Context
As a personal and small service to the many Lenten offerings available, I will provide a four-part overview of the New Testament writing which we know as the Letter to the Hebrews (hereafter ‘Hebrews’). This Christian document is rightly heralded as a masterpiece. No other New Testament book gives us such a glorious, splendid, powerful and compelling witness to Jesus of Nazareth as both the Christ and Lord. The writer, in exquisite language, imagery and symbolism, points us to the One who is superior, more excellent, and the pioneer and embodiment of a better way. As we shall see, the writer claims that in Jesus we have the dawn and reality of a new covenant with God. He is superior as a Son, a prophet, a high priest, and a mediator of this new covenant. So, as we remember and celebrate the Person and Life of Jesus - the Ultimate Revelation of God and of True Humanity - may we be inspired, challenged and encouraged afresh by this important New Testament document of faith and teaching.
Parts 1 and 2 can be accessed here: https://rogerarendse.substack.com/p/witness-to-the-perfect-god-man-jesus
and here: https://rogerarendse.substack.com/p/the-superiority-of-jesus-christ-as
Introduction
Our purpose in Part 3 is to develop the theme of Jesus Christ as High Priest begun in Part 2. Now, we explore the writer’s focus on Jesus Christ as High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek.
In appealing to the historical and biblical account of Melchizedek, the writer employs a rare, but familiar form of typology, familiar to him and his contemporaries.
The Old Testament writings are treated by our author as a maskal, a parable or mystery which awaits its explanation, and the explanation given in the pages of the epistle takes the form of messianic typology (Bruce 1964: l; cf. Brown 1982)
The writer, in arguing from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) to demonstrate the superiority of the new covenant in Jesus Christ, wishes to underscore the Christ-centredness of the (old) Jewish covenant. He goes back to the first account of Melchizedek in his dealings with Abraham as recorded in Genesis 14:
Genesis 14:17-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Abram Blessed by Melchizedek
17 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 King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High.[a] 19 He blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,[b]
maker of heaven and earth,
20 and blessed be God Most High,[c]
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”And Abram gave him one-tenth of everything.
Then, he incorporates the only other reference to Melchizedek in the Hebrew Scriptures:
Psalm 110:4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”[a]
Using these two known Scriptures from the Hebrew Bible, the writer argues according to a rabbinically acceptable method from the greatness of Melchizedek to Abraham, and then on to the superiority of Christ’s priesthood over the Aaronic priesthood. Remember, in all of this, priesthood embodied the heartbeat of Judaism.
The key chapter is Hebrews 7, regarded by many commentators as the central chapter in the entire letter. Here are some verses from this chapter which we will explore further:
Hebrews 7:1-10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Priestly Order of Melchizedek
7 This “Melchizedek, king 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.
4 See how great he is! Even[a] 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[b] 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[c] 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.
You are encouraged to read Hebrew 7 in its entirety.
Melchizedek, Greater than Abraham
Firstly, Melchizedek, “priest of the Most High God” (Hebrews 7:1) also had the promises of God and he blessed Abraham after the latter’s remarkable victory over a joint enemy (Genesis 14:18-20a). This immediately placed Melchizedek in a higher place of honour than Abraham, though Abraham was clearly viewed within Judaism as the greater patriarch of faith.
Secondly, Abraham pays tithes to Melchizedek which were only later to be paid to those of the Levitical line of which Melchizedek could not be a part of, nor claimed to be a part of in any direct historical sense. The writer, therefore, argues in an unusual (though acceptable) way that even Levi, the forerunner of the priestly line, being present in Abraham’s loins, paid tithes to Melchizedek. Biblical theologian and commentator, Donald Guthrie highlights further the significance of Melchizedek receiving tithes from Abraham:
It is worth noting that the perfect tense is used for Melchizedek’s receiving of tithes (dedektatoken) which draws attention, not only to the historic event, but also to its abiding significance. The writer is, as it were, transporting the event to the reader’s own time to show the continuance of the order of priesthood. It continues in its perfect fulfilment in Christ (Guthrie 1983:159).
Thirdly, using again an acceptable Rabbinic argument, this time from silence, the writer establishes the uniqueness and superiority of Melchizedek over Abraham and over the Aaronic priesthood. The writer declares Melchizedek as the one:
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. (Heb. 7:3)
He shows that the priesthood of Melchizedek is a unique and wholly different kind from that of the Aaronic priesthood. The Melchizedekan priesthood speaks of an eternal priesthood (Heb. 7:3, 8), and far above any earthly one.
Jesus Christ – the Antitype of Melchizedek
In identifying Jesus Christ as a priest in the order of Merlchizedek, the writer presents Melchizedek as a type of Christ (foreshadowing Jesus Christ who is the anti-type, fulfilment).
7 This “Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, (Heb.7:1a)
Melchizedek combines within himself the two-fold office of king and priest. Melchizedek also represents more; he represents an order of priesthood above that of the Levitical priesthood which Moses initiated. Jesus Christ, though descended from the tribe of Judah (Heb.7:14) stands in the order of the superior Melchizedekan priesthood and this is particularly declared and confirmed by God in his Son’s resurrection. Indeed, Jesus Chris is the:
Hebrews 7:16
New International Version
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.
If the Hebrew Christians were in any doubt concerning the high priesthood of Jesus Christ because of Jewish tradition regarding the strictly adhered to Levitical priesthood lineage, the writer has now established for them the superiority of Jesus Christ’s priesthood on the basis of these Hebrew Scriptures.
The writer goes further to emphasise the particular significance of the Melchizedekan priesthood and the implication of this as perfectly fulfilled in Christ. The inferiority of the Levitical priesthood has already been attested, and its very nature declared to be imperfect. The Hebrew Christians had been partakers of the rituals and sacrifices associated with the Levitical priesthood. They had known nothing else. Even now (we may assume), they were still witnessing the Levitical priesthood in action at the temple. It has, therefore, been necessary for the writer to point out the greater significance of the new, unique, eternal, and perfect priesthood in Jesus Christ.
The writer confirms the more excellent priesthood of Christ by stressing that God Himself swears by an irrevocable oath that Jesus is a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek:
Hebrews 7:20-22
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
20 This was confirmed with an oath, for others have become priests without an oath, 21 but this one became a priest with an oath because of the one who said to him,
“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
‘You are a priest forever’ ”[a]22 accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantor of a better covenant.
There is no mention at all of a divine oath concerning the appointment of the Aaronic priesthood (cf. Exodus 28:1). Not only does the Divine oath confirm the superiority of the Melchizedekan priesthood; it goes on to acclaim without doubt the superiority of Jesus Christ’s priesthood.
In his affirmation of Jesus as the perfect fulfilment of God’s oath, the writer (in Hebrews 7:22) places Jesus ( Ἰησοῦς) in the emphatic position as the last word in the Greek text. The traditional understanding of surety (guarantor) for the Hebrew Christian readers would have been of one who pledges himself to fulfil some definite promise in the future. However, the writer strikingly portrays a greater picture of the surety in Jesus Christ. He employs the word ἔγγυος which implies:
the assurance is not simply of the future, but of that which is present though unseen. (Brown 1982:133)
The uniqueness and significance of this word (ἔγγυος) is stressed all the more since its only appearance in the New Testament is in this verse.
Conclusion
On the basis of his earlier presentation (Heb.7:1-22), the writer confirms the superiority of Christ’s priesthood. He is a permanent priest continuing to function forever in his priestly office (7:23-24). He has limitless power to save, and He lives forever to intercede on a level far superior to the earthly Aaronic priests and the angels (7:25). However, Christ’s priesthood is greatest in its utter perfection.
Hebrews 7:26
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
Furthermore, Christ’s priesthood is permanently effective.
Hebrews 7:27
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
27 Unlike the other[a] high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself.
The readers needed to know the superiority of Jesus Christ’s priesthood if they were to break completely with their Jewish tradition. In positing Jesus Christ’s superiority, the writer has necessarily highlighted the gross imperfections within the Aaronic priesthood on which the Hebrew Christians were being tempted to establish their hope of salvation. He has declared the Aaronic priesthood to be imperfect (7:11), temporary (7:23), and based on an ineffective covenant, that of Law (7:11, 19, 28).
Hebrews 7:11, 19, 28)
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood—for the people received the law under this priesthood—what further need would there have been to speak of another priest arising according to the order of Melchizedek rather than one according to the order of Aaron?... 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); there is, on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope through which we approach God…28 For the law appoints as high priests humans, who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
Indeed, the writer to the Hebrews affirms the apostle Paul’s understanding of the Law and its purpose in God’s plan of salvation for all Jews specifically, and for all peoples of the earth:
Galatians 3:24-25
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be reckoned as righteous[a] by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,
In Hebrews 11, the writer goes on in majestic tones to highlight the theme of Faith as distinct from the Law throughout the Hebrew Scriptures.
In the final essay (Part 4) of our four-part explorations in the Letter to the Hebrews, we will show how the writer establishes further the superior nature of the new covenant mediated through Jesus Christ.
Reflection and Journalling Exercise
Read Hebrews 7 carefully and write down what strikes you particularly.
What do you understand by the language of typology (type and anti-type) as used in the Bible?
How does the writer to the Hebrews present Jesus Christ as the anti-type of Melchizedek? And what is the significance of this language for the situation of the Hebrew Christians whom he is addressing?
Read Hebrews 11 carefully. Explain what the writer understands by Faith, as distinct from the Law.
What importance does Hebrews 7 and 11 hold for followers of Jesus Christ today?
References (Part 3)
The Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version (choose any preferred version of your own)
Brown, R. 1982. Christ Above All, The Message of Hebrews. Great Britain: IVP
Bruce, F.F. 1964. The Epistle to the Hebrews. The New International Commentary on The New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B Eerdmans
Guthrie, D. 1983. The Letter to the Hebrews. An Introduction and Commentary. The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Great Britain: IVP
Thank you for making time to read this essay. You are invited to read Parts 1 and 2 using the links provided above, should you not have done so already.
Kindly consider sharing with others who may benefit from this content, especially during the Lenten period.
Please look out for the final essay (Part 4), Jesus Christ: Superior as a Mediator of a New Covenant, which will be posted on Good Friday, 29 March 2024.
Blessings!