Hebrews 7

Hebrews 7:1-3

In this chapter, 1. We have a more particular account of Melchisedec, vers. 1, 2, 3. 2. The excellency of his priesthood shows that of Aaron, vers. 4-11. 3. An accommodation of all to Christ, to shew the superior excellency of his person, office, and covenant, from vers. 11. to the end.

1. FOR this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him: 2. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all: first being by interpretation king of righteousness, and after that also king of Salem, which is king of peace; 3. Without father, without mother, without esteem, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually.

Thrice had the apostle quoted the testimony borne to the Son of God out of the Psalms, as an high priest after the order of Melchisedec: of this remarkable motion in time gives an account, and we may therein trace the resemblance he bore to his great antitype.

1. His name was Melchisedec, or king of righteousness, the figure of him on whose shoulders the universal government should rest, who, with the most distinguished reditude, should administer the affairs of his kingdom, and is the author of everlasting righteousness to his people.

2. He was king of Salem, that is, of peace. So is Christ eminently the prince of peace, having procured it for us by his blood, applying it by his Spirit, and setting up his throne of peace within our hearts.

3. He was said to be a priest of the most high God. So was Jesus consecrated to this office by his Father, and through his sacrifice alone can we obtain reconciliation and acceptance with God.

4. He blessed Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, as his superior. And as Abraham gave him a tenth of all, he must needs be a priest of a higher rank and order than Levi or Aaron, who descended from this patriarch; and thus hath our incarnate Lord a priesthood infinitely excelling the Aamniscal, and of far more extensive influence, ministrying in behalf of Gentiles as well as Jews.

5. Melchisedec’s original is entirely concealed; no mention is made of his father or mother, of his birth or death, that he might more strikingly represent the Son of God, who abideth a priest continually, appointed to his office before the worlds were, and to the end of time continuing to exercise it on the behalf of his people, without predecessor, partner, or success, alone appearing before the throne, and ever living to make intercession for us.

6. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 5. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: 6. But he whose descent is not counted from them, received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. 7. And without all contradiction, the less is blessed of the better. 8. And here men that die receive tithes: but there he received them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. 9. And, as I may so say, Levi also who received tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 10. For he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedec met him.

Hebrews 7:4-12

W. 10. To guard the holiness from their attachment to this published priesthood of Law, and lead them to the great High Priest of their profession, Christ Jesus, he shows his foregoing excellence above Aaron or his sons. (1.) Because they, being in Abraham’s home, paid rations to Melchifeder, and though commissioned afterwards to receive rations of their brethren, yet virtually none, as included in their father, they paid rations to this priest of God, acknowledged him as their superior, who was but the type of our Lord. (2.) Because the less is blessed by the greater; and hence therefore Abraham himself, though favoured with such distinguished promises, was inferior to Melchifeder, and much more must his sons be who should descend from him; and how much more excellent still than they must be from be, of whom Melchifeder was only the representative? (3.) Have were all dying men, and the succession and defence of the time of Levi are well known, but Melchifeder’s generation is concealed; we only hear of him that he liveth, as the honor of him who really hath an unchangeable priesthood, and actually lives for ever to intercede on the behalf of his people. Now, if Abraham’s paying rations were reckoned the act of those who were then in his loins, and imputed to them as done by their covenants-head, we see how Adam’s sin, and Christ’s righteousness, are everally imputed to the natural descendants of the one, and the spiritual feed of the other.

11. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law) what further need was they that another priest should rise after the order of Melchifeder, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12. For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. (1) For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 14. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the timiditude of Melchifeder there affeeth another priest, 16. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 17. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchifeder. 18. For there is verily a channulling of the commandment going before, for the weakness and unprobstableness thereof. 19. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw each unto God. 20. And in as much as not without an oath he was made priest. 21. (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath, by him that said unto him, The Lord [wars, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchifeder]) 22. By so much was Jesus made a hurry of a better testament. 23. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24. But this man, because he continued ever, able hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25. Wherefore he is able also to have them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make interception for them. 26. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undelided, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27. Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28. For the law maketh men high priests, which have infirmity; but the word of the oath which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Hebrews 7:11-28

Had perfection been by the Levitical priesthood, so that the consciences of the worshippers had thereby been fully purged from sin, and had the state of the church under the legal dispensation been complete, there could be no need that a new and higher order of priesthood should afterwards be instituted, after the order of Melchifeder and not after the order of Aaron; and such a change of the priesthood implied a change of the whole ceremonial law, which was inseparably interwoven therewith: both law and priesthood therefore were to be abolished, in order to introduce another dispensation, more excellent and glorious than the former, even that of the gospel. Thus such a change of the priesthood and law is made, is evident.

1. Because our Lord, the priest who should arise after the order of Melchifeder, sprang from the tribe of Judah, not from Levi, and therefore, according to the law, was forbidden to officiate at the altar.

2. The priesthood of Christ was of an entirely different nature from that of the sons of Levi. They were made after the law of a carnal commandment, which settled their succession, appointed the elect of their consecration, and those who filled the office were dying men, but Christ is made an high priest of a more excellent kind, after the power of an endless life, acting without either partner or successor, living to discharge his office in the behalf of his people for ever and ever.

3. The efficacy of the gospel priesthood was far superior to that under the law, which was abrogated because of its weakness and unprobstableness, being insufficient to purge the conscience from guilt, or to secure unto the sinner justification to life, making nothing perfect, and was designed merely to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. But Christ hath brought in a better hope; his own faculties and abiding priesthood give boldness and access to God, and sure hope of lesson and acceptance before him.

4. The superior excellence of Christ’s priesthood appears in the manner of his consecration: The Levitical priests were made without an oath, but he, with an oath, to choose the unmorbidity, efficacy, and eternity of his sacramental character. By so much was Jesus made a hurry of a better testament, or covenant, having undertaken complexity to answer all the obvious requirements on the behalf of his redeemed, that he might secure to them the accomplishment of all the promoted blessings, a covenant for better than the Mosleast, both in the clearness of the light which accompanies its administration, and the exactiveness of its efficacy, as reaching to Gentiles as well as Jews.

5. The Aaronical, high priests, as mortal men, were many, succeeding each other, as death removed them from their office, but this glorious person, whom Melchifeder typified, hath an unchangeable priesthood that never paffed from him, because he liveth for ever to discharge his sacramental functions; wherefore we may officially conclude that Jesus is able to save them to the uttermost, that steps unto God to keep living he ever death to make interception for them; and therefore they can be a no circumstance of distress or danger from which he cannot deliver them, and his exaltation as the right hand of God is so purpose for their benefits, that he may obviate all their affairs as effectually to secure their final salvation, which coming to God by him they receive continual pardon, grace, and strength, to preserve them unto the end.

6. Christ appears transcendently glorious above all other priests in his moral qualifications. For such an high priest became us, and no other could have stood up in any stead, but one who is high, harmless, undelided and separate from sinners, both in nature and practice, and made higher than the heavens, in dignity above the angelic boil, or rather, in purity of nature, excelling them. If he needeth not daily, as those high priests of the Levitical order, to offer up sacrifice first for their own sins, and then for the first of the people, on the great day of atonement; for Christ, having no sin of his own to explain, needed no sacrifice; and as to his people’s iniquities, his one sacrifice was available for ever: for this he did once, when he offered up himself without just to God, as their everlasting population. For the law maketh men high priests, which have infirmity, and, being sinners as well as others, must offer for themselves as well as the people; for the word of the oath which was since the law, maketh the sin high priest, who is consecrated for evermore, or perfected, who bring in nature sinless and impeccable, never could need a sacrifice for himself, but having offered one of eternal efficacy on the behalf of his people, lives for ever to plead it in the presence of God, that they might reap the unutterably blessed truths of it in their final and everlasting salvation.