Hebrews 7:1-28

How can I get to heaven?

Hebrews

Ian Mackervoy

Chapter 7

Jesus is superior to Melchizedek 7:1-28

Melchizedek 7:1-10

v1 This Melchizedek was king of *Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him. v2 Abraham gave him a tenth of all that he had. Melchizedek's name means ‘king of what is right’. It also means ‘king of *Salem’, that is, ‘king of peace’. v3 There is no reference to his father or mother or family. There is no record of his birth or death. He is like the Son of God, because he always remains a priest.

v4 Think how great Melchizedek was! Even the father of our people, Abraham, gave him a tenth part of what he won in a war. v5 The sons of Levi who became priests had the right by law to take a tenth part from what their people had. This is so, even if both priests and people all came from Abraham. v6 This man, Melchizedek, did not come from the family of Levi. Yet he received a tenth part from Abraham, although Abraham had the promises of God. v7 There is no doubt that those who are less important receive a blessing from one who is greater than they are. v8 In the first case, men who will die one day are receiving the tenth part. In the other case, one who the Bible declares will always live. v9 In fact, we could say that even Levi, who also received the tenth part, already paid it through Abraham. v10 For when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was not born. Levi was not a member of Abraham’s family until much later.

Verse 1 Melchizedek was the king of *Salem. *Salem was probably a short form of ‘*Jerusalem’.

He was not only a king, but also a priest of the most high God. In those days it was not unusual for a king to be a priest. For the *Jews, a king could not be a priest. The Bible speaks of their *Messiah, who was to come. He would be both a king and a priest.

Genesis chapter 14 tells how 5 kings came and attacked the kings of the land. They seized many of the people and their goods. Among them was Lot, who was a nephew of Abraham. So Abraham went after them and fought the 5 kings. He overcame them and brought back all the people and the goods. Then Melchizedek, priest of the most high God, met him and brought out bread and wine. He blessed Abraham in the name of God most high.

Verse 2 Abraham gave him a tenth part of all the goods that he had taken in the fight. The name ‘Melchizedek’ means ‘king of what is right’ and ‘*Salem’ means ‘peace’. So this man was the king of right and peace. In this he is a picture of the *Messiah (that is, of the Christ) for whom the *Jews were waiting.

Verse 3 The Bible does not tell us anything about the family of Melchizedek. There is no mention of his father or his mother. It was as if he had no parents. The *Jews took this to mean that he had no beginning. There is no record of his death. They took this to mean that he did not die. Here is a person who to them was a priest before time began. He will be a priest without end. He was like the Son of God who was in the beginning and ever will be. The priests of the *Jews had to be of the family of Levi. The family records had to mention their parents, their births and their deaths. Of course, they could not continue as priests when they died. But Melchizedek was a priest of a different kind that lasts for all time. Jesus is a priest like this. He was not of the family of Levi. He is the Son of God and he lives forever.

Verse 4 In the next 7 verses the writer shows that as a priest Melchizedek is greater than Aaron. Aaron was of the family of Levi and he was the first chief priest of *Israel. There are 4 things that show that Melchizedek is greater than Aaron:

• He accepted a tenth part of all that Abraham had taken from the kings (verses 4-5)

• He blessed Abraham (verses 6-7)

• He was a priest forever. Aaron could only be a priest while he was alive (verse 8)

• He must be greater than Levi, who came from the family of Abraham, much later (verses 9-10)

It was the custom to give the gods the best part of the things taken in war. It was a way of giving thanks for their help in battle. The leader would give these gifts to the priest of his god. The priest who received the gift would be more important than the one who gave it. So here, Abraham gave the best part to Melchizedek as the priest of the most high God. Melchizedek accepted the gifts and this shows that he was more important than Abraham.

Verse 5 Abraham and Sarah gave birth to Isaac. Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Jacob had 12 sons and God changed his name to *Israel. His 12 sons became the heads of the 12 *tribes of *Israel. Levi was one of these sons. Later, from the *tribe of Levi God chose the sons of Aaron to be the priests. By the law of Moses the people of *Israel had to give a tenth part of all that they had to God. It was these sons of Levi who collected the tenth parts, although it was from their own people who formed the 12 *tribes.

Verses 6-7 Melchizedek did not come from the family of Levi. Yet he received the tenth part from Abraham and blessed him.

Abraham was a great man. God had called him and led him. God had promised to make him great. His family were to own the whole of the land that God had shown him. They were to be a blessing to all the people on earth. This shows how great Abraham was. But it is true that the one who blesses is greater than the one whom he blesses. Melchizedek blessed Abraham in the name of the most high God. So he must have been greater than even Abraham.

Verse 8 Aaron and the priests who came after him were only men. They lived and died. While they were alive, they took the tenth part from the people. There is no record of the birth or death of Melchizedek. The *Jews took this to mean that he was still a priest, and still alive. In this way, the writer shows that Melchizedek is greater than Aaron.

Verses 9-10 It was from the sons of Levi that the priests came. Levi was a son of Jacob. Jacob was a son of Isaac. Isaac was the son of Abraham. So Levi came from Abraham. When Abraham gave Melchizedek the tenth part, Levi had not been born. The idea is that Levi was still in his parents, and that they were still in their parents. In this way one can say that the priests in the family of Levi already paid the tenth part through Abraham. This again shows that Melchizedek is greater than Levi. And because Jesus is a priest like Melchizedek, he too is greater than the priests of the *Jews.

King and priest 7:11-14

v11 The Hebrews received the law of Moses while Levi and his sons were priests. If those priests and what they did had been good enough, what need would there have been for another kind of priest? Yet another kind of priest did come. He was one like Melchizedek and not a relative of Aaron’s. v12 Any change in the kind of priests requires a change in the law of Moses as well. v13 The man we are talking about did not come from the family of Levi. He belonged to a family that had never served as priests. v14 For it is clear that our *Lord came from the family of *Judah (Revelation 5:5). Moses said nothing about priests from that family.

Verse 11 God gave the people the law by Moses and made Aaron the first chief priest. The purpose of the priests was to link men and women to God. To do this the priests had to offer sacrifices to God on the people’s behalf. No person is perfect and without *sin in the sight of God, and this includes the priests of Levi’s family. They were not good enough, because of their *sins. But God said that there would be a new kind of priest, one like Melchizedek. There would have been no need for a different type of priest if the priests of Levi’s family had been perfect.

Verse 12 It was the law of Moses that set up the priests of Levi’s family. So a different kind of priest required a change in the law of Moses about *sacrifice.

Verse 13 Under the old law, all priests had to come from the family of Levi. Aaron came from this family. Levi was one of the 12 sons of Jacob, who became the heads of the 12 *tribes of *Israel. No priest came from any of the other sons. The old law did not allow it. Jesus came from the family of *Judah and not from the family of Levi.

Verse 14 There is no doubt that the *Messiah was to come from *Judah (Micah 5:2). The *prophets also said that he was to come from the family of David (Isaiah 16:5). He is king David's greater son. The *Jews knew this. They knew that *Messiah would be both king and priest. Yet Moses never said that a priest would come from the family of *Judah.

Christ is greater, for he is alive forever 7:15-19

v15 What we have said becomes even clearer if another kind of priest like Melchizedek appears. He did. v16 But it was not because of any relationship to Levi. Jesus became a priest by the power of a life that has no end. v17 For the Bible says about him, ‘You are a priest always, like Melchizedek’ (Psalms 110:4). v18 God has put the old law aside, for it was weak and failed in its purpose. v19 The old law did not make anything right. God brought in a better hope by which we can approach him.

Verses 15-16 Jesus has come as a priest after the type of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was a king and a priest. He was not a priest by the law that came by Moses. He was a priest before God gave the law to Moses. This is also true about Jesus, for he was God before the law came. The *Jews did not know where Melchizedek came from and had no record of his death. So they saw a life which had no beginning and no end. Jesus was with God in the beginning and he will have no end. He is the priest who has made the perfect *sacrifice. He lives forever as the priest before God on our behalf.

Verse 17 It is God who made Jesus the new chief priest. God said to Jesus, ‘You are a priest forever after the type of Melchizedek’ (Psalms 110:4). In this he makes Jesus greater than the law of Moses which set up the priests of Levi. Those priests were *human and so had to die one day. Jesus lives forever. He is the only one who can always be our agent to God.

Verses 18-19 The law that God gave to Moses was good. By that law the priests of Levi came to God on behalf of the people. But that law was also weak, because people could not do all that the law said. No matter how hard people tried to keep the law, they failed because they *sinned. But now, because Jesus is our priest, God will accept us. This is better than the old law. There is no need now for the sacrifices that the priests of the family of Levi offered. By what God has done through Jesus, we can be sure of life with him both now and forever. We have to trust in Jesus and follow him. Jesus is now our chief priest and he is far better than priests of the old law. He has come and he has made the one perfect *sacrifice for us. He accepts all our *sins by dying on our behalf. As God accepts what Jesus has done, he makes us clean from all *sin.

Christ is greater because of the promise of God 7:20-22

v20 Moreover this hope came with a *vow from God. By the old law, men became priests without a *vow. v21 Jesus became a priest with a *vow. God said to him, ‘The *Lord has made a *vow and will not change his mind. You are a priest always (Psalms 110:4)’. v22 So Jesus has been able to make a better and a more certain agreement with God on our behalf.

Verses 20-21 When the sons of Aaron became priests, it could only be while they lived. But the word that God spoke about Jesus made him a priest forever (Psalms 110:4). When God makes a *vow, it means that he will never change what he has vowed. He said that Jesus is a priest forever and so we know that this is true.

Verse 22 The old law of Moses appointed sacrifices, but these could not make people clean from *sin. Priests who offered these sacrifices were like other men because in the end they too had to die. But Jesus offered the *sacrifice of himself on our behalf, and that has effect for all time. He is the priest who lives forever. God accepts his *sacrifice for us. He is the agent of God to bring us his blessing. He is our agent to God to bring us to him. Jesus can make us ready and clean to live with God forever. In this he is greater than the old law of Moses and all other priests.

Christ is greater because he is a priest forever 7:23-25

v23 Now there have been many priests of the old law. They could not continue to be priests when they died. v24 But Jesus lives always, and so he will always be a priest. v25 Therefore he is able to make perfect all who come to God by him. This is because he always lives to pray for them.

Verses 23-24 Under the old law of Moses there were many priests. They all died in the end, for they were only men like us. They could not be priests after they had died. There had to be new priests to take their place. With Jesus all has changed. He is alive and will never die again. He is our one and only priest. We have no need of other priests. There will be no more priests, for Jesus will always be alive. God has made him to be the one priest for all time and for all people.

Verse 25 Jesus is the one priest who will be with God forever. He has made the one *sacrifice that is perfect and God accepts that *sacrifice for all time. He alone has the power to make us whole. By it Jesus makes us clean and takes away all our *sins. It is Jesus who can make us right with God. It is only by Jesus that we can come to God. As he lives with God, he is the agent of all who believe in him. God accepts all who trust in Jesus, because of what he has done for us.

Christ is greater for he has offered a better *sacrifice 7:26-28

v26 We need such a chief priest as Jesus. He is holy, pure, and has no shame, for he has never *sinned. God took him away from those who *sin and he is now above the heavens. v27 Jesus does not need to make sacrifices every day as the other chief priests did. They had to do so, first for their own *sins and then for the *sins of the people. Jesus did this once for all time when he sacrificed himself for us. He did not need to do this on his own behalf, for he was perfect and without *sin. v28 The law makes men chief priests, but they are weak. The *vow of God, which came later than the law, makes the Son the chief priest. He is perfect and lives always.

Verse 26 Jesus is the chief priest who satisfies all our needs. He is the perfect priest for us. He is much more than a *human, for he is also God. He is not distant from us. He has lived on earth as a *human being. He knows all the problems that we have. He knows how we feel. In all his life here he did no *sin. He lived a perfect life with his God. He died to take away all that was wrong in us. As our chief priest, he always lives as our agent with God. He has taken his place with God as the king of heaven.

Verse 27 For the old law there had to be sacrifices made every day for the *sins of the people. In addition the chief priest went once a year into the most holy place to offer sacrifices. The chief priest first had to offer a *sacrifice for his own *sins. Then he offered a *sacrifice for the *sins of the men and women. Jesus did not need to offer any *sacrifice on his own behalf, because he had no *sin. He offered the *sacrifice of himself for the *sins of us all. What he did is the complete answer for all our *sins. We have no need now for any *sacrifice other than the one which he offered.

Verse 28 The law of Moses made men chief priests. These men were weak, as are all men. We all do wrong and we all die. The law came from God, but it had to work with weak men and women and so could never satisfy their need. In contrast, God by his word made Jesus the chief priest. Jesus is not weak as we are. He did no wrong and he came back from the dead. He continues to live a perfect life and will never die. He is able to make us clean from all *sin, so that we can be with God.

Salem ~ a city of which Melchizedek was king; short for Jerusalem.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel; the temple of God was there.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
temple ~ a special building for the worship of God. The Jews had one in Jerusalem for the worship of the true God.
worship ~ to give honour to God with praise, thanks and respect.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel; the temple of God was there.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
temple ~ a special building for the worship of God. The Jews had one in Jerusalem for the worship of the true God.
worship ~ to give honour to God with praise, thanks and respect.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
Messiah ~ the special servant of God, the name God chose for Jesus Christ. The person that God sent to save his people from their sins. God promised the Jews that Messiah would come. Jesus is that Messiah but the Jews still do not believe it.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
tribe ~ family from one man. Israel grew from the 12 sons of Jacob. These 12 families formed the 12 tribes of Israel.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all.
Judah ~ one of the 12 sons of Jacob (Israel). It was from his family that the Messiah was to come. When the nation of Israel split, 10 of the 12 tribes became Israel and 2 of the 12 tribes became Judah.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
Messiah ~ the special servant of God, the name God chose for Jesus Christ. The person that God sent to save his people from their sins. God promised the Jews that Messiah would come. Jesus is that Messiah but the Jews still do not believe it.
tribe ~ family from one man. Israel grew from the 12 sons of Jacob. These 12 families formed the 12 tribes of Israel.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
sacrifice ~ an offering to God, often an animal or bird, by the Jews to ask God to forgive their sins. Jesus gave himself to die as a sacrifice for our sins.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
vow ~ serious promise made with a proof of intention to keep it. People did this by making the vow in the name of some great person.'human being ~ a human person.