Hebrews 7:1–28 (NKJV)
1 For this Melchizedek, 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 translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. 4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6 but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8 Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. 11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” 18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. 20 And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath 21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn And will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek’ ”), 22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. 23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
We know next to nothing about the Old Testament figure named Melchizedek. He was a king and a priest of the true God who had a brief encounter with Abraham as Abraham was returning from his victory over the kings who had kidnapped his nephew Lot. We are told nothing of the origin of this priest-king and nothing of his end, which is why he is called a priest “forever.” His name isn’t mentioned again in Scripture until he is mentioned in a cryptic verse in Psalm 110, speaking about the coming Christ: “The LORD has sword and will not relent, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” The writer to the Hebrews explains this verse for us.
The priesthood that was so well-known to the Jews was tied to the tribe of Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, while the kings were descended from David, from the tribe of Judah. Like Melchizedek, the Christ would be both priest and king. His kingship would come from His ancestor David, but His priesthood would not come from Levi. Instead, He would be a priest like Melchizedek, who was greater than Levi, whose priesthood came directly from God and was not defined by the Levitical Law. Yes, the priesthood of the Christ would be far greater than that of the Levites. The Levitical priests all served as priests for a finite number of years; the Christ would serve forever. The Levitical priests were weak and sinful; the Christ would be sinless and perfect. The Levitical priests had to sacrifice daily for their own sins and for the sins of the people; the Christ would offer the one perfect sacrifice of Himself to make atonement, not for His own sins, but for the sins of the rest of mankind.
Let us pray: O Lord, we thank you for foreshadowing the priesthood of Your Son in the Old Testament and for revealing it to us in the New. Hear us and help us in all things only for the sake of Christ, our great High Priest. Amen.
