Hebrews 7
7
1Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of the Most High God. He met Abraham who was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him.#7:1. See Genesis 14:18. 2Abraham gave him a tithe of all that he had won. Melchizedek's name means “king of right” while king of Salem means “king of peace.” 3We don't have any information about his father or his mother or his family tree. We don't know when he was born or when he died. Like the Son of God he continues as a priest forever.
4Think how great this man was for Abraham the patriarch to give him a tithe of what was won in battle. 5Yes, the sons of Levi who are priests were commanded by the law to receive a tithe from the people, their brothers and sisters, who are descended from Abraham. 6But Melchizedek who doesn't share their ancestry received tithes from Abraham, and blessed the one who had God's promises. 7There's no argument that the lesser person is blessed by the one who is greater. 8In the one case tithes are received by men who die, but in the other by one who is said to be living. 9So you could say that Levi, the one who receives tithes, has paid tithes through being a descendant of Abraham, 10for he was yet to be born from his father#7:10. Literally, “in his father's loins.” when Melchizedek met Abraham.
11Now if perfection could have been achieved through the priesthood of Levi (for that's how the law was received), what was the need for another priest to come following the order of Melchizedek, and not following the order of Aaron? 12If the priesthood is changed, then the law needs to be changed too. 13The one we're talking about comes from a different tribe, a tribe that has never provided priests to serve at the altar. 14It's clear that our Lord is a descendant of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests coming from this tribe. 15What makes it even clearer is when another priest appears who is similar to Melchizedek, 16and who didn't become a priest by virtue of his human ancestry but by the power of a life that cannot be ended. 17That's why it says, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”#7:17. Quoting Psalms 110:4.
18So the previous rule has been set aside because it was powerless and didn't work, 19(for the law didn't make anything perfect). But now it's been replaced by a better hope by which we can come close to God. 20This#7:20. Referring to the new way of approaching God. was not without an oath, even though those who become priests do so without an oath. 21But he became a priest with an oath because God told him, “The Lord has taken a solemn vow and will not change his mind: You are a priest forever.”#7:21. Quoting Psalms 110:4. 22This is how Jesus became the guarantee of an agreed relationship with God#7:22. “An agreed relationship with God.” This translates a single word in Greek that has traditionally been translated as “covenant.” However, the word “covenant” does not normally occur in everyday English and so has become a “theological” word. Much has been written about this concept and the terms used, and “covenant” has often been retained as there does not seem to be an effective way of explaining what is meant here. The covenant concept is extensively developed in chapters 8 and 9. Problems exist with alternative words. The word “contract” can mean the result of bargaining, which is not the case here. Similarly “treaty” or “agreement” when seen in human terms may refer to mutual negotiations. But here the word refers to something that is God's initiative, and certainly is not between equals. Perhaps a better concept is “a promise that is agreed to with corresponding obligations,” but such wording would be even more cumbersome. that is so much better.
23There have been many priests because death prevented them from being able to continue; 24but since Jesus lives forever, his priesthood is permanent. 25As a result he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, living always to plead their case on their behalf.
26He is exactly the high priest we need: holy and without fault, pure and separate from sinners, and given a place in the highest heavens. 27Unlike those human high priests, he doesn't need to offer a daily sacrifice for his sins and then the sins of the people. He did this once, and for everyone, when he offered himself. 28The law appoints imperfect men as high priests, but God gave his solemn vow after the law, and appointed his Son, perfect forever.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Hebrews 7
7
The Greatness of Melchizedek
1For this Melchizedek —
King of Salem, priest of the Most High God,
who met Abraham and blessed him
as he returned from defeating the kings,
2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything;
first, his name means king of righteousness,
then also, king of Salem,
meaning king of peace;
3without father, mother, or genealogy,
having neither beginning of days nor end of life,
but resembling the Son of God # Gn 14:18-20; Mt 4:3; Mk 5:7; Heb 7:6 —
remains a priest forever.
4Now consider how great this man was — even Abraham the patriarch # Gn 14:20; Ac 2:29; 7:8-9 gave a tenth of the plunder to him! 5The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people # Nm 18:21,26; 2Ch 31:4-5 — that is, from their brothers — though they have also descended from Abraham. # Lit have come out of Abraham’s loins 6But one without this # Lit their lineage collected tenths from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. # Gn 14:19; Rm 4:13 7Without a doubt, # Or Beyond any dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8In the one case, men who will die receive tenths, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. # Heb 5:6; 6:20 9And in a sense Levi himself, who receives tenths, has paid tenths through Abraham, 10for he was still within his ancestor # Lit still in his father’s loins when Melchizedek met him.
A Superior Priesthood
11If then, perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law # Gl 2:21; Heb 7:18-19; 8:7), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron? # Heb 7:17; 10:1 12For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. 13For the One these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. 14Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, # Is 11:1; Mc 5:2; Mt 1:3; Lk 3:33; Rv 5:5 and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.
15And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16who did not become a priest based on a legal command concerning physical # Or fleshly descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. 17For it has been testified:
You are a priest forever
in the order of Melchizedek. # Ps 110:4; Heb 5:6; 6:20; 7:21 # Ps 110:4
18So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable # Rm 8:3; Gl 4:9 19(for the law perfected # Ac 13:39; Rm 3:20; Heb 9:9 nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. # Heb 4:16; 6:18
20None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, 21but He became a priest with an oath made by the One who said to Him:
The Lord has sworn,
and He will not change His mind,
You are a priest forever. # 1Sm 15:29; Ps 110:4 # Ps 110:4
22So Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant. # Heb 8:6-10; 9:15; 12:24; 13:20
23Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. 24But because He remains forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. 25Therefore, He is always able to save # Or He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede # Rm 8:34; Heb 9:24 for them.
26For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. # 2Co 5:21; Heb 4:15 27He 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 when He offered Himself. # Eph 5:2; Heb 5:1,3; 9:12,28 28For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, # Heb 1:2; 2:10; 5:2,9 who has been perfected # Php 3:12; Heb 10:14; 11:40 forever.
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