Why A Priest Like Melchizedek?
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Hebrews 7:11 The Context: In Hebrews God is presenting the superiority of Jesus Christ. In 2:(8) Jesus is the founder of our Salvation. In 3: Jesus is superior to Moses. In 4:14 Jesus is our Great High Priest. In 7: Jesus is like Melchizedek, to whom Abraham gave tithes. The levitical priests repeatedly offered sacrifices for themselves and the people because their sacrifices were incapable of removing the guilt of sin. Jesus was therefore not a Levitical Priest, coming to offer repeated sacrifices. But Jesus is like Melchizedek, the one-of-a-kind priest in the Old Testament. 7:26 describes the significance of Jesus as a Melchizedek-like Priest. “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.”
God Asks Us: Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?
JNE: A Melchizedek Priest is “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” Thus, no one but Jesus Christ was or is qualified to offer the perfect sacrifice necessary for the forgiveness of our sin. Jesus is both The Only Perfect Priest, and The Only Perfect Sacrifice.
It is understandable that people down through the ages have claimed the office of priest, like the Jewish Aronic priests. But for anyone to claim to be a priest like Melchizedek is either blind to their own unrighteousness or arrogant to think they have the character qualities of Melchizedek or Jesus. There is no priest like Jesus.
Read "The Gospel?"
Hebrews 7:11 The Context: In Hebrews God is presenting the superiority of Jesus Christ. In 2:(8) Jesus is the founder of our Salvation. In 3: Jesus is superior to Moses. In 4:14 Jesus is our Great High Priest. In 7: Jesus is like Melchizedek, to whom Abraham gave tithes. The levitical priests repeatedly offered sacrifices for themselves and the people because their sacrifices were incapable of removing the guilt of sin. Jesus was therefore not a Levitical Priest, coming to offer repeated sacrifices. But Jesus is like Melchizedek, the one-of-a-kind priest in the Old Testament. 7:26 describes the significance of Jesus as a Melchizedek-like Priest. “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.”
God Asks Us: Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?
JNE: A Melchizedek Priest is “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” Thus, no one but Jesus Christ was or is qualified to offer the perfect sacrifice necessary for the forgiveness of our sin. Jesus is both The Only Perfect Priest, and The Only Perfect Sacrifice.
It is understandable that people down through the ages have claimed the office of priest, like the Jewish Aronic priests. But for anyone to claim to be a priest like Melchizedek is either blind to their own unrighteousness or arrogant to think they have the character qualities of Melchizedek or Jesus. There is no priest like Jesus.
Read "The Gospel?"