Chapter Seven
The Priestly Order of Melchizedek
7:1 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.
The author has referenced Jesus being, “after the order of Melchizedek,” three times so far in this epistle (see Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20), he now recaps who Melchizedek was and why his priesthood was considered to be eternal, beginning with the fact that Melchizedek was the king of Salem and a priest of the Most High God (see Genesis 14:18), which would make him a very unique “royal priest.”[1] He then notes his importance, or perhaps more precisely his ‘rank’, being someone to which Abraham had given a tenth of his spoils to (see Genesis 14:20), since a tithe would typically be given from a lower-ranking person to a higher-ranking person.
He then further identifies who Melchizedek was, some believe that the term was not his name but a title, meaning “king of righteousness” and that he was also the King of Salem, being a transliteration of the Hebrew ‘Šālēm’,[2] meaning he could also be called the “king of peace.” Next, he explains that since Scripture does not record Melchizedek having a father or mother, nor any mention of birth, death, or any reference to his age, that he resembles (Greek ‘aphōmoiōmenos’,[3] to make very much like) the Son of God, Jesus, as He is a priest forever. Does that mean that the actual person called Melchizedek is eternal? No, this is an example of what is often called, “rabbinic thinking,” a process that looks for a message (or meaning) behind the message. While that methodology is not always a fruitful approach in studying the Bible, in this story it is valid. The author also noted that Melchizedek offered a blessing to Abraham, and using similar rabbinic thinking or logic, will explain what that means in the following seven verses.
7:4 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.
The Bible clearly states that the people of Israel highly revered Abraham, often calling him the father of the Jews (see Matthew 3:9; Luke 1:73; 3:8; John 8:33-40, 53-58). The author states again that Abraham gave Melchizedek ten percent of the spoils after rescuing his nephew Lot from the other kings, he now expands that story by bringing it up to date referring to their then-current process of the Aaronic priests receiving tithes from the people who were also descendants of Abraham. By having Abraham offering the tithes, the author is making the case that in a way, all those that followed in the line of Abraham, gave tithes to and were blessed by the superior Melchizedek.
The author states that the logic is sound since it is a fact “beyond dispute,” that the inferior (Abraham, the Levitical priests and all the other people of Israel) are the ones that received a blessing from the superior (Melchizedek). He further clarifies by saying that in one case the tithes were received by mortal men but in another case the tithes are received by one that never dies.
Even though this form of ‘logic’ is foreign to most modern thinkers, the Jews living during the time this epistle was written would have been able follow and undoubtedly fully understood. Perhaps to offer further clarification (maybe for those reading many years later), the author notes that one might even say, “that these Levites—the ones who collect the tithe—paid a tithe to Melchizedek when their ancestor Abraham paid a tithe to him. For although Levi wasn’t born yet, the seed from which he came was in Abraham’s body when Melchizedek collected the tithe from him.” (Hebrews 7:9b-10, NLT)
7:11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. 13 For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
The author identifies a problem in God’s law. Just that statement alone should cause any reader to pause and question, how can the law have a flaw? Wasn’t it given for salvation? Shouldn’t it be considered perfect? To aid in understanding we need to go back and review the primary purpose of God’s Word. That being twofold, first the need to recognize the very serious problem of sin, and secondly, the identification of the only solution to that problem, Jesus.[4] Then looking at the God’s law we can see that its primary purpose is to reveal that it is impossible for any human being to fully comply with the law, thus demonstrating that all of mankind are indeed sinners.[5] Understanding that humans cannot save themselves, if salvation was in any way obtainable, it would have to be only through the help of God. He intervened and completed the otherwise incomplete law by changing the priesthood from mortal men (in the Levitical order of Aaron) to that of an immortal man (in the order of Melchizedek).
The word translated as ‘perfection’ in verse eleven is the Greek word ‘teleiōsis’,[6] meaning to complete, an act of completion. The author notes that the Old Testament law that was being administered by the Levitical priests (after the order of Aaron) would be considered incomplete as it required ongoing sacrifices and faultless compliance. If it were able to offer lasting atonement and salvation it would have been complete, but it only pointed to the one and only solution to the sin problem, Jesus. Being in the “order of Melchizedek,” Jesus could fulfill the law once and for all time, forever.
When the author mentioned the “change in the priesthood” in verse twelve, he was referring once again to the prophecy written by David in Psalm 110:4 (see Hebrews 5:6; 6:20), which he also later quotes in both verses 17 and 21. The law originally stated that the priests were to be from the lineage of Aaron, a Levite. The one spoken about in Psalm 110 is Jesus from the tribe of Judah, a tribe which no one had ever served at the altar, nor any connection priesthood was ever mentioned by Moses in his writings. Plus, with Jesus as the High Priest and being the ultimate sacrifice, the altar would no longer be needed (see verse 27). As a result of this change in the law that makes it perfect, or perhaps a better way of stating that, by completing the law with Jesus as the eternal High Priest, forgiveness for ALL sin is now possible, not just those that were unintentional.[7] How many sins did Jesus die for? ALL of them, those in the past, the present, and the future.
The author points out that the law must have changed as Jesus is not from the tribe of Levi and that the psalmist clearly identifies the new priesthood as being from royalty (see Psalm 110:1-4).
7:15 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
The author notes that there is further evidence of the change, that another priest has arisen in the likeness of Melchizedek. One who became a priest, not as a requirement of the law but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed or die. As testified in David’s prophecy recorded in Psalm 110:4. Why the change, or perhaps worded more accurately, why was the change necessary? Because the former law was set aside due to its weakness and uselessness, unable to make someone completely perfect. Therefore, a change was made that provided confidence and a better hope for salvation, one that allows human beings to draw near to God without an intermediary.
7:20 And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, 21 but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’ ” 22 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.
The priests in the line of Aaron were consecrated for duty as priests, but no taking of an oath was required. But as for Jesus, His Father swore that He would not change His mind when He told Jesus that He would be a priest forever (the word LORD in Psalm 110:4 is ‘YHWH’, in context referring to God the Father). “Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God.” (Verse 22, NLT) The author is referring to the new covenant promised in Jeremiah’s prophecy (see Jeremiah 31:31-34), which the author will quote in the next chapter.
7:23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
The author further notes that the Aaronic priests had to be many in number through the years as they, being human, died. But as for Jesus, He can continue as priest forever, thereby being able to save for eternity those that draw near to God through Him, always able to intercede for them.
7:26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
Since salvation through the law is unattainable through human effort, it is indeed fitting that the high priest be Jesus, the Son of God, as He is holy, innocent, unstained and being sinless was set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens, He is able to fulfill the requirements of the law. In addition, Jesus does not need to offer sacrifices daily, first for His sins and then for the people (for this or any other sacrifice), since He did offer Himself up once and for all. The high priests appointed by the law were limited due to their human frailties, but later, after the law was given, “God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.” (Verse 28b, NLT)
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[1] See commentary under Genesis 14:17-18.
[2] Strong’s Hebrew 8004 and Strong’s Greek 4532.
[3] Strong’s Greek 871.
[4] See Considerations under Genesis 1:3-5 under the heading Illumination.
[5] See Considerations under Exodus 21:32 regarding Why Obey God?
[6] Strong’s Greek 5050.
[7] See Law and Gospel under A Brief Introduction to God’s Law, see also commentary under Leviticus 4:1-2 and the Considerations under Leviticus 4:27-35 regarding Intentional versus Unintentional.