2BC BIBLE STUDY NOTES

Wednesday in the Word

Second Baptist Church

August 16, 2023

Hebrews 7

1. It was essential for the writer of Hebrews to convince the Hebrews in Jerusalem that their current earthly city of Jerusalem with its temple, high priesthood, sacrifices, and support structure were no longer a necessary part of God’s plan for the church! Their dependence upon the city of Jerusalem, the temple and the high priesthood wouldn’t work (in light of the Destruction of Israel in 70 AD) within a few years. Jesus had foretold the destruction of the city and the temple. If the temple and its old priesthood were central to your faith, your faith would be devastated when those things were destroyed. Verses 1-3. According to Genesis l4, Abraham kept absolutely nothing from these spoils of war. Except for what his personal army had consumed, the rest was freely returned to its owners in Sodom and Gomorrah through the king of Sodom. God had blessed Abraham so that he required nothing else. Neither did he want to give the king of Sodom an opportunity to brag that he had made Abraham rich. After rescuing Lot and recovering the goods stolen from the region around Sodom, Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of the spoils of war. In Hebrew, “melchi” means “king,” “zedek,” means “righteousness,” and “salem,” evolved to mean “peace.” Therefore, Melchizedek was, symbolically the “King of Righteousness” and also the “King of Peace.” Both of these titles are appropriate for the Messiah in the Old Testament. Historically speaking, though, Melchizedek was not actually “the” King of Righteousness or “the” King of Peace (that is, Christ); he was only that person “symbolically,” “by interpretation.” Verse 4 limits this to the “spoils of war.”

   1. Melchizedek was “without father, without mother, without descent.” In the ancient world, this term could merely mean the parents were “obscure,” “of no importance,” or even “slaves.” To an Israelite, one who applied to serve as a priest and had Gentile parents or wife was considered to be “without father, and without. The main point of chapter 7 is that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the messianic prophecy in Psalm 110 as the one who would come in the order of Melchizedek. When the scriptures use that phrase “in the order of Melchizedek," it refers to a type of priesthood outside of the law. Jesus is a priest outside of the law, just like Melchizedek was a priest of the Most High outside of the law. So when David prophesied that one would come and be a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, David was prophesying that the Messiah would be the Great High Priest forever, but not a priest according to the law, but outside of the law.

   2. “Having neither (without) beginning of days, nor end of life” must be understood “as a type,” but not literally. Why? Because Melchizedek was not Jesus Christ living in the flesh before his virgin birth. Jesus DID have family trees in both his deity and humanity! As God, he always existed. As the God-man, he often declared that the Father sent him. As the Son of David, his physical genealogy is recorded in Matthew and Luke. There is no doubt concerning the descent, or genealogy, of Jesus Christ. Therefore, legally (through the law), Jesus Christ would never have been accepted as high priest without Aaronic credentials. HOWEVER, “as a type,” these non-credentials of Melchizedek actually make him eternal, and not limited to death as was Aaron’s priesthood, and spiritually superior to the law and its qualifications.

   3. “Resembling the Son of God or Made like the Son of God.” The historical Melchizedek was not THE Son of God, but was “made LIKE the Son of God.” His name, title, and lack of genealogy all make him into a type of Christ—not his person! We MUST realize the difference between the “historical” Melchizedek of Genesis 14, and the “type” “prophetic” Melchizedek of Psalm 110 and Hebrews 7. “Out of Egypt I have called my Son” “historically” means “national Israel,” but “as a type” and “prophetically” it means Jesus Christ (Hos. 11:1 cf. Matt. 2:15). First, the “historical” Melchizedek appeared in Genesis 14. Second, Melchizedek appeared “prophetically” when David mentioned him in Psalm 110 almost a thousand years later. And, third, Hebrews 7 uses him both “prophetically” and “typically.” This is important! “Negative” features about Melchizedek are actually reversed to become “positive” features of Christ in Psalm 110 and Hebrews 5-7.

   4. He remains a priest forever. For the Hebrew writer, Melchizedek stands as a symbol of one who had no predecessor nor a successor. Jesus stands not symbolically, but as the real High priest that had no predecessor and has no successor.

2. Verse 7:4 With “Just think, now consider” the author of Hebrews begins laying the groundwork for his crucial declaration in verse 18 that the entire Levitical system of worship, including its high priesthood and tithing, has been “set aside,” or “disannulled.” “Now consider” begins a presentation of four evidences which prove to the Hebrew mind that Melchizedek’s priesthood replaced that of Aaron. This list of evidences is found in verses 4-10 and the conclusions begin in verse 11. It is important to note that the “tithe, tenth,” is a vital part of every evidence used! Melchizedek was greater than the Levitical priests because Abraham “gave a tenth of the choicest spoils” to him. While Abraham’s pre-law tenth was the first mention of tithing before the law began, this chapter in Hebrews is the only mention of tithing after the law ended at Calvary. In Hebrews 7, tithing is merely used as a means of understanding Melchizedek, both before and after the Mosaic Law. As seen in Genesis 14, Abraham acknowledged Melchizedek’s authority when he gave the expected tithe-tax of the spoils of war. Melchizedek’s rule may have reached to Mamre and Hebron where Abraham lived. Since it is evident that no Mosaic Law of tithing existed, Abraham was following long-established Semitic Canaanite custom of paying a mandatory tribute, (tithe or tax) to his Semitic king. The writer is demonstrating that Abraham considered Melchizedek to be greater than himself by giving the priest an offering (tenth) of the spoils from the war. This was the first argument that Abraham considered the priest to be greater. The goal of this argument is to show that Abraham recognized a priest of the Most High that was outside of the law. This becomes important because the argument was that Jesus could not be the Messiah because he couldn’t be a real High Priest because the law stated a priest must come from the tribe of Levi and Jesus was born through the tribe of Judah. The writer counters that argument by showing that Abraham considered Melchizedek a true priest 430 years before there was ever a law concerning the priesthood. This fact lays down the precedent to consider Jesus as the Great High priest, especially since King David prophesied nearly 1000 years after the law in Psalm 110 that one would come “in the order of Melchizedek” outside the law.

3. Verses 5-10. The Levite priest only collected a tenth because it was commanded, but Melchizedek collect a tenth because Abraham considered him greater. The old covenant required the Israelites to give 10 percent to the Levites, but Abraham gave 10 percent to Melchizedek even though Melchizedek was not a Levite. He was getting priestly honors before Levi was even born. From this, the author constructs a hypothetical argument: "One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor" (vs. 9-10). The author knows that Levi didn't actually pay tithes to Melchizedek, but in a figure of speech he did. The point is that Abraham is greater than Levi, since Abraham is Levi's ancestor, and Melchizedek is greater than Abraham, since Abraham paid tithes to him, so Melchizedek is greater than Levi.

1. Verses 6-7 emphasize Melchizedek’s greatness: He not only received a tithe, he also blessed Abraham. "And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater." Abraham is the lesser person——but the real point of comparison being made is with Levi. Since Melchizedek is greater than Abraham, he is also greater than Levi, and most important for the book of Hebrews—his priesthood is more important than the Levitical priesthood. The Levitical priests die, but Jesus has been made a priest forever, a priest not under the law, but outside the law: after the order of Melchizedek,” a priesthood that is more important for our salvation.

4. Verses 11-17 The law was given on the basis of the priesthood. The law was designed with the Levitical priesthood in mind. The law and the priesthood went together. But neither the law nor the priests could bring people to perfection. That is why Psalm 110 spoke of another priesthood. The descendants of Aaron would be replaced by a better priesthood, a better priest——and that has enormous consequences: "For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law" (v. 12). What law has changed? The law that said only Levites could be priests. Which law said that? The old covenant. This will become clearer later in this chapter, and in the next few chapters. But first, the author wants to make certain basic facts clear using verses 13-16. Jesus was appointed as priest not by a law that focused on genealogy, but because he lives forever as our Great High Priest. From this fact alone, we can see that the Law of Moses is no longer in force.

5. Verses 18-19. The law that restricted the priesthood to Levites was ineffective. How much was "set aside"? Certainly, it was the regulation restricting the priesthood. But no one expected that restriction to produce perfection, anyway. There is more involved than just one regulation. It is "the law" as a whole that is under discussion here. The law of Moses did not have the power to make anyone perfect. The best that the old covenant could offer was not good enough. Instead of the law, we are given a better hope, and since we have something better than the law, we are now able to draw near to God in a way that was not possible under the law of Moses.

6. Verses 20-26. The descendants of Aaron became priests without any oath, but Jesus became priest by a special oath. The old covenant was given by God, but here is a new word from God~——not just an oath but also a promise of permanence: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever" (v. 21). Oaths are special, serious declarations. Since ancient times, people have used them whenever a matter is extremely serious. And they are still important, even in our modern world. The Bible gives two accounts of the ceremony to appoint Israel’s priests. Exodus chapter 29 records God’s instructions about the ceremony. Leviticus chapter 8 records what actually happened at the ceremony. It was a complex ceremony, and each action during it seems to have special meaning. We might expect on such an important occasion that the new priests would have to make an oath. But in fact, there was no oath. Israel’s priests became priests without an oath. But Psalm 110:4 declares that Christ became our great chief priest with an oath. And it was God the Father who made that oath. No oath could ever be stronger than the oath that God makes! Here is something that is absolutely certain and definite. It can never change, even as God himself never changes. God himself has declared that Christ is our priest! The old priesthood is obsolete. The old regulation was set aside. A new and better hope is given to bring people to a perfection that the law could not give. "Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant" (v. 22). Here the word covenant is used for the first time in this letter, almost casually. It will be picked up again in the next three chapters for more detailed comment, but even here it is implied to be a replacement for the inferior, ineffective law of Moses. The discussion is not just about a minor priestly regulation but a covenant, which includes many laws. The author then contrasts the mortality of the Levitical priests with the immortality of Jesus Christ: "Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood" (vs. 23-24). So, the fact that there were many Levitical priests is actually an illustration of their weakness, not of their effectiveness. The genealogy that validated them also testified to the weakness of the entire system. Each high priest held office only temporarily, and the entire priesthood itself was temporary. In contrast, because Jesus lives forever, he will forever continue to be our High Priest, because his priesthood is effective in bringing us to perfection: "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them" (v. 25). "Such a high priest meets our need," the author says (v. 26). Jesus is exactly what we need. He was human, so he knows our needs (2:14-18), and he is now in heaven, in power, so he can effectively intercede for us.

7. Verses 27-28. The New Testament tells us that Jesus is our intercessor, our mediator, our Savior and King. But only the book of Hebrews tells us that he is our priest. This unique concept is the central message of Hebrews, the main idea from which the others flow. Priesthood is the purpose for which Jesus was made human (2:17); his priesthood is the reason we should hold fast to our faith (4: 14); and the proof that the old covenant has been set aside (7:12). Jesus guarantees a better covenant, a better relationship with God. And because he lives forever at God's right hand, "he is able to save completely those who come to God through him" (7:25). The old covenant priests could not save anyone, but Jesus is fully effective at what they could only picture or symbolize. Jesus does it not by adding himself to the old covenant, but by fulfilling the old so thoroughly that the old becomes unnecessary. He supersedes the old covenant, replacing it with a better covenant (7:22). When we have Jesus, we do not need the old covenant. The practices commanded in the Old Covenant (circumcision, various rituals, sabbaths and festivals) have no spiritual merit for the Christian. All we need is Jesus. The Old Testament priests had to make sin sacrifices every day, showing that the final solution had not yet arrived. But Jesus was so effective that once was enough. It did not have to be repeated. The Levitical priests had to offer sacrifices for their own sins, but Jesus did not, because he had no sin. When he offered himself, it was not for himself, but for everyone else. He was the kind of sacrifice we really needed — without blemish, fit even for the holiest place in heaven. The old covenant appointed imperfect men as priests (7:28), but God promised to appoint another priest, a permanent priest — which implies someone who is perfect in himself and perfect in his work (Psalm 110:4). Christ lived a sinless life under the Old Testament Law, something that no human had ever done or will ever do again. This is why the Law has changed. Through Him we have been released from the Law of Moses and the sacrificial system. The Law requested a priesthood with sacrifices, but the new priesthood allows us to lean on one eternal Sacrifice, that of Jesus Christ. Not only is the priesthood a return to the beginning, but our hope has also returned to its beginning in faith. Abraham was the father of the nation of Israel, but he was also the father of faith. Before we see the Levitical priesthood established, we see a man with a true faith and trust in God. This was a faith that preceded the Jewish sacrificial system and Levitical priesthood. Genesis 15 says that Abraham was a man who “believed in the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” In Christ, we are returning to a priesthood that is based in faith in another, not faith in self. The new covenant that Christ brings is much better than the covenant God initially made with Israel. The main reason is that the new covenant through Christ has eternal elements, not temporary ones. Christ is able to save forever, not just temporarily. Christ’ s priesthood is also eternal. Since Old Testament priests were mortal men, they naturally died. In Christ, we will never need another priest because Jesus Christ is eternal and is constantly interceding on our behalf. His priesthood is permanent. We must realize that Christ never abolished any of the Old Testament Laws or systems, He fulfilled and perfected the Law. God, once and for all through Jesus Christ, fulfilled everything necessary to bring mankind back into relationship with Him. Our sacrifice, representation and covenant have been perfected through Christ for eternity. Since Christ is the High Priest of the Most High God (or Universal God) and can save forever those who draw near to Him.

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