Daily Bread 2011 - Hebrews 7
Melchizedek the Priest
1 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.
What Does This Mean?
Today, we meet again Melchizedek, the king of Salem, who was also a priest of the Most High God. There was no record of where Melchizedek came from, in terms of his genealogy, and because of this mysterious origin he becomes a “type” or fore-shadowing of Jesus. Just like the Levites collected a tenth from all the Israelites, when Abraham came back after defeating kings, he also gave Melchizedek a tenth of all he had gotten.
Later in the chapter, we will see that Jesus was also a priest in the order of the Melchizedek, as he was also both priest and king. He was a priest in that he made sacrifice for the people with his own life, yet his sacrifice was different in that he gave his own life for the sins of the world. The priest had to make sacrifices, not only the sins of the people, but also their own sins. Since Jesus was sinless, He could make the perfect sacrifice as both Priest and King.
The other aspect noted here is that this priesthood lasts forever. Meaning, when the priest died, a new priest had to be set apart for this work. And yet Jesus’ priesthood is ongoing in the sense that he continues to make intercession for us on a continual basis.
What Does This Mean For Us?
There are two relevant teachings from this. One we see the Old Testament practice of tithing, in which ten percent what one owned was given to the priest at the temple for the working of the temple and to provide for the priests. This was one of the requirements of the Old Testament Law. Under the New Covenant there is not a mandatory tithe, but we are told to give generously, not under compulsion and in a regular systematic way. Why? Because we are under grace not the law, and giving frees us from materialism that grips so many in our culture. Practically, giving supports the church so it can reach more people for Christ, the only thing that really has eternal value.
Second there is tremendous value in knowing that Jesus is our true high priest, and he is making intercession for us continuously before God in heaven. We all struggle with accepting God’s grace, and we all fight the temptation to try and prove our worth before God by what we do, not based on who we are in Christ. The more we can accept by faith the perfect sacrifice Jesus has made for us as a merciful high priest, the more freed up we can be to give generously in every area of our lives in response the great and indescribable gift God has given us in Christ.
Father, thank you for your mercy and grace and sending to us Jesus, our High Priest, who continues to make intercession on our behalf and we accept and live in the once and for all sacrifice He has made on our behalf. In His name we pray and ask for all things, Amen.
1 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.
What Does This Mean?
Today, we meet again Melchizedek, the king of Salem, who was also a priest of the Most High God. There was no record of where Melchizedek came from, in terms of his genealogy, and because of this mysterious origin he becomes a “type” or fore-shadowing of Jesus. Just like the Levites collected a tenth from all the Israelites, when Abraham came back after defeating kings, he also gave Melchizedek a tenth of all he had gotten.
Later in the chapter, we will see that Jesus was also a priest in the order of the Melchizedek, as he was also both priest and king. He was a priest in that he made sacrifice for the people with his own life, yet his sacrifice was different in that he gave his own life for the sins of the world. The priest had to make sacrifices, not only the sins of the people, but also their own sins. Since Jesus was sinless, He could make the perfect sacrifice as both Priest and King.
The other aspect noted here is that this priesthood lasts forever. Meaning, when the priest died, a new priest had to be set apart for this work. And yet Jesus’ priesthood is ongoing in the sense that he continues to make intercession for us on a continual basis.
What Does This Mean For Us?
There are two relevant teachings from this. One we see the Old Testament practice of tithing, in which ten percent what one owned was given to the priest at the temple for the working of the temple and to provide for the priests. This was one of the requirements of the Old Testament Law. Under the New Covenant there is not a mandatory tithe, but we are told to give generously, not under compulsion and in a regular systematic way. Why? Because we are under grace not the law, and giving frees us from materialism that grips so many in our culture. Practically, giving supports the church so it can reach more people for Christ, the only thing that really has eternal value.
Second there is tremendous value in knowing that Jesus is our true high priest, and he is making intercession for us continuously before God in heaven. We all struggle with accepting God’s grace, and we all fight the temptation to try and prove our worth before God by what we do, not based on who we are in Christ. The more we can accept by faith the perfect sacrifice Jesus has made for us as a merciful high priest, the more freed up we can be to give generously in every area of our lives in response the great and indescribable gift God has given us in Christ.
Father, thank you for your mercy and grace and sending to us Jesus, our High Priest, who continues to make intercession on our behalf and we accept and live in the once and for all sacrifice He has made on our behalf. In His name we pray and ask for all things, Amen.
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