Hebrews 7:1-10
Christ's Priesthood After the Order of Melchizedek SUMMARY OF HEBREWS 7: The High Dignity of Melchizedek As a Priest. Abraham Paid Him Tithes. Thus Did the Aaronic Priesthood Confess His Superiority. A Type of a Priest Forever. Christ to Be a Priest After the Order of Melchizedek. Hence, the Aaronic Priesthood Imperfect. Hence, Too, the Law Must Be Changed. Christ, the Priest of the New Covenant, Hath an Unchangeable. Priesthood.For this Melchizedec, king of Salem. See the account of him in Ge 14:18-20. That he was a character of exceeding dignity is manifest, not only from the statements of Genesis, but of this chapter. There have been many speculations concerning his personality, but no man can lift the veil. He bursts upon us as a priest-king, king of Salem, or Jerusalem, which we now know from discoveries in Egyptian records existed even in those very early agesPriest of the most High God. See Ge 14:18. There is no account of his parents, none of his birth, none of his death, none of the beginning or end of his priesthood (Heb 7:3); hence, he appears in the record without parents, genealogy, beginning or end, simply as "one that liveth" (Heb 7:8), a fit type of him whose priesthood and kingly state endure forever.Who met Abraham, returning from the salughter of kings. See Ge 14:20. Abraham was returning from the pursuit of marauders who had captured Lot, his nephew.And blessed him. The "great father" (so the meaning of "Abram"), "the friend of God" (Jas 2:23), thus acknowledges his superior spiritual dignity. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all. Tithes were paid to him as priest of the Most High.King of righteousness. Such is the meaning of Melchizedek. The word may not be the name, but a title.King of Salem. This means "King of Peace". It will be observed that the payment of tithes for religious purposes is at least 400 years older than the Jewish law. See also Ge 28:22. Without father, without mother.See PNT Heb 7:1.Nor end of life. None as he appears in history. As far as he is revealed to us, he is a living character, one that lives right on, like unto the Son of God. The Apostle does not affirm this was absolutely so, but that it is thus that Melchizedek appears on the background of early history. He abideth, in the Sacred Record, "a priest continually". Now consider how great this man [was]. When one so great as Abraham recognized his superiority by paying him tithes. They that are the sons of Levi. The Aaronic priesthood, all of them of the tribe of Levi.Have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law. They require the enactment of the law to collect tithes of the people, their own brethren. See Nu 18:24,26,28 Ne 13:5. The tithes are paid, not because of their great spiritual dignity, but because the law compels it. But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes ofAbraham. Melchizedek, who was not of the blood of Abraham or tribe of Levi, received tithes of Abraham, not because of the law, but because of his transcendent dignity. The less is blessed by the better. Though Abraham had the promises of God, Melchizedek, as the higher in spiritual dignity and nearer to God, blessed him. See Ge 27:27-29. Here men that die receive tithes. The Aaronic priesthood die, and the death of the high priest is a matter of record. Their morality was a prominent feature, but in the case of Melchizedek, he [receiveth them], of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. He who receives tithes "liveth" right on as far as the records tell us. We behold him only as a living priest, typical of a priest who liveth forever. Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. The sacred tribe of Israel, the tribe to whom tithes are paid, paid tithes to Melchizedek. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. All Israel, kings and priests, though yet unborn, were represented in Abraham. Hence Levi paid tithes, and thus confessed the superiority of the priesthood of Melchizedek.
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