Melchizedek Foreshadows Christ Part 3: Heb. 7:20-28

I. The Promise of Jesus’ Priesthood vs. 20-22

A. Aaron’s priesthood came from divine instruction, Jesus from a divine promise.

B. When Yahweh declares something it shall come to pass. (Lost people playing into God’s hand ex)

2 Kings 19:28 NASB95

‘Because of your raging against Me, And because your arrogance has come up to My ears, Therefore I will put My hook in your nose, And My bridle in your lips, And I will turn you back by the way which you came.

C. Jesus is the guarantee or signer of the promissory note/New Covenant. Meaning, that Jesus will see it come to pass, you can bank on His character.

II. The Permanence of Jesus’ Priesthood vs. 23-25

A. Aaron’s priesthood was handed down from generation to generation. Josephus (the Jewish historian) calculated 83 high priest to serve from Aaron to the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

B. Jesus’ priesthood is permanent because His never ends and there is no one like Him.

C. Jesus saves completely, since salvation is only found in Jesus’ name.

Acts 4:12 NASB95

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

D. Jesus can only bring our prayers perfectly to the Father.

St. Chrysostom, the great fourth-century preacher, provides a helpful analogy. A young boy whose father was away on a trip wanted to present his father with something that would please him. His mother sent him to the garden to gather a bouquet of flowers. The little boy gathered a sorry bouquet of weeds as well as flowers. But when his father returned home, he was presented with a beautifully arranged bouquet, for the mother had intervened, removing all the weeds.

III. The Perfection of Jesus’ Priesthood vs. 26-28

A. Jesus’ perfection means He is the perfect sacrifice.

John 1:29 NASB95

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Isaiah 53:7–12 NASB95

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.

B. Jesus only died once, because He is sufficient

Hebrews 9:25–26 NASB95

nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

C. Jesus being perfect, was appointed by the Father to be our high priest forever.