SS - Hebrews 7

Melchizedek

OT Passages

First Place Gen 14:17-20

From gen 14

What do we know (or not know) about him

He is a king (of salem)

He is a priest

We don’t know

ancestry

birth

death

Psalm 110:4 “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.””

I. God’s word makes Melchizedek like God’s Son (7:1–3)

A. Melchizedek was Abraham’s priest (7:1–2a)

1. When they met, Melchizedek blessed Abraham (7:1)

2. Abraham gave Melchizedek God’s tithe (7:2a)

B. Melchizedek was a righteous king (7:2b)

C. Melchizedek reflected God’s eternal Son, so his priesthood was neither based on birth nor ended by death (7:3)

II. Melchizedek was priest both for Abraham and for Levi, ancestor of Israel’s priests (7:4–10)

A. Melchizedek was Abraham’s priest (7:4–7)

1. Abraham gave Melchizedek God’s tithe (7:4–5)

2. The exchange of tithe and blessing shows that the priest installed without genealogy (Melchizedek) intervened between Abraham and God (7:6)

3. Melchizedek pronounced God’s blessing on Abraham (7:7)

B. Melchizedek was Levi’s priest (7:8–10)

1. Levitical priests die, but the priest like Melchizedek lives on and on (7:8)

2. Through his ancestor Abraham, Levi, who receives tithes from Israel, gave God’s tithe to Melchizedek (7:9–10)

God’s word makes Melchizedek like Gods Son

Melchizedek was Abraham’s priest

Blessed hin

Gave him tithe

Melchizedek name

“King” “Righteousness”

Where else do we see a righteous king in Hebrews?

Hebrews 1:8–9

Which applies

Psalm 45:6–7 “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;”

“King of Salem” -> “King of Peace”

Peace -> result of atoning sacrifice priests offer

Peace after dying

Reflected God’s eternal son

“fatherless, motherless, geneologyless”

“Having neither beginning of days nor end of life”

Some think this is Christophany

Problem is “resembling” Son of God

Plus Hebrews 7:15 “This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,”

Melchizedek was priest both for Abraham and for Levi, ancestor of Israel’s priests (7:4–10)

We see this man was great

Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils

Acknowledging him as his priest

Inferior blessed by superior

Vs 8

Levites were many, This priest was one

Levitical priests died, this one lives

v9

Acknowledging that Melchizedek preisthood superior to their own, because they offered tithes to melchizedek through abraham

11-12

we see again that when God has given revelation, it wasn’t complete.

“Perfection”

Used in LXX to refer to priestly consecration

Priests needed to be “perfected” — which is cleansed - to draw near to God

Here -> access & communion with God

The law cannot cleanse, it cannot ‘perfect’ us

But Christs blood can. In him we draw near

The levitical priesthood was foundation which the law of moses rested

When priesthood changes, law must change as well

Not when law changes priesthood must change

“law” here is genealogical requirement for high priests to be from line of levi and aaron”

OR

Mosaic law - new administration of salvation

13-14

Author knows objection that Jesus was not from the tribe of levi or the line of aaron - vs 13&14

25 save to the uttermost those who draw near to god through him