Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for sharing in my humanity, dying in my place, and for doing what only you could do. Help me to live this and every day for you.
Read HEBREWS 7:1–10
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Melchizedek the Priest
7 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, the name Melchizedek 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, resembling 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, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also 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 is blessed by the greater. 8 In the one case, the tenth is collected by people 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.
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Meditate
Boldly approach the throne of grace through Jesus, our Great High Priest, and find grace and mercy to help you in your time of need.1
Think Further
Melchizedek appears only twice in the Old Testament.2 The writer of Hebrews has already claimed three times that Jesus is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, quoting Psalm 110:4.3 Now he shows how a Melchizedek priest is superior to a Levite priest, something he does from the events recounted in Genesis 14. He tells the story and explains its significance, using arguments that seem strange to us but would have made sense to his original readers.
In verses 1–3 he says some things about the meaning of the name Melchizedek and explains that his sudden appearance and disappearance in Genesis without parents, a genealogy, or any record of his death (when many people in Genesis have all three) means that he lives forever. He also notes that Melchizedek blessed Abraham and that Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils of the battle recounted in the preceding verses. In verses 4–10 he concludes that, because a greater person blesses a lesser person, Melchizedek was greater than Abraham. Because Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils, that means that Levi, Abraham’s yet unborn descendant, gave Melchizedek the tenth. He concludes that Melchizedek is greater than Levi and therefore a Melchizedek priest is greater than a Levite priest.
Notice, meanwhile, the end of verse 3. He is discussing Melchizedek, but he really wants to say things about Jesus so he compares the two, but not as we might expect. Jesus doesn’t resemble Melchizedek – Melchizedek resembles Jesus. ‘Just think how great he was,’ he says in verse 4, but the implication of verse 3 is that, when compared with Jesus, his greatness fades away.
Apply
This is perhaps the most difficult chapter in Hebrews. Ask God to enlighten your mind by his Spirit and help you understand what God is saying through this chapter.
Closing prayer
Jesus, you are the Alpha and Omega, the Chief Cornerstone, the King of Kings. I worship you and thank you that you are mindful of me.
Last Updated on July 29, 2024 by kingstar
