Hebrews 7 Mystery man Melchizedek & the better hope in Christ

Bible Study Series: Jesus in Hebrews - Better by Far!

Hebrews 7 - Mystery man Melchizedek & the better hope in Christ

by I Gordon

Do you remember when you used to watch all those westerns and there would be this unknown mystery man who rode in, saved the town, then rode off into the sunset leaving the town perplexed and amazed? And then the credits would roll, leaving you thinking 'whoa, what a guy!' He was the man with no name. No one knew his background, where he was from, where he was going, or why he was so good with a gun. Oh... you didn't watch westerns? Hmm, then you've missed out now haven't you?! Well we have the biblical equivalent today with our mystery man called Melchizedek. At least our guy has a name... but a lot of the other details are missing or at least pretty foggy! Where is he from? Who were his parents? And where does he go when he walks off the pages of scripture? And why, for that matter, does God mention him again 1000 years later? Hmm... we'll have a look at that today focusing on:

• What do we know about this mystery man and why was God the Father speaking to God the Son about him?
• How does the writer of Hebrews use this man to show that Jesus is of a better priesthood than those of the law?
• Why does the law make nothing perfect - but what, and who, can do that very thing?

So let's start with our friend Mel.

Melchizedek - King of Righteousness, King of Peace

Heb 7:1-10  This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,  (2)  and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace."  (3)  Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.  (4)  Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!  (5)  Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people--that is, their brothers--even though their brothers are descended from Abraham.  (6)  This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.  (7)  And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.  (8)  In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.  (9)  One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,  (10)  because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

If you have been paying attention, you'll know that this is the fourth time the writer of Hebrews has spoken about the mysterious character Melchizedek. The first three mentions all stated that the Lord Jesus' priesthood was in the order of Melchizedek but nothing else was said. In fact you might recall that when the author mentioned Melchizedek in Heb 5:10 he then went on to write 'Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing' (Heb 5:11). In other words, 'I'd love you guys to grasp this for it's important. But let's be fair, you're not currently the sharpest set of knives in the drawer are you? I'm not sure that the lift is going all the way to the top floor, you know what I'm saying? I mean, I'm starting to get the sneaky suspicion that you guys might not be knitting with a full set of needles.' Well, he may not have said it quite like that! But the author has had a slight change of heart it seems and is now going to try to explain 'the Melchizedek puzzle' to them. He'll give it a go anyway!   

Melchizedek is mentioned in three different books of the Bible. Do you know which ones? His introduction is in the book of Genesis, chapter 14 where he is seen in the days of Abraham. Here he gets a whopping 3 verses before walking off the pages of scripture for 1000 years. Then King David records in Psalm 110 a conversation between God the Father and God the Son, and here we are given just one more mention of Mel, telling us that the Son will be a Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. That is it. Given they are short, let's read these references again so they are fresh in our memory:

Gen 14:17-20  After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).  (18)  Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,  (19)  and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.  (20)  And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Psa 110:4  The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

So there is roughly 1000 years between his meeting with Abraham in Genesis, and David recording what he heard in Psalm 110. After that we then have to wait another 1000 years before the writer of Hebrews unpacks what it all means. And to be fair, the author of Hebrews still keeps it somewhat mysterious, especially concerning his identity, and doesn't completely help matters! You see we read in Hebrews that Melchizedek was 'without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.' Hmmm... so is he a man, an angel, is he Christ Himself? Here is what we know:

• The name Melchizedek means 'King of Righteousness' - so this is a pointer to, and a type of, Jesus in whom we have righteousness
• He was the King of Salem - which is an early name for Jerusalem. This means 'peace' so Melchizedek was also the king of peace - This is another good pointer to Jesus in whom we have peace with God
• He was Priest of God Most High - So Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, at the same time. Again, another pointer to what Jesus is, both King and High Priest.
• He is seen as a Priest forever - For he walks onto the pages of scripture without any genealogy mentioned (which is odd in the book of Genesis which generally records who 'begat' who!) and scripture contains no mention of his death. 
• We see that Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth so he was considered even greater than Abraham! 

It has been said that if Melchizedek had a LinkedIn profile, it would say ‘No birthdate, no death date, eternal priest, endorsed by Abraham.' Hmm... Sounds impressive. Maybe a little old but might be worth hiring! William MacDonald in the Believers Bible Commentary picks up on the order of the meaning of his name and title writing: 

"It is not without meaning that righteousness is mentioned first, then peace. There cannot be peace unless first there is righteousness. We see this clearly in the work of Christ. At the cross, “Mercy and truth ... met together; righteousness and peace ... kissed” (Psa_85:10). Because the Savior met all the righteous demands of God against our sins, we can have peace with God."

So let's get back to this question of 'who'... Who was Melchizedek? A preincarnate appearance of Christ? An Angel? Or a man who was born and died, but the author is taking a spiritual application given that there is no recorded mention of his genealogy and death in scripture? Well, I don't believe he was Jesus Himself as Hebrews tells us that 'like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.'² This means there are comparisons between the two but they are not the same person. So was Melchizedek an angel 'without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days'? It is possible and some conservative scholars argue for this³. The writings of the Essenes at Qumran, found in the Dead Sea scrolls and dating from approximately 150 BC to 70 AD, saw Melchizedek as an angelic figure. Most scholars believe he was a man and that the author of Hebrews is writing to distinguish between the Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthood. And thus the references to 'being with mother and father' etc are references to his priesthood as revealed in scripture. That is certainly possible, though it does seem more than that when just reading Hebrews 7. So... you might need to put this one on your list of things to ask the Lord when you see Him! Granted, it may not be right near the top of your list of questions once you are there, but for those of us interested in such things, down the track there might be an 'Ok... who exactly is this guy Melchizedek?!'      

One thing is clear and that is the author of Hebrews is telling us that Melchizedek was greater than Abraham and his priesthood is superior to Aaron's. And think about that for it is no small thing to a Hebrew reader of the time! To them Abraham was the man! He was the father of the Jewish faith. He was the one to whom God gave the covenant establishing the Jewish nation and the promises concerning their land. But now they learn that actually Abraham was blessed by Melchizedek (and the greater blessed the lessor) and that Abraham in turn paid a tithe to Melchizedek? On top of that, all they had known all their life was the Aaronic priesthood established under the Mosaic law. And now they learn that there was, and is, a Melchizedek priesthood which is far superior to the only priesthood they have ever known?!? Well let's now see why that is true.

The law made nothing perfect - but there is a better hope!

Heb 7:11-19  If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?  (12)  For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law.  (13)  He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.  (14)  For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.  (15)  And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears,  (16)  one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.  (17)  For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."  (18)  The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless  (19)  (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

The writer of Hebrews speaks about 'perfect' or 'perfection' a lot in this letter. He starts this section by asking the question: 'If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?' And he ends it by saying: 'The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless  (19)  (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.'

The Greek word used here translated perfection is 'teleíōsis' meaning 'to complete. The act of completion, successful effort or fulfillment (Luk 1:45). Also the state or attainment of perfection (Heb 7:11).' (The Complete Word Study Dictionary). The law of Moses, the writer of Hebrews says, 'made nothing perfect'. It didn't complete or bring anything to a successful fulfillment. This is important to bear in mind for the many out there that try to put the believer under the law.  

Let all legalists mark this: The Law made nothing perfect.  Let the Seventh Day Adventists mark: The Law made nothing perfect.  Let all those who dream of the Law as a rule of life remember: The Law made nothing perfect.
William Newell, Hebrews verse by verse

Now you might think, if the law made nothing perfect, why did God give it? If it was ' weak and useless' as scripture says, what was the point? Well, it may have been weak and useless in bringing one to a righteous and perfect state before God (because of those of us it had to work with!), but it certainly wasn't, and isn't, weak and useless in bringing one to Him who can make one perfect! Let's take a little detour and quickly refresh our minds on why God gave the law:

Why God gave the law (as shown in the New Testament)

1. To reveal God’s character and moral standards
   There is nothing wrong with God's law. It is holy and good as scripture says:

   Rom 7:12 – “So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.”

2. To reveal the ugly face of sin
   Rom 7:7 – “I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.”
   Rom 5:20 – “The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase...”
   Rom 7:13 – “...so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.”

3. To silence every mouth (especially the proud) and hold the world accountable to God
   If you meet someone that thinks they are a 'good person' then you know the law hasn't done it's work in their lives yet!
   Rom 3:19 – “...so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.”

4. To show that no one can be justified by works - except Jesus!

   Gal 2:16 – “...a person is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.”
   Rom 3:20 – “...no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law...”
   Matt 5:17 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law... I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

5. To lead us to Christ for salvation⁴
   Gal 3:24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith

The Law - The missing element in evangelism

While focusing on the purpose of the law, you will note how the law was given to make sin utterly sinful, and expose the person's need for a Savior. Thus, as mentioned, the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. That is why it is important to use the law for that which it was intended for (for sinners!) And not for that which it wasn't given for (the righteous - 1 Tim 1:9). That is why evangelists like Ray Comfort are so successful - because they have discovered 'Hell's best kept secret' - the convicting power of the law. To quote Ray Comfort:

“When a sinner understands the horrific consequences of breaking the Law of God, he will flee to the Savior, solely to escape the wrath that is to come...” “Here, then, is how we can get sinners to cry out, according to Paris Reidhead: If I had my way, I would declare a moratorium on public preaching of “the plan of salvation” in America for one to two years. Then I would call on everyone who has use of the airwaves and the pulpits to preach the holiness of God, the righteousness of God, and the Law of God, until sinners would cry out, “What must we do to be saved?” Then I would take them off in a corner and whisper the gospel to them. Don’t use John 3:16. Such drastic action is needed because we have gospel-hardened a generation of sinners by telling them how to be saved before they have any understanding why they need to be saved.”    
Ray Comfort

A better covenant, with a better sacrifice and a much better Priest!

Heb 7:20-28  And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath,  (21)  but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.' "  (22)  Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.  (23)  Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;  (24)  but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.  (25)  Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  (26)  Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.  (27)  Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.  (28)  For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

In the last part of this chapter the author of Hebrews contrasts the priesthood of Jesus (which is in the order of Melchizedek ) with the Levitical priesthood of the law. Somethings are easier to visualize in a chart so here you go (don't say I don't do things for you!):

"We now come to the third and final argument concerning the superiority of the Melchizedekan priesthood. The priests of Israel were many. It is said that there were eighty-four high priests in the history of the nation, and of course, there were innumerable lesser priests. The office periodically changed hands because of the death of the incumbents. The ministry suffered from these inevitable interruptions. In the case of Christ's priesthood, there is no such failure because He lives forever. His priesthood is never passed on to anyone else, and there is no interruption to its effectiveness. It is unchangeable and untransmissible."
William MacDonald, Believers Bible Commentary

So because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. It has been said that Jesus doesn’t need a retirement plan. He’s the only priest who never tires, never grows old, never takes a vacation and never forgets your name! And I'm thankful for that! You will note this great verse here that says 'because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.' Jesus is interceding for us, His believers - even now! And what's better He doesn't need to plead your case. Not only is He the judge's Son, but He has already paid your fine! This intercession is not related to saving the believer from the penalty of sin but from it's power. As our High Priest He wants us to walk in His victory and so He continually intercedes on our behalf. And He also intercedes because of the enemy's intentions. You will remember what Jesus said to Peter (even before Peter had any idea of what was going on):  

Luk 22:31-32  "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;  (32)  but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

But thank God that the believer's salvation is secure because He is able... You aren't able to save yourself, but as scripture says He is able to save completely those that come to God through Him. This is all part of why our chapter speaks of a better hope and a better covenant for believers today.

Conclusion 

So what have we seen? We've seen that Melchizedek was the king of righteousness and the king of peace. And his priesthood is eternal. Thus, in all of these things he is the perfect pointer to Jesus who is the ultimate King of righteousness and peace. And we have peace, when we rest in His righteousness! As to 'who' Melchizedek was exactly... Well, conclusive evidence on that may need to wait, not just for another day, but for another age! He isn't Jesus Himself but he was a pointer to Jesus. Was he more than a man? Put that on your list to ask the Lord... and you may then have to wait for the age to come to truly know! 

We have also seen that as believers we have a better hope and a better Priesthood in Christ Jesus. While the law makes nothing perfect, Christ, and His work on the cross, does! So we asked the question, 'Do we have to be perfect to go to heaven?' and the answer of course is... yes! But thank God that 'by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever, those who are being made holy!' (Heb 10:14).     

Application

The application for this comes in how we live our lives today. We are to live from this place of victory and assurity in Christ. We are to live from this place of confidence in the finished work of Christ. Remember what our scripture said earlier: 'The Law made nothing perfect'. And all those who live with one eye on the law have no assurance. And how can they, for the law makes nothing perfect so there is always doubt. And it comes out in many doctrines. Here are a few quick examples: 

• Many Christians see events in their lives as God punishing them for their sins. But Christ has already been punished for those sins. And as scripture says straight after saying that God is love: 'There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.' 1 John 4:18
• Some say that if a Christian dies with unconfessed sin, they might be in trouble. The Catholic church takes this further teaching that believers who die in an imperfectly purified state, undergo a process of purification after death in Purgatory. This all comes from not knowing the perfection of the believer ALREADY through the finished work of Christ.  
• And these thoughts carry over into End time theology. Some see the Church having to go into the Tribulation to purify herself so that she will be ready for the return of Jesus. If that is so, what made all the other believers down through the ages ready to meet the Lord? And for that matter, what made my Grandma ready who gave her life to the Lord in the last few weeks of her life? Was it the Tribulation or was it faith in the perfect and finished work of the Lord?
• Others see a dividing of the bride of Christ at the rapture of the Church where only certain 'overcoming' Christians are taken while the others are left to go into the Tribulation (partial rapture theory). Again, none of this is based on the better hope, the better Priesthood and the better covenant of the New Testament!

Instead of all these things (and there are certainly many more!) that come from still having one eye on Christ and one on the law, the believer is to be assured of their standing in the Lord, by grace, through faith. We are to get our eyes off ourselves and onto Him. And then we can get about our Father's business, from a place of confidence, saying 'Thank you Lord for all that you have done for me. What can I do for you?'

Well we will continue next time with a closer look at the 'better' promises or the 'better' covenant as Hebrews 8 unpacks this wonderful New Covenant that God has given us.

God Bless.

FOOTNOTES