I. Introduction
A. The Random Narratives of the Bible
1. There are narratives in the Bible that seem a bit “random” to us.
a. Who exactly were the Nephilim?
b. What kind of animal was the Leviathan?
c. Among those narratives, an OT/NT reference to a person named Melchizedek is sometimes included.
2. Tonight, we will examine this question as we continue our series on questions you have asked.
II. Melchizedek
A. Who was Melchizedek? (Genesis 14, Hebrews 5,7)
1. OT (Gen 14:17-20)
a. Melchizedek means “King of Righteousness.”
b. Melchizedek is revealed as both the of Salem and a high of God when Abraham encounters him after rescuing Lot.
c. Abraham honors him with a of all he has.
2. NT (Heb 5,7)
a. Melchizedek is provided as that the Messiah is both a king and high priest by the Hebrew author.
b. The Messiah was expected to be from the tribe of Judah and the line of Davidic kings, but not a high priest.
c. This argument is presented to help Christians transition away from the idea that a Levitical priesthood is still needed by God’s people.
B. Why Melchizedek? (Hebrews 5 & 7)
1. This passage is found in the section where the author is reminding us of Jesus’ over the Aaronic priesthood.
a. Hebrews 5:6 (ref Psalm 110:4) The order of Melchizedek was forever (not to be replaced)
b. Hebrews 5:10 God, alone, designated Melchizedek a priest. If God said it, it’s true and not up to man to decide. He declared Melchizedek a priest. God has the right to do so. Jesus received this designation directly from God as well. The only reason Aaron was selected as High Priest was because God deemed it so (Exodus 29:1)
c. Hebrews 6:20 just as God has kept His promise to patient Abraham He has kept His promise to us by providing a priest that could go behind the veil of the Most Holy Place forever
2. Hebrews 7 begins a section elaborating on Melchizedek and Christ’s Priesthood
C. Abraham and Melchizedek (1-10)
1. Even though Abraham was a great man of faith and the father of the nation of Israel, when he paid homage to Melchizedek, he made Melchizedek than himself. (1-10)
2. Like Melchizedek, Jesus has no genealogy to connect Him to the priesthood, but does have God’s designation.
a. Some believe that Melchizedek was a Christophany (appearance of Jesus before His birth), but notice that the verse says Melchizedek was made …like the Son of God…, not that He was the Son of God.
b. Melchizedek is a of priest; Jesus is the true fullness (a priest directly and divinely called by God) of this priesthood.
c. In other words, Melchizedek set a precedent for a type of priesthood-a priesthood that lasts forever.
D. Priesthood Problems (11-22)
1. The Hebrew author points out that the Levitical priesthood was insufficient because it was made up of men who were .
2. When the law changed (see 8:13), there needed to be a change of as well.
3. Verse 16 is key here…Jesus was not from the tribe of Levi, but Judah. The author wants us to understand that it is His divinity that qualifies Him to serve as our Great High Priest now (…indestructible life…).
E. Perfection and Permanence in Christ (23-38)
1. The old priesthood cannot serve the of man under this new law.
2. Christ’s permanence through His resurrection over death allows Him to serve eternally as our .
3. His makes it possible for Him to stand before God on our behalf.
F. The Point (Hebrews 7:22)
1. The real point is that is all we need.
a. The Greek word ἔγγυος (engyos) is found only here in the NT.
b. It was a term used in legal documents where a person pledged to pay the bail of another.
c. In other words, it is a term used to describe someone who ensures a commitment (financial or otherwise) is kept.
d. We might refer to this person as an underwriter today.
2. Jesus is the underwriter of this new covenant under which we live. He has underwritten the covenant in His blood. That is the securement of our salvation.
3. He is better than any king or priest because of His ability to be both, and even more.
4. Jesus is:
a.
b. Sacrifice
c.
d. Solution
5. Jesus is the Son who was sacrificed for our sins, but rose to be our Savior
III. Conclusion
A. Building Bridges
1. In 1994 Chula Vista, CA installed a “temporary” bridge over the Otay River.
2. The area is prone to flooding and heavy traffic (due to its proximity to popular venues).
3. It was just this past March when the city finally found the funds, 31 years later, to replace what was temporary.
4. In his commentary on Hebrews, Martel Pace reminds the reader that the Latin word for priest (pontifex) literally means “bridge builder.”
5. The priests of the OT served as bridge builders between God and man, but they were meant to be temporary because they could not truly cross the great divide of sin between us and God.
6. Today, Christ has built an eternal bridge.
B. Invitation
1. Tonight, you may feel like there is a divide between you and God. Let us help you reconnect to God.
2. Maybe you have never connected yourself to God through Christ. You are still separated from Him.