THE GOSPEL OF
CHRIST
SPREADING THE SOUL-SAVING MESSAGE OF JESUs
(Chapter 7)
Introduction by narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Spreading the soul-saving message of Jesus. And now, Timothy Sparks and Ben Bailey.
“For He
testifies: ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’”
(Heb. 7:17). I’m Ben Bailey.
Timothy Sparks:
And I’m Timothy
Sparks. Welcome to our study the Book of Hebrews. These lessons are being
brought to you by individual members and congregations of the churches of
Christ. The
Ben Bailey:
In chapter 7, we read of how Christ is a high priest after
the order of Melchizedek—which is really the heart and core of the argument
about Christ’s supremacy. The fact of Christ’s supremacy revolves around the
idea of His priesthood. Jesus is not like the priests under the old Levitical
system. He is not of the tribe of Levi, but instead came from the tribe of
Timothy Sparks:
At the end of Genesis 14, Abraham returns from conquering the kings, and he meets Melchizedek. On his “best day,” Abraham still had to pay tithes to Melchizedek. In Hebrews 7:7, we read, “Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better.” On his best day, Abraham had someone—Melchizedek—who was greater that he was, because he had to pay tithes to him. In Hebrews 7, the writer is saying, “If you are thinking about returning to Judaism, think seriously about what you are considering doing. Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, and Jesus is according to the order of Melchizedek. Jesus is not of the tribe of Levi. Hebrews 7:3 tells us that Melchizedek was “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.” Thus, Jesus has a superior priesthood, because His priesthood did not come to an end at the passing away of the Old Testament (since He was not a Levite). Everything about this text stresses that everything about Christ and Christianity is superior. Christ is going to have an endless priesthood. We learn from this passage that all Old Testament prophecy focused on Christ. Because Jesus is parallel to Melchizedek, this is a very high honor—and apparently is something that people then did not fully understand, because in the middle of Hebrews 5, the writer began a chapter-and-a-half-long rebuke to try to bring the people to whom he was writing up to par.
Ben Bailey:
In Hebrews 7:12, the writer says, “For
the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.”
Here is the point to which the Hebrews writer has been building. Christ is the
One Who is supreme. He is greater than Aaron. His priesthood is greater. And
since there is a change of priesthood—since Christ is no longer a priest according
to the Levitcal process (i.e., a priest after the order of Aaron), then, there must
be a change of the Law. This language—and that of chapter 8—is strong language
that is intended to teach us that we are no longer under the Old Law today.
There are some in the religious world today who claim that we are still under
the Old Law. But the question arises: Who is our priest today? If Jesus is our
Priest, then we would have to say that there has been a change in the Law,
since Jesus does not fit the Levitical priesthood. We are not under the Ten
Commandment Law today. Jesus brings all but one of the Ten Commandments (the
command to observe the Sabbath) into the New Law, but we are not to follow the
Old Law (to which the Christians mentioned in the Book of Hebrews were desiring
to return). The writer is asking, in essence, this: “Why would you want to
return to a system, under which your Lord and Savior cannot even be a priest?” We
know from such passages as 1 Corinthians 3, 2 Corinthians 3, and the Book of
Colossians that the Old Law is no longer in force. Ephesians 2:14-16 and
Colossians 2:14 clearly teach that Jesus nailed the Old Law to the cross.
Because it has been put away, then it obviously is not the Law under which we
are to live today. The statement of Hebrews 7:12—“For the priesthood being
changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law”—is a strong statement
affirming that the New Testament is the law we are to follow today.
Timothy Sparks:
One of the things we learn from all of this is that Jesus
could not be a Priest while He was here on Earth. While He was here, He lived
and died under the Old Testament. Since He was not from the tribe of Levi (He
was of the tribe of
Ben Bailey:
That is what makes Christ’s priesthood so special. It was going to “endure.” In Hebrews 7:18-19, the writer says, “For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” What makes Jesus’ priesthood special is that He is continually a Priest for us. His sacrifice cleanses us of our sins—if we are willing to repent. It is not like the priesthoods of old, wherein the priests had to repeatedly offer sacrifices. In addition, in the Old Testament, when priests reached a certain age, they no longer could serve as priests, and someone else had to be installed in their place. Jesus is not that way. He is not going to be replaced, and He is not going to pass away. Plus, He does not have to offer sacrifices every day. Hebrews 10:12 explains why: “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” This is important. Christ offered Himself as our sacrifice—once and for all. And it is through His priesthood that we can “draw near to God.” Under the old priestly system, who was it that “drew near to God.” Once a year, the high priest entered into the Holy of Holies, and in that context he was able to draw near to God.” But now, as a result of Christ’s sacrifice and the New Covenant, we can all draw near to God. It is not something reserved for one man, once a year. We can all draw near to God by obeying His will.
Timothy Sparks:
There is another interesting point in Hebrews 7:14. The
writer says, “For it is evident
that our Lord arose from
Ben Bailey:
In short, when God says, “This is what I want you to do,” that excludes everything else. God does not have to say, “Don’t do this, don’t do this, don’t do this….” When God tells us the one thing He wants, that excludes everything else. This principle applies to things like the use of instrumental music in worship today. As you look through the New Testament (under which you and I live), there is not a single mention of the use of instruments of music in worship to God. Such passages as Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 instruct us to “sing and make melody in our hearts.” Here is the principle. When God tells us to “sing,” He does not have to say, “Do not beat on a drum, do not clap your hands, do not whistle, and do not play a guitar.” When God tells us the one thing He wants us to do, that excludes all else. Another example might be the elements of the Lord’s Supper. In Matthew 26, when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He explained what those elements were to be unleavened bread and fruit of the vine (grape juice). Since God told us specifically what He wanted, He does not have to say, “I do not want you to use hamburgers, French fries, and Coca Cola®. Whenever God tell us what He does want, that excludes everything else.
In Hebrews 7:25, we find some of the most beautiful and expressive language imaginable concerning the priesthood of Christ. “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Here, we learn about the cleansing power of Christ’s priesthood. The sacrifices under the Old Covenant merely “rolled forward” the sins of the people. The forgiveness of their sins was predicated on Christ’s eventual death on the cross. Now, Jesus is able to “continually cleanse” those who come to God through Him. This stresses the importance of us applying Christ’s blood to our sins, so that we can have those sins forgiven, and so that we can become a member of His body, the church. We cannot get to Heaven without obeying the will and the Word of Jesus Christ.
Timothy Sparks:
In Hebrews 7:26, we read, “For such a High Priest was fitting for us, Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens.” Jesus is the only One Who can be this appropriate High Priest. This is fitting for us, because we are people who are in need of a perfect High Priest. The priests of the Old Testament were not perfect; they, too, sinned. The Old Testament never could deal with man’s sin problem. But Jesus, Who laid down His life for our sins, and Who thus became our sacrifice, also became our High Priest. He is holy, harmless, and undefiled. Therefore He is able to plead on our behalf as our Intercessor. The arrangement under the Old Testament was that the high priest was the one who spoke to God in order to bring the people’s petitions before His throne. That is exactly what Jesus does for us. He brings our petitions and prayers before God’s throne. He is the only One Who is perfect, and Who therefore is able to make these pleas on our behalf. In 1 John 2, we learn that Jesus is our “Advocate.” He is “the perfect lawyer,” in that He cannot lose the case. He also is our High Priest—the One Who has made the appropriate sacrifice on our behalf. Through His blood, He is able to cleanse those who are obedient to Him. Jesus’ priesthood is permanent and enduring. He will always be able to present our case before God. We, therefore, can have confidence in Christ. He is the One Who made the perfect sacrifice, Who brought us a better covenant, and Who has a superior priesthood. Once a person has become obedient to the Gospel of Christ, he or she should never want to leave.
Ben Bailey:
Why would anyone want to leave the best, and return to something less than the best? It makes no sense. In Hebrews 7:27, the writer reminds us that Jesus “does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” Because Jesus is perfect, He does not have to offer a sacrifice for His own sins, and then one for ours as well. He made the “once-for-all” perfect sacrifice for each of us. We know from Hebrews 4:15 that He was “tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.” Peter wrote, “He committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22). Paul said that God, “made Him Who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Why does Christ make the perfect High Priest? It is because He had no sin in His life, and thus He could make the perfect “once-for-all” sacrifice for each of us. The words “without spot or blemish” were used frequently in the Old Covenant. When a lamb or other animal was brought as a sacrifice, it had to be “without spot or blemish.” Jesus typifies that, due to the fact that He had no spot or blemish (i.e., no sin) in His life. Thus, John the Immerser could say, “! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1:29). Peter observed that it was “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” that our sins are taken away (1 Pet. 1:19). Jesus, the perfect Sacrifice, tasted of death for all of us, and gave His life for us, which is why He is a better High Priest. Why would anyone want to revert back to a priestly system, such as that under the Old Covenant, where priests had to be replaced periodically, in which sacrifices had to be offered continually, and in which you could not draw near to God except through human priests (who themselves are sinful)? It is little wonder, then, that the writer of Hebrews stresses the superiority of Christ and Christianity, as compared to the Old Law. We are not saying, of course, that the Old Covenant was a bad system. It was not. It was a good system that was designed for a specific purpose and to serve people for a limited period of time. But we now have one that is better. Thus, the writer of Hebrews tells the Christians to whom he writes to endure whatever suffering and persecution they must, and to be faithful while doing so—even if it costs them their lives. Why? It is because they could not return to the Old Law even if they wanted to, and besides, it is not nearly as good as the New Law! It is all about “choosing the best”—which is exactly what Christianity itself is all about.
Timothy Sparks:
God, even before
the beginning of time, purposed, prophesied, and promised the establishment of
the church (Eph. 3:11). He longs for us to be a part of the “called out”
people. According to Ephesians 3:20-21, it is through the church that we
glorify God. The church is composed of the redeemed—those who have been called
out of sin. According to 2 Thessalonians 2:14, we are “called by the Gospel.”
Have you obeyed the call? Are you a part of the church that Jesus came to
establish? Jesus promised in Matthew 16 that He would build His church—based on
the bedrock truth that He is the Son of God. Have you submitted your life to
Christ, so that you can say He is the Savior of your soul and the Lord of your
life? We are commanded to “live soberly and righteously and godly in this present
world” (Tit. 2:12). Only those who obey God’s will can enter His Son’s church
and participate in the divine arrangement that makes us pleasing to God. In
order to determine whether or not you are a Christian, it is necessary to
examine the Scriptures to see if you have done what God commanded. Sadly, many
today teach that all a person has to do to be saved is “accept Jesus into his
or her heart,” or pray “the sinner’s prayer” and accept salvation from God. But
this is not what the New Testament teaches. In the New Testament, people were
commanded to believe on Christ as the Son of God (Jn. 3:16). They also were
commanded to repent (Lk. 13:3), so that they could change their minds and
change their lives. They were then commanded to confess Jesus as the Son of God
(Rom. 10:10, and to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38;
22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21; Gal. 3:17). We hope that if you have not yet obeyed the
Gospel, you will do that today.
This lesson is being brought to
you by individual members and congregations of the churches of Christ. We are
making these lessons available on CD or DVD. If you would like a complimentary
copy, log on to our website at www.thegospelofchrist.com,
fill out the request form you will find there, and we will be happy to send to
you whatever you need. We encourage you to visit the
Narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST is brought to you by loving, caring members of the church of Christ. The McLish Avenue church of Christ in Ardmore, Oklahoma, oversees this evangelistic effort. For a free CD or DVD of today’s broadcast, please write to:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
You may call 580-223-3289. Please visit us on the web at www.thegospelofchrist.com. We encourage you to attend the church of Christ, where “the Bible is loved and the Gospel is preached.”
1. In Hebrews 7, we read of something that is the heart and core of the argument about Christ’s supremacy. What is that “something”?
2. Why, according to Hebrews 7:14, could Christ not be a priest while He was on Earth?
3. Abraham was a “giant” of the Jewish faith, and Melchizedek was a little-known character on the world stage. Yet something happened between these two men to show that, at least in some ways, Melchizedek was “greater” than Abraham. What was that “something”?
4. Explain the point in Hebrews 7 about how, since Melchizedek was “greater” than Abraham, and since Christ is “of the order of Melchizedek,” this indicates that Christianity is superior to Judaism.
5. What does Hebrews 7:3 mean when it says that Melchizedek was “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life”?
6. Hebrews 7:12 states that since there has been a change in the priesthood, there must also be a change in something else. What is that “something else”?
7. What do passages such as Ephesians 2:14-16 and Colossians 2:14 teach us about the Old Law?
8. Who is “
9. Why, according to Hebrews 10:12, do Christians today not have to offer repeated sacrifices such as those offered in the Old Testament?
10 Under the Old Covenant, who was it that could “draw near to God,” and how was that accomplished?
11. Under the New Covenant, who can draw near to God (Heb. 7:19)?
12. According to Hebrews 7:14, Moses “spoke
nothing” about priests coming from the tribe of
13. In Colossians 3:17, what is the meaning of the phrase “in the name of the Lord Jesus”?
14. In Hebrews 7:25, we read: “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” What is the connection between this passage and John 14:6?
15. There was one major problem with which the Old Testament was not designed to deal. What was that problem?
16. According to 1 Peter 2:22 and 2 Corinthians 5:21, what makes Jesus the perfect Priest?
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST,