The Greater Priest: From Melchizedek to the Messiah
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
BLAST
Well, Happy Mother’s Day! If we're honest, many moms operate a bit like mysteries. Growing up, maybe you were like me and you thought:
“How does she know everything?”
“How does she do everything?”
“Where does she come from with all that wisdom, patience, and power?”
It wasn’t until much later that you realized: her strength came from somewhere deeper. Moms don’t just “show up” out of nowhere—they're often grounded in something bigger than themselves: a calling, a faith, a legacy.
This morning, in Hebrews 7, we meet another mysterious figure who seems to come out of nowhere—Melchizedek. No backstory. No family tree. No origin or ending. He simply arrives on the scene as a priest and king, blessing Abraham and receiving a tithe.
And the writer of Hebrews says: pay attention—this man is pointing us to someone greater. His mysterious greatness helps us grasp the eternal greatness of our true High Priest, Jesus.
The author of Hebrews started, in chapter five, comparing Jesus with this OT figure named Melchizedek. Melchizedek is an enigma/mystery. But, then, he interrupted himself to call the believers out on their spiritual immaturity. So, now, he’s coming back to this person.
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 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. 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.
See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! 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. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 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. 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.
MPT: The author compares the uniqueness of Melchizedek to the Levitical priesthood in order to show us the superiority of Jesus.
So, who is Melchizedek? Well, we’ve got to go all the way back to Genesis 14. In fact, Genesis 14 and Psalm 110:4 are the ONLY references in the Bible (other than here in Hebrews) to Melchizedek.
In Genesis 14, a coalition of four kings wages war against five other kings in the region of the Jordan Valley. During the conflict, Lot—Abram’s nephew—is taken captive. Abram leads a successful rescue mission with his trained men, defeats the enemy kings, and recovers Lot, the captives, and their possessions. Upon returning, Abram is met by mysterious man, Melchizedek, who is identified as the king of Salem and priest of God Most High, who gives Abram bread and wine and blesses him. Abram, in return, gives Melchizedek a tenth (a tithe) of his spoils of war.
So…why is the author of Hebrews bringing Melchizedek up and what does this have to do with his letter to these Jewish converts to Christianity? Again, remember, they are being tempted—because of persecution and hardship—to turn back to Judaism. And, in going back to Judaism, they would be going back to the temple system of worship, going back to priests—everything that was now, because of Jesus, obsolete. Empty.
So, he is going all the way back to this mysterious—yet different/“other”—kind of priest sent from God who predates the Levitical priesthood, who is greater in every way than the Levitical priests, and who prefigures Jesus. And, he’s saying, “if you go back…you’re going back to “lesser.”
So, what I want us to do over the next few minutes is look at the uniqueness of who Melchizedek was…how that ultimately points us to Jesus…and what all of this means for our lives.
1) THE UNIQUENESS OF HIS MINISTRY
Notice several characteristics of Melchizedek that the author highlights as part of his unique superiority.
A) He is Unique in His Authority
“priest of the Most High God”
If there was no official priesthood yet, where did his authority come from?
Blessed Abraham
B) He is Unique in His Royalty
King of Righteousness—his name in Hebrew
King of Salem—shalom—Peace
*Combo of righteousness & peace
2) THE UNIQUENESS OF HIS NATURE
A couple of years ago, I really got into researching my ancestry. For Christmas, Kristy even got me the DNA kit and it was absolutely fascinating to see where I came from. I would stay up late at night filling out my family tree. I traced it all the way back to churches in Germany during the time of the Protestant Reformation. But…you couldn’t do that with Melchizedek.
Notice there are four characteristics of Melchizedek’s unique nature:
A) Without father or mother
B) Without genealogy
C) No beginning of days or end of life
D) Resembles the Son of God and his priesthood continues forever
So, here is this King/Priest who shows up—apparently out of nowhere—who has no origin story, no traceable lineage—no details about his life.
It’s like watching a Jason Bourne movie. Who is this guy?
“You know that feeling when someone shows up with elite skills, no past, and total authority—and you just wonder, ‘Who is this guy?’ That’s Melchizedek.”
Transition to say: “But unlike Bourne, Melchizedek isn’t lost or searching—he’s sent and sure.”
All of this just adds to the “legend” of Melchizedek. Where did he come from? WHO did he come from?
But, the Bible affirms this guy. It’s not a problem (???)
3) THE UNIQUENESS OF HIS GREATNESS
(Verses 4-9)
“See how great this man was!”
He was greater than Abraham. This was borderline sacrilegious. Greater than Abraham? For even more emphasis, the author adds “the patriarch.” The OG. The Godfather. Nobody’s greater than Abraham! Remember how the scribes and Pharisees reacted when Jesus claimed to be “before Abraham!”
In fact, in verse 7—look—he calls it “beyond dispute” // “no argument” that Melchizedek was SUPERIOR to the INFERIOR Abraham!
Abraham paid him a tithe. Abraham acknowledged Melchizedek’s royalty, his authority, his unique superiority. You only pay a tithe…give an offering to one who is greater than you…one who is worthy of it. The tithe was a response. It was a response to Melchizedek’s worthiness.
The author even makes the claim that the Levitical priests, in essence, tithed to him, too.
This is an act of worship. To be clear—Abraham is not worshipping Melchizedek. But he is—without prompting—responding to Melchizedek’s worthiness as a priest of the Most High God.
RECAP—UNIQUE IN HIS MINISTRY, HIS NATURE, HIS GREATNESS—STANDS ABOVE AND APART FROM THE LEVITICAL PRIESTS.
So, why does this matter? It matters because Melchizedek points us to Jesus? The key phrase in this whole passage is “resembling the Son of God.” Everything about who Jesus is and what Jesus does is ETERNAL. He has no beginning. He has no end. Death could not even stop Him.
MPS: We have a great High Priest whose preeminence in every way is able to save us in every way.
JESUS
Jesus’s blessing is eternal.
“In you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”
Jesus is the favored Son of God through whom we have favor/grace from God.
Jesus’s greater blessing—eternal life.
Have you received salvation?
Are you living in the grace/favor/blessing?
Moms…you don’t have to measure up. In Christ, you have the grace and favor and blessing of God. Your worth is not in how clean your house is or
Jesus’s rule of righteousness and peace is eternal.
Peace & reconciliation with God
Perfect righteousness and justice
He clothes us in His righteousness.
Moms—your peace
Jesus’s priesthood is eternal.
He has gone behind the veil—sits at the Father’s right hand and is who our hope is anchored to.
Jesus’s is eternally worthy of our worship.
