The Book of Hebrews opens with a short paragraph that is comparable with the opening of John’s gospel as it speaks of the glory and ministry of Jesus, the Son of God through whom all things were created and in whom redemption may be found. The writer then launches into an extended section, a biblical study from the Old Testament, of how Jesus Christ was greater than all the messengers and prophets of God that had both come before Him and pointed to Him.
• Jesus is greater than Angels
• Jesus is greater than Moses
• Jesus is greater than any High Priest
The argument is moving on to say that not only is Jesus greater than any priest who has ever or will ever be, but also that the priestly line from which He descended is one that is superior to that of the line all the Levitical priests had come before. And so we are introduced to the character of Melchizedek.
Now this, as the writer keeps explaining, is not easy teaching. To keep us focused there are what I’m calling ‘warnings’, to help us ‘wake up and pay attention’. In the face of a church that was losing it’s way, the writer has made a decision that the way forward was not to ‘dumb down the faith’, but to wean it’s listeners and readers away from spiritual milk and start getting them to digest some solid spiritual food.
WARNING 1: “If Jesus is greater than any angel you better pay greater attention to Him than you would to any other who claims to be a messenger of God”
WARNING 2: “Don’t miss the ‘Rest of God’ (a phrase describing the benefits of God’s Kingdom … past, present and future) though unbelief. Trust in God whose Word changes everything.
WARNING 3: “Don’t be a spiritual baby. Unless you are nurtured on solid food, you could die!”
Melchizedek, King and Priest (1-3)
So we begin now to examine the mysterious Melchizedek. Melchizedek makes but a fleeting appearance in the pages of the Old Testament. The events of his life are of a nature that attracted speculation and left interpreters scratching their heads as if to say, “Well, what just happened?”
Rather like Enoch, who walked with God and then was ‘taken’ or Moses whose ‘grave was never found’ or Elijah who ‘ascends to God in a whirlwind’, Melchizedek walks onto the pages of the Old Testament and then is gone, with no information about where he comes from or where he is going. Some of the language of the passage, in its original Hebrew, suggests there may have been a hymn or poem in Melchizedek’s honor that the authors are drawing upon.
The writer of Hebrews has what is best called an ‘exegetical’ problem. He has told us that Christ is the King, but also that He is the greatest High Priest. Kings came from the line of David. Priests came from the line of Levi. How can the two be reconciled? The answer that Hebrews proposes is that the priestly line that Jesus came from was not through the Levites, but from a totally different place, namely the priestly line of Melchizedek.
There are three places in the bible that speak of Melchizedek, and for a deliberate reason, I’m going to deal with them in reverse order. The first passage is the one we are currently considering. Melchizedek’s name appears 8 times in the 3 chapters of Hebrews 5 thru 7. It appears here in our current reading.
Hebrews 7:1-3 This "King Melchizedek of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him"; 2 and to him Abraham apportioned "one-tenth of everything." His name, in the first place, means "king of righteousness"; next he is also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace." 3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
A second passage where he appears is in Psalm 110. This Psalm is one of the royal Psalms addressing a King… in fact a King of Kings… and the first part has already by the writer of Hebrews been interpreted as referring to the Messiah.
Psalm 110:1 A Psalm of David. “The LORD says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool." 2 The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your foes! 3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day you lead your host upon the holy mountains. From the womb of the morning like dew your youth will come to you.
4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." 5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. 7 He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.”
The third passage is the actual story of Melchizedek and his blessing of Abraham. The passage is set amidst a tale of five warring kings, in the midst of which Abrahams nephew Lot has been captured. Abraham sets out and successfully liberates his nephew. He then meets with the King of Sodom in what appears to be a test of his faithfulness. It is during this meeting that Melchizedek comes to him.
Genesis 14:17-20
After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Following this meeting Abraham does the right thing. Chapter 15 begins “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." This meeting with Melchizedek, a ‘Priest of God most High” with whom Abram shares bread and wine and to whom Abram offers a tithe (a tenth of all he owns) is an encounter of no small significance.
The reason I’ve given you the passages in reverse order is simply that such is the way that the writer of Hebrews develops his argument. Along the way he offers a lesson on biblical interpretation… in this way.
If you have ever been to the opticians for new lenses or glasses then you sit down in the chair and the optometrist places a lens in the glasses you are looking through. ‘Is that clearer or less clear’ you may be asked. Depending on your answer another lens is inserted, and again the question is asked, ‘Is that clearer or less clear’. The process is repeated a number of times. It’s only as you are staring through a series of lenses that the picture finally becomes clear.
In a similar way we are invited to view Melchizedek through a progression of perspectives, beginning with Christ, moving chronologically to the scripture nearest to Christ, namely that of Psalm 110 and then the third and final lens, the oldest account, that of Genesis 14:17-20.
The writer looks through Christ through the Psalm to Melchizedek
When we have difficult passages in scripture to interpret this is a good practice to follow.
• Firstly look to Christ. What was His teaching on the issue? What is the perspective of the gospels on the matter?
• Secondly, for the next authority ask which is the most recent in terms of chronological sequence. Many Christians believe that Scripture is an unfolding revelation of God’s purposes the ultimate pinnacle (the mountain-top if you like) being the coming of Christ. All that comes before Him points towards Him. All that comes after, points back to His life and teachings. So seeking the next authority … chronologically speaking is consistent with that view.
• Thirdly, work back to the most ancient material, allowing the additional material to fill in any gaps.
Such a method is the one followed in Hebrews. He firstly looks to the revelation of Christ that he outlines in the prologue… the One who is greater than all, the One through whom all was created and in whom all move and have their being.
In the knowledge of whom Christ is the writer then moves to consider the passage that is next in the chronological order, namely Psalm 110. The question being asked is “What does this passage tell us about Christ?” Already, in Chapter One of Hebrews we have had the quote "The LORD says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool. Now we move to another quote, “The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek."
Then the focus goes further to consider the passage that deals with Abrams meeting with Melchizedek, in Genesis 14 and the question of how Jesus could be both a priest and a King finds resolution.
Behind all of this the argument regarding how Jesus is greater than all that came before is continuing to be developed. He is greater than angels, He is greater than Moses, and He is greater than any High Priest… and now we are moving on to consider that even the priestly line of which He is a part is of greater significance than that of the priestly line of the Levites. That is the significance attached to Melchizedek, which we now continue to explore.
Melchizedek Is Superior to Levites (4-10)
Hebrews 7:4-10 4 See how great he is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils. 5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their kindred, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6 But this man, who does not belong to their ancestry, collected tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises. 7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8 In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
The writer here develops five arguments as to why the order of Melchizedek was superior to the of the order of the Levites.
First, he received a tenth of the spoils or booty of war (v: 4 -5) Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils. 5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their kindred, though these also are descended from Abraham.
One of the duties of the Levitical priests was to collect the peoples tithe. Tithing is a practice that has a long biblical history. However, it was not the duty of the Levites to receive the spoils of war. Usually such spoils and booty went to the people at the top, to the King or the governmental officials.
Spoils were the most prized and valuable materials taken from the enemy. Things like gold, silver, ornate furniture and clothing, fine horses, even slaves. Melchizedek received a ‘tenth of the spoils’. This was more in line with an offering to a King than to a priest. Levitical priests received a tithe. Melchizedek received the platinum! A tenth of the best! His priesthood was therefore superior to that of the Levites.
Second, he collected a tithe from Abraham v6 “This man, (Melchizedek) who does not belong to their ancestry, collected tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises.” Here the argument is that it is in Abraham that the future of the whole nation of Israel lay dormant. Abraham was Israel in prospect and in promise. All the promises of God at that point in the history of the nation lay within the bosom of Abraham. Both Israel and the priestly line of the Levites, where yet to come into being.
Third, in the writer's value system, the one who blesses is always greater than the one who is blessed. 7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.
Fourth, Melchizedek received a tithe as one who was a priest for ever, eternal and everlasting. Here 7 verse 3 is being recalled – ‘having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever’ Levites died, but Melchizedek lived forever, coming from who knows where and departing to a destination only speculated about. So the writer explains 8 ‘In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.’
Fifthly, Levi himself paid tithes to Abraham in the sense that he was “still in the loins” of Abraham when Abraham paid tithes. 9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. Chronologically Levi was ‘just a twinkle in his ancestor’s eye’ so to speak. So, the writer argues, that because Levi had yet to be born, in effect Levi paid a tithe to Melchizedek. I find it interesting that he feels that this is not entirely a conclusive argument for he does preface it with the thought… ‘One might even say’. Kind of like Paul when he writes, ‘Now this isn’t the Lords teaching, but here’s what I think about it!’
So five reasons why the Priestly line of Melchizedek was greater than that of Levi;
1. He received a tenth of the spoils, more than just a tithe.
2. The ancestor of the nation, Abraham, was the one from whom he received.
3. The one who blessed was greater than the one being blessed.
4. Melchizedek was a priest for ever, Levites died.
5. As Levi was yet to be, Levi in effect paid a tithe to Melchizedek.
So here is our developing argument;
• Jesus is greater than Angels
• Jesus is greater than Moses
• Jesus is greater than any High Priest
• Jesus is of the priestly line of Melchizedek (the priestly line of Melchizedek being greater than that of Levi)
One final observation. Jesus in Matthew 5:35 speaks of Jerusalem, as ‘the city of the great King.’ In Hebrew ‘Salem’ is another name for Jerusalem. In our Hebrews passage Melchizedek is described as ‘King of Salem’… in other words Melchizedek was ‘King of Jerusalem’. (e.g. NLT notes on Psalm 76:2)
The fact that this King of Jerusalem not only receives a tithe from Abraham, but also offers Him bread and wine, symbols that we (and the people to which the letter is addressed) attach sacramental significance, has led to some speculation that Melchizedek was more closely related to Christ than even the author dares to speculate.
But there’s enough in this lesson to keep our minds occupied with… so until next time!.