In our study of Hebrews chapter seven, we look at the order of Melchizedek and the perfect lasting priesthood of Jesus Christ.
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This Malki-Tzedek, king of Shalem, a cohen of God Ha'Elyon, met Avraham on his way back from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him; also Avraham gave him a tenth of everything. Now first of all, by translation of his name, he is "king of righteousness"; and then he is also king of Shalem, which means "king of peace."
At the end of chapter 6, we were introduced to the order of Melchizedek and Paul continues by reminding the people of Abraham's meeting with him as recorded in Genesis 14. He is introduced as the "king of Salem" and many have said that this is short for Jerusalem but it is not. We see, here, that salem means peace and his name actually means "king of righteousness".
There is no record of his father, mother, ancestry, birth or death; rather, like the Son of God, he continues as a cohen for all time. Just think how great he was! Even the Patriarch Avraham gave him a tenth of the choicest spoils.
We are not given any more details about Melchizedek which is very different from the rest of the Book of Genesis. We see that he is simply an eternal priest of God. We see that the father of our faith recognized this mysterious priest as being greater than himself and so presented him with ten percent of what he received from the battle. This is significant in the fact that this was before any of the law had been given.
Now the descendants of Levi who became cohanim have a commandment in the Torah to take a tenth of the income of the people, that is, from their own brothers, despite the fact that they too are descended from Avraham. But Malki-Tzedek, even though he was not descended from Levi, took a tenth from Avraham. Also, he blessed Avraham, the man who received God's promises;
Now, Paul contrasts the Aaronic priesthood to the order of Melchizedek. We see that the Levites were mere men and Abraham recognized Melchizedek as higher than men.
and it is beyond all dispute that the one who blesses has higher status than the one who receives the blessing. Moreover, in the case of the cohanim, the tenth is received by men who die; while in the case of Malki-Tzedek, it is received by someone who is testified to be still alive. One might go even further and say that Levi, who himself receives tenths, paid a tenth through Avraham; inasmuch as he was still in his ancestor Avraham's body when Malki-Tzedek met him.
Here, we see the ultimate in paying it forward as Paul describes the fact that Levi (servants of God) paid the tithe to Melchizedek as he was an ancestor of Abraham. Melchizedek's priesthood is compared to the Aaronic priesthood in that they were mere men that collected the tithe and, as men, they died but Melchizedek did not. Their ministry was temporary where Melchizedek's is permanent. We often forget that whatever ministry God has entrusted to us is, like Levi's, only temporary but it is for the eternal kingdom and has lasting effects.
Therefore, if it had been possible to reach the goal through the system of cohanim derived from Levi (since in connection with it, the people were given the Torah), what need would there have been for another, different kind of cohen, the one spoken of as to be compared with Malki-Tzedek and not to be compared with Aharon?
Paul now contrasts the priesthood of Melchizedek with that of the Levites. We see that the law was administered by the Levitical priests and we know that the Law did not have the power to save men from their sins.
For if the system of cohanim is transformed, there must of necessity occur a transformation of Torah.
Before the Law of Moses was given, there was the priesthood of Melchizedek. With the giving of the Law, the Levitical priesthood was established. With Jesus our High Priest, we are under the law of love and not the Law of Moses.
The one about whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar; for everyone knows that our Lord arose out of Y'hudah, and that Moshe said nothing about this tribe when he spoke about cohanim. It becomes even clearer if a "different kind of cohen," one like Malki-Tzedek, arises, one who became a cohen not by virtue of a rule in the Torah concerning physical descent, but by virtue of the power of an indestructible life. For it is stated, "You are a cohen FOREVER, to be compared with Malki-Tzedek."
Now, Paul begins to compare Jesus (our High Priest) to the Levites. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah and they were not the tribe that was set aside to be priests by the Law of Moses. He was declared a priest by His resurrection as it is said in Psalm 110:4. This is also the basis for the doctrine commonly called "the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers". In 1 Peter 2:5, Peter speaks of the fact that we become priests based on our relationship with Jesus Christ. As Jesus' priesthood was confirmed by the power demonstrated in His resurrection, our priesthood is confirmed by the power of the Holy Spirit that works in and through us. Today, there has been a religious system set up within the body of Christ that sets the qualifications of a priest/minister/pastor based on their education. That is a step backward from the "order of Melchizedek" and, in fact, is a step back to the Law and away from the grace of God.
Thus, on the one hand, the earlier rule is set aside because of its weakness and inefficacy (for the Torah did not bring anything to the goal); and, on the other hand, a hope of something better is introduced, through which we are drawing near to God.
The law establishing the Levitical priesthood did not give the priests the power to defeat sin. Instead, they were constantly offering sacrifices and in fact became slaves to the sacrifices and the law. But, a better hope (speaking of Jesus Christ) was introduced as He overcame sin and death on our behalf. Through Him, we can draw near to God.
What is more, God swore an oath. For no oath was sworn in connection with those who become cohanim now; but Yeshua became a cohen by the oath which God swore when he said to him, "ADONAI has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a cohen forever.'" Also this shows how much better is the covenant of which Yeshua has become guarantor.
In Psalm 110, God used David to describe Jesus as the coming King. Unlike the world where there is separation between government and the reign of God, He was also described as "a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek". This promise of God is the guarantee of the new covenant of grace that replaced the Law.
Moreover, the present cohanim are many in number, because they are prevented by death from continuing in office. But because he lives forever, his position as cohen does not pass on to someone else; and consequently, he is totally able to deliver those who approach God through him; since he is alive forever and thus forever able to intercede on their behalf.
One of the greatest differences between Jesus and the Levitical high priests is that they died but He lives forever. They could only serve for a short time but He is still serving as He is at the Father's right hand.
This is the kind of cohen gadol that meets our need - holy, without evil, without stain, set apart from sinners and raised higher than the heavens; one who does not have the daily necessity, like the other cohanim g'dolim, of offering up sacrifices first for their own sins and only then for those of the people; because he offered one sacrifice, once and for all, by offering up himself. For the Torah appoints as cohanim g'dolim men who have weakness; but the text which speaks about the swearing of the oath, a text written later than the Torah, appoints a Son who has been brought to the goal forever.
The Levitical priests had to make atonement for their own sins before they could minister on behalf of the people. Since they continued to sin, this was an unending process. Jesus who did not sin did not require atonement but instead became the perfect sacrifice for all men.
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