Hebrews 7

1. Melchizedek was the king of Salem and a priest for the Most High God. He met Abraham when Abraham was coming back after defeating the kings. When they met, Melchizedek blessed Abraham.

You can read more about Melchizedek in Genesis 14:17-20.

2. And Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had brought back from the battle. First, Melchizedek’s name means “king of goodness.” Also, he is king of Salem, which means “king of peace.”

Melchizedek is like Christ in his name and his position. It is interesting that Jeremiah says that the Messiah will have the same names.

And this will be His name: ‘The LORD Is Our Righteousness. Jeremiah 23:6

For a child is born to us, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad. John 8:56

3. No one knows who Melchizedek’s father or mother was. No one knows where he came from. And no one knows when he was born or when he died. Melchizedek is like the Son of God; he continues being a priest forever.

Melchizedek is like Christ because the Bible does not speak about his beginning or his end.

4 – 7

You can see that Melchizedek was very great. Abraham, the great father, gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything that Abraham won in battle. Now the law says that those in the tribe of Levi who become priests must get a tenth from the people.

The priests collect it from their own people, even though the priests and the people are both from the family of Abraham. Melchizedek was not from the tribe of Levi. But he got a tenth from Abraham.

And he blessed Abraham, the man who had God’s promises. And everyone knows that the more important person blesses the less important person.

This Melchizedek was higher than Abraham. The Jews think of Abraham as their father and that nobody on earth could be higher.

8 – 10

Those priests get a tenth, but they are only men who live and then die. But Melchizedek, who got a tenth from Abraham, continues living, as the Scripture says. It is Levi who gets a tenth from the people. But we might even say that when Abraham paid Melchizedek a tenth, then Levi also paid it. Levi was not yet born. But Levi was in the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met Abraham.

Melchizedek is like Christ because he is a higher priest than Aaron. Melchizedek lived more than 400 years before Aaron.

11. The people were given the law concerning the system of priests from the tribe of Levi. But they could not be made spiritually complete through that system of priests.

So there was a need for another priest to come. I mean a priest like Melchizedek, not Aaron.

If the Law was complete then we would not need another type of priest.

12 – 13

And when a different kind of priest comes, the law must be changed, too. We are saying these things about Christ. He belonged to a different tribe. No one from that tribe ever served as a priest at the altar.

The Jews knew that their priests came from the tribe of Levi. They would think that Jesus could not be a priest because He came from the tribe of Judah. Now we will see how God had another order of priests that were not of Levi.

14. It is clear that our Lord came from the tribe of Judah. And Moses said nothing about priests belonging to that tribe.

Melchizedek is like Christ because the Law could not save us and another type of priest was needed.

15 – 17

And this becomes even more clear. We see that another priest comes, who is like Melchizedek. He was not made a priest by human rules and laws. He became a priest through the power of His life, which continues forever.

In the Scriptures, this is said about Him: “You are a priest forever, a priest like Melchizedek.”

Melchizedek is like Christ because he is a priest forever without end. Psalm 110:4

18 – 19

The old rule is now set aside because it was weak and useless. The law of Moses could not make anything complete. But now a better hope has been given to us. And with this hope we can come near to God.

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Romans 8:3

20 – 21

Also, it is important that God made an oath when He made Jesus high priest. When the others became priests, there was no oath. But Christ became a priest with God’s oath. God said: “The Lord has made a promise and will not change His mind. ‘You are a priest forever.’”

God did not promise that the priests of the tribe of Levi would be priests forever. This shows that there would have to be another type of priest. Jesus made a new agreement with us when He ate the Last Supper.

And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Luke 22:20

22. So this means that Jesus is the guarantee of a better agreement from God to His people.

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law only shows us how sinful we are. Romans 3:20

23 – 24

Also, when one of the other priests died, he could not continue being a priest. So there were many priests. But Jesus lives forever. He will never stop serving as priest.

The sons of Levi died but Jesus never dies. Melchizedek and Jesus were the only priests of this order so no there are no descendants as false teachers try to say.

25. So He is always able to save those who come to God through Him. He can do this, because He always lives, ready to help those who come before God.

Jesus does not condemn us. He stands between us and God and we are covered.

26 – 28

So Jesus is the kind of high priest that we need. He is holy; He has no sin in Him. He is pure and not influenced by sinners. And He is raised above the heavens. He is not like the other priests. They had to offer sacrifices every day, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people.

But Christ does not need to do that. He offered His sacrifice only once and for all time. Christ offered Himself! The law chooses high priests who are men with all their weaknesses. But the word of God’s oath came later than the law. It made God’s Son to be the high priest. And that Son has been made perfect forever.

No priest of Levi could offer a sacrifice to take away our sins because they all had sins of their own. Jesus offered Himself instead of the blood of an animal.