Jesus Like Melchizedek
June 1, 2019
Commentary
The inadequacy of the legal and Levitical system and how it had to be replaced with something better is pointed out. If the Levitical priesthood could have brought access to God or salvation it would have not been necessary for God to provide another priesthood. As long as these Jews held onto it and relied on its sacrifices, they would never be free of sin and they would never have access to God.
The new priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek, was not added to Aaron’s priesthood but rather replaced it (v.11). Because the Aaronic priesthood and the Mosaic law were so closely tied together, a changed priesthood also meant a changed ceremonial law (v. 12). This meant the required rituals and ceremonies of the Old Covenant were done away with. What this old priesthood and ceremonial law could not do, Christ did. The old system could reveal sin and even cover sin to a certain degree, but it could never remove sin. Jesus Christ, as our High Priest, can do what Aaron could not do.
In Christ we are freed from all of sin’s debts and we can live forever in His riches. It is like a young woman who has run up a lot of bills and charged far beyond what she is able to pay. Then a young man comes along, and they fall deeply in love and he proposes to marry her. She tells him about all her debts but he says, “Don’t worry. I’ll pay all your debts. Just leave them to me.” However, she was not actually free of her debts until they were married and he paid all of them. Then she found out that he was wealthy and he gave her a joint checking account. Now she no longer has any debts, but also shares in her husband’s riches. By law, only Levites could serve as priests but Jesus came from the tribe of Judah (vv. 13-14). Old Testament priests were vital to the spiritual life of Israel, but they were imperfect and temporary but Jesus met the qualification of being a priest forever (vv. 15-17).
Application
As a Christian I have a joint account of spiritual riches with the Lord in heaven. It is possible for me to never write any checks on this account and live like a pauper.
Hebrews 7:11– 17 (NET)
11 So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood—for on that basis the people received the law—what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in Aaron’s order? 12 For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come as well. 13 Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever officiated at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord is descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. 15 And this is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent but by the power of an indestructible life. 17 For here is the testimony about him: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”