The Greatness of Melchizedek
Notes
Transcript
Where are we in Hebrews?
Jesus is Better
1. Christ superior to the prophets (1:1-3)
2. Christ superior to the angels (1:4-2:18)
3. Christ superior to Moses (3:1-4:13)
4. Christ superior to Aaron (4:14-10:18)
Interspersed warning passages (Zach, illustration)
“You are just like George Washington” - integrity, patriotism
“Abraham Lincoln” - visionary leadership
“Martin Luther King” - moral courage, commitment to reconciliation
Hebrews 6:19–20 “19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. 20 Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
About Melchizedek
The New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition Melchizedek
He was the king of Salem (probably Jerusalem) and priest of ‘God Most High’ ’ēl ‘elyôn) who greeted Abram on his return from the rout of *CHEDORLAOMER and his allies, presented him with bread and wine, blessed him in the name of God Most High and received from him a tenth part of the booty which had been taken from the enemy
Melchizedek means “King of righteousness”
Only 2 references in the OT:
1 In those days King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim 2 waged war against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, and King Shemeber of Zeboiim, as well as the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All of these came as allies to the Siddim Valley (that is, the Dead Sea). 4 They were subject to Chedorlaomer for twelve years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in the mountains of Seir, as far as El-paran by the wilderness. 7 Then they came back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they defeated the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar. 8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and lined up for battle in the Siddim Valley 9 against King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Siddim Valley contained many asphalt pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, but the rest fled to the mountains. 11 The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went on. 12 They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom, and they went on. 13 One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew, who lived near the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a treaty with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he and his servants deployed against them by night, defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus. 16 He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people. 17 After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said: Abram is blessed by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 20 and blessed be God Most High who has handed over your enemies to you. And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the possessions for yourself.”
Who was he? Calvin - “Amid the corruptions of the world, he alone, in that land, was an upright and sincere cultivator and guardian of religion.”
He was a priest…and a king
Who was he not?
Shem, a son of Noah (Jewish interpretation, possibly needed after Christianity)
An angelic or celestial or supernatural being
A theophany, or a prehistoric appearance of Christ
Melchizedek blessed Abraham!
Hebrews Who Is Melchizedek?
We remember that God had long promised blessing to Abraham, although to the eyes of the world he must not have seemed very important. But here we see this priestly figure confirming his blessedness in the most public manner after the great victory over the kings of the east, a time when Abraham was probably more in the limelight than at any other during his entire life. Martin Luther saw it this way: “Melchizedek presents Abraham to the entire world and declares that only with him, in his house and family, are the church, the kingdom of heaven, salvation, forgiveness of sins, and the divine blessing.”
Psalm 110:1–4 “1 This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2 The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion. Rule over your surrounding enemies. 3 Your people will volunteer on your day of battle. In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, the dew of your youth belongs to you. 4 The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back: “You are a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek.””
Who is the psalmist referring to in v.1 and how do we know?
Matthew 22:41–45 “41 While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “David’s.” 43 He asked them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’: 44 The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet’? 45 “If David calls him ‘Lord,’ how, then, can he be his son?””
We next see a reference to Melchizedek in Hebrews:
Hebrews 5:9–10 “9 After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10 and he was declared by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”
How is Jesus like Melchizedek?
What is the point of Heb 7?
1. The Imperfection of the Aaronic Priesthood
1. The Imperfection of the Aaronic Priesthood
11 Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. 13 For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. 14 Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.
v.11 “if perfection...” Clearly the levitical priesthood was not perfect, since God set out to establish a new priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.
v.12 The better priesthood must be different in some way. How is Jesus’ priesthood different? For one thing - a different tribe.
2. The Superiority of the New Priesthood
2. The Superiority of the New Priesthood
15 And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it has been testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. 18 So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable 19 (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
v.17 A “forever priesthood” can never be improved upon. The law was profitable to show us our sin:
Galatians 3:24 “24 The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith.”
Romans 3:20 “20 For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.”
The law was not profitable to bring us close to God!
3. Superior because of the Divine Oath
3. Superior because of the Divine Oath
20 None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever.” 22 Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.
The Epistle to the Hebrews E. Superior Because of the Divine Oath (7:20–22)
The inauguration of the Aaronic priesthood rested on a divine command: “bring near to you Aaron your brother,” said God to Moses, “and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests” (Ex. 28:1). But there is no mention of a divine oath in the record of their appointment as there is in Ps. 110:4, where a new priest “after the order of Melchizedek” is introduced. This suggests the superior dignity of the Melchizedek priesthood.
4. Superior because of its permanence
4. Superior because of its permanence
23 Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. 24 But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.
The New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition Melchizedek
Melchizedek appears and disappears suddenly, with nothing said about his birth or death, ancestry or descent, in a manner which declares his superiority to Abram and, by implication, to the Aaronic priesthood descended from Abram. The superiority of Christ and his new order to the levitical order of OT times is thus established
v.23 “He is able to save completely” - perhaps the most significant point of this entire chapter! Why is Jesus able to save in this way?
5. Superior because of the character of Jesus
5. Superior because of the character of Jesus
26 For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever.
v.26 “holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens”
The Epistle to the Hebrews G. Superior Because of the Character of Jesus (7:26–28)
Jesus, who endured sore temptations on earth; Jesus, who poured out his heart in earnest prayer to God; Jesus, who learned by suffering how hard the way of obedience could be; Jesus, who interceded for his disciples that their faith might not fail when the hour of testing came; Jesus, who offered up his life to God as a sin offering on their behalf—this same Jesus is the unchanging high priest and helper of all who come to God through him.
v.28 high priests - “men who are weak”
Day of atonement, Leviticus 16:6 “6 “Aaron will present the bull for his sin offering and make atonement for himself and his household.”
