"THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS"
The Significance Of Christ's Priesthood (7:11-19)
INTRODUCTION
1. A major theme in "The Epistle To The Hebrews" is the priesthood of
Jesus Christ...
a. His humanity prepared Him to be "a merciful and faithful High
Priest" - He 2:17
b. He is the "High Priest of our confession" - He 3:1
c. He is "a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens"
- He 4:14
d. He is a sympathetic High Priest, for He "was in all points
tempted as we are, yet without sin" - He 4:15
e. His calling as High Priest came from God Himself - He 5:5-6
2. His is a unique priesthood, however...
a. It is NOT according to the "Levitical priesthood"
1) He is a not priest in the order of Aaron
2) A priesthood that began with the giving of the Law through
Moses at Mt. Sinai
b. His priesthood is "according to the order of Melchizedek" - He 5:
9-10
1) Melchizedek was a priest "of God Most High" who met Abram
- Gen 14:14-20
2) And God swore that the Messiah would be a priest like
Melchizedek - Ps 110:4
3. In our previous study, we saw Melchizedek was superior in that...
a. He received tithes from Abraham - He 7:4-6a
b. He blessed Abraham - He 7:6b-7
c. Even Levi, in the loins of his ancestor Abraham, paid tithes to
Melchizedek - He 7:9-10
-- All of this proving that the priesthood of Christ, which is after
the order of Melchizedek, is superior to the Levitical priesthood
4. That Jesus would come to serve as a priest after the order the
Melchizedek is not without significance and major implications...
a. Regarding the efficacy of the Levitical priesthood
b. Regarding the law of Moses itself!
[Some of the significance and implications of Christ's priesthood is
described in He 7:11-19. As we consider "The Significance Of Christ's
Priesthood", we note first that ...]
I. THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD WAS LACKING (11)
A. IT DID NOT BRING "PERFECTION"...
1. Otherwise there would not have been another priest to arise
like Melchizedek
2. That one was foretold (Ps 110:4) and has come proves the
order of Aaron was lacking
B. THE MEANING OF "PERFECTION"...
1. Perfection means "completeness" and in this context it speaks
of making men acceptable to God (Believers' Study Bible)
2. The Old Law with its priesthood could never fully reconcile
man back to God
a. Animal sacrifices could not make one "perfect" - He 10:1
b. They could not cleanse the sinner's conscience - He 10:2-3;
cf. 9:9
c. They could not take away sin - He 10:4; cf. 10:11
[Jesus coming as a priest after the order of Melchizedek implies that
the Levitical priesthood, while having served the purpose for which it
was intended (to foreshadow the sacrifice of Christ), was not able to
provide man what he really needs.
The priesthood of Christ also signifies...]
II. THE LAW HAS BEEN ANNULLED (12-18)
A. A CHANGE IN THE PRIESTHOOD SIGNIFIES A CHANGE IN THE LAW...
1. Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, not Levi - He 7:13-14;
cf. Mt 1:1-2
2. Moses had not authorized anyone from Judah to serve as priest;
indeed, God specifically forbid anyone other than a descendant
of Aaron - cf. Num 16:40
3. For Christ to serve as priest, then, a change must have
occurred - He 7:14
4. Especially for one who serves "according to the power of an
endless life" - He 7:15-17
a. The Levitical priests were "mortal men", whose service
ended at death
b. But Jesus is a priest "forever", His priesthood is
therefore unchangeable - He 7:24
B. WITH THE CHANGE IN PRIESTHOOD, THE LAW IS NOW ANNULLED...
1. "Annulled" means "to declare as void, to invalidate, to
abrogate" (Lightfoot)
2. The "former commandment" (as the Law is called) has therefore
been set aside - He 7:18-19a
a. Because it was weak and unprofitable
b. In the sense of making us "perfect" (acceptable to God)
- cf. He 10:1
3. That the Law has been done away should not surprise us...
a. God foretold this would happen - cf. He 8:7-13
b. Jesus implied that the Law would be done away once it was
fulfilled - Mt 5:17-18
1) One "jot" or "tittle" would not pass from the law until
it was fulfilled
2) If the priesthood has changed, then it must have been
fulfilled and done away!
c. Paul described how Jesus abolished it in His death on the
cross
1) To the Ephesians - Ep 2:14-16
2) To the Colossians - Col 2:14-16
[This significance of Christ's priesthood has powerful implications.
With the Law annulled, it is folly to seek justification by the Law
(cf. Ga 5:4); it also explains why we should not go to the Old Law to
find our authority for the work, worship, and organization of the
church!
Finally, there is that significance of Christ's priesthood which should
be most precious to us...]
III. THERE IS NOW A BETTER HOPE (19)
A. THROUGH WHICH WE CAN DRAW NEAR TO GOD...
1. As seen earlier, the Levitical priesthood did not offer
"perfection"
a. Its sacrifices could not make one "perfect" regarding:
1) Consciousness of sins, for sacrifices were "year by
year" - He 10:1-3
2) Actual forgiveness of sins, for "it is not possible
that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins"
- He 10:4
b. Thus the Law, because of its "weakness and
unprofitableness", "made nothing perfect" - He 7:18-19
2. But now we have in Christ "a better hope"
a. Here we find the keyword of this epistle: "better"
1) First used in comparing Jesus to angels - He 1:4
2) Used later in contrasting the new covenant and its
promises with the old covenant - He 7:22; 8:6
b. Our hope in drawing near to God is now "better" than
before!
B. CHRIST'S SUPERIOR PRIESTHOOD IS THE BASIS OF THAT HOPE...
1. Because Jesus is "a priest forever according to the order of
Melchizedek", our hope for drawing near to God is much
better:
a. As we've seen, Melchizedek is superior to Abraham and Levi
b. Therefore his priesthood is superior to the Levitical
priesthood
-- Making Jesus' own priesthood superior
2. More evidence of superiority will be considered shortly (cf.
He 7:24-28), but for now note again how the greatness of
Jesus' priesthood should strengthen our hope in drawing near
to God:
a. Our High Priest has "passed through the heavens" - He 4:14
b. Our High Priest can "sympathize with our weaknesses"
- He 4:15
c. Our High Priest makes it possible to "come boldly to the
throne of grace" and "obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need" - He 4:16
-- Can we see how His service as our High Priest provides "a
better hope, through which we draw near to God"?
CONCLUSION
1. More is yet to come regarding Christ's Priesthood, but perhaps we
can appreciate how...
a. The Levitical priesthood does not provide what man really needs
(access to God)
b. There has been a change in the Law; indeed, it has been replaced
with a new covenant
c. In Jesus, our hope in drawing near to God is much better than
ever before!
2. In view of such things...
a. Why would the Hebrew Christians ever want to leave Jesus and
return to the Law?
b. Why would people today seek to use the Law to justify religious
practices, as many do when they turn to the Old Testament to
establish authority for such things as a separate priesthood
(clergy), burning of incense, or even instrumental music?
Jesus is the only way to God (cf. Jn 14:6). Are you willing to come
to the Father through Him? Let us be sure to serve God through Him
only! - cf. Ga 5:4-6
