Hebrews Segment 6

New Priesthoot of Jesus (Heb 7:1-8:6)

Big Picture

From this point forward, Hebrews is going to deal with the Living Christ who is right now at God's right hand.

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God’s blessings come with substantial fruits (God has so much authority that when he speaks…)

Nobody talks much about this guy tithing over Abraham

Why does Abraham tithe to him? He was the preist.

v.7:8 although we pay tithes to a mortal man, its really to the immortal God.

The writing of Hebrews was before the destruction of the temple. Evidence like like that they were tithing at the temple indicates this)

Bank on God’s promises. God’s not a liar, he’ll bring the promise to fruition if your faith is present. -> don’t give up and let go right before God gives you the blessing he promised.

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Prev seg/verse: there’s a hope we have that is an anchor for the soul

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, (Heb 7:1)

For this…(7:1) - goes back to 6:20.

7:1 Salem = shalom = peace ( Jerusalem)

Melchizedek = king of righteousness. also a type of Christ. In gen. m. is called "King of Salem" and "Priest of the Most High God". His two appearances in the OT are almost forgettable (but not to the Spirit of the Lord).

we today are living in Christ's priesthood.

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," (Heb 7:2)

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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. (Heb 7:3)

7:3 The Lord Jesus has no beginning or end, he is the beginning and end. Melchizedek isn't mentioned in any of the geneologies. A type or picture of Christ in the OT. (notice also him and Abraham celebrate communion (bread & wine) together. He came at just the time Abraham neeeded someone to encourage and strengthen him.

Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. (Heb 7:4)

7:4 - Abraham payed tithe to Melchizedek. He recognized M. was "above him" (McGee) and was a priest of God most High. This was in the days before Levi was even born, there were no levites to pay tithes to. But in Abraham, the decendent of Levi paying tithes to M. it might indicate M. was superior to Aaron's family.

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; (Heb 7:5)

but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. (Heb 7:6)

Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. (Heb 7:7)

7:7 Abraham was blessed by M. (who was better than he). When we bow and worship Christ, we are recognizing he is better than us.

Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. (Heb 7:8)

7:8 “receives them” is not in the original greek/Hebrew

Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, (Heb 7:9)

for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. (Heb 7:10)

Abraham = father of faith

men that die = levitical priests, but he = mechizedek.

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? (Heb 7:11)

For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. (Heb 7:12)

7:12 Mosaic law and Aaronic priesthood go together. We are no longer under this law.

Why would God call another priesthood if the first were already perfected?

For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. (Heb 7:13)

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For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. (Heb 7:14)

And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest (Heb 7:15)

who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. (Heb 7:16)

For He testifies: " You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek." (Heb 7:17)

7:17 - key verse of chapter, Christ is a priest forever of order of M.

approx v. 17… Ps. 110:4 of David

For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, (Heb 7:18)

7:18 - Mosaic system never gave what men must have, perfection. It wore out and went out of style.

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. (Heb 7:19)

7:19 (McGee??)

And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath (Heb 7:20)

(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'"), (Heb 7:21)

by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. (Heb 7:22)

7:22 testamament = covenant. a better covenant given.

Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. (Heb 7:23)

7:23-28 - Person of Chrrist = Perpetual and Perfect Priest

But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. (Heb 7:24)

Aaronic priesthood always ended by death.

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. (Heb 7:25)

7:25 = key verse. we also have a wherefore again.

He always lives - Christ is living, not dead

7:25 if you want your family to get saved, intercede for them. (sometimes sorrow brings intersession)

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; (Heb 7:26)

7:26 - harmless = fee of malice, crafiness or cleverness. He's not getting you freed from sin b/c he's a "clever lawyer"

undefiled = free from moral impurity.

separate from sinners. He could mix and mingle with them and they didn't feel uncomfortable in his presense. But he was not one of them. He was seperate from them.

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. (Heb 7:27)

7:27 If you want to be like Jesus, offer yourself up as a living sacrifice.

This verse tells us the value of Chrit's sacrifice (there is nothing greater he could have offered up)

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. (Heb 7:28)

Christ the High Priest (in the Heavenly Sanctuary)

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, (Heb 8:1)

8:1 We have access to God’s throne.

main point (or sum in KJV) = the chief or focal point.

What is interesting about the high priest being seated? There were no chairs in the tabernacle. The priest was always up and about on the run doing work serving. Jesus, in contrast, sitting. He is sitting because he "has finished our redemption" (McGee)

a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. (Heb 8:2)

The earthly tabernacle had its articles and furniture were ornae and crafted by a skilled craftsman, but it was all man-made, a contrast to the tabernacle in heaven where Jesus ministeres from, which He Himself made.

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. (Heb 8:3)

This verse (and the following) is one that is oft cited as evidence that the temple was still alive and whole in Jerusalem and that the priests were continuing to carry about in their duties in the temple.

8:3b = therefore…for

For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; (Heb 8:4)

who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." [33] (Heb 8:5)

The earthly tabernacle was patteredned after the heavenly one. A copy and a shadow.

Tabernacle: means tent, refers specifically to a specific tent the Israelites were instructed to build in Exodus as a portable place of worship.

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. (Heb 8:6)

A more excellent ministry: The tabernacle they'd seen in the wilderness was only a shadow of the reality which is in heaven.

Today we call this better covenant the new testament.

A covenant is an agreement between two parties, which unlike a contract is binding on both parties even if the other party doesn't follow through on their requirements. God had made a covenant with Israel through Moses, the law. The law showed how they came short of the glory of God (nobody was coming to God saying "I've kept all your commandments always", they came making sacrifices because they'd broken God's law). Before the law they'd just came to God through faith like Abraham did.

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