Jesus, Our Superior High Priest (Hebrews 7:1–10)

Introduction

We’re continuing our series in the book of Hebrews. Today, we will be in Hebrews 7:1-10, focusing on a person in the Bible that you may not have heard of, a man named Melchizedek.

Have you ever skimmed a Bible passage and thought, “What was that all about?” This text may have been one of those in the past. But today we’ll see that this man points to the fact that Jesus is greater than our traditions, efforts, and spiritual systems. Jesus is our superior High Priest, our Savior, and our Lord.

This came from a 1991 news article, and is a true story: One day, a guy was walking around a flea market and saw what he described as an “ugly” painting. He didn’t like the painting, but he liked the frame. So he bought the painting for $4 and brought it home.

He removed the painting, but the frame fell apart. When it did, a folded document was found between the canvas and the wood backing. It appeared to be an old copy of the Declaration of Independence. It was an original copy and was one of only 24 known to remain. He ended up selling it at auction for $2.42 million.

This highlights that what may seem insignificant sometimes has tremendous value when you look carefully at it. You constantly see this in the Bible, and the writer of Hebrews will point out to us today how the role of Melchizedek ultimately points to the greatness of Jesus Christ.

Today, the writer of Hebrews will address Jesus's qualifications to serve as our high priest. If Jesus is our superior High Priest, what makes him qualified to stand before God on our behalf? This is a crucial question for us to dive into, because:

If Jesus is not qualified, if God did not appoint him, he’s another teacher or prophet, and we’re on our own.

But if he is qualified to stand before God on our behalf as our High Priest, we no longer carry the weight of sin or our guilt.

That’s where we’re going to explore today in Hebrews 7:1-10.

Scripture Reading

Hebrews 7:1–10 CSB

1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace. 3 Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. 4 Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him. 5 The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers and sisters—though they have also descended from Abraham. 6 But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8 In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. 9 And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham, 10 for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

Pray

At first glance, when you’re reading through this, it’s an unusual text. Melchizedek isn’t someone we typically talk about at church. Melchizedek would likely come up in a Bible trivia game rather than a sermon.

But for the original recipients of this letter, hearing about Melchizedek in this way wasn’t a game of theological trivia. I was a real challenge to their thinking. The names Abraham, Levi, and Melchizedek are placed here for a specific purpose: to show first-century Jewish Christians and us that Jesus is greater than any human tradition, religious heritage, or spiritual system.

The Story of Melchizedek

The story of Melchizedek comes from the book of Genesis, and if you blink, you might miss it. It’s a passage of Scripture from Genesis 14 that is short. Melchizedek’s name is only mentioned once in the book of Genesis and is only referred to in three verses, Genesis 14:18-20. The first mention of Melchizedek comes in Genesis 14:18, where it says,

Genesis 14:18 CSB

18 Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High.

This is the first mention of a priest or any priesthood in the Bible. We don’t know how Melchizedek became a priest to God, and that’s an important detail. Melchizedek comes and goes in this section of Scripture, as if he has no beginning and no end.

Abram, later called Abraham, is returning from a battle. He is dusty and tired. He’s been leading his men through a rocky terrain under a hot sun. He had some things stolen from him, and he took some trained men to fight to recover everything they took, including his relative Lot. In Genesis 14:16, Abram returns with all the goods and the people. Everything has been restored to him.

As Abraham approaches the Shaveh Valley (or the King’s Valley), he is greeted by the king of Sodom. Then he interacts with another king, Melchizedek, called the king of Salem. We know three things about him so far from Genesis 14:18,

He is a king

He brings bread and wine

He is a priest of God

Then Melchizedek gives Abraham a blessing in Genesis 14:19-20,

Genesis 14:19–20 CSB

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.

That’s it. That’s the last mention of Melchizedek in the book of Genesis. He blesses Abram, a blessing from God, and he praises God for handing over Abram’s enemies to him. Then Abraham does something interesting. He gives Melchizedek, the priest of God, a tithe of everything he owns.

Typology in Scripture

The story of Melchizedek is an example of typology in Scripture. Typology acknowledges that there are stories in the Bible that God uses to create corresponding images between one person and another, usually one person in the Old Testament and Christ in the New Testament. It is a promise through an Old Testament figure that finds fulfillment in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

This is not to say that Melchizedek was a preincarnate Jesus. We take Scripture at its word that Melchizedek was a historical king and a priest. But the way he is presented in Scripture is an early foreshadowing of the coming Messiah. The combination of him:

as a king

bringing bread and wine (you can’t help but think of Jesus presenting bread and wine as his body and blood)

and as a priest to God without the Levitical priestly lineage

giving a blessing and receiving a submission to his authority by Abraham

coming and going as if he had no beginning and end

These present him as a type of the Messiah to come, Jesus Christ. As a type, he presents a picture to the Jews of who the Messiah would be. This is confirmed in Psalm 110, a psalm the Jews understood to speak about the Messiah. It says in Psalm 110:4,

Psalm 110:4 CSB

4 The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back: “You are a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek.”

This verse, Psalm 110:4, identifies the Messiah as someone who would resemble the type of priest conveyed in Genesis 14:18-20. The Messiah would be a priest according to the pattern of Melchizedek. If Jesus is the Messiah, he must fulfill this prophecy.

The Challenges Facing First-Century Jewish Christians

The arguments in Hebrews 7:1-10 were significant because the Jewish Christians hearing them were people who could be tempted to go back to their old way of Jewish religion.

What kind of arguments could they hear from their Jewish neighbors, friends, and leaders? The Jews could argue,

You claim Jesus is a high priest, but every priest must come from Levi! Jesus of Nazareth is from Judah. He has no priestly authority at all. How can you trust a priest who isn’t even a Levite?

Our father Abraham, and through him Levi, received God’s covenant promise? We are following their lineage. Why are you abandoning your heritage for Jesus?

Our priests offer sacrifices in the temple day after day. Without sacrifices, how can you claim to have peace with God? What about the Law? Are you trusting in one man rather than God’s commands?

These would have been challenging questions. The answer to those arguments, according to Hebrews 7:1-10, is that Jesus is the superior High Priest because His priesthood is not based on ancestry, but on righteousness, peace, and God’s appointment.

That brings us to the first point,

I. Jesus is Superior Because His Priesthood Brings True Righteousness and Lasting Peace

When the writer of Hebrews mentions Melchizedek, he mentions two key details about him: his name and title. It mentions in Hebrews 7:2 that:

His name, Melchizedek, means king of righteousness.

His title, king of Salem, means king of peace.

To the Jewish mind, names are not just words to identify a person. Names are a representation of who the person is. They reveal the identity of a person, which can reflect their character. They might represent the purpose or destiny of a person. They can communicate theology, such as with the name Daniel, which means, “God is my judge.” A name can also identify the authority of a person.

Jesus uses the significance of a name in the Hebrew mindset when he changes the name of one of his disciples from Simon to Peter. In John 1:42,

John 1:42 CSB

42 and he brought Simon to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, he said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated “Peter”).

Simon means “listener,” or “one who hears.” The Lord changed his name to Cephas, which means “rock.” He does this as a prophetic sign of Peter's leadership in establishing the church in the book of Acts. His new name represented the purpose that God had for him.

The argument in Hebrews connects the significance of Melchizidek’s name and title with the prophecy in Psalm 110:4 that the Messiah is a priest “according to the pattern of Melchizedek.” The pattern of Melchizedek includes the prophecy of a Messiah whose nature and purpose would reflect righteousness and peace.

Jesus fulfilled that prophecy. He is the only one who could perfectly fulfill the pattern of the priesthood of Melchizedek.

Through his priestly sacrifice, Jesus is the only one who can provide true righteousness, a righteous life that comes not by our own efforts but through Christ’s work in us.

Through his priestly sacrifice, Jesus is the only one who can provide lasting peace. Jesus doesn’t offer temporary relief; he brings an eternal reconciliation and peace with God through the cross.

Scripture summarizes this beautifully in Romans 5:1,

Romans 5:1 CSB

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our peace in Jesus is eternal because it doesn’t depend on our works. It is based solely on the finished work of our superior High Priest, Jesus Christ.

I was watching a video about an individual who was living in a small shack that he constructed out of wooden pallets. Next to his wooden shack was a big, solid apartment building. He preferred to live in the wooden shack because it was rent-free. However, a big storm came through, and the video showed him trying to capture all the leaks. Eventually, the city tore down the wooden shack because it wasn’t safe.

The world offers a peace that’s like that wooden shack. It seems like a good idea at the time. It might look like a shelter, but when the storm comes, it’s not strong at all. The roof leaks, the wind cuts through it, and it eventually comes down. Nothing that the world will offer you will last.

But being in Jesus is like being in that strong building built on a firm foundation. Whatever circumstances arise, there is a lasting hope in Jesus Christ that gives us righteousness and peace in him.

The second reason why Jesus is our superior High Priest,

II. Jesus is Superior Because His Priesthood is Based on God's Calling, Not Human Lineage

To understand the importance of human lineage in Scripture, you must understand the history of Israel. The people of Israel were broken up into twelve tribes. The twelve tribes were named after the twelve sons of Israel, and everyone in Israel could trace their lineage through one of them. When the people of Israel entered the promised land, they split it between the twelve tribes.

There was one tribe that didn’t get a specific piece of land. That was the tribe of Levi. Instead, the tribe of Levi was set apart by God to serve as priests and caretakers of the tabernacle. They were scattered throughout the land in designated cities. Their inheritance wasn’t the land, it was the privilege of ministering before the Lord on behalf of God’s people.

Under the Law, in the Old Testament, priests had to come through the lineage of Levi. It’s how God had set up the priesthood in the Jewish religious system. This presents a challenge with Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus came through the tribe of Judah, not the tribe of Levi. If God gave the Law to Israel, and God said that priests came through the tribe of Levi, how could now Christians call Jesus a superior High Priest if he came through Judah, not Levi?

This isn’t an issue today because we believe people can become whatever they want. But that was not so in first-century Israel. If you did not come through the lineage of Levi, you could not become a priest, no matter how much you wanted to be one. God’s Law established that priests only come through Levi.

How does the writer of Hebrews answer this challenge? He answers by reminding us of the nature of the priesthood of the Messiah. The Bible says that the Messiah would be different. He would be a priest, but not a priest according to the Levitical priesthood. Instead, the Messiah would be a priest in the pattern of Melchizedek.

When you look at the priesthood of Melchizedek, it doesn’t come from any human lineage. The Bible doesn’t justify his priesthood through a family tree. Melchizedek’s priesthood was based solely on God’s direct appointment.

Look at how the pattern of the priesthood of Melchizedek is described in Hebrews 7:3,

Hebrews 7:3 CSB

3 Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

The point here is not to say that the historical Melchizedek had no parents. He is showing the intentionality that Scripture brings in presenting a priesthood that has no lineage but is based solely on God’s appointment.

Jesus’ priesthood is superior because his priesthood is based on God’s direct appointment and eternal promise. The Jewish system had a priesthood based on human lineage and temporary regulations. It was temporary. Jesus is about an everlasting hope and future. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises. His priesthood is forever.

To understand this argument in today’s language, imagine you’re going in for an important job interview. You’ve prepared your résumé and listed every qualification you have. You’ve listed your education and previous employment, and even have some recommendations from others. You walk into the job interview confident, knowing that, because of your qualifications, you have this job! You sit down, and the manager says you didn’t expect, “I appreciate your résumé, but there is only one qualification that matters here. It’s if I’ve chosen you.”

When considering the priesthood of Jesus, the Jews would point to his lack of Levitical lineage. They would say he doesn’t have the qualifications. But Jesus doesn’t need human qualifications. His qualification comes from the Father. The Father said to the Son in Luke 9:35,

Luke 9:35 CSB

35 Then a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, the Chosen One; listen to him!”

The Son of God is the Chosen One from the Father to serve as our superior High Priest. Peter says about Jesus in 1 Peter 2:4

1 Peter 2:4 CSB

4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God—

The Son of God was rejected by people, but chosen and honored by the Father.

What does that mean for us today? It means that if others have rejected you, but God has chosen you to follow him, you’re in good company. God does not choose us by our spiritual résumé. He is not looking out upon the world, trying to find the righteous and the deserving. Maybe you grew up in church and came from a religious family, or perhaps you grew up in a broken home and didn’t have the advantages of others. Wherever you are, Jesus accepts you where you are. As a follower of Jesus, others may reject you, but your security doesn’t come from whether others accept you or your background. Your security rests in Jesus Christ, the superior High Priest chosen and appointed by God.

The last reason why Jesus is our superior High Priest,

III. Jesus is Superior Because His Priesthood was Honored Even by Abraham and Levi

To Jewish Christians, Abraham was the father of their faith, and Levi represented the priesthood. So when the writer shows that even Abraham, the great patriarch, gave a tithe to Melchizedek and received a blessing from him, it was a bold and shocking statement to them.

Everything from their beginning began with Abraham. For instance, when God speaks to Moses in Exodus 3:6, he says,

Exodus 3:6 CSB

6 Then he continued, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.

Abraham was at the root of the covenant promises between God and his people, Israel. Abraham was the greatest of faith among them, the father of their faith, and they were to follow the example of faith that came from the patriarch, Abraham.

But if that example was that Abraham honored Melchizedek and received a blessing from him, that means Melchizedek was superior to Abraham, and by extension, greater than Levi. That was a shock to the system.

This is how Hebrews 7:4-7 explains it,

Hebrews 7:4–7 CSB

4 Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him. 5 The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers and sisters—though they have also descended from Abraham. 6 But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior.

That is a massive statement, “The inferior is blessed by the superior.” Abraham gave this voluntary offering of a tithe, a tenth of his goods, not because he was commanded to do so, but because he recognized the greatness and superiority of Melchizedek.

Here’s the point: Jesus is “a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek.” If Melchizedek is superior to Abraham, and Abraham, as the father of their faith, is greater than Levi, then Jesus’ priesthood is greater than the Levitical priesthood. The entire religious system that the Jews held so dear ultimately bows down before Jesus.

The Law bows down to Jesus, because he fulfilled it perfectly (Matt. 5:17).

The Temple bows down to Jesus, because Jesus is the true temple, as he said in John 2:19: “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.”

The Priesthood bows down to Jesus, because Jesus is our superior High Priest, who offered Himself as a sacrifice once for all (John 10:18).

The Sacrifices bow down to Jesus, because Jesus is the final, perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. As he said in John 19:30, “It is finished.”

The Prophets bow down to Jesus, because the words they spoke point to him (Luke 24:44)

The Sabbath bows down to Jesus, because Jesus is our true rest, and the “Lord of the Sabbath” (Matt. 12:8).

The kings bow down to Jesus, because Jesus is the King of kings, the Son of David who reigns forever (Matt. 21:9; Rev. 19:16)

The entire system is a system that points to the greatness of Jesus Christ, and everything must bow down to him.

Conclusion

If the law, the temple, the sacrifices, the Sabbath, and even Abraham and Levi bow before Jesus, what about you?

What parts of your life still resist bowing down to the authority of Christ?

Is it your self-control? Is it a past hurt that keeps you guarded? Is it a religious routine that replaces a real surrender to God?

As the writer of Hebrews is making clear, Jesus is not just another option. Jesus is the fulfillment of everything God has been pointing to, and the only option. Jesus is our righteousness, peace, priest, and King.

So the question for you today is not just, “Do you believe in Jesus?” The question is, “Have you bowed everything down before him?”

As we are reminded in Philippians 2:10-11,

Philippians 2:10–11 CSB

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

You can bow before Jesus today in faith and joy, or bow before him in the future in judgment. Don’t wait for some day in the far-off future. Bow your knee and your heart to Jesus today. Surrender everything to him.

Prayer

Last Song

Doxology

Numbers 6:24–26 CSB

24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!

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Sermon Reflection Questions

Who is Melchizedek, and what significance does he hold in the context of Hebrews 7?

How does the writer of Hebrews demonstrate that Jesus’ priesthood is superior to the Levitical priests?

In what way does Melchizedek serve as a type of Christ according to the sermon?

Why was it surprising that Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek?

What are the main points presented in Hebrews 7:1-10 regarding Jesus’ authority as a High Priest?