Hebrews 7

SUMMARY.--The High Dignity of Melchizedec as a Priest. Abraham Paid Him Tithes. Thus Did the Aaronic Priesthood Confess His Superiority. A Type of a Priest Forever. Christ to be a Priest After the Order of Melchizedec. Hence, the Aaronic Priesthood Imperfect. Hence, too, the Law Must be Changed. Christ, the Priest of the New Covenant, Hath an Unchangeable Priesthood.

      1-3. For this Melchizedec, king of Salem. See the account of him in Gen. 14:18-20 . That he was a character of exceeding dignity is manifest, not only from the statements of Genesis, but of this chapter. There have been many speculations concerning his personality, but no man can lift the vail. He bursts upon us as a priest-king, king of Salem, or Jerusalem, which we now know from discoveries in Egyptian records existed even in those very early ages; priest of the most High God. There is no account of his parents, none of his birth, none of his death, none of the beginning or end of his priesthood; hence, he appears in the record without parents, genealogy, beginning or end, simply as one that liveth, a fit type of him whose priesthood and kingly state endure forever. Who met Abraham. See Gen. 14:20 . Abraham was returning from the pursuit of marauders who had captured Lot, his nephew. Blessed him. The "great father," "the friend of God," thus acknowledges his superior spiritual dignity. 2. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all. Tithes were paid to him as priest of the Most High. King of righteousness. Such is the meaning of Melchizedek. The word may not be the name, but a title. King of Salem. This means "King of Peace." It will be observed that the payment of tithes for religious purposes is at least 400 years older than the Jewish law. See also Gen. 28:22 . 3. Without father, without mother. See note on verse 1. Nor end of life. None as he appears in history. As far as he is revealed to us he is a living character, one that lives right on, like unto the Son of God. The Apostle does not affirm this was absolutely so, but that it is thus that Melchizedek appears on the back ground of early history. He abideth, in the Sacred Record, a priest continually.

      4-10. How great this man was. When one so great as Abraham recognized his superiority by paying him tithes. 5. The sons of Levi. The Aaronic priesthood, all of them of the tribe of Levi. Take tithes of the people according to the law. They require the enactment of the law in order to collect tithes of the people, their own brethren. The tithes are paid, not because of their great spiritual dignity, but because the law compels it. 6. But he whose descent is not counted from them. Melchizedek, who was not of the blood of Abraham or tribe of Levi, received tithes of Abraham, not because of the law, but because of his transcendent dignity. 7. The less is blessed by the better. Though Abraham had the promises of God Melchizedek, as the higher in spiritual dignity and nearer to God, blessed him. See Gen. 27:27-29 . 8. Here men that die receive tithes. The Aaronic priesthood die, and the death of the high priest is a matter of record. Their mortality was a prominent feature, but in the case of Melchizedek, he who receives tithes liveth right on as far as the records tell us. We behold him only as a living priest, typical of a priest who liveth forever. 9. Levi also, who receiveth tithes. The sacred tribe of Israel, the tribe to whom tithes are paid, paid tithes to Melchizedek. 10. He was yet. All Israel, kings and priests, though yet unborn, were represented in Abraham. Hence Levi paid tithes, and thus confessed the superiority of the priesthood of Melchizedek.