Lessons From Hebrews – Lesson 8
The Hebrew believers were thinking about going back to Judaism. When this letter was written the temple had not yet been destroyed. Paul has given them many pictures of Jesus High and lifted up, and he has given them some warnings. And now in the section of scripture that we are in he is dealing once again with how Jesus is a better high priest.
The priesthood was very important to the Jews and their priests had to be from the tribe of Levi, Jesus was from Judah. Paul has already dealt with that some. He has brought up that there was another priesthood. One that was prior to the tribe of Levi, the priesthood of Melchisedec. Now in chapter 7 we get more detail about Melchisedec.
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;
On a side note. Do you like Bible definitions? I am not talking about a concordance or a dictionary. I am talking about when the Bible defines the word for you. We have one here. In verse 2 how much did Abraham give. A tenth.
Look at verse 6.
Heb 7:6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
In verse 2 Abraham gave a tenth. In verse 6 Abraham gave tithes. Thus a tithe is 10 percent. That is a Bible definition for you on what is a tithe.
Heb 7:2 ….first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
We see something interesting with the word King. Notice it is capitalized all three times. I have never seen that anywhere else in the Bible. The word King capitalized in the middle of a sentence. I have never seen it capitalized unless it is referring to Jesus. Rev 17:14 for example.
If the word King starts a sentence then it will be capitalized but never in the middle of a sentence when referring to just a man. I heard an instructor say that in a lecture on Hebrews and so I did a search on my computer. I found that the word king is in 1,917 verses. I looked at several hundred of them and did not find one exception.
God did not put Capital King in the middle of a sentence unless it is referring to Jesus. If you find an exception, let me know.
So this Melchisedec is called capital King of righteousness. I don’t think you can say that for any man. We have no righteousness. He is also King of Salem. Some will say that Salem is the name of a town. But that does not agree with the Bible. It defines it for you in verse two. King of Salem, which is, Capital King of peace.
So King of Salem means King of Peace. If any dictionary disagrees with the Bible, go with the Bible definition. He is the King of righteousness. Righteousness is not a town. And He is the King of peace.
And notice the order. Righteousness and then Peace. That is always the order. There cannot be peace until there is Righteousness. This order holds true individually, nationally, and universally.
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.
Without father, without mother. You can’t say that about anyone else. Only Jesus is from everlasting to everlasting.
It says without descent. Some will say this verse means that we simply don’t know Melchisedec’s geneology. And that is true. You will not find any mention in the entire Bible about his descent.
But the verse does not say that we don’t know who they are. It plainly states that he did not have any Mother or Father.
Verse 3 says having neither beginning of days, nor end of life. If you take the Bible literally wherever possible. The bible does in places use parables, and allegories and so on. But if you take it literally here (as you should) then there is no one else that can be talking about.
It does not say, that we don’t know when he began or how he died. It just says having neither beginning of days, nor end of life.
Some will say it can’t be Jesus because verse 3 says, but made like unto the Son of God. We already covered that last week. That is the same language used for Jesus when He walked with the Hebrew children in the fiery furnace.
His appearance then was different than when He appeared in the New Testament and was made flesh. Same person, different form, thus the language like.
Look at what else it says in verse 3 ; abideth a priest continually.
Hey I thought all those other priests died. How could you say of just a man that he abideth a priest continually? I personally don’t think you can say that of a just a man.
Heb 7:4 Now consider how great this man [was], unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Some will say, but look at verse 4 and it calls Melchisedec a man.
Yes, but the same language is used for Jesus when He met with Abraham before the angels destroyed Sodom.
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.
Abraham recognized the greatness of Melchisedec. He recognized that Melchisedec was greater than He was. Melchisedec blessed Abraham because Melchisedec was better than Abraham.
Heb 7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he [receiveth them], of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
Here we have contrasted the Old Testament priests who received tithes but they died. This is contrasted to Melchisedec. But there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
He liveth. See the contrast here. Others who took tithes died, but 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?
Paul now brings up the fact that the Levitical priesthood could not save anyone. No one was made perfect by the Levitical priesthood. A different priesthood was needed to save men.
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,
Some use this as an argument for Melchisedec being a man who typified Jesus and not a pre incarnate appearance of Jesus.
It says that Melchisedec was a similitude. But to that argument I say, Yes but that does not mean that Jesus could not have appeared and set up that similitude Himself in person.
Put it all together. Read verses 1 thru 15 again, and then again. Consider how many things mentioned could only be talking about Jesus. Consider the entire section together and you should clearly see that Melchisedec was another one of the Old Testament appearances of Jesus.
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.
The priesthood of Jesus is better because it is in the power of an endless life.
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.
The O.T. priest could never say it is finished. Their work was never done. Their priesthood was full of weakness and un-profitableness. It was only a picture, a type, a foreshadowing of Jesus’ priesthood.
The point is being made, don’t long after, desire, or follow an inferior, weak, unprofitable, type and shadow. You have the real thing in Jesus.
These Hebrews are not the only ones who fall into this desire for a priesthood that they can see.
The Catholics are an example as well as other groups. But there is no hope in that kind of priesthood. It can never really do anything for you.
Verse 19 says for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did. Jesus is that better hope.
By the which we draw nigh unto God. Any other priesthood will never draw you close to God.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Jesus’ is the only priesthood that brings you close to 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.
There were hundreds and hundreds of men thru the centuries that were made priests. Not one of them was made a priest with an oath from God the Father. Not one. Only Jesus.
What does that fact say about the difference between the Levitical priesthood vs the priesthood of Jesus?
Heb 7:23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
They were all sinners every one of them. The wages of sin is death. They all died. Their priesthood ended, they had no power to continue because they died.
Then you would have to get another priest. Jesus never has to be replaced.
Heb 7:24 But this [man], because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Jesus is the same Great High Priest today that He was yesterday. And He will still hold that exclusive office tomorrow. He has the only unchangeable priesthood there is or ever will be.
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.
Here are some great truths in verse 25.
He is able also to save. You cannot say that for anyone else.
Only Jesus is able to save. The law could not save, the Levite priest could not save. The blood of bulls and goats could not save. Doing good works can’t do it. Man would have no hope at all, except Jesus is able to save.
Your saved to the uttermost. That is a way of saying, that when you get saved, you can’t get any more saved. There are no degrees of salvation.
You go from totally completely lost, to saved to the uttermost just as fast as you can put your faith in Jesus.
You are saved to the uttermost. You can’t change it, you can’t lose it. It is done to the maximum, to the uttermost. I love that. It is a salvation of total perfection.
Verse 25 also says seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Jesus is alive. He is at the throne. He is making intercession for you. He is doing it today, He will be there tonight, and tomorrow. He never takes a break. He never has a vacation from it. He never goes to sleep.
Remember the context here. Paul is comparing human priests to the priesthood of Jesus.
A man cannot ever liveth to make intercession. Not only is a man’s intercession unprofitable, but he can’t do it all the time.
Here is a wonderful thought. At 3 am. In the morning, you have a Great High Priest in Jesus who is on the throne making intercession. There is never a time when He is not there for us.
Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us,
That is a reference to Jesus leaving the glories of heaven and becoming man.
[who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
The Old Testament priests had to meet a strict list of qualifications. But they were all sinners and fell short of the glory of God. They were imperfect priests. They were NOT PERFECTLY NOR PERPETUALLY QUALIFIED.
It is totally different with Jesus. He is perfectly qualified. He is Holy. Holiness is a part of Christ’s character. He was exempt from the contamination of man’s sinful nature.
His nature of holiness guaranteed not only that He would not sin, but that He could not sin. It was impossible for Him. Jesus is also harmless. As holy He loved the Lord God with all His heart, and as harmless He loved His neighbor as Himself.
Undefiled. He mingled with sinners for 33 ½ years and He contracted no defilement. None. He touched the leper and the leper was cleansed. He touched the dead and they were raised.
He was in Satan’s presence and was never infected with his evil. Jesus remained undefiled.
This next one the rock n roll churches do not get. Separate from sinners.
Yes Jesus mingled with sinners, but He was apart from their sin. He never participated in their sinfulness.
Jesus was the holy, harmless, undefiled, sinless lamb of God. He was truly the just dying for the unjust.
And lastly in verse 26, and made higher than the heavens;
What a statement. Do you see Paul here presenting Jesus High and lifted up before these Hebrew Christians?
A proper view of Jesus High and lifted up changes people.
I had a pastor contact me one time from Florida. Some people have contacted him about starting a church. He has talked to all of them, and this family has this weird theory, and this other family has this strange hobby horse, and this one.. the list goes on.
He asked me, what would be a good topic of study and preaching to start with to deal with this group. I did not even hesitate. I responded preach and teach Jesus High and Lifted up.
When people get a vision of Jesus High and lifted up, then their pettiness goes away. People get humbled. People start working for the Lord. Little miss busybody quits gossiping.
Jesus High and lifted up changes things. And we see here that Jesus is made higher than the heavens. You can’t get any higher than that.
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.
The comparison continues. They had to offer sacrifices daily. There work was never done. Their work only was a picture. Have to do it over and over showed that it did not accomplish salvation.
On the other hand Jesus made one sacrifice.
Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
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.
Heb 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken [this is] the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Heb 8:3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore [it is] of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
Heb 8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Heb 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, [that] thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Heb 8:7 For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Sum it up this way. Don’t follow something inferior and that is only an example and shadow of heavenly things.
Follow the real thing. Follow Jesus. He is vastly superior. He is perfect.
Jesus has a more excellent ministry.
He is the mediator of a better covenant that is established upon better promises.
Follow Jesus no matter what. No matter how hard it is. No matter what you are tempted with.
Keep your eyes upon Jesus, High and lifted up.