Hebrews 7
I. A Superior Person: Christ (1-6)
A. \\#Heb 1:1-3\\ Christ is superior to the prophets.
B. \\#Heb 1:4-14\\ Christ is superior to the angels.
C. \\#Heb 2:1-18\\ Explanation and Emphasis
D. \\#Heb 3:1-6\\ Christ is superior to Moses.
E. \\#Heb 3:7-4:16\\ Explanation and Emphasis
F. \\#Heb 4:14-5:10\\ Christ is superior to the High Priest
G. \\#Heb 5:11-6:20\\ Explanation and Emphasis
II. Christ’s Superior Priesthood (7-10) - Having said in the last chapter that
Jesus took the hope of His people into the very presence of God (the Holy
of Holies), which only a High Priest could do, the writer returned to his
thought of \\#Heb 5:10\\; namely that Jesus is the superior High Priest.
This section is a more thorough argument for the point briefly stated in
\\#Heb 4:14-5:10\\.
A. \\#Heb 7:1-11\\ Christ’s Priesthood Is of A Superior Origin
B. \\#Heb 7:12-14\\ Christ’s Priesthood Is by A Superior Covenant
C. \\#Heb 7:15-23\\ Christ’s Priesthood Is by A Superior Promise
D. \\#Heb 7:23-28\\ Christ’s Priesthood Has A Superior Duration
Introduction - The chapters in this section are some of the most difficult to
follow in the Book of Hebrews and since Hebrews is one of the more difficult books
in the Bible to follow, that makes them some of the hardest in all the Scriptures.
These chapters are difficult not only because of the spiritual truth revealed, but
because the writer also uses logic to prove his points. However, God has given
us a mind and wants us to use it. Under the influence of the Spirit of God, a
sound mind is a helpful tool.
II. \\#Heb 7:1-10:28\\ Christ’s Superior Priesthood
A. \\#Heb 7:1-11\\ Christ’s Priesthood Is of A Superior Origin
1. \\#1-3\\ An introduction to Melchisedec
a. \\#1\\ "For this Melchisedec… who met Abraham returning from the
slaughter of the kings" "-The account that the writer refers to
is given in \\#Gen 14:1-20\\ exactly as summarized.
b. \\#Ge 14:1\\ On this account, four regional kings went to war
against five others.
c. \\#Ge 14:11-12\\ In that conflict, Lot was taken while he lived
in Sodom and Gomorrah.
d. \\#Gen 14:13-16\\ When Abraham heard of it, he took his men to
rescue Lot. In so doing, he defeated the alliance of kings.
e. \\#Ge 14:18-20\\ When he returned, Melchisedec, who was both a
king and priest for Jehovah, met Abraham.
(1) Melchisedec blessed Abraham.
(2) Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedec of everything that he
possessed.
2. \\#2\\ The name and description of Melchisedec have significance.
a. "first being by interpretation King of righteousness"-The
word MECHISEDEC, in the Hebrew, means "King of Righteousness."
b. "also King of Salem, which is, King of peace"
(1) The word SALEM means "peace."
(2) As for the city of Salem over which Melchisedec was king, some
believe that Salem was the name used for Jerusalem at that
time. Others believe it to be a city now lost.
c. This man’s name and title suggests that he is a holy man of God
and a very powerful person.
3. \\#3\\ The lack of revealed information on Melchisedec gives him some
similarities to Christ.
a. "Without father, without mother, without descent" - There are no
genealogical records for him.
b. "having neither beginning of days, nor end of life" - There is no
birth or death information.
c. "but made like unto the Son of God" - The Scripture does not teach
that Melchisedec had no father, no mother, no beginning, or end;
but rather that the veiled nature of his life and ministry make
him mysterious like the Son of God.
d. "abideth a priest continually" - Since he has no death record,
Melchisedec’s priesthood continues on.
4. \\#4-10\\ Consider why Melchisedec was greater than Abraham
a. \\#4\\ "unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the
spoils" - This is a summary statement of what makes Melchisedec
great. It says that if the father of the Jews gave tithes to
Melchisedec, Melchisedec was superior to the father of the Jews.
b. \\#7\\ "without… contradiction the less is blessed of the
better" - This truth is the center of the writer’s logic. Whoever
receives tithes is the superior.
c. How does this have any impact on Melchisedec being greater than
Aaron?
(1) \\#5\\ "the sons of Levi who receive the office of priesthood…
come out of the loins of Abraham" - So all the Levites are
descendents of Abraham…
(2) \\#6\\ "he whose descent is not counted… received tithes of
Abraham" -Abraham payed tithes to Melchisedec…
(3) \\#9\\ "Levi also… payed tithes in Abraham" …so the children
of Levi also payed tithes to Melchisedec…
(4) \\#10\\ "For he was yet in the lions of his father" - …because
the Levites were still within Abraham’s genes.
d. \\#7\\ Going back to the writer’s point of reason, the inferior
(Abraham and Aaron) paid tithes to the superior (Melchisedec).
5. \\#11\\ Get the main point.
a. "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood… what…
need was there that another priest should arise?" - If Melchisedec
was superior to Abraham, then Melchisedec’s priesthood is superior
to Aaron’s.
b. "what further need was there that another priest should rise after
the order of Melchisedec?"
(1) If what God first created was perfect, why create another?
(2) The fact that God did create another implied that at some
point, God would implement it.
c. The writer is saying that God gave a superior priesthood because
God intended to use it.
d. The fact that another Priest, the superior Priest, was needed,
meant that something was wrong with the Levitical priesthood, the
one which had been "called after the order of Aaron."
(1) Neither the writer nor God through the writer are not just
bashing the Levitical priesthood.
(2) They are pointing out that an earthly priesthood did not (and
could not) accomplish all that sinful man needed to have
accomplished.
(3) That is precisely why we do not have earthly priests today.
Instead, we all have equal access to God through the same
High Priest, One that is superior in all points to any
earthly priest.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus;
e. "(for under it the people received the law) - This parenthetical
statement hints at what will be one of the writer’s points.
Namely, if something was wrong with the priesthood, something
could be wrong with the law they served under.
6. \\#8\\ "here men… receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of
whom it is witnessed that he liveth"
a. This verse is not needed to the main thought, but the writer is
trying to get us to see the big picture.
b. The whole point is that Jesus, who is in heaven (there) and lives
forever (liveth), is THE superior Priest who receives the tithes.
B. \\#Heb 7:12-14\\ Christ’s Priesthood Is by A Superior Covenant
1. \\#12\\ "the priesthood being changed… made… a change also of the law"
a. If the priesthood was to be changed, there would also have
to be a change in the law that they served, that is, the Old
Covenant.
b. The writer has demonstrated that Melchisedec was the superior
person.
d. If the readers are following that thought, they should accept
that Melchisedec’s priesthood is the superior priesthood and
understand that at some point, God intended a change to
the priesthood and the law that they served.
2. \\#14\\ "it is evident"
a. The question that some Hebrews might ask is why did the Law need
to be changed.
b. There are many reasons but the writer selects one which is most
obvious.
c. \\#13-14\\ "For he of whom these things are spoken (Jesus)
pertaineth to another tribe… for… our Lord sprang out of
Juda" - Jesus was not of the tribe of Levi, that being the
tribe of the Law demanded the High Priest come from.
d. If Jesus is to be the High Priest, the Old Covenant will have
to be changed. It is just as evident that a superior High
Priest will serve under a superior Covenant.
C. \\#Heb 7:15-23\\\ Christ’s Priesthood Is by A Superior Promise
1. The promise that the writer is referring to is \\#Psalm 110:4\\.
He will not quote the promise until \\#Heb 7:17\\, but he has
repeatedly made reference to it and to its subject, Melchisedec
\\#He 5:6, 10. 6:20, 7:11\\.
2. \\#15-17\\ "And it is yet far more evident" - As obvious as it was
that the Levitical priesthood and the Law were to be changed, that
promise made it even more obvious that the God intended to change the
High Priest.
a. "after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another
priest" - Having told the readers that there is a superior
priesthood who would represent a superior covenant, it
becomes evident that we should expect a Priest to arise after
Melchisedec’s order (that being Jesus)…
b. \\#16\\ "is made not after a carnal commandment, but after the
power of an endless life" - Neither Melchisedec nor Jesus were
appointed priest merely because of a written law (although
Jesus has that in \\#Psalm 110:4\\, but according to the
power of God, the same power that gave Jesus an eternal
(endless) position.
c. \\#17\\ For he testifieth" - God is the Power who gave Jesus
this position and the Person who spoke the words of "testimony"
given in \\#Psalm 110:4\\.
d. "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." - The
promise is quoted by the writer for a second time. See
\\#He 5:6\\.
3. \\#18-19\\ That promise shows God’s intention.
a. \\#18\\ "there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going
before" - The fact that God gave \\#Psalm 110:4\\ means that God
intended that the Old Covenant (which went "before") be
disannulled (rejected, done away) at some time in the future.
b. "for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof" - This setting
aside of the Old Testament was due to the inferiority of it.
c. \\#19\\ So, what was wrong with the Old Testament Law?
(1) "For the law made nothing perfect" - There are at least
two things that the Bible teaches us the Old Testament
Law could not do.
(a) \\#Romans 7:23-8:3\\ The Law could not make remove
the flesh’s weak nature which caused believers to
sin even when they did not want to sin.
(b) \\#Heb 10:1-4, 11\\ The Law could never take away sins.
(2) "but the bringing of a better hope did" - But the hope that
comes by believing God’s promises does make things perfect.
(3) The New Covenant is far more powerful than the Old.
d. "by which, we draw nigh unto God" - Any by that better Covenant,
we are able to draw near to God. The Old Covenant separated us
from God. The New Covenant reconciles us to God.
4. \\#20-22\\ Christ’s appointment was made with a promise.
a. \\#20\\ "inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest"
It was mentioned in \\#Heb 7:16\\ that Jesus was made a
Priest with more than "the law of a carnal commandment." He
was made a Priest after an personal and direct oath from God.
b. The mentioning of the "oath" takes us back to what the writer
has already said concerning the oath and its importance
\\#Hebrews 6:16-18\\.
c. \\#21\\ "For those priest were made without an oath…" - The
Levitical priests did not have this.
d. \\#Psalm 110:4\\ is again quoted for the third time
\\#Heb 5:6, 7:17\\ as the source of that oath.
e. "By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament"
This superior appointment made Jesus, the superior Priest,
the Guarantor of a superior covenant.
D. \\#Heb 7:23-28\\ Christ’s Priesthood Has A Superior Nature - Our High
Priest is superior for many reasons but one is because of His nature.
1. \\#23-25\\ He lives forever.
a. \\#23\\ "And they truly were many priests" - The Levitical
priesthood required many High Priests.
(1) The traditional list has around 86 such high priests.
(2) Of course, the reason there were so many was "they were not
suffered to continue by reason of death."
b. \\#24\\ "But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an
unchangeable priesthood"
(1) Death has no power over our High Priest.
(2) \\#25\\ "Wherefore he is able to save… to the uttermost"
Those "that come unto God by him" will be saved to the utter
end because our High Priest will personally see to it.
(3) His "intercession for them" will not cease for He will not
cease.
2. \\#26-28\\ He is sinless.
a. \\#26\\ "For such an high priest became us" - The writer describes
our High Priest in a variety of terms, all of which describe His
sinless nature.
(1) He is "holy."
(2) He is "harmless."
(3) He is "undefiled"
(4) He is "separate from sinners."
(5) He is "made higher than the heavens."
b. \\#27\\ Most importantly, He "needeth not daily… offer up
sacrifice, first for his own sins and then for the people."
(1) He does not need to offer a sacrifice for His own sin because
He had none.
(2) He does not need to offer up daily sacrifices for the people
because "he did once, when he offered up himself."
c. \\#28\\ "the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity"
The Law gave sinners for priests.
d. "but the word of the oath… maketh the Son" - But God’s oath made
the Son a High Priest, who is both sinless and "consecrated for
evermore."
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