Hebrews 7:1-28

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
​Series: Hebrews

Rusty's Notes

• Hebrews 5 – He told them they were not spiritually mature enough to process the thoughts on Melchizedek.
• He dealt with milk and meat in Hebrews 6.

THE GREATNESS OF MELCHIZEDEK
HEBREWS 7
1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High,

• Melchizedek was both king and priest, as was Jesus.
• This never occurred in Aaron’s Priesthood.
• Salem – is Jerusalem according to:

Psalm 76:2 God is known in Judah; His name is great in Israel. 2 His tent is in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion. [1]

• Melchizedek was priest to the Most High God.
• God over all nations.
• Melchizedek was priest to God and all Nations.
• Aaron was just priest to the nation of Israel.
• If Melchizedek’s priesthood is a shadow of Jesus’ priesthood, then Jesus can minister to all nations.

met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.

• Story of Abraham is found in Genesis 14.
• Abraham defeats the kings and rescues Lot then gives Melchizedek a tenth of his spoils.
• Melchizedek blessed Abraham.
• Melchizedek is greater than Abraham.

First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace.

• Melchizedek was king over Jerusalem.

3 Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

• Scripture does not record his genealogy.
• He still had a father and mother, we just can’t trace his lineage.
• There is no record of birth of death so his priesthood is perpetual. No breaks.
• No record of death insinuates that it is eternal.
• Jesus’s priesthood is eternal.
• Melchizedek resembles Christ… he is not Christ.
• Where is this high priest now?
• In you… you resemble Christ now.

4 Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him. 5 The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers and sisters—though they have also descended from Abraham. 6 But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior.

• Aaron received tithes from the sons of Abraham.
• Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek.
• Who is greater?

8 In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. 9 And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham, 10 for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

• Men who will die – mortal man
• Scripture never records Melchizedek’s death.
• Levi, of the Levitical Priesthood, was just a “gene” in Abraham when Abraham met Melchizedek.
• Who is greater?

 
A SUPERIOR PRIESTHOOD
11 Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron?

• The Levitical Priesthood was established under the Mosaic Law.
• There would have been no need for another priesthood if the Levitcal Priesthood made one perfect.
• The Law made no one perfect… in fact, it showed our imperfection.
• Jesus came along as one who had perfected the Law and was from the order of Melchizedek.

12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well.

• With the establishment of the new priesthood came a new system for living.
• God established the Mosaic Law in which He knew no one could perfect.
• He then had to establish a system, the Levitical Law, to atone/cover our imperfections.
• These laws and system did not remove imperfections… they only made us more aware of our imperfections and a need for a Savior.
• The Law became obsolete.
• The order of Melchizedek was established before the Mosaic & Levital Laws.
• The priesthood of Melchizedek can function without the Law.

13 For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. 14 Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

• Jesus came from the lineage of Judah and King David.
• Aaron came from the tribe of Levi.
• High priests were only Levites.
• Levites who were not priests served as ministers.

15 And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it has been testified:
You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.

• Psalm 110:4 – This is a quote… proving that David was not only a King but also prophet.
• Another priest – Jesus
• Not an additional priest.
• The old priesthood was established by fulfilling a legal command “law”.
• This represents death.
• The sacrifices in the old priesthood just died.
• The new priesthood was established by an indestructible life.
• Jesus died, was buried and rose from the dead.
• This represents life.
• Never dying… for eternity… forever!

18 So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable

• The Law has been set aside for the believer.
• 10 commandments in the court house… not in the Church.
• We are no longer under the Law but under grace
• Romans 6:14 - For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace.[2]

19 (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

• Under the old system, only the High Priest could approach the presence of God once a year (for atonement).
• Under the new covenant, the throne is always accessible to all believers.
• We now have the ability to have a relationship with God, through Jesus our High Priest, and become intimate with Him.
• Knowing this truth makes it hard for me to celebrate what He has done for me just a couple days out of the year.

20 None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him:
The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever.”,
22 Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

• God made an oath that He will not break with Jesus.
• Aaron’s Priesthood was never guaranteed.
• Aaron’s Priesthood could end at any time… and it did at the cross.
• The veil was torn so that we could have access to God.

23 Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. 24 But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently.

• Jesus will not be succeeded by another priest.

25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.

• always = completely
• Our salvation is not partially done… it is complete.
• Jesus is the one who saves and is responsible for keeping us saved.
• It is not by our works but by His gift and grace.
• For us to lose our salvation, Jesus would have to cease to exist.
• We are secure in Jesus.
• Jesus is always interceding for us.

26 For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

• Jesus differed than the Levitical Priests.
• Jesus was perfect in behavior.
• Levite Priests were sinners.
• Jesus is even separated from sinners by being in heaven.

27 He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself.

• Jesus never had to made a sacrifice for His own sin.
• He took care of the WHOLE sin issue on the cross.

28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever.[3]

• Levitical priests were because they died as well as sinned.
• Jesus was resurrected after the Law came and has perfected it forever.

It is Jesus, our High Priest, who makes us perfect.

[1] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Ps 76:1–2). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Ro 6:14). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 7:1–28). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.