The Superior High Priest

Short Story Long Name (Kids sermon) (Slide for Text)

Good morning! We are doing something a little different for us this morning in that today our K-2nd grade is joining us for the service. This gives our volunteers a break and helps our kiddos start to get used to the service. But it also means that we get to begin with a kids sermon. So, if I can get the kids to come on up here and have a seat right around me. And if I can get some Dads to join them just to help us stay on task that would be great!

Today, you all are going to help me tell a short story from the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. The Bible is God’s true word that tells one big story about Jesus. Today, we are going to focus on one small story about a man with a long name, named Melchizedek. In the book of Genesis Melchizedek meets Abraham after Abraham wins a battle with 5 kings. And Melchizedek had two jobs. He was King and he was a priest of the Most High God. In the book of Hebrews we learn that Melchizedek was a king of righteousness, which means he did the right thing and the king of peace. Who else do we know in the Bible who was a king that always did the right thing, righteous, and brought us peace? (Jesus) That’s right because the Bible is one big story about Jesus. So, Melchizedek reminds us of Jesus and how Jesus always does what is right and brings peace. That was his first job as king. But….

He also had a second job. He was King and Priest. A priest in the Old Testament would offer sacrifices and receive offerings on behalf of God for the people. The priest stood between God and man. In the book of Genesis, Abraham gave an offering to Melchizedek because Abraham and Melchizedek worshiped the one true God. Now, in the passage we are studying today, the author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is a better high priest than all of the priest of the Old Testament. Jesus is like Melchizedek is a King that is righteous and brings peace and he stands between God and man. Jesus is also a priest because offered himself on the cross for our sins. Like Melchizedek recieved gifts from Abraham on behalf of God so Jesus offers himself as a sacrifice for sins. Jesus is our King and Priest forever!!!

The New Testament tells us that if we believe in Jesus that we are made like him. That if we follow Jesus we are a royal (kingly) priesthood. We no longer need a priest to stand between us and God because Jesus stands between us and God. And Jesus will make us righteous and bring us peace! Applause and be seated!

Let’s turn to Hebrews chapter 7 verses 1-10 and read it together.

Melchizedek Resembles Christ v. 1-3

Once again the author of Hebrews references Genesis 14:18-20, which was the story I alluded to with our kids. In that text Abraham returns from a battle with the spoils from war. He meets Melchizedek and we are told that Melchizedek is the King of Salem and a priest of the most high God. Abraham offers Melchizedek a tenth of his spoils and Melchizedek blesses Abraham. As our author briefly recounts this encounter in Genesis 14 he makes three observations and then concludes that Melchizedek resembles the Son of God. These are his three observations about Melchizedek: He is a King of righteousness by the translation of his name, he is the King of Salem which is king of peace, and Melchizedek has neither beginning nor end (Eternal). Therefore, he resembles the Son of God and continues as a priest forever.

We need to be reminded as to why our author is brining up this short and obscure story about Melchizedek. The issue facing the original audience of this letter was the temptation to stop following Christ and return to their old way of life. They were Hebrews or Jews who once participated in the Old Testament sacrificial system, but now that Christ had come and died as a sacrifice for their sins there was no longer a need to continue in these practices. But, because we are all tempted from time to time to return to our old way of life these Christians were no different. Perhaps is was social pressure from their unconverted friends and family, perhaps it was open persecution for no longer being a religious Jew, or maybe it was just the desire to feel like they were justified before God through sacrificing animals for sin instead of trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus that brought on this temptation, we don’t really know. But we know they were tempted to forsake Christ’s sacrifice and return to their old way of life. So, the author of Hebrews writes this letter in an effort to dismantle the allure of the Old Testament sacrificial system by showing that Jesus is better. The revelation of Jesus, as the Son of God, is better than the revelation received from angels by Moses and the promises of rest in Jesus are better than the promises of rest in the promised land.

In this section of the book, the author is arguing that the priesthood of Jesus is better than the priesthood of the Old Testament that would be offering these sacrifices. He is working through each element of the Old Testament system and showing how Jesus fulfills and completes it. Jesus is what these systems were pointing to and now that he had come, they no longer needed to participate in these system. Instead, they were to simply worship Jesus and trust in his ability to save them.

So, the author in this passage and the passages following is arguing that Jesus is a better high priest than the high priest of the Old Testament. He is a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek which in a moment we will see is superior to the order of the Levi. The priesthood which the Old Testament high priest would have belonged. But before arguing that Melchizedek’s priesthood is better than Levi’s the author must first prove the Jesus is in fact a priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

And so, we have the author, who established in chapter one that Jesus is the Son of God showing us how Melchizedek resembles Jesus, the Son of God. Looking at verse 2. He is a king of righteousness, a king of peace, and he has no beginning or end.

In the Old Testament, there were prophecies about the Messiah or Christ. And in these prophecies the Messiah would come from the ancestral line of David (2 Samuel 7:12-13) and he would rule God’s people forever. This Messiah King’s rule would be characterized as being both righteousness and peaceful. His eternal rule would just last forever, but it would be really really good. He would rule in such a way that the whole world would be a place or righteousness and peace. Isaiah 9:7 is one of theses prophecies and it tell so the Messiah and says, “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” This is a Christmas passage, but Christians need these passages all year around. We need to be reminded of the future promises of God and the reality that one day the government or kingdom of Jesus will increase and bring peace that is eternal. That his kingdom will be upheld by justice and righteousness. This is the only government that we can place our hope and trust. The eternal and future rule of Christ. Christ is the king who’s rule and reign will be characterized by righteousness and peace. There is no other. There may be from time to time in this world governments that operate according to God’s ways and provide us with a quiet and peaceful life and we ought to pray for this! But brothers and sisters we must know that these governments are always temporal. They are foretaste of a much better government that is still on the horizon. A government that sometimes pierces the darkness and reminds us that is already and not yet. Glimpses here and there of righteousness and peace but only fully realized in the eternal rule of Christ.

Melchizedek, by the translation of his name was a king of righteousness. He name means king (mel) and righteousness (zek) in Semitic languages. He is the king of Salem, which means peace and most likely the place that was later be called Jerusalem in the Old Testament story. Jerusalem means New Salem. This will be the home of King David’s capital city and the temple of God built by David’s son Solomon. A city that is supposed manifest the peaceful rule of Christ and be a beacon of hope to the nations… but they fail. Jerusalem and her people will be unfaithful to God and war torn by the end of the Old Testament. Melchizedek appears quickly and is gone quickly in Genesis and he appears right after a time of war. He is a glimpse of righteousness and peace and a source of blessing to Abraham. A blessing which comes from the Most High God. The biblical authors use this mysterious character to remind us, that something better is coming. Right now Abraham lives in the time when war takes away his family and he must go rescue his nephew Lot. The audience in the book of Hebrews lives in a time in which there is real temptation to fall away from Christ. But a better day is coming. A day when the King rule with righteousness and peace and no one will fall away. An kingdom with no end ruled by an eternal king.

Not only is the day of righteousness and peace coming, but it is a day that will last forever. Melchizedek is given no genealogy in the book of Genesis. The book uses genealogies throughout it, but Melchizedek is not mentioned. I do not believe this means that Melchizedek is an eternal being. Some have suggested that he is pre-incarnate Christ, but our text only says he resembled the Son of God, not that he was the Son of God. I also don’t believe his was angel or anything like that. I believe Melchizedek was a man appointed by God to be a King and a priest. But because his priesthood depended upon the appointment of God and not his genealogy his priesthood continues forever. This is a direct contrast to the Levitical priesthood which depended upon genealogy. A man was a priest simply because he was born into a Levite family. And if this family died out the priesthood would die out with them.

Next week this point will be driven home as we the author will say in Hebrews 7:15–16 “This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.”

Melchizedek’s priesthood endures forever because it depends not upon bodily descent, but instead upon the appoint of God.

So Melchizedek is a king of righteousness and peace whose priesthood last forever and therefore he resembles the Son of God who’s rule will bring righteousness and peace and is a priest forever.

T/S- Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek, but is his priesthood better?

Melchizedek, a Superior Priesthood v. 4-10

Now, we can either answer the question like my daughter Vera answers questions during our family worship time. Vera has figured out that most of the answers to Daddy’s questions are Jesus. So, she just takes her high percentage shot and answers Jesus no matter the question. And many times she is right, but she doesn’t really know why she is right. Is Jesus priesthood better than the Levitical priesthood… of course! But why?

In answering the why? We find more reasons for us to worship and admire Christ. We don’t just say Jesus is better, we know it! Why is Jesus a superior high priest, because he is a high priest according to order of Melchizedek, a superior priesthood that does not rely on genealogy, but is eternal. And after making that point in verse 3 the author says. Hebrews 7:4 “See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!” He is arguing from the lesser to the greater. If we see Melchizedek as great and we see Christ as greater. How great is Melchizedek? He is so great that the patriarch Abraham paid a tenth or a tithe of his spoils. This is no small matter. He is returning from battle with the spoils from 5 kings, and he gives a tenth of these spoils to Melchizedek. It is not payment for the bread and wine that he recieved from Melchizedek or a tip for the blessing that Melchizedek bestows. It is a worshipful gift given to Melchizedek out of reverance for the Most High God. Abraham is acknowledging the legitimacy of Melchizedek’s priesthood in this offering. He doing something that our text tells us that the Levites will do later in that they would receive tithes from the people of Israel. Our text explains, Hebrews 7:5–6 “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. But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.”

So Abraham pays tithes to Melchizedek as an offering to God just as the people of Israel pay tithes to Levite priest. But how is the tithe given to Melchizedek superior to the tithe given to Levi? Because of who the tithes are from. Melchizedek receives the tither from Abraham the patriarch. Abraham the father, but the Levites receive tithes from their brothers. Abraham was the father of Isaac, the father of Jacob, the father of Levi and Levi’s 11 brothers. Levi’s descendents were chosen by God to minister as His priests. Only those descended from Levi could serve as priest, thus their priesthood depended upon their genealogy or bodily descent. Abraham is called the patriarch a term in Jewish culture that held the highest honor. He is the father of their fathers. And as their Patriarch, their family head, in this position of honor, he paid homage to the Most High God.

Levi receives tithes from the brother, Melchizedek receives tithes from the father. The author is displaying the greatness of Abraham to display the greatness of Melchizedek and thus declaring the greatest of Christ. Jesus supersedes the high priest of Levi because Melchizedek supersedes their priesthood in receiving tithes, not from the children of Israel, but the father of Israel. And what dos Melchizedek do for this father of Israel? He blesses him. Melchizedek meets Abraham, ministers to him, and blesses him. The author of Hebrews writes Hebrews 7:7 “It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.” Melchizedek is not simply superior to Levi… He is superior to Abraham. The author builds up Abraham as the patriarch in order to show that Jesus is even superior to their oldest father figure. Abraham, the father of their nation, still needed to be blessed by Melchizedek because even after defeating 5 kings he was inferior to the King of Salem.

Now, verse 7 seals the deal. Clearly it is beyond dispute that Abraham, who is superior to Levi, is inferior to Melchizedek because he received a blessing from Melchizedek, but the author has more for us. He explains in Hebrews 7:8 “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.” Just as Melchizedek does not have a genealogy, thus a “beginning” in the book of Genesis neither does he have a recorded death in the book of Genesis. Levitical priest died, and with them their priesthood. Melchizedek’s lack of death points to the one who conquered death, Christ. This point will be explained further next week. But for now, we see again the superiority of Christ to the Levitical priesthood. And therefore, the author summarizes his argument in the use of a symbol Hebrews 7:9–10 “One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.” This is not meant to be taken literally, thus the phrase “one might even say” but it is taken symbolically. Levi “paid tithes, symbolically, through Abraham since he was a ancestor of Melchizedek. Levi’s genetics, his DNA and the genetics of all his sons and sons’ sons were present in Abraham the patriarch. Therefore, he symbolically paid tithes to Melchizedek. Our good and bad works are not credited to our kids and we don’t get credit for the good and bad deeds of our ancestors. But Abraham, as the patriarch of Isreal, did stand in as the nations representative. He is an admired figure in their history and if this figure of adoration paid tithes to Melchizedek it is like all of Israel, including the priestly tribe of Levi, paid tithes to Melchizedek. And if Melchizedek blessed Abraham the patriarch, it is as if he blessed the nation of Israel, including the Levites. And As Hebrews 7:7 tells us, “It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.” Jesus’ priesthood, according to the order of Melchizedek is greater than the Levitical priesthood.

Conclusion

As we interact with text like this philosophers and studious in the room get giddy, but those of us who are bit more pragmatic wonder, what does this mean for my life? Why should I care about text like this one? Let me give you a take aways from this text.

Be amazed and comforted by God’s Providence and Plan

This passage leans heavily upon 3 verses written by Moses thousands of years before the author of Hebrews wrote his letter. God knew then that the Hebrews in the first century would need clarification as to the priestly origins of Christ. God has a detailed plan for our world, and his plans can span thousands of years and include the smallest details. He knew that the Old Testament system would end, and he planned for it to end. This is why in the OT there is an eternal priesthood of Melchizedek. The Bible is one big story all about Jesus.

Know God’s Eternal Plan Includes Weaklings Like You.

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” and Hebrews 5:2 “He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.” Jesus is a better high priest and therefore can deal gently with people who have fallen away but need to return to him. He has a plan to sympathize with the weak who are tempted to fall away. If you have failed Christ, and your life is a mess know that God’s plan does not exclude you. His plan is to save sinners like you and me in spite of our weakness. The original audience were people tempted to fall away. Yet, Christ does not let them go because he is a great high priest.

If their temptations can be dismantled by the Gospel, then yours can too.

Their temptation was to return to Judaism so our author dismantles each tenant of Judaism to show his readers how Jesus is better and has fulfilled the Old Testament promises. He walks through angels, Moses, Sabbath, the priesthood, the sacrificial system, the temple, and the old covenant and at each one he says the same thing: Jesus is better. I don’t know your personal temptations, but I know this: Jesus is better. I guarantee that with the power of the Gospel we can dismantle all of your temptations. This is what we do in Community Group, counseling, discipleship meetings, and Sunday after Sunday. We look at our struggles and we say: Praise God, Jesus is better. Better than sensual pleasure, money, pride, perfectionism, worry, fear, anger, and anything else that plagues you. Jesus is Better.

Do you believe that? Do you need some help? Call, email, text, talk to the person that brought you, and we will get you help. Let’s pray.