Hebrews chapter seven

Heb 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;

Heb 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;

Heb 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.

Heb 7:4  Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

Heb 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:

Heb 7:6  But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

Heb 7:7  And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

Heb 7:8  And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

Heb 7:9  And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

Heb 7:10  For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

Heb 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?

Heb 7:12  For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

Heb 7:13  For He of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

Heb 7:14  For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

Heb 7:15  And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

Heb 7:16  Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

Heb 7:17  For He testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Heb 7:18  For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

Heb 7:19  For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

Heb 7:20  And inasmuch as not without an oath He was made priest:

Heb 7:21  (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by Him that said unto Him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)

Heb 7:22  By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

Heb 7:23  And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

Heb 7:24  But this Man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

Heb 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.

Heb 7:26  For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Heb 7:27  Who needeth not daily, as those High Priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself.

Heb 7:28  For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

 

This chapter seeks to establish that Jesus is the true High Priest since the beginning. Verses 1-24 are details of the man, Melchisidec, in order to explain the central scripture, “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 7:17).

Jesus was not Melchisidec himself. Melchisidec was a man, and only a man, whom Christ providentially ordained to represent His work as our intercessor. Abram was not a greatly renowned person at the time he met Melchisidec, and he was not yet called “the father of many nations”. But, he recognized the holiness of this priest of the Lord whose voice in his conscience he was also following and obeying, while surrounded by a world in apostasy from the government of righteousness which Noah had set up. Christ was not Melchisidec; He was like Melchisidec, “after the similitude of Melchisedec”; and His heavenly work was “after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 7:15,17).

 

The writer of Hebrews (WoH) presents Jesus as greater than Abraham, the ancient father of Israel who every Jew revered in the highest strata. “Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.” (Heb. 7:4).  “But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.” (Heb. 7:6,7).

 

Jesus is greater than the ordained priests because they die, while He, as “priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec,” never dies, but has eternal life. “And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.” (Heb. 7:8).

 

“The LORD [Jehovah] said unto my Lord [Adonai], Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.” (Ps. 110:1). This the WoH understands to be God, in David’s vision, speaking to Christ, the Son of man. Then, in verse four of the same psalm David hears God ordaining His Son as High Priest. David saw that his Lord was infinitely higher than Abraham. Because of this, the WoH, by the Holy Spirit, lays claim to a new system of redemption under a newly anointed High Priest, Messiah Jesus. “And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.” (Heb. 7:15,16). “For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.” (Heb. 7:18).

 

“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for [because of] Himself…. And He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for [because of] the overspreading of abominations He shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Dan. 9:25-27).

 

It isn’t possible to get more perfect than “Messiah [^H4899 Heb. mashiyach, anointed one] the Prince [^H5057 Heb. nagiyd nagid, King of kings or Lord of lords] (Dan. 9:25), the “anointed One”, Prince of peace. Perfection is Messiah; He is perfection personified. His coming would have caused every prophet to sing of His loving-kindness and tender mercies, and receive His robe of righteousness. (Isa. 63:7; 61:10).

 

“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?” (Heb. 7:11).

 

The coming of Messiah into human affairs immediately brought the Aaronic priesthood to an end. Aaron, if alive, would have bowed as Ezekiel did at the brilliant sight of Adonai (Christ).

 

“And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings. And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of His loins even upward, and from the appearance of His loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face and I heard a voice of One that spake.” (Eze. 1:25-28).

 

Likewise, should the whole Aaronic priestly system fall on its face before the Lord of glory.

 

“That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent Him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (Jn. 5:23,24).

 

“And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (Jn. 6:40).

 

“And inasmuch as not without an oath He was made priest: (for those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by Him that said unto Him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.” (Heb. 7:20-22). And by so much do we have hope in Christ as God’s appointed and anointed broker for our salvation and restoration to eternal life with His Father, our Father.

 

“And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but this Man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 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.” (Heb. 7:23-25). At Christ’s words, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30), His priesthood would remain in effect until the Father’s words, “It is done” (Rev. 16:17), will resound throughout heaven and earth to bring to an end Christ’s mediatorial ministry for sin and sinners. Through His Son, God’s work of redeeming the hearts and rehabilitating the characters of the children of Adam has successfully sealed a people wholly bent on glorifying the great King of creation.

 

“For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” (Heb. 7:26). This is what Ezekiel and Daniel saw. The sight of the pre-incarnate Jesus caused Daniel to faint.

 

“His body also was like the beryl, and His face as the appearance of lightning, and His eyes as lamps of fire, and His arms and His feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of His words like the voice of a multitude.… Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of His words: and when I heard the voice of His words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.… And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.” (Dan. 10:6,8-11,15-17).

 

“Who needeth not daily, as those High Priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself. For the law maketh men High Priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.” (Heb. 7:27,28). The WoH deems the oath which David heard of greater force than the Law of Moses because the oath came second, “since the law”, after the law, and therefore the oath should have precedence, and so should the Priesthood of Jesus decreed by the oath have precedence. This sounds rational. But if the WoH is Paul, then it contradicts his rationale in another place.

 

“And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.” (Gal. 3:17). Here, Paul gives the greater weight to the promise of righteousness through faith, which was the law of life the Lord gave Abraham, because the covenant of promise in return for trusting God came before the Law of obedience through Moses. Therefore, the first should have the supremacy. The kingdom of faith came before the law given to Moses is argued in Galatians; however, ordaining the King of faith to reign in His kingdom of faith came after the laws given to Moses is argued in Hebrews. Which reason should have the ascendency? Can these two contradicting rationales be reconciled?

 

Whatever the case, “the Son” “is consecrated for evermore.” Mashiyach, the Anointed One, “the Messiah the Prince” (Dan. 9:25),  “the prince of the host” (Dan. 8:11), “the prince of the covenant” (Dan. 11:22), “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6), “the Prince of princes” (Dan. 8:25), has come. “Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 5:31). “Even He shall build the temple of the LORD; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne” (Zech. 6:13), and He ever lives to make intercession for us; thus, “bringing in of a better hope” (Heb. 7:19), “which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 6:19,20).