We are in Hebrews 7 and talking about this mysterious man Melchizedek. We noted last week that he is mentioned only in three places in Scripture—in Genesis 14, Psalm 110 and here in Hebrews several times. Thus, he is an important figure to the author of Hebrews, a key person in establishing that Jesus as our high priest is not from the tribe of Levi, but is a better and more significant (and thus more valuable to us) high priest according to another order, the order of Melchizedek.
Let me read Hebrews 7:1-10 again and then we will go back to Genesis 14.
1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. 4 See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! 5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6 But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8 In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
We noted last time how the author of Hebrews uses the silence of Scripture in pointing out that Melchizedek is “without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.”
His priesthood did not derive from being from the tribe of Levi. In fact, he existed in history before Levi was even born (see vv. 9-10). Jesus also was not a priest from the tribe of Levi.
How, then, could Jesus be our great high priest? Because he was from a different order of priests; he was from the order of Melchizedek.
The author of Hebrews is building an argument from the strange silence of Genesis. That book which so emphasizes genealogies and the number of years that the patriarchs lived, says nothing about the genealogy or lifespan of Melchizedek. His family lineage is never mentioned, nor does Genesis say anything about the length of his life or his death. The author is saying that the Holy Spirit deliberately omitted these facts from the book that emphasizes such facts, in order to make Melchizedek an appropriate type of Jesus Christ. That’s why he says that Melchizedek was “resembling the Son of God” (8:3), rather than “Jesus was made like Melchizedek.” It is not that Melchizedek never died, but rather in what Genesis omits, that he “continues a priest forever.”
Our writer has already said about the Son of God that his years “will have no end” (Heb. 1:12). Jesus, being the true king of righteousness and peace, and being eternal, brings an “everlasting righteousness” (Daniel 9:24) and the “everlasting covenant” that God makes with us through Jesus is a “covenant of peace” (Ezekiel 37:26). The writer will have much more to say about the everlasting nature of Christ’s priesthood, but for now it’s enough for us to note that Jesus not only relates us to God, but relates us to God forever.
Jesus’ human lineage is given to us in Scripture. He did not come from the priestly tribe of Levi, but from Judah (Heb. 7:14). So how could Jesus legitimately function as our high priest? To be our high priest, Jesus had to be of a different priestly order. So our author establishes that He is from the order of Melchizedek. As the “Son of God” (the title deliberately used in v. 3 to focus on Jesus’ deity), Jesus has no human lineage, and thus fulfills the type of Melchizedek as reported in Genesis. Also, the Levitical priests lived and died and had to be replaced, while Jesus lives on in his high priesthood (Heb. 7:23-24). So, both in the derivation and the duration of his priesthood, Melchizedek functions as the type of Jesus Christ.
The emphasis here is on the eternal duration of Jesus’ priesthood. Unlike the Levitical priests who came and went generation after generation, Jesus lives on forever and functions faithfully as our high priest forever.
There is thus an intentional contrast with the temporary, ineffective nature of the Aaronic priesthood (or Levitical priesthood), and the eternal, perpetual effectiveness of the priesthood of Christ. He asserts of Christ as prefigured by Melchizedek, “He remains a priest forever.” Later, he will speak of the continual intercession of Christ, and how that truth should give us great assurance of our salvation (cf. Heb. 7:23-25).
In verse 4 we see that Melchizedek functions as a type of Christ in the demonstration of his superior priesthood. Melchizedek was not only a priest superior to any in the line of Levi, but Genesis 14 showed how he was considered by Abraham to be a superior person.
Going back to verse 2 for a moment we see that Melchizedek “met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him.” Melchizedek blessed Abraham, which throughout Genesis is something a superior does to an inferior person. Melchizedek blessed Abraham.
This is reemphasized in verse 6 and Hebrews 7:7 makes it clear that “the inferior is blessed by the superior.” Thus, in this case, Melchizedek is the superior because he blessed Abraham, the inferior.
After his [i.e., Abraham’s] return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he [Melchizedek] blessed him [Abraham] and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him [Melchizedek] a tenth of everything (Genesis 14:17-20).
Verse 4 begins the illustration of the Melchizedekian priesthood being superior to that of the Levitical priesthood, demonstrating that the only functional priesthood that exists today is that of Jesus Christ.
“See how great this man was” doesn’t quite get across the emphasis of the command here. It literally means “observe,” “pay close attention to.”
And why is that? Why do we need to pay close attention to how great Melchizedek was? So that we will recognize and appreciate how great Jesus is!
The Greek emphasizes Abraham as the patriarch, that is, the primary or greatest one. This is a reminder that all Israel traces its lineage through Abraham (see Heb. 7:9–10). To the Jewish mind, no one could be greater than father Abraham. Yet, Abraham acknowledge that Melchizedek, by Abraham receiving a blessing from him and then giving tithes to him, was even greater than Abraham, superior to Abraham.
So the first demonstration of the superiority of Melchizedek is that he was the one who blessed Abraham. The second demonstration of his superiority over Abraham is that Abraham paid him tithes.
So what? Well, look at verses 5 and 6.
5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6 But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
The Law (Num. 18:21, 26; Lev. 27:30, 32) recorded the fact that the Levitical priests were to collect a tenth of the incomes of the people for their own support. But the stress of Hebrews 7:4-6 is that the Levitical priests collected from “their brothers.” They were not superior to them.
They collected tithes because God commanded it to be done, but Abraham voluntarily pays tithes to Melchizedek. This makes Abraham’s giving to Melchizedek greater than Israel’s payment of tithes to the priesthood instituted by Moses.
But why would Abraham do this? Melchizedek had no legal rights to receive tithes from Abraham. It was because Abraham recognized Melchizedek’s superiority and wanted to honor him. This is the second demonstration of Melchizedek’s superiority to the Levitical priesthood.
7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8 In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.
Not only it is axiomatic that blessing always flow from the superior to the inferior, thus Melchizedek is the superior person, having blessed Abraham, but since Melchizedek “lives” this is proof that his blessing was even more significant.
The sons of Levi, who received tithes from their brethren, died. But Melchizedek, who received tithes from Abraham, lived on. Melchizedek is a “priest forever” (Ps. 110:4; cf. Heb. 7:3), hence the Melchizedek priesthood, being eternal, is superior to the mortal Levitical priesthood (vv. 23–25).
The author is probably not arguing that Melchizedek never died, but that he is a type of Christ in that nothing is stated in the biblical text about his death (see note on v. 3), and so the figure of Melchizedek forecasts the risen Jesus, ever-living Jesus.
Not only did Abraham pay tithes to Melchizedek, but Levi himself paid tithes to Melchizedek. But how could that be, for Levi wasn’t even born yet?
Verses 9-10 explain.
9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
Our writer admits that he is speaking in a way that most people would not immediately assume when he says “one might even say.”
Levi wouldn’t be born for three generations, but he was “in the loins of” Abraham when Melchizedek met him and since Abraham recognized his greatness, Levi recognized Melchizedek’s greatness.
Melchizedek was greater than both Abraham and Levi, since he received tithes from both of these great men. Abraham spontaneously recognized that this man represented the true God, God Most High, and so he gave him a tenth of his choicest spoils as an act of worship and gratitude towards God for granting him victory over the four kings. Levi, who was Abraham’s great-grandson, gave tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham’s tithes, in that he was still in Abraham’s loins (a descendant), when this took place.
In the ancient Near Eastern view of things, people regarded a descendant as in one sense participating in the actions of his ancestors (Gen. 25:23; Mal. 1:2-3; Rom. 9:11-13).
In Hebrew thought, an ancestor contained in him all his descendants. Thus, Paul argues that when Adam sinned, the entire human race sinned (cf. Rom. 5:12). So here, the author says, “one might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham.” Thus, anyone who came from Abraham automatically recognizes the superiority of Melchizedek, even Levi.
When Melchizedek “met him” in the person of Abraham, the whole Jewish law, its ordinances and priesthood, are regarded as potentially in Abraham. Thus when Abraham paid tithes, Levi paid tithes. When Abraham was blessed, Israel was blessed. It is the kind of reasoning which would appeal to the Hebrews, who so strongly emphasized the solidarity of their race.
You might recall in the previous chapter how the pastoral writer had encouraged this church to see the hope that is in Christ alone, a hope that is “an anchor of the soul,” one that is certain for eternity, having entered “behind the curtain”—the veil separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy place (Heb. 6:19). It is in reference to the eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ, “having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek,” that he now argues for the sufficiency of Christ’s priesthood over against the Levitical priesthood that the Hebrews were being told they must return to.
No one else can take away your sin. No one else can mediate for you before the throne of God with perfect satisfaction. No one else can eternally intercede for you and rule over your life to bring you through the dark waters safely to heaven’s bright shore. None but our high priest and king, Jesus Christ, can give us a sure and steadfast hope that will be an anchor for the soul!
Larry Crabb tells this story: “An 84-year-old man wanted to speak with me after I preached at a Bible conference. I saw him waiting while I chatted with a group that had gathered. When the folks left, I quickly made my way over to this short, elderly man. He put both hands on my shoulders and told me a story: ‘Dr. Crabb, I am 84 years old. Five years ago my wife died after 51 years of a good marriage. I cannot express the pain that I feel every morning as I drink my coffee at the kitchen table alone. I have begged God to relieve the terrible loneliness that I feel. He has not answered my prayer. The ache in my heart has not gone away. But…’ and here the gentleman paused and looked past me as he continued, ‘…God has given me something far better than relief of my pain. Dr. Crabb, he has given me a glimpse of Christ. And it’s worth it all. Whenever you preach, make much of Christ!’ He turned and walked away.
That is what the author of Hebrews is doing—making much of Christ. And he wants us to make much of Christ.
There is only one command in this whole passage: “Observe,” “pay attention.” Recognize and appreciate the greatness of Jesus Christ.
If Melchizedek, a type of Christ, could bless Abraham, how much more is the Son of God ready and able to bless all those who draw near to God through Him by faith!
If we want God’s blessings, we must seek them in Christ, because “all the promises of God find their Yes in him,” in Him, in Jesus Christ. Nowhere else do we get God’s promises than in Jesus Christ. He is the mediator of all God’s promises.
What do you need from God?
- Eternal life? Yes!
- Forgiveness of sins? Yes!
- Inner peace? Yes!
- Hope? Yes!
- Joy in the midst of trials? Yes!
- Grace to persevere? Yes!
- Victory over sin? Yes!
- Healing from past wounds? Yes!
Jesus is the perfect high priest who dispenses all of God’s blessings through His promises. Draw near to Him! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.
The point of all this is that our author is laboring to establish the greater and superior high priestly office of Jesus Christ above that of Aaron and all the Levitical priests of the old covenant. And because of the greater, better, far superior priesthood of Jesus, we know and have confidence and rejoice in the fact that “he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him” (v. 25a). Unlike all other OT priests, Jesus never ceases to serve in this capacity; although he died, he rose again to eternal life and therefore “always lives to make intercession” for us (v. 25b).
Do you remember the incident where Peter denied Jesus three times? Before it ever occurred, Jesus said to Peter: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).
What we are being told in Hebrews 7:25 is that Jesus continues to fulfill this same role for you and me. He always lives to pray for us and to intercede on our behalf and to supply us with the strength to endure the temptation of the enemy and to repent when we fail. The reason I have hope and assurance that my sin will never cut me off from Christ is because Christ himself is seated at the right hand of the Father interceding on my behalf, pouring out on me and into me whatever strength of will I need to continue to believe in him for everlasting life.
- To the weary and worn out, draw near to God through Jesus Christ that you may find strength to endure.
- To the shame-filled and downtrodden, draw near to God through Jesus Christ that he may cleanse you of all guilt and turn your shame into shouts of joy.
- To the broken-hearted, whose dreams and desires never seem to come to pass, draw near to God through Jesus that he may fill your heart with his presence and satisfy your heart’s deepest desires.
- To those who have lost hope, draw near to God through Jesus Christ that he may restore hope in his promises and his purposes for your life.
- To those who are broken and weak in body, draw near to God through Jesus Christ that he may touch your physical frame with his healing power.
- To those who are filled with anxiety and worry about things you can’t control, draw near to God through Jesus Christ that he may impart his peace that passes all understanding
- To those who have been deeply wounded or abused, whether by a parent, a spouse, or someone you thought was your friend, draw near to God through Jesus Christ to find a friend who can be trusted and who can heal those wounds and love you in the way your heart was meant to be loved.
- To any man, woman, young or old, who has believed the lie that nothing will ever change and that life simply isn’t worth living, draw near to God through Jesus Christ who makes all things new.
- To anyone else whose pain or problem I haven’t mentioned, draw near to God through Jesus Christ and find the God-man who knows your pain and understands your problem and stands ready and able to help.
Draw near to Jesus Christ, He lives forever to intercede at the throne of God in heaven for you!
Grace Still Amazes 