All right, those three texts
again very quickly. Genesis chapter 14 and verse
18 and verse 19. Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought
forth bread and wine, and he was the priest of the Most High
God. And he blessed him, that is Abraham,
and said, Blessed be Abraham, the most high God, possessor
of heaven and of earth. In Psalm 110 and 4, the Lord
has sworn and will not repent. Thou art a priest forever after
the order of Melchizedek. Then Hebrews 7, 1 through 4.
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High
God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings,
and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of
all, first being by interpretation king of righteousness, and after
that also king of Salem, which is King of peace, without father,
without mother, without descent or pedigree, having neither beginning
of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God,
abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man
was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the
spoil. Now we already mentioned in our
first study that there were material and animal type, but also human
type of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now we have that today,
and number two will be Melchizedek as a type of our Lord. And though both Aaron and Melchizedek
were types of Christ as the priest of God, yet it is never said
that Aaron, or that Christ was made a priest forever after the
order of Aaron, and not even after the order of Aaron. Now, Aaron was the first priest,
that by the ordination of God. And he was the high priest of
Israel, the first one of many. because they kept dying, and
another one would come in their place. Now the assignment or
disposition of Aaron, not that Christ was descended from the
priestly tribe, not at all, nor was Melchizedek that we know
of. Thus Christ did not succeed the
Levitical priesthood, but he succeeded the Melchizedek in
priesthood. So let's look here in Hebrews
chapter 7 at how the apostle builds up to the fullness of
the priesthood of Christ. I believe that I'm not mistaken
in saying that the section on the priesthood is probably or
nearly the longest in the book of Hebrew, for that tells us
something of the importance of it. We've read here in chapter
7, we've read about the priesthood of our Lord being after the order
of Melchizedek. Now, the writer had mentioned
that Christ was a priest earlier in chapter 3, 1 and 2. Then you might remember that
in chapter 4 and verse 15 and 16, he gave some facts about
the high priest. And then in 3rd V, we remember
in the book of Hebrews that the Lord said in chapter 5 that every
priest is taken from among men, so that a priest must be a man. He is ordained by God in things
pertaining unto God and unto men. So that's in chapter 5,
verse 1 through 5. Here we have a brief summary
of the qualification of the duty and of the office of a high priest. Then in verse 5 through verse
10 of chapter 5, he applies such things to the priesthood of our
Lord. For example, chapter 5 and verse
6, the apostle declared for the first time in the epistle that
Christ is a priest after the order of Melchizedek. And that's quoted from Psalm
110 and verse 4. Now I say for the first time
because he makes this his text. This is the Apostle confirming
proof text to establish the true nature or order of the priesthood
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's notice just quickly how
often he quotes these words from the Psalmist in chapter 110 and
verse 4 in the book of Hebrew. You have
it in chapter 5 and verse 6. You have it in chapter 5 and
verse 10, that he's a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. You have it in chapter 6 and
verse 20, whether the forerunner is for us entered Even Jesus
made a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Chapter
7 and verse 15. It is yet far more evident for
that after the similitude of Melchizedek there arises another
priest. Then in chapter 7 verse 17. For
he testified, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Chapter 7 and verse 21, For those
priests were made without an oath, but this with an oath,
by him that said unto him, The Lord swore and will not repent,
Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 7 and 15 again, This
time with the emphasis being on the word similitude, who is
made after the similitude of Melchizedek. We'll consider that
later. Of the same kind, of the same
sort, of the same likeness was Christ made a priest forever. Notice in chapter 7 and verse
1, for this Melchizedek. First of all, consider a statement
back in chapter 5, verse 10 and 11, that he had many things to
say about this Melchizedekian priesthood, but they were not
mature and capable of receiving it at that time. Now this caused
Paul to make what the Puritan John Owens called a designed
digression. And you have that mostly in chapter
5 and part of chapter 6. But then in chapter 7 and verse
1, he's ready to come and take up the matter and declare the
matter of Melchizedek and how Christ is a priest forever after
that kind of order. Notice what he said. This Melchizedek,
of whom I speak, of whom it was said that Christ is a priest
forever after the order, the similitude, or the arrangement
of Melchizedek. And he in chapter 7 and verse
1 has in mind the very Melchizedek, the very man himself in the Old
Testament that we read about in Genesis chapter 14. He met
Abraham returning from the slaughter. He celebrated communion with
him, gave him wine and such like. And then the account in Genesis
4 14, 18, and 20, Melchizedek is brought
before us in the scripture without any prior introduction or mention
whatsoever. This is the first mention of
Melchizedek right out of the blue. And he is the priest of
the Most High God and King of Salem. And like the Lord, He
bears those dual offices in one and the same person. He's mentioned
the second time in Psalm 110 and verse 4. In the solemn oath
that God made unto the Son, you are a priest forever after the
order of Melchizedek. Now that being the case, an old
writer, John Brown, wrote, the first thing to do is to show
the excellency of the Melchizedekian priesthood over that of the Levitical
or of the Aaronic. And this the Apostle does in
the first 10 verses of Hebrews chapter 7. By showing, first
of all, what Melchizedek did in regard to Abraham. And then
how Abraham reacted or viewed Melchizedek. And those things
are very important. And they're Paul's proof to the
Jew of the importance of the Melchizedekian priesthood. First of all, noted, Melchizedek
both met and blessed Abraham. Genesis 14, 7. Hebrews 7 and
verse 1. He brought forth bread and wine. And he did so in the spirit and
capacity of a priest of the Most High God. Genesis 14, 17. And that was the Melchizedekian
Ophid. Second, we notice how Abraham
did view Melchizedek. If you're in chapter 7, let's
look at verse 4. Now consider how great this man
was. And he means Melchizedek. Consider how great. What a person
Melchizedek was. unto whom the patriarch, our
father Abraham the patriarch, gave unto him the tenth of the
spoil." Now is not Abraham one of the greatest personages in
all the Old Testament? One of the most esteemed person
by the Jew in all of the Old Testament. The most revered,
especially by Judaism. And notice how the writer refers
to him, even the patriarch Abraham, the head of our race, the father
of our tribe and of our faith. No less a dignity than our father
Abraham, for he was a great man in dignity and in honor in the
work and the purpose of God. Now the point is here that Abraham
himself who was a person of great importance and of honor and of
dignity acknowledged the spiritual superiority of Melchizedek and
honored him as priest of the Most High God by giving him a
tenth of the spoil that he had taken in the recovery of Lot. He paid them unto Melchizedek. He paid tithes unto him. And in Hebrews 7 and 5 through
10, we see what the apostle makes of this in relation to the Levitical
priesthood in the Old Testament. And the great question here for
us to confront is, who was this man Melchizedek? One more property, to what order
of being did he belong? This Melchizedek who was a priest. Some say that he was an angel,
a special angel, and yet only men can be priests. That's clear
in chapter 5 of Hebrew. Some have fantasized that this
was a divine virtue in some way or manner, superior even unto
Christ. The most widely held view about
Melchizedek, I get, is that he was the very Son of God, that
he was the Lord Jesus Christ. in human form, making an appearance
in the Old Testament. And many still hold to this position. But does this author not distinguish
the two, Melchizedek and Christ? He distinguishes them as not
being one and the same person. And in the end of verse 3, chapter
7, he is made like unto the Son of God. But having been made
like unto the Son of God, plus in all things and in all time. It is said of Christ that he
is made a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Now, he was a priest of the Most
High God. Christ is a priest forever after
the Melchizedekian order, after that arrangement. What is the
order or the arrangement of Melchizedek and of his priesthood? We'll
come to that shortly in our study. But first, I think it behooves
us that we might raise the question and attempt to answer it, what
kind of being was Melchizedek in Genesis chapter 14 who met
Abraham. And to what order of beings does
he belong? Is he divine? Is he angelic? Or is he human, a man? Now the thing that confuses many,
I guess, is what is said in verse 3 of Hebrews 7 in describing
Melchizedek. Look what the apostle has written,
without father, without mother, without descent, having neither
beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the
Son of God. Here's the key, abided a priest
continually. Let's begin with a phrase in
the first part of the verse, without descent. This is how
it is in the King James Version, which then gives the alternate
reading in the margin, without pedigree. Another word you might
see is genealogy, without genealogy. Now, if Melchizedek were a man,
then certainly he had a father and a mother. In Hebrews 7 and
verse 4, the author calls him this man, Melchizedek. And if he had a father and a
mother, then he was born, and most certainly, then he died.
When we put the rest of the three together, we have without father,
without mother, without beginning of days, nor end of life, no
birth, no death recorded of this man. Now, not that he didn't
have father or mother, not that he wasn't born, or that he didn't
die. Then he must be reckoned as a
divine, even an eternal being, if that were the case. And then
many feel constrained to do this by the language in verse 3, and
in this they turn, the turn has given them to declare that Melchizedek
was a theanthropic appearance of Jesus, of the Son of the God-Man. Now one thing important to point
out and remember is that the author here in this particular
passage of the scripture in verse 1, priest of the Most High God. And again in verse 3, abides
a priest continually, so that As to his priesthood, and him
being a priest, he has no priestly or familial descent. None is recorded. The family
is not recorded, and he did not take his priesthood from any
other man. And if we look down to verse
6, there we read further of Melchizedek, he whose descent is not counted
from them, that is, from the sons of men. This is the second
mention in this. First, in verse 3, Melchizedek
was not genealogized, as we might say. Then in verse 6, that he
was a being, a man, a priest whose pedigree, or genealogy,
or nativity, or lineage, was not from the Levitical priesthood. Not at all. Not from Levi. Not at all. On the subject of
the descent and genealogy and pedigree, let's consider, if
we might, two very weighty points that are important under this
discussion. Number one, a pedigree or a genealogy,
a line of descent, was absolutely necessary to the Levitical priesthood. They had to be certified that
they were genealogically registered and properly qualified, traceable
to a parentage out of the family of Levi and of Aaron. This had to be with a Levitical
priest. Ezra too. 62 and 63, Nehemiah
chapter 7, verse 63 through verse 65. And the Levitical priest,
we learn, served from age 30 to age 50 in the office of a
Levitical priest. Each and every Jew had, kept,
and was very proud of his pedigree. You see Paul speaking about his. Romans 11 and 1. Philippians
chapter 3 and verse 5. Paul had a perfect Jewish genealogy. But when he came to Christ, he
said he counted it as dung that he may know and that he might
win Christ. Now the second point, it is a
stroke of great and divine providence that Moses should bring so dignified
a person as Melchizedek before him without any genealogy, none
at all, not a single genealogy of fact is given about him. John Owen said this, contrary
to all rule and all history in Judaism was this done. Not only so, but consider that
all of the great person and the patriarch are the fathers in
the Old Testament. Of each one we usually read something
like this. And so and so lived such a number
of years and begat so and so and all of his years were this
many and he died. Now that is the genealogy. Look
at it in chapter 5 of the book of Genesis. Not only that, but
Parents are named. Lineages are given, some at great
length. Children are listed. Such things
are routinely included. in other great and honorable
persons in the Old Testament. But, as the Apostle notes concerning
Melchizedek, no such facts about him are given. And in Hebrew,
the Apostle builds upon this silence because it suits the
point concerning the Lord's priesthood. That of Melchizedek. No mention
is made of father or mother. No record of time of birth and
of death. No mention of his race or of
his family stock or anything of that nature. But then the
question might come back to us. How is Melchizedek then a type
of Christ? And how is Christ a priest after
the order or the method of Melchizedek? What is meant by the order of
Melchizedek? That's mentioned many times in
the book of Hebrew. But the question must be answered.
So let's look at the last part of verse 3, which is often overlooked. in favor of that dazzling description
that is given of Melchizedek earlier in the verse. Note the
words, liken unto the Son of God. Abides a priest continually,
perpetually, forever. And then in verse 15, perpetually,
after the similitude of Melchizedek and so forth. Now, there arises
another priest. After the order of Melchizedek,
there arises another priest. And one great difference between
Melchizedek as a priest and the Levitical priesthood is that
there was a constant succession of Levitical priests, one following
upon another, and who were not permitted to continue because
of age and because of death, because they died constantly. It's like the Pope, he's always
dying, And so they have to get them another old and decrepit
man to serve out the rest of his life. He was only one in
that order, Melchizedek. He was the only one of this likeness. He had the only priesthood of
this kind in the Old Testament, and therefore is a very strong
type of the Lord Jesus Christ, because of the perpetuity of
his priesthood. Abide a priest continually, forever. Thou art a priest forever, literally
in perpetuity. So let us read Hebrews chapter
7 and verse 15 and 16. It is yet far more evident for
that after the similitude of Melchizedek there arises another
priest, watch, who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment
but after the power of an endless life. Who is made after the power
of an endless life. Now the fact that Melchizedek
neither succeeded another priest nor yielded his priesthood up
to any other is very important. It is his leading essence in
his likeness as a priest to the Son of God who was made a priest
with an oath. Thou art a priest forever after
the order of Melchizedek. That's why in verse 24 we read
of Hebrews 7, this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable
priesthood. I think that really said an intransmissible
priesthood, one that will not ever pass over unto another priest
at any time. So, this man is made a priest
after that. His priesthood, therefore, is
unending, as well as intransmissible. Christ took not priesthood from
another, took it after the order of Melchizedek, and there was
no priest after him. He is a priest forever and forever. But I just wanted us to understand
how expressive that it is. A priesthood that is never to
pass away. Remember Aaron passed away, then
that one passed away, and on and on until, I wish I knew actually
how many high priests there were in Israel over that time. But that sets him above the Levitical
priests. Number one, because he continues
ever. He abides, he ever lived. Because
he has an uninterrupted life, that though he died, yet he's
alive again and glorified. And secondly, he also had an
unending priesthood, which will never pass to another on that
account. And this was typified in Melchizedek. And as the Lord typified in Melchizedek,
had no predecessor and will have no successor. The whole office
of the high priesthood is forever focused and confined in the Lord
Jesus Christ. In Him resides the whole administration
of the high priesthood forever and ever. He's the only priest
to be recognized by Christendom. and to be honored and worshiped
and prayed unto. Only he can make intercession
unto God. Only his oblation is acceptable
unto God. Only he is the mediator between
God and man. John Owen said on verse 24 of
Hebrews chapter 7, the reason given why the priesthood of Christ
need not, cannot, and will not pass from him unto another is
because he ever lives to execute the office of a priest. Owens added these things. Excludes
all bikers and all successors. Any and every need of another
priest is excluded by the priesthood of Christ. The use of priesthood
in so-called Christian worship in our day and time. is utterly
unscriptural and is blasphemy, for it assumes one of two incorrect
things. Number one, either that the priesthood
of Christ has some deficiency in it, some lack, needing to
be made up by another or a human priest. Or, number two, that
Christ is, upon some ground or some cause, that disengaged from
the proper discharge of his priesthood or put out of the priesthood
in some way or for some reason. That cannot be. He is a priest
forever after the order of Melchizedek, after the order and arrangement
of him. He has, if I may use a modern
expression, tenure in the priestly office. He has been tenured He
cannot be removed from the office of a priest and is one forever
and forever. and for no reason can he be excluded. The office of a priesthood needs
never to be surrendered up unto another, for he has made a priest
by an oath. You are a priest forever after
the order of Melchizedek. The Lord swore to that and will
not repent. Never will it be rescinded. So the two things are true. Number
one, the high priesthood is settled in one person now forever and
forever. For unto the Son, he said. And number two, it is forever. Not like Aaron, who was given
a priesthood that was temporary. It was to expire eventually. He was to lose it by his own
debt. and another enter into it. It
has been abolished, that priesthood, with a ceremonial law. The Levitical
priesthood is abolished with that ceremonial law when Christ
died and is never to be revived or to be restored again. Therefore, when someone said
to the Son, Thou art a priest forever, and then made it clear
after the order of Melchizedek. It was indicative of his mission
in relation to the purpose of God as our great, great high
priest. It required the incarnation that
our Lord take on humanity in in union with his divine nature,
that there was formed a blessed union that cannot be broken,
holy, human, and divine. Thus, I close with Hebrews 7
and verse 28, the Son is consecrated forevermore. And having such a high priest,
let's hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering,
for He is faithful, that promise. Now I sped through that very
quickly, so I hope that we got it all. A priest forever, after
the order of Melchizedek. Not of Levi, not of that proper
tribe, but after the order of Melchizedek, who was a priest
forever, a priest and a king in one and the same purpose. And Christ has a priesthood like
his in that it abides forever. never passes to another. It is
intransmissible. And that's his priesthood. And
thank God for it. For we have a great high priest
passed into the heaven. He's Jesus, the Son of God, who
sits at the right hand of God and makes intercession. Who once
in the end of the world appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself.