Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
(From: HEBREWS #6 - 7:1-28)
F. 7:1-28 THE GREATNESS OF JESUS: ANTITYPE OF MELCHIZEDEK
1. 7:1-3 MELCHIZEDEK: MUCH GREATER THAN AARON.
HOUtos gar ho Mel-chi-seDEK, ba-siLEUS SaLEM,
For this :Melchizedek, king of Salem,
hi-eREUS tou TheOU tou huPSIStou [5310], hos su-nanTEsas [4876]A-braAM
priest of the Most High :God, who met Abraham
hu-poSTREphon-ti [5290] aPO tes koPES [2871]ton ba-siLEon kai eu-loGEsas [2127]auTON,
returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
hokai deKAten [1181]aPO PANton eMEri-sen [3307]A-braAM
2to whom also Abraham divided a tenth of all
(PROton men, her-me-neuOme-nos [2059], Ba-siLEUS di-kai-oSUnes [1343],
(being first, by interpretation, King of righteousness,
Epei-ta de kai Ba-siLEUS SaLEM, HO es-tin, Ba-siLEUS eiREnes [1515];
and then also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
aPAtor [540], aMEtor [282], a-ge-ne-aLOge-tos [35],
3fatherless, motherless, pedigreeless,
MEte arCHEN [746]he-meRON MEte zo-ES [2222]TElos [5056]Echon,
having neither beginning of days nor end of life,
a-pho-moi-oMEnos [871]de to huiOtou TheOU), MEnei [3306]hi-eREUS [2409]eis to di-e-neKES [1336].
but made like the Son of :God), abides a priest :continually.
2. 7:4-10 MELCHIZEDEK: GREATER THAN ABRAHAM
a. 7:4 ABRAHAM: TITHED TO MELCHIZEDEK
The-oREIte [2334]de peLIkos [4080]HOUtos ho deKAten A-braAM
Now consider how great this manwas to whom Abraham
Edo-ken ek ton a-kro-thiNIon [205]ho pa-triARches [3966].
the patriarch gave a tenth out of the chief spoils.
b. 7:5-6 LEVITES RECEIVE TITHES - THROUGH DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM
kai hoi men ek ton huiON LeuEI ten hi-e-raTIan [2405]lamBAnon-tes
And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest's office
en-toLEN [1785]Echou-sin a-po-de-kaTOIN [586]ton laON
have commandment to take tithes of the people
kaTA ton NOmon [3551], tout' EStin, tous a-delPHOUS auTON,
according to the law, that is, of their :brethren,
KAIper e-xe-le-luTHOtas [1831]ek tes osPHUos [3751]A-braAM:
though these have come out of the loin of Abraham:
ho de mege-ne-a-loGOUme-nos [1075]ex auTON de-deKAtoken [1183]A-braAM,
6but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has tithed Abraham,
kai ton Echon-ta tas e-pag-geLIas [1860] euLOge-ken [2127].
and has blessed him that has the promises.
c. 7:7 But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better.
choRIS de PAses an-ti-loGIas [485]to Elat-ton [1640]huPO tou KREITto-nos [2909]eu-loGEItai.
d. 7:8 MELECHIZEDEK: AN ETERNAL TYPE - RECEIVED TITHES
kai HOde men deKAtas [1181]a-poTHNEskon-tes [599]ANthro-poi lamBAnou-sin;
And here men that die receive tithes;
eKEI de, mar-tuROUme-nos [3140] HOti ze[2198].
but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.
e. 7:9-10 LEVI IN ABRAHAM TITHED MELCHIZEDEK
kai, hos Epos eiPEIN, di' A-braAM kai LeuEIS, ho deKAtas [1181]lamBAnon, de-deKAto-tai [1183];
And, so to speak, through Abraham Levi also, who receives tithes, has paid tithes;
Eti gar en teosPHUi [3751]tou paTROS en, HOte suNENte-sen [4876]auTO Mel-chi-seDEK.
10 for he was yet in the loin of his :father, when Melchizedek met him.
3. 7:11-25 NEW PRIESTHOOD OF MELCHIZEDEK GREATER THAN LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD
a. 7:11 PERFECTION: NOT BROUGHT BY LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD
Ei, men oun, teLEIo-sis [5050]diA tes Le-vei-tiKES hi-e-roSUnes [2420]en
Now, therefore, if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood
(ho laOS gar ep' auTES ne-no-moTHEte-tai [3549]),
(for under it has the people received the law),
tis Eti CHREIa [5532] kaTA ten TAxin [5010]Mel-chi-seDEK HEte-ron aNIstas-thai [450]hi-eREa [2400],
what further need that another priest arise after the order of Melchizedek,
kai ou kaTA ten TAxin AaRON LEges-thai [3004]?
and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron?
b. 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity a change is made also of thelaw.
me-ta-ti-theMEnes [3346]gar tes hi-e-roSUnes, ex aNAGkes kai NOmou meTAthe-sis GIne-tai.
c. 7:13 GOD ALSO MADE A CHANGE IN THE TRIBES
eph' hon gar LEge-tai phuLES [5443]heTEras meTEsche-ken [3348],
For he of whom these thingsare said has partaken of another tribe,
aph' hes ouDEIS proSEsche-ken [4337]to thu-si-as-teRIo[2379].
from which no one has given attendance at the altar.
d. 7:14 JESUS: SPRUNG FROM NON-PRIESTLY JUDAH!
PROde-lon [4271]gar HOti ex I-OUda a-naTEtal-ken [393]ho KUri-os heMON;
For it is evident that our :Lord has sprung out of Judah;
eis hen phuLEN [5443]peRI hi-eREon [2420]ouDEN Mo-uSES eLAle-sen.
as to which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.
e. 7:15-17 SUPERIORITY OF JESUS' MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD
Kai pe-risSOte-ron [4054] Eti kaTAdeLON [2612]es-tin,
And this is yet more abundantly evident,
ei kaTA ten ho-moiOte-ta Mel-chi-seDEK aNIsta-tai [450]hi-eREUS HEte-ros,
if after the likeness of Melchizedek another priest arises,
hos ou kaTA NOmon en-toLES [1785]sarKInes [4559], GEgo-nen,
16 who has been made, not after a law of carnal commandment,
alLA kaTA DUna-min [1411] zo-ES a-ka-taLUtou [179]: mar-tuREItai [3140]gar, [HOti]
but after thepower of a life indissoluble: 17for it is witnessed, [that]
Su hi-eREUS eis ton aiOna [165]kaTA ten TAxin Mel-chi-seDEK.
You arepriest unto the age After the order of Melchizedek.
f. 7:18-19 THE INFERIORITY OF THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD
aTHEte-sis [115]men gar GIne-tai pro-aGOUses [4254] en-toLES
For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment
diA to auTES as-theNES [772]kai a-no-pheLES [512] (ouDEN gar e-teLEIosen [5048]ho NOmos),
because of its :weakness and unprofitableness19(for the law made nothing perfect),
e-pei-sa-goGE[1898]de KREITto-nos [2909]elPIdos [1680], di' hes egGIzo-men [1448]to TheO.
and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh to :God.
g. 7:20-22 GOD'S OATH CONCERNING JESUS' SUPERIOR PRIESTHOOD
Kai kath' HOson ou choRIS hor-ko-moSIas [3728]
And inasmuch as it isnot without an oath
(hoi men gar choRIS hor-ko-moSIas eiSIN hi-eREIS ge-goNOtes;
21 (for they indeed have become priests without an oath;
ho de meTA hor-ko-moSIas diA tou LEgon-tos pros auTON,
but he with an oath through him that says unto him,
Omo-sen KUri-os kai ou me-ta-me-leTHEse-tai[3338], Su hi-eREUS eis ton aiOna;)
TheLord swore and will not repent himself, You area priest unto the age;)
kaTA toSOUto kai KREITto-nos [2909] di-aTHEkes [1242]GEgo-nes EGgu-os [1450]IeSOUS.
22by so much also has Jesus become surety of a better covenant.
h. 7:23-24 PRIESTLY SUCCESSION: A SIGN OF INFERIORITY
Kai hoi men PLEIoNES ei-sin ge-goNOtes hi-eREIS,
And they indeed have become priests more in number,
diA to thaNAto[2288]koLUes-thai [2967]pa-raMEnein [3887]:
because that by :death they are hindered from continuing on:
ho de, diA to MEnein auTON eis ton aiOna, a-paRAba-ton [531]Echei ten hi-e-roSUnen [2420].
24but he, because he continues unto the age, has his:priesthood unchangeable.
i. 7:25 SUPERIORITY OF JESUS' ETERNAL PRIESTHOOD
HOthen kai SOzein eis to pan-teLES [3638]DUna-tai tous pro-ser-choMEnous [4334]di' auTOU to TheO,
Whence also he is able to save to the uttermost them that approach :God through him,
PANto-te zon [2198]eis to en-tugCHAnein [1793]huPER auTON.
he ever living to make intercession for them.
4. 7:26-28 JESUS: OUR SACRIFICE AND ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST!
a. 7:26-27 THE SUPERIOR SACRIFICE OF JESUS
ToiOUtos gar heMIN kai Epre-pen [4241]ar-chi-eREUS [749],
For such a high priest also became us,
HOsi-os [3741 ], Aka-kos [172], aMIan-tos [283], ke-cho-risMEnos [5563]aPO ton ha-mar-toLON,
holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from :sinners,
kai hu-pseLOte-ros [5308]ton ou-raNON geNOme-nos;
and become higher than the heavens;
hos ouk Echei kath' heMEran aNAGken, HOSper hoi ar-chi-eREIS [749],
27who has no need daily, like those high priests,
PROte-ron huPER ton iDIon ha-mar-tiON, thuSIas [2378]a-naPHErein [749], Epei-ta ton tou laOU:
to offer up sacrifices, first for his own :sins, and then for those of the people:
TOUto gar ePOIe-sen ePHApax [2178], he-auTON a-neNEGkas [399].
for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself.
b. 7:28 PERFECTION OF CHRIST: CONTRASTED WITH LEVITICAL WEAKNESS
ho NOmos gar anTHROpous kaTHIste-sin [2525]ar-chi-eREIS Echon-tas asTHEnei-an [769];
For the law appoints ashigh priests men having infirmity;
ho LOgos de tes hor-ko-moSIas [3728], tes meTA ton NOmon,
but the word of the oath, which was after the law,
huiON, eis ton aiOna [165]te-te-lei-oMEnon [5048] .
appointsa Son, perfected unto the age.
NOTE: Melchizedek! - He is a mystery to many Bible readers. But the very fact we know so little about him, makes him for God a perfect “type” to portray His Coming Son! His very name does mean “King of Righteousness”; and the very place he lived - “Salem”, means “Peace”, and makes him the King of Peace. And - both of these - Jesus later fulfilled as the Antitype - perfectly! Then the fact that in his history we know nothing of his father, mother or pedigree - again makes him a perfect type of Jesus. The Jewish leaders of Jesus' day could not figure Him out, anymore than the people of the day of Melchizedek.
But it doesn't stop here. Abraham, a mighty leader, with many flocks and servants, yet gave tithes to Melchizedek. Levi, yet in the loins of Abraham, therefore with him gave tithes to Melchizedek, the type of Christ! By this Abraham and all his seed - Aaron - the Levites - are all “lesser” than Jesus - the Antitype of Melchizedek. This is difficult for non-believing Jews, who see the fathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob being so great - yet here - by type, Jesus is made to appear greater!
Now when God chose His only begotten Son - Jesus - to be Messiah and Savior - not only for Israel - but for the World through the “One New Man”; - then He - God - made such a drastic change by by-passing the “law” - the tribe of Levi - and choosing Jesus from the tribe of Judah that knew no priesthood. Then - of necessitythere had to be a change of law! The Old Covenant of Moses is disanulled! The New Covenant based on Jesus' Sacrifice at Calvary replaces it by the promise of the Holy Spirit nowcoming into hearts - and circumcising them by writing Torah there, and in the minds. The empowerment of the Holy Spirit gives us the sameheredity Jesus had. It was afterHis baptism that the Holy Spirit came upon Him as a dove. Not one miracle or healing - no demons cast out - until this took place! How much moredo you and I need the Peter Package of Acts 2:38 as Peter laid it out: Repent; be baptizedin the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and thenyou shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit - the do-reA! And the promise Peter gave was to their children, grandchildren, andright down to us - you and me!
So - Jesus is suretyof a better covenant than what angels gave through Moses. Thatwas all a “type, a shadow, a prophecy”. Now that Jesus has come, we are in a betterday. No wonder Paul valiantly contended against the Judaizers who sought to bring Gentile converts under the bondage of the Old Covenant Jewish law! No circumcision for non-Jewish converts! No seeking righteousness by seeking to keep the old Jewish law. We are free! Governments and dictators are always trying to rob people of their freedom! This spirit gets into the church - and all other religions. Righteousness is not attained by keeping rules! It is by receiving Christ as Savior, Redeemer, Reconciler and Lord, and letting Himlive out His lifethrough us by this new heredity of the Holy Spirit. Oswald Chambers in “My Utmost for His Highest” makes this abundantly clear.
Because Moses is from the tribe of Levi, Jesus is also then greater than him. Jesus is Our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, having once for all sacrificed Himself for oursins - not His- and who is seated at the right of the Father in Heaven as our Great High Priest and Intercessor. He does for us by God's oath what no ordinary man could do. As Son of God Jesus existed before He took a body and came as Son of man!
You say - “I can't grasp this!” Only God by His Spirit can enable any of us to grasp it - as firstwe confess that we can't understand - we are undone. Then only following confession of our sins with true repentance - evidencing the sincerity of this confession by obeying God in baptism - and then receivingthe gift of the Holy Spirit - why thenall things begin to become clear. Just as an optometrist provides various lenses for us to look through as he tests our eyes - and at the end selects the best set for both eyes - So the Gift of the Holy Spirit is God's lenses that begins to make all things clear for us!
What a chapter is Hebrews 7:1-28! - J.A.W.