Hebrews 7:1-19
Summary for Heb 7:1-28: 7:1-28 a Hebrews 7 b develops the main topic introduced in 5:1-10 c: Jesus’ appointment as a high priest in the order of Melchizedek.Summary for Heb 7:1-10: 7:1-10 d This section proclaims the superiority of Melchizedek’s priesthood over that of the Levites, based primarily on Gen 14:17-20 e. 7:1 f king of ... Salem: See Gen 14:18 g and corresponding study note.
• also a priest of God Most High: Unlike the Hebrew kings, Melchizedek combined the offices of king and priest, thus foreshadowing the Messiah.
• winning a great battle against the kings: See Gen 14:1-17 h.
7:2 i Abraham was giving a tenth to the Lord by giving it to Melchizedek, his priest. This act anticipates the giving of tithes under the law (Lev 27:30 j, 32 k) and becomes a key point in the author’s argument (Heb 7:4 l).
• Melchi- (Hebrew melek) means king.
• -zedek (Hebrew tsedeq) means justice or righteousness.
• Salem (Hebrew shalom) means peace. It was common for rabbis to bring out the theological significance of a biblical figure’s name by making associations between the name and other Hebrew terms.
7:3 m That we have no record of Melchizedek’s father or mother or any of his ancestors is significant in light of the ancestral requirement upon which the Levitical priesthood was based. He appears from nowhere—it is as though there is no beginning or end to his life. The author is interpreting Gen 14:17-20 n in light of Ps 110:4 o, which also understands Melchizedek as representing an eternal priesthood.
• He remains a priest forever: This contrasts with a Levite, whose priesthood ended when he died (Heb 7:8 p, 23 q).
• resembling the Son of God: Melchizedek was not an Old Testament appearance of Jesus. Rather, his priesthood and that of Jesus had characteristics in common, in light of Ps 110:4 r.
7:4 s The point of this section (7:1-10 t) is to have the readers consider . . . how great this Melchizedek was by comparing him to the descendants of Levi. Melchizedek was so great that Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils of battle (Gen 14:20 u).
Summary for Heb 7:5-6: 7:5-6a v Collecting the tithe was a requirement and an honor for the priests under the law of Moses (Num 18:21-32 w).
• from the rest of the people of Israel: The reference is to the people of Israel as a whole.
• Although Melchizedek was not a descendant of Levi, he collected a tenth from Abraham, the ancestor of the Levites. This demonstrates Melchizedek’s eminence over both Abraham and his descendants, including the priests (Heb 7:8-10 x).
Summary for Heb 7:6-7: 7:6b-7 y Melchizedek placed a blessing upon Abraham: Gen 14:19-20 z; this is an example of the kind of blessing that a superior would give a subordinate—e.g., a father would bless his son, and a priest would bless his people (Gen 49:1-28 aa; Num 6:22-27 ab). The power to give a blessing demonstrates that Melchizedek is greater than Abraham.
7:8 ac Melchizedek’s “immortality” (7:3 ad) is one aspect of his superiority to the Levites: The Levites are men who die, but Melchizedek lives on.
Summary for Heb 7:9-10: 7:9-10 ae we might even say: The author recognizes that what he is about to say, that the Levites . . . paid a tithe to Melchizedek, is not literally true, since Levi wasn’t born yet. Abraham represented all his descendants in paying his tithe to Melchizedek. Levi was united with Abraham because the seed from which he came was in Abraham’s body. All the people issuing from Abraham were one with him. Thus, his act could be considered their act.
Summary for Heb 7:11-28: 7:11-28 af Having argued for Melchizedek’s superiority to the Levites (7:1-10 ag), the author now argues that Jesus, our high priest like Melchizedek, is also superior to the Levitical priests of the old covenant. 7:11 ah Perfection in Hebrews does not mean flawless, but reaching a desired goal (see study note on 5:9). The priesthood under the old covenant could not achieve all that God intended for a covenant relationship with his people. That is why God needed to establish a different priesthood.
7:12 ai According to the law given to Moses, the appointed priests were descendants of Aaron (Exod 28:41-43 aj; 29:9 ak). The priesthood is changed because Jesus is now the High Priest. Thus, God himself had changed the law concerning priests.
Summary for Heb 7:13-14: 7:13-14 al Jesus belongs to a different tribe: Under the old covenant, priests came from the tribe of Levi, whereas Jesus was from the tribe of Judah.
Summary for Heb 7:15-17: 7:15-17 am This change of how God appoints priests (7:11-14 an) has been made very clear by the appointment of Jesus as a different priest. He, like Melchizedek, is a priest forever: Jesus’ resurrection from the dead shows that he has the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. Because his priesthood in the order of Melchizedek is superior to that of the Levites (7:1-10 ao), he supersedes them as priest.
7:18 ap The old requirement about the priesthood was membership in the family of Aaron (see Exod 28:41-43 aq).
• set aside: See Heb 7:15-17 ar.
• because it was weak and useless: As explained in the verses that follow (7:19-28 as).
Summary for Heb 7:19-28: 7:19-28 at The weakness of the priesthood under the old covenant is highlighted in that those priests died (thus discontinuing their office) and were themselves sinful. In contrast, Jesus, the new High Priest, never sinned and conquered death, making him a more effective and permanent High Priest. 7:19 au the law never made anything perfect: The law never accomplished what God planned to accomplish through the superior high priesthood of Jesus—namely, completely removing sin and guaranteeing eternal salvation. This gives believers confidence in a better hope in relationship with God. We can draw near to God without fearing condemnation.
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