Analysis Of The Chapter
In Hebrews 5:10-11, the apostle had introduced the name of Melchizedek, and said that Christ was made an high priest after the same order as he. He added, that he had much to say of him, but that they were not in a state of mind then to receive or understand it. He then Hebrews 5:12-14 rebukes them for the little progress which they had made in Christian knowledge; exhorts them to go on and make higher attainments (Hebrews 6:1-3); warns them against the danger of apostasy Hebrews 7:4-8; and encourages them to hold fast their faith and hope to the end, in view of the covenant faithfulness of God, Hebrews 7:9-20; and now returns to the subject under discussion - “the high priesthood of Christ.” His object is to show that he was superior to the Jewish high priest, and for this purpose he institutes the comparison between him and Melchizedek. The “argument” is the following:
I. That which is drawn from the exalted rank of Melchizedek, and the fact that the ancestor of the whole Jewish priesthood and community - Abraham - acknowledged him as his superior, and rendered tribute to him. But Christ was of the order of Melchizedek, and the apostle, therefore, infers his superiority to the Jewish priesthood; Hebrews 7:1-10. In the prosecution of this argument, the apostle dwells on the import of the name “Melchizedek” Hebrews 7:1-2; states the fact that he was without any known ancestry or descent, and that he stood alone on the pages of the sacred record, and was therefore worthy to be compared with the Son of God, who had a similar pre-eminence Hebrews 7:3; urges the consideration that even Abraham, the ancestor of the whole Jewish community and priesthood, paid tithes to him, and thus confessed his inferiority Hebrews 7:4; shows that he of whom a blessing was received must be superior to the one who receives it Hebrews 7:6-7; and that even Levi, the ancestor of the whole Levitical priesthood, might be said to have paid tithes in Abraham, and thus to have acknowledged his inferiority to Melchizedek, and consequently to the Son of God, who was of his “order;” Hebrews 7:9-10.
II. The apostle shows that “perfection” could not arise out of the Levitical priesthood, and that a priesthood that introduced a perfect state must be superior; Hebrews 7:11-19. In the prosecution of this argument, he states that perfection could not be arrived at under the Hebrew economy, and that there was need that a priesthood of another order should be formed Hebrews 7:11; that a change of the priesthood involved of necessity a change in the law or administration Hebrews 7:12; that the necessity of change of the law also followed from the fact that the great high priest was now of another tribe than that of Levi Hebrews 7:13-14; that the Christian High Priest was constituted not after a commandment pertaining to the flesh and liable to change, but “after the power of an endless life” - adapted to a life that was never to change or to end Hebrews 7:15-17; that consequently there was a disannulling of the commandment going before, because it was weak and unprofitable Hebrews 7:18; and that the old Law made “nothing” perfect, but that by the new arrangement a system of entire and eternal perfection was introduced; Hebrews 7:19.
III. The apostle shows the superiority of the priesthood of Christ to that of the Jewish system from the fact that the great High Priest of the Christian system was constituted with the solemnity of an oath; the Jewish priesthood was not; Hebrews 7:20-22. His priesthood, therefore, was as much more important and solemn as an oath is superior to a command; and his suretyship became as much more certain as an oath is superior to a simple promise; Hebrews 7:22.
IV. The superiority of the priesthood of Christ is further shown from the fact that under the former dispensation there were “many” priests; but here there was but “one.” There, they lived but a brief period, and then gave way to their successors; but here there was no removal by death, there was no succession, there was an unchangeable priesthood; Hebrews 7:23-24. He infers, therefore Hebrews 7:25, that the Christian High Priest was able to save to the uttermost all that came to the Father by him, since he ever lived to make intercession.
V. The last argument is, that under the Levitical priesthood it was necessary for the priest to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. No such necessity, however, existed in regard to the High Priest of the Christian system. He was holy, harmless, and undefiled; he had no need to offer sacrifices for his own sins; and in this respect there was a vast superiority of the Christian priesthood over the Jewish; Hebrews 7:26-28. The force of these several arguments we shall be able to estimate as we advance in the exposition.