Hebrews 7:11-22

Following Key Theme of the book “Jesus is Better”

Since the end of Chapter 4, the author of Hebrews has been expounding on Christ’s position as our great high priest

Last week, Rob had the distinct joy of introducing us to Melchizedek

This mystery King and Priest of whom very little is written

And while we don’t know a great deal about Him, the author of Hebrews does make a few observations through the power of the Spirit

First, we saw that Melchizedek, this priest and king, is a priest forever

We saw that Melchizedek receives a tithe from Abraham, and He blesses Abraham

And the writer says, we know that the lesser is blessed by the greater, so clearly, Melchizedek is greater than Abraham

And remember, the writer is sending this letter to Jewish believers.

Abraham is THE patriarch. The man of promise.

And yet, Melchizedek, priest of the Most High God is greater than even Abraham

And if he is greater than Abraham, he is clearly greater than all those who come from Abraham, including the levitical priesthood

Hebrews 7:11–22 ESV

Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 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. For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’ ” This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

PRAY

3 Reasons Jesus’ Priesthood is better than Levitical Priesthood

Insufficiency of the Levitical Priesthood

vs 11-12 and verse 18

Perfection carries with it the idea of fulfillment, or completion

Substitute the word Reconciliation

The Levitical sacrifices covered over sin, but they did not remove it

Sacrificial system as a Credit Card, Christ as a debit card

The writer of Hebrews will go on later to say that the blood of rams and goats could never take away sin

The priesthood is connected to the Law

The law was not useless, it fulfilled the purpose for which it was given

Galatians 3:24 ESV

So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

Three-fold use of the Law

1: Show us God’s Holiness and our sin

2: Restrain evil by threats of Judgement

3: Guide the regenerate into the good works God has planned for them

What’s missing?

The Law cannot save

It cannot restore right relationship between God and man

Even after the sacrifice, the curtain, the division between God and His people, still stood

Jesus Comes from outside the Levitical Priesthood

verse 13-14

Jesus comes from the Line of Judah

Judah is the line of Kings in OT Israel

Remember that all the way back in Genesis 3:15, God promises the one who will crush the head of the serpent

Then God promises that one will come through Abraham. Through Issac and Jacob.

That he will come from the Line of Judah, a King whose kingdom will not end

That he will come through the Line of David, part of the Tribe of Judah

But here’s the thing.

Priests come from the Tribe of Levi

There is no mixing and matching. These tribes have distinct functions in the life of National Israel

Kings through Judah, Priests through Levi

Rob mentioned last week about Uzziah, the King who tried to offer sacrifices in the temple

2 Chronicles 26:16–21 ESV

But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. But Azariah the priest went in after him, with eighty priests of the Lord who were men of valor, and they withstood King Uzziah and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the Lord God.” Then Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and when he became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the Lord, by the altar of incense. And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead! And they rushed him out quickly, and he himself hurried to go out, because the Lord had struck him. And King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death, and being a leper lived in a separate house, for he was excluded from the house of the Lord. And Jotham his son was over the king’s household, governing the people of the land.

The offices of Prophet, Priest, and King are completely separate offices in the Old Testament.

They exist together only in Christ

Jesus’ priesthood is a better qualified priesthood

verse 15-16, 19-22

The law lays out the qualifications for Levitical priests

The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus is not a priest because of his tribe. He is a priest, like Melchizedek, because of who he is

Christ’s perfection is not merely a superlative category. It is an intrinsic attribute

Through Christ’s perfect priesthood, we have what the Law could not provide: Access to God

The Old Testament Priests pointed forward to Christ’s death on the cross for the salvation of sinners; his death brought an end to their function and thus to the law as a way of salvation.

Application

What does this mean for us?

It means Christ offers a better covenant

It means, that the old covenant is no longer binding

He says that a change in the priesthood there is a change in the law as well

Next time someone tries to point out your hypocrisy for wearing a shirt with two fabrics, or eating pork

Remember, There is a new priest, from a new line

The old has passed away, the new has come

And the new does not pass away, He is a priest forever

that means that those sins he paid for? they will always be covered

That intercession he offers? It will always be offered

That reconcilliation with God? It is eternal