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Hebrews 7Introduction:

In the book of Genesis, we are told the story of Abraham and his nephew, Lot. There came a time when Lot had grown so great in size as far as his family and wealth was concerned, that Abraham and Lot parted ways. Lot had taken his family and all of his possessions and had set up living in an area where there was a confederation of five kings. These kings had conquered the area where Lot lived, and they ultimately wound up taking Lot captive and also spoiled several other cities. When Abraham heard about it, he and his servants went out to get Lot back, which they did. Having slaughtered the kings, they took as a spoil all that the kings had taken from the many cities they had conquered. As Abraham returned from the slaughter of these kings, there came a man out to meet him by the name of Melchisedec, whose name means King of righteousness and also King of Salem, which, being interpreted, is King of peace. The Bible gives us nothing concerning the origins of Melchisedec—no geneology, no mention of his parents—or what transpired after the meeting with Abraham. We do know that this meeting between Abraham and Melchisedec occurred 400 years before Moses and the Law.

This Melchisedec is only mentioned twice in the Old Testament—first in Genesis 14:18 and then in Psalm 110:4, which is a Messianic Psalm. In Genesis 14, Melchisedec is described as “. . . the priest of the most high God,” which is interesting because the priesthood under the Law would not be established for another 400 years. This would be called the Aaronic Order from the tribe of Levi. In order to be a high priest under the Law, you first had to be from the tribe of Levi and of the Aaronic Order. However, here is an order of priesthood that predates the Levitical priesthood by 400 years, a priesthood to whom Abraham, who is the father of the nation, received a blessing and gave tribute by paying tithes.

Here in Hebrews 7, Paul begins to point out that this priest, Melchisedec, was of a higher-order priesthood than that of the Aaronic Order, which was established under the Law. I think it’s interesting to note that the meeting between Abraham and Melchisedec took place 2,000 years before Christ and that between the two mentions of Melchisedec, first in Genesis 14 and then in Psalm 110, there is 1,000 years difference. Thus, the first time Melchisedec appears, He is called “. . . the priest of the most high God.” One thousand years later, he is mentioned again by the psalmist, of whom he said, “The Lord has sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedec,” talking about the coming Messiah.

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Before we get into the text itself, I want to turn to John 8:56-59 where Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees who were challenging His claims as Messiah and the Son of God. The Pharisees said, “We are the sons of Abraham,” to which Jesus replied, “If you were the sons of Abraham, you would have acknowledged me because Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it.”

John 8:56-58(56) Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.(57) Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?(58) Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

So, here’s the question: When did Abraham see Jesus? There are many Bible scholars and teachers (and I would include myself in this) who believe that Melchisedec was, in fact, one of what we call the Christophanies of the Old Testament, which, simply put, is Jesus appearing pre-incarnate in the Old Testament. Thus, we see Jesus appearing to Abraham as Melchisedec, who came out to meet him after the slaughter of the kings, by whom Abraham was blessed and to whom Abraham gave tithes. It is also worth mentioning that besides the blessing that Melchisedec gave to Abraham, He also gave to him bread and wine—the very symbols of the body and blood of Christ.

Hebrews 7:1-28(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;(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;

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I. Interesting name: Melchisedec is called the King of Salem, which is the same place where many years later the city of Jerusalem would be built. He is also called the King of righteousness or King of peace. It is always in that order. It is never peace and then righteousness; it is always righteousness and then peace, for it is only by the grace of God that we are made partakers of the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ and by which we come to know the peace of God. Both of these attributes—righteousness and peace—are incorporated in the name Melchisedec.

(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.

II. Without genealogy: Genealogies were important to the Jews and still are, for it was the only way that one could prove his eligibility for the priesthood. Paul says here that Melchisedec had none. He was without descent. The reason being is that He was without a mother, He was without a father, and He had no beginning of days, nor end of life. He was made like unto the Son of God and abides a priest continually.

Thus, the psalmist said, “The Lord has sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedec.” It is a superior priesthood, a perpetual priesthood. Under the Aaronic Order, a high priest ceased to be high priest when he died. Because Jesus lives, He is still our high priest, so He abides a priest forever.

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

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III. Now consider: Paul started earlier in this letter telling us to consider Jesus. Now, he is telling us to consider Melchisedec, who is a Christophany of Jesus in the Old Testament. Paul says to consider how great this man was to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.

a. Abraham was great: It is important that you understand how the Jews think about Abraham. In the mind of the Jew, Abraham is the epitome, being the father of us all. He is the prime patriarch of the people; thus, he is revered greatly. Paul, wanting to show the superiority, says to them and to us, you need to consider how great this man truly was unto whom even Abraham, as great as he was, paid tithes to Melchisedec.

(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:

IV. A tenth under the Law: Under the Law, God had established that the people should give a tenth part of all of their increase. They were to bring this tithe into the temple; thus, it was to be given to the priest. They were to give this tithe when they harvested, and according to Malachi 3, it was intended to keep the Levite priesthood fed. Thus, in Malachi 3 it says, “. . . that there may be meat in my temple.” Thus, the Levitical priesthood received tithes from their brothers, who were the descendants of Abraham.

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

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V. Not a descendant of Abraham: Because Melchisedec was on the earth at the same time as Abraham, His descent is not counted from him. Abraham had the promise. God had told Abraham, “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” So, Abraham was the man to whom God made the promises; yet, Abraham was the one who received a blessing from this man. Consider how great this man was that even Abraham received a blessing and paid tithes to him.

(7) And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

VI. Greater to the lesser: Blessings flow down hill. They are always bestowed from the greater to the lesser. Thus, we are told that we are blessed of God and that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights . . .” (James 1:17). Because of this, Paul is asserting the fact that Abraham, because he received a blessing from Melchisedec, stands at the feet of Melchisedec, who towers above even the great patriarch Abraham.

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

VII. Levitical priests: Because the Levitical priesthood was made up of men—ordinary mortal men—they would eventually die. So, the order of priesthood was passed down in a succession of generations. Because the Melchisedec priesthood is forever, He received them then because He still lives.

(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, when Melchisedec met him.

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VIII. An interesting reality: If you ever question the foreknowledge of God, this one verse should settle that question forever in your heart. Here we are told that the Levitical priesthood, because it was inferior to the Melchisedec order, which is superior, they, themselves, paid tithe to Melchisedec, even though that order would not even be established for another 400 years. Because they were in the loins of Abraham and because Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedec, God counts that they all did.

a. Before you were formed:

Jeremiah 1:4-5 (4) Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,(5) Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

God has always known you long before He formed you—not that you pre-existed but that you existed in the mind of God. Thus, He knows everything about you—all your thoughts, all your sin, all your faults, and all your virtues. Yet, He has chosen you anyway and has a plan for you.

(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?

IX. What would be the need? If the Levitical priesthood could have made men perfect, there would have been no need for a second. This is the reason the Lord said in Psalm 110, “The Lord has sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedec.” The Aaronic priesthood could perfect nothing. Thus, God reverts to an earlier and superior priesthood, which was able to do exactly that.

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(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 pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

X. A changing of the law: Because Paul is talking about the Melchisedec priesthood, which is superior to the Levitical priesthood, there also had to be a changing of the law. Under the law, you had to be of the tribe of Levi in order to be the high priest. As I told you before, when the Israelites were returning from their Babylonian captivity, there were some men who claimed the priesthood. Because they could not prove their genealogy, they were not permitted in the priesthood. Only those who could prove they were from the tribe of Levi were permitted.

Here, however, is another order of priesthood. Therefore, the law had to be changed because Jesus, who is our high priest, came not from the tribe of Levi but from the tribe of Judah. There is nothing in the law concerning the priesthood of the tribe of Judah. Paul says, “For he of whom these things are spoken . . . .” We know it is Jesus of whom this was spoken. “Thou art forever a priest after the order of Melchesedek” pertains to no tribe “. . . of which no man gave attendance at the altar,” meaning they did not serve before the altar of God who are from the tribe of Judah.

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

XI. The Jewish challenge: Because here in the book of Hebrews Paul has made it clear that we have a great high priest, who is Jesus Christ, the righteous, the Jew would, no doubt have a challenge to that assumption.

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His challenge would be: How could Jesus be a great high priest when He comes from the tribe of Judah? Nothing is said in the law concerning a priesthood from the tribe of Judah. To answer this challenge, Paul lays out the 110th Psalm. “The Lord has sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedec.” Thus, answering the argument of the Jew.

(15) And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec

XII. Far more evident: It is far more evident because of the prophecy in Psalm 110 that there had to arise another priest after the order of Melchisedec.

(16) Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after 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 a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

XIII. A priest forever: Because Jesus is a high priest after the order of Melchisedec, “. . . not after a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life,” He is, therefore, a priest forever. Because He is a priest forever, the law has been disannulled, made void, cancelled. Why? Because unlike every Levitical priest that ever lived, Jesus actually perfected the law by fulfilling the law. Thus, Jesus said in the Gospels, “I do always those things that please the Father.”

The Levitical priests could have never said this because they, themselves, were sinners. Thus, before they could sacrifice for the sins of the people, they had to first sacrifice for their own sins.

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

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Romans 3:20(20) Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

XIV. The word of God is clear that the law was never intended to make a man righteous. The law’s only purpose was to reveal man’s sin and his utter sinfulness. Thus, it is by the law that we have the knowledge of sin, for God has a righteous standard and has declared it in the law. His righteous standard is perfection of which every man and every priest before Jesus did not meet. Thus, the word of God declares, “There is none righteous, no not one. All have fallen short of the glory of God.”

So, the law reveals my failure and stamps me, “Guilty.” The law then condemns me to death and to the curse.

Galatians 3:10(10) For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Thus, the law makes no one righteous, but it does put us under the curse, not only pointing out our sin but proving how guilty we are and brings about a consciousness of guilt.

a. Interpreting the law: Most Jews during the time of Jesus believed that the law was physical, and because they believed that, they thought it was possible to perform it. The problem is that some of them were actually honest with themselves and realized that they fell short of it. Their way around this in order to make their consciences feel better was to interpret the law. You see, if I simply take the law at what it says, then I am guilty.

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However, if I begin to interpret the law by tweaking it here and there, or by saying, “Well, God couldn’t have meant this exactly, so what could He have really meant?” Thus, by interpreting it in a particular light, they were able to ease their own consciences.

Not totally unlike today in our own country when men try to interpret our constitution. There are those, such as myself, who are classified as constitutionalists. We take the constitution for exactly what it says. We understand it. We see the wisdom in it and the foresight of those men who authored it. There are those, however, who do not like the freedom that it proclaims. Thus, they go about trying to interpret it by saying, “What did the forefathers really mean?” when, in fact, it means exactly what it says.

Just as in the time of Jesus, there are many within Christendom who try to interpret the scriptures in order to ease their own consciences. Even though they know they are not under the old law, unfortunately, they have taken the law of love and grace and simply turned it into a new law; that is, a list of Do’s and Don’ts. Thus, because they fall short like so many of us do, they go about to ease their own consciences by saying, “Well, it was a cultural thing that Jesus said,” or “He really didn’t mean this or that.” Of course, they are wrong in doing this. The reason they do it is because they misunderstand the Gospel, or, I should say, the “full” Gospel—all that Jesus came to do and to accomplish on our behalf.

b. Perfection is imputed:

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Hebrews 10:1-4(1) For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.(2) For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.(3) But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.(4) For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

You see, gang, the law could not make anyone perfect because all the sacrifices did were to cover our sin. In the Hebrew, the word is “kofar,” which means “to cover,” but it could never take away sin. However, the precious blood of Jesus did exactly that. Thus, it is by the blood of Jesus Christ that our sins are not covered but are literally taken away. So, it is by the blood of Jesus Christ that we are once and for all perfected and sanctified. Thus, Paul says here in Hebrews 7:19, “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did . . . .” So, you need to underscore the word did here in verse 19, for that is not a process, my friends; that is a statement of achievement, and it is present tense.

(20) And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:(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:)(22) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

XV. A better testament: “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.” The word “surety” here is the word “egguos” in the Greek, which means “bondsman.” In other words, Jesus became the guarantor of the full price to be paid.

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Thus, in Jesus, we are guaranteed a better covenant because it is not predicated upon my faithfulness or trustworthiness; it is predicated upon Jesus’ faithfulness.

(23) And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:(24) But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.(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.

XVI. Saved to the uttermost: The basic job of the high priest was that of intercession. The problem with it, of course, is that these men died. So, even if you had a priest who was really in tune with God, he could not continue because of his own mortality. Because Jesus lives forever, He has an unchangeable priesthood whereby He is able to save to the uttermost all those that come unto God by Him. Because He lives forever (and make note that Paul says, “He lives to make intercession for (us).” I hope, my friends, that you can get the fact that Jesus lives to make intercession for you down in your hearts. That is His purpose.

Think about it. Before Jesus was incarnated in this physical flesh, He was always perfect; He was always righteous; He was always in communion with the Father and with the Spirit. As Paul is going to say in the next verse, He (that is, Jesus) became us; that is, He took on this flesh and blood and still lived a perfect life, was still totally righteous, was still totally holy—without spot, without blemish—doing always those things that please the Father. This He did for us! Thus, Jesus lived the vicarious life for every man or woman who has ever lived and ever will, fulfilling to perfection all things that were written in the prophets and in the psalms and in the law.

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Now Jesus is resurrected with a glorified body, which still bears the scars of His crucifixion. What is He now doing? He is living forevermore to make intercession for you and for me, which is why He can save to the uttermost all those who come to God by Him. What a great high priest we have!

(26) For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

XVII. He became us: It was totally necessary for Jesus to become high priest after the order of Melchisedec because if mankind was to be saved, to have his conscience cleansed from sin, he would have to live a totally holy, harmless, undefiled, separated life. That was impossible. Only Jesus Christ, Yesusha Homishiea, the everlasting Father, was able to do such a thing. Thus, Jesus Christ, the eternal God, took upon Himself our form—the body of a man—and lived the kind of life that He, Himself, as the author of The Law, demanded. Thus, He lived a vicarious life for all of mankind. He died a perfect sacrifice. He was resurrected in a perfect, glorified body and took His rightful place at the right hand of God to make intercession for you and me.

(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.(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.

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In closing:

Under the Old Covenant, the law made high priests, who themselves were laden with sin. Thus, they were sympathetic to the plight of their brethren but were powerless to do anything about it in a permanent way. Thus, they would sacrifice for their own sins and then for the sins of the people. This they did year after year after year. Because it was annual, it was a constant reminder to those who were sacrificing that they were still sinners. The sacrifice covered for a while; eventually, however, they would have to return to the temple and offer more sacrifices to ease the guilt of their consciences.

In Jesus, who is our glorious high priest, because He offered Himself once and for all, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Because He is perfect, His sacrifice was perfect; His life was perfect. If you are in Him, then you, too, are perfect. Thus, because our consciences have been cleansed from the power of sin by the blood of Jesus Christ, we are free in Him to live the kind of life that is representative of those who say they believe.