The Order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1-28)
The writer now returns to his main train of thought, requoting Psalm 110:4. This is one of only two passages in the whole Old Testament that tell us about this mysterious character, Melchizedek. Psalm 110 is a messianic passage, and it is here where the Messiah is referred to as a high priest of the order of Melchizedek. The other passage is Genesis 14, where we see the first story in the bible about a war of sorts. Four kings team up against five kings and Abraham (Abram) had to chase down the four-king coalition to save his nephew who had been taken prisoner. A tenth king (Melchizedek) is encountered along the journey. Melchizedek, as a king and a priest of God, blesses Abraham and feeds him bread and wine, and Abraham gives him a tithe of the spoils.
Melchizedek is a mysterious figure because we know so little about him. He is one of the few (or only) people we see in the Old Testament who is a believer in God but not a part of, nor a product of Israel. We don’t know his history, his ancestry, or any more of his story at all. This is fascinating, because it reminds us that God is at work in humanity in ways that He has not revealed to us in salvation history. But he is also fascinating because the bible tells us that his priesthood, independent and prior to the priesthood of the Mosaic law, is the basis of the Messiah’s priestly office.
The Levitical priesthood could not save us, because it was a part of the law that was never. The solution to our sin problem. The law was given to demonstrate and educate us about our hopeless sin quandary. We needed a superior priest and a superior sacrifice to solve our problem effectively. That high priest is Jesus, and the sacrifice is His. He is human, but sinless. He is guiltless but took on our punishment. He was sacrificed but overcame death and reigns eternal. He has paid our debt with finality.
Melchizedek is a mysterious figure because we know so little about him. He is one of the few (or only) people we see in the Old Testament who is a believer in God but not a part of, nor a product of Israel. We don’t know his history, his ancestry, or any more of his story at all. This is fascinating, because it reminds us that God is at work in humanity in ways that He has not revealed to us in salvation history. But he is also fascinating because the bible tells us that his priesthood, independent and prior to the priesthood of the Mosaic law, is the basis of the Messiah’s priestly office.
The Levitical priesthood could not save us, because it was a part of the law that was never. The solution to our sin problem. The law was given to demonstrate and educate us about our hopeless sin quandary. We needed a superior priest and a superior sacrifice to solve our problem effectively. That high priest is Jesus, and the sacrifice is His. He is human, but sinless. He is guiltless but took on our punishment. He was sacrificed but overcame death and reigns eternal. He has paid our debt with finality.
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