape the consequences. And unless the
Bible actually states that you cannot lose your salvation (and it doesn’t!),
then it is poor scriptural analysis to assume such to be a pre-established
fact! So, I will continue to look at Hebrews with no preconceived ideas that
must be firstly agreed with in order to make a “correct” interpretation.
Hebrews 7:1 – For this Melchisedec, king of
Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the
slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
We’ve already covered much of the background of Melchizedek
in Hebrews 5:5-11. Melchizedek was, as noted here, king of Salem (generally
accepted to be Jerusalem) and also of the priesthood of God, a higher order of
priesthood as we shall see from the rest of this passage today.
Genesis 14:16-20 – 16 And he (Abraham) brought back
all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the
women also, and the people. 17 And the king of Sodom went out
to meet him (Abraham) after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that [were] with him,
at the valley of Shaveh, which [is] the king’s
dale. 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread
and wine: and he [was] the priest of the most high God. 19 And
he (Melchizedek) blessed him (Abraham), and said, Blessed [be] Abram of the most high
God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the
most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he (Abraham) gave him (Melchizedek) tithes of
all.
Note that Melchizedek blessed Abraham who was to be the
ancestor of Levi from whom the Aaronic priesthood would come. The significance
of this fact is brought out further down.
Psalm 110:4 – The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou [art] a
priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Therefore, this was a priestly order that pre-existed
Abraham and the Abrahamic covenant, and the Aaronic priesthood that was to
descend from Abraham.
Hebrews 7:2 – To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first
being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of
Salem, which is, King of peace;
The offering by Abraham of a tithe establishes the
credentials of Melchizedek to be a priest of the most high God, superior in
office to even Abraham.
Righteousness and peace are dependent upon each other.
Psalm 85:10 – Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace
have kissed [each other].
Peace is a consequence of righteousness, and righteousness
is a requirement for peace.
Isaiah 32:17 – And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the
effect of righteousness quietness and assurance
(peace) for ever.
Abraham (still Abram at this stage) gave ten percent of the
spoils of war to Melchizedek; this is a picture of our service to Christ’s
priesthood today.
Righteousness and peace are characteristics of Christ’s
kingdom. They are in fact attributes of Christ/God Himself.
Isaiah 9:6 – For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and
the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace.
Jeremiah 33:16 – In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall
dwell safely: and this [is the name] wherewith she shall be called, The
Lord our righteousness.
1 Corinthians 1:30 – But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is
made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption:
Ephesians 2:14 – For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and
hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us];
Note that Adoni–zedek (Lord of righteousness) king of Jerusalem is
mentioned in Joshua 10:3. This is not Melchi-zedek,
however.
Some teach that Melchizedek was actually Shem; others teach
that he was a Christophany (that is, Christ was appearing
in His priestly role to Abraham). However, there is no reason to assume other
than that Melchizedek was what the Bible says he was – that he was a type
of Christ’s priestly service that was better than the Aaronic priesthood. Many
“types” exist in the Bible – for instance, Joshua as a type of Christ.
Barnes, though, suggests that even naming Melchizedek as a
type of Christ is going too far: “A simple
resemblance has been discovered between Christ and a certain character in the
old Testament. This is all the apostle means to affirm!” However, I personally believe that at least a type of
Christ has been established in Melchizedek.
Hebrew 7:3 – Without father, without mother, without descent, having
neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
without descent – agenealogetos (one
whose descent there is no record of; without genealogy) That is, no pedigree. It
doesn’t mean Melchizedek had no father or mother but that there was no record
of such, that history records him as one without beginning nor end. What
is recorded historically concerning Melchizedek is only to be found in Genesis
14:18-20. As Ellicott says, “In these
respects “made like (as a divinely ordained type) unto the Son of God,” he
bears perpetually the character of priest.”
The Aaronic priesthood could only be taken on by men whose genealogy
could be fully traced back to Aaron. Anyone who had any doubt at all about
their ancestry was ineligible for the priesthood. For someone like Melchizedek
to have no genealogy at all was to oppose all their careful rules of lineage of
the priesthood. Put simply, you had to be born into the priesthood; there was
no other way!
Ellicott says, “It is
not necessary to adduce proof of the care with which inquiry was made into the
parentage of the Jewish priests (Nehemiah 7:64): in their marriages they were
subject to strict restraints (Leviticus
21:13-14); their statement of pedigree (in which was given the name
not of father only, but also of every mother) must be complete, ascending to
Aaron, and containing no doubtful link. He who is a priest “like Melchizedek”
holds a priesthood that rests on no such rights or claims. The words that
follow are of similar character. No commencement and no close of priestly
position or function are recorded in the sacred history. As the Scripture is
silent as to his reception of the office, so also as to any transmission of it
to another. In these respects “made like (as a divinely ordained type) unto the
Son of God,” he bears perpetually the character of priest.”
In the same way, Christ’s priesthood stands alone,
separated from any Aaronic genealogy. Therefore, Melchizedek has become a type
of the eternal priesthood of Christ, who, as God, has no beginning and no end,
and abides in the heavenlies as our High Priest
forever. See Hebrews 4:14 and particularly Hebrews 7:25-29 which is where this
passage is heading at the moment. This verse is establishing Melchizedek as a
type of Christ’s better (perfect) priesthood. It was thus seen as a continual (perpetual)
priesthood because it was not inherited from another by Christ, neither would
it ever be handed on to the next in line! This priesthood stands alone!
Hebrews 7:4 – Now consider how great this man [was], unto whom
even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
The Jews considered Abraham to be the epitome of their
ancestry, the one who represented their claim as the people of God. If they
were descended from Abraham, then what more needed to be said concerning their
standing with God?!
Galatians 3:7-9; 14; 29
– 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same
are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing
that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel
unto Abraham, [saying], In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So
then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
14 That the
blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we
might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
29 And if ye
[be] Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the
promise.
Paul claimed his birthright through Abraham:
Romans 11:1 – I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid.
For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, [of] the tribe of
Benjamin.
Thus Abraham was considered to be the greatest of all God’s
people, or, at the very least, up there with Moses and King David. Yet if Abraham
gave a tithe to Melchizedek, then Melchizedek had to be even greater than Abraham!
The Hebrew recipients of this epistle would have understood clearly what this was
saying: that there was one to whom even Abraham would submit, other than God.
spoils – top of the
heap; the first fruits; best of the spoils or crops; the Greeks customarily
selected from the topmost part of the heaps and offered this to the gods
Hebrews 7:5 – And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive
the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people
according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the
loins of Abraham:
The tithe was actually to be paid to the Levites, some of
whom were of the Aaronic priesthood. Israel was to pay a tithe to the Levites
and those Levites who were of the Aaronic priesthood were to be given tithes
from that offering from Israel.
Deuteronomy 14:27-29 – 27 And the
Levite that [is] within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he
hath no part nor inheritance with thee. 28 At the end of
three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same
year, and shalt lay [it] up within thy gates: 29 And
the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the
stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which [are] within thy
gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may
bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.
This priestly tithe was generally considered to be a tenth,
that part of the tithe to the Levites that was given for the work of God. It
was their ministry wages. The word “tithe” can mean “to exact or receive a
tenth from anyone”
Numbers 18:26 – Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye
take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for
your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord, [even]
a tenth [part] of the tithe.
Nehemiah 10:38 – And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the
Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe
of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure
house.
out of the loins of Abraham – Even though the ones who receive the tithes have the
same ancestry as those who pay them (that is, from Abraham), those who are of
the Aaronic (Levitical) priesthood are still to receive more honour by means of
their office than those who are not of that priesthood.
Hebrews 7:6 – But he whose descent is not counted from them received
tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
That is, Melchizedek, who did not descend from Abraham,
nevertheless received tithes (implying submission) from Abraham, and he who
didn’t have the promises of God by covenant (that is, Melchizedek) blessed him
who did have such promises (that is, Abraham).
Pulpit commentary says, As
much as to say, "Let it not be said that the tithing of Abraham by
Melchizedek implies no higher priestly prerogative than the tithing of
Abraham's descendants by the sons of Aaron; for there is this difference: They,
in virtue only of a special ordinance of the Law, not of original right, were
allowed to tithe their brethren, though descended from the same great ancestor;
he, though not of them or of the race at all, in virtue of his own inherent
dignity, tithes the whole race as represented in its patriarch."
Hebrews 7:7 – And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the
better.
That is, it can be argued without any opposition that only
one who is better spiritually can bless another who must by logical conclusion
be spiritually “less”.
less – in age
(younger); in rank; in excellence, worse.
better – a comparative
term: more useful; more advantageous; more excellent
Hebrews 7:8 – And here men that die receive tithes; but there he [receiveth them], of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
The men that die and receive tithes are clearly the Aaronic
priesthood, who are born, they live, and they die, like all mortal men. This
passage is all about the different order of priesthood (Melchizedek), where the
priest isn’t recorded as being born, or even dying, even though obviously
Melchizedek had to have been born and later on had to have died again. But as a
type of Christ’s better priesthood, Melchizedek is seen only as living, a
picture of the ongoing eternal living of Christ and His eternal priesthood.
Clearly the emphasis here is to do with the ongoing priesthood that exists as
long as the priest is alive, and if he is never seen as dying, then he must be
seen as living forever. In the case of Melchizedek (the type), this is only
apparent, yet not true, while in the case of Christ (the real, not the type),
it is not merely apparent but true as well. Again it can be seen that this
epistle is following a logical trail that now leads us to Hebrews 7:25 – Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost
that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to
make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:9-10 – 9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 10 For
he was yet in the loins of his father (male
ancestor), when Melchisedec
met him.
That is, Levi (who received tithes from Israel) was a
descendant of Abraham, and therefore effectively was implicated in the payment
of tithes by Abraham to Melchizedek.
This then leads to the conclusion that if Melchizedek were
greater than Abraham, then he was also greater than Levi who was descended from
Abraham. By logical deduction, we can then put in place of Levi any other
descendant of Abraham, thus proving the Melchizedek was actually greater than
any of the descendants of Abraham.
The only exception to this would be Jesus who was not only
descended from Abraham, but also directly from His Father God (having no human
father), thus logically of a higher birth than being only of Abraham. Having no
human father in some sense excludes Christ somewhat from this human lineage in
a system where ancestry was more to do with the father than with the mother –
just note all the genealogy lists in various parts of the Bible.
And if the priest (Melchizedek) is greater than all
Abraham’s descendants, then his priesthood demands tithes (and therefore
submission) from all Abraham’s descendants. Levi is mentioned in particular
because he and his descendants were recipients of the tithes of Israel,
especially the Aaronic priesthood which descended from Levi. This would also
include all the Hebrew readers/listeners to this epistle.
Hebrews 7:11 – If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood,
(for under it the people received the law,) what further need [was there] that
another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec,
and not be called after the order of Aaron?
If perfection (from sin and man’s sinful condition) could
have been achieved through the Levitical priesthood (and the law it taught to
Israel), then what would have been the point of another better priesthood if
the best it could do would be to equal what the Levitical priesthood could
achieve, if that were perfection. For you cannot be better than perfect!
But the law cannot save man, only condemn him. The
sacrifices could never save, but only look forward to a better, perfect
sacrifice, that of Jesus Christ. Man needed a better priesthood after the order
of Melchizedek in order to be truly saved.
Hebrews 10:4 – For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls
and of goats should take away sins.
Hebrews 7:12 – For the priesthood being changed, there is made of
necessity a change also of the law.
The original Levitical priesthood was set up upon the law;
that is, it was to administer the law to Israel, including the penalties
incurred for infringements. But it’s now under new management. The old system
(the old covenant) was not perfect, and could never be. But now a new
administration (the new covenant) has been put in place, becoming effective
with the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ. The Aaronic priesthood was merely
a caretaker administration that was put in place while awaiting the arrival of
the proper, perfect administration under Jesus Christ, eternally a priest (eternally,
not caretaker!) after the order of Melchizedek.
And if you change the administration of the law, you need
the law itself to be changed, yet not destroyed, but instead fulfilled!
Matthew 5:17-18 – 17 Think not
that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy,
but to fulfil (pleroo). 18 For verily I say unto you, Till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the
law, till all be fulfilled.
This is the last dispensation (“last days”), when the new
priesthood has been established, in order that creation may be metamorphosed
(like a caterpillar into a butterfly) from this its initial stages of existence
to become the glorious creation it was always planned that it should be.
Hebrews 1:2a – Hath in these last (eschatos) days spoken unto us by [his] Son
Since creation came under the new priesthood, there have
been birth pains that will culminate in the “birth” of new heavens and a new
earth, filled with righteousness. (Melchizedek = king of righteousness).
Matthew 24:7-8 – 7 For nation
shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be
famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All
these [are] the beginning of sorrows (birth
pangs).
Romans 8:22-23 – 22 For we
know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain (the
pains of childbirth) together until now. 23
And not only [they], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, [to wit], the redemption of our
body.
And what is the glorious result of that new, perfect and
eternal priesthood after the order of Melchizedek?
2 Peter 3:10; 13 – 10 But the
day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens
shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
13 Nevertheless
we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Hebrews 7:13 – For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave
attendance at the altar.
To be a priest in the Old
Testament you had to be born of the line of Aaron of the line of Levi. But no
longer is the priesthood of the line of Levi. It belongs to another tribe,
Judah, which never had anyone permitted to minister at God’s altar. Note King Uzziah (of Judah) who went into the temple to offer incense
to God (2 Chronicles 26:16-21) and was struck with leprosy until he died. Note,
too, that Jesus is also called the Lion of Judah in Revelation 5:5 – And one of the elders saith
unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David,
hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the
seven seals thereof.
To the Hebrews, with their
knowledge and understanding of the law, this all should have made sense, leading
toward Hebrews 8:1 – Now of the things
which we have spoken [this is] the sum
(the chief or main point): We have such an
high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the
heavens;
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