Hebreeën 7

1 Want deze Melchizedek was koning van Salem, een priester des Allerhoogsten Gods, die Abraham tegemoet ging, als hij wederkeerde van het slaan der koningen, en hem zegende;

2 Aan welken ook Abraham van alles de tienden deelde; die vooreerst overgezet wordt, koning der gerechtigheid, en daarna ook was een koning van Salem, hetwelk is een koning des vredes;

3 Zonder vader, zonder moeder, zonder geslachtsrekening, noch beginsel der dagen, noch einde des levens hebbende; maar den Zoon van God gelijk geworden zijnde, blijft hij een priester in eeuwigheid.

4 Aanmerkt nu, hoe groot deze geweest zij, aan denwelken ook Abraham, de patriarch, tienden gegeven heeft uit den buit.

5 En die uit de kinderen van Levi het priesterdom ontvangen, hebben wel bevel om tienden te nemen van het volk, naar de wet, dat is, van hun broederen, hoewel die uit de lenden van Abraham voortgekomen zijn.

6 Maar hij, die zijn geslachtsrekening uit hen niet heeft, die heeft van Abraham tienden genomen, en hem, die de beloftenissen had, heeft hij gezegend.

7 Nu, zonder enig tegenspreken, hetgeen minder is, wordt gezegend van hetgeen meerder is.

8 En hier nemen wel tienden de mensen, die sterven, maar aldaar neemt ze die, van welken getuigd wordt, dat hij leeft.

9 En, om zo te spreken, ook Levi, die tienden neemt, heeft door Abraham tienden gegeven;

10 Want hij was nog in de lenden des vaders, als hem Melchizedek tegemoet ging.

11 Indien dan nu de volkomenheid door het Levietische priesterschap ware (want onder hetzelve heeft het volk de wet ontvangen), wat nood was het nog, dat een ander priester naar de ordening van Melchizedek zou opstaan, en die niet zou gezegd worden te zijn naar de ordening van Aaron?

12 Want het priesterschap veranderd zijnde, zo geschiedt er ook noodzakelijk verandering der wet.

13 Want Hij, op Wien deze dingen gezegd worden, behoort tot een anderen stam, van welken niemand zich tot het altaar begeven heeft.

14 Want het is openbaar, dat onze Heere uit Juda gesproten is; op welken stam Mozes niets gesproken heeft van het priesterschap.

15 En dit is nog veel meer openbaar, zo er naar de gelijkenis van Melchizedek een ander priester opstaat:

16 Die dit niet naar de wet des vleselijken gebods is geworden, maar naar de kracht des onvergankelijken levens.

17 Want Hij getuigt: Gij zijt Priester in der eeuwigheid naar de ordening van Melchizedek.

18 Want de vernietiging van het voorgaande gebod geschiedt om deszelfs zwakheids en onprofijtelijkheids wil;

19 Want de wet heeft geen ding volmaakt, maar de aanleiding van een betere hoop, door welke wij tot God genaken.

20 En voor zoveel het niet zonder eedzwering is geschied, (want genen zijn wel zonder eedzwering priesters geworden;

21 Maar Deze met eedzwering, door Dien, Die tot Hem gezegd heeft: De Heere heeft gezworen, en het zal Hem niet berouwen: Gij zijt Priester in der eeuwigheid naar de ordening van Melchizedek).

22 Van een zoveel beter verbond is Jezus Borg geworden.

23 En genen zijn wel vele priesters geworden, omdat zij door den dood verhinderd werden altijd te blijven;

24 Maar Deze, omdat Hij in der eeuwigheid blijft, heeft een onvergankelijk Priesterschap.

25 Waarom Hij ook volkomenlijk kan zalig maken degenen, die door Hem tot God gaan, alzo Hij altijd leeft om voor hen te bidden.

26 Want zodanig een Hogepriester betaamde ons, heilig, onnozel, onbesmet, afgescheiden van de zondaren, en hoger dan de hemelen geworden;

27 Dien het niet allen dag nodig was, gelijk den hogepriesters, eerst voor zijn eigen zonden slachtofferen op te offeren, daarna, voor de zonden des volks; want dat heeft Hij eenmaal gedaan, als Hij Zichzelven opgeofferd heeft.

28 Want de wet stelt tot hogepriesters mensen, die zwakheid hebben; maar het woord der eedzwering, die na de wet is gevolgd, stelt den Zoon, Die in der eeuwigheid geheiligd is.

Hebreeën 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

A comparison between the priesthood of Melchizedec and that of Christ. (1-3) The excellence of Christ's priesthood above the Levitical priesthood is shown. (4-10) This is applied to Christ. (11-25) The faith and hope of the church encouraged from this. (26-28)

Verses 1-3 Melchizedec met Abraham when returning from the rescue of Lot. His name, "King of Righteousness," doubtless suitable to his character, marked him as a type of the Messiah and his kingdom. The name of his city signified "Peace;" and as king of peace he typified Christ, the Prince of Peace, the great Reconciler of God and man. Nothing is recorded as to the beginning or end of his life; thus he typically resembled the Son of God, whose existence is from everlasting to everlasting, who had no one that was before him, and will have no one come after him, in his priesthood. Every part of Scripture honours the great King of Righteousness and Peace, our glorious High Priest and Saviour; and the more we examine it, the more we shall be convinced, that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Verses 4-10 That High Priest who should afterward appear, of whom Melchizedec was a type, must be much superior to the Levitical priests. Observe Abraham's great dignity and happiness; that he had the promises. That man is rich and happy indeed, who has the promises, both of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This honour have all those who receive the Lord Jesus. Let us go forth in our spiritual conflicts, trusting in his word and strength, ascribing our victories to his grace, and desiring to be met and blessed by him in all our ways.

Verses 11-25 The priesthood and law by which perfection could not come, are done away; a Priest is risen, and a dispensation now set up, by which true believers may be made perfect. That there is such a change is plain. The law which made the Levitical priesthood, showed that the priests were frail, dying creatures, not able to save their own lives, much less could they save the souls of those who came to them. But the High Priest of our profession holds his office by the power of endless life in himself; not only to keep himself alive, but to give spiritual and eternal life to all who rely upon his sacrifice and intercession. The better covenant, of which Jesus was the Surety, is not here contrasted with the covenant of works, by which every transgressor is shut up under the curse. It is distinguished from the Sinai covenant with Israel, and the legal dispensation under which the church so long remained. The better covenant brought the church and every believer into clearer light, more perfect liberty, and more abundant privileges. In the order of Aaron there was a multitude of priests, of high priests one after another; but in the priesthood of Christ there is only one and the same. This is the believer's safety and happiness, that this everlasting High Priest is able to save to the uttermost, in all times, in all cases. Surely then it becomes us to desire a spirituality and holiness, as much beyond those of the Old Testament believers, as our advantages exceed theirs.

Verses 26-28 Observe the description of the personal holiness of Christ. He is free from all habits or principles of sin, not having the least disposition to it in his nature. No sin dwells in him, not the least sinful inclination, though such dwells in the best of Christians. He is harmless, free from all actual transgression; he did no violence, nor was there any deceit in his mouth. He is undefiled. It is hard to keep ourselves pure, so as not to partake the guilt of other men's sins. But none need be dismayed who come to God in the name of his beloved Son. Let them be assured that he will deliver them in the time of trial and suffering, in the time of prosperity, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO HEBREWS 7

The apostle having made mention of Melchizedek in the latter part of the preceding chapter, proceeds in this to give some account of him, and of the excellency of his priesthood, and to show that Christ is a priest of his order, and is superior to Aaron and his sons. He first declares what Melchizedek was, that he was both king and priest; he names the place he was king of, and tells whose priest he was, even the priest of the most high God; and goes on to observe what he did, that he met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, that he blessed him, and took tithes of him, Heb 7:1,2 and then interprets his name, and royal title, the one signifying king of righteousness, the other king of peace; that for anything that can be learned from the Scriptures, it is not known who was his father or his mother; what his lineage and descent; when he was born, or when he died; and that he is like to the Son of God, and continues a priest, Heb 7:2,3 upon which the apostle calls upon the Hebrews to consider the greatness of his person; and as it appears from that single instance of his receiving tithes from the patriarch Abraham, Heb 7:4 by which it is evident, that he is greater than the Levites; and which is demonstrated in the following particulars: the Levites received tithes of their brethren that came out of Abraham's loins, as they did, but Melchizedek, whose descent was not from them, received tithes from Abraham himself, and besides blessed him; and it is a clear case, that the lesser is blessed of the greater, Heb 7:5-7 the Levites were mortal men that received tithes, but a testimony is bore to Melchizedek, that he lives, Heb 6:8 yea, Levi himself paid tithes to Melchizedek, since he was in the loins of his father Abraham when Melchizedek met him, and took tithes of him; and therefore must be greater than Levi, Heb 7:9,10. And next the apostle proves the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood from this consideration, that there is another priest risen up, not of the order of Aaron, but of the order of Melchizedek, of which there would have been no need, if the Levitical priesthood had been perfect; nor would it have been changed, as it is, and which has also made a change of the law, by which it is established, necessary, Heb 7:11,12 that the priest that is risen up is not of the order of Aaron, is clear, because he is of another tribe, even of the tribe of Judah, to which the priesthood did not belong, Heb 7:13,14, and that he is of the order of Melchizedek, and so not according to the ceremonial law, but after the power of an endless life, is manifest from the testimony of the sacred Scripture, Heb 7:15-17 which lies in Ps 110:4 and that the ceremonial law, on which the Levitical priesthood stood, is changed and abrogated, is strongly asserted, and the reasons of it given, because it was weak and unprofitable, and made nothing perfect; and this was disannulled by Christ, the better hope brought in, who has made something perfect, and through whom we have access to God, Heb 7:18,19. Moreover, the superior excellency of Christ's priesthood to the Levitical one is shown in several particulars; the priests of Aaron's order were made without an oath; Christ was made with one, as is evident from the above cited testimony, Heb 7:20-22 they were many, he but one; they were mortal, and did not continue, he continues ever, having an unchangeable priesthood, Heb 7:23,24 wherefore, as they were not suffered to continue by reason of death, their priesthood was ineffectual; they could not take away sin, and save sinners; but Christ is able to save to the uttermost all that draw nigh to God by him, as a priest, and that because he ever lives to complete his office by intercession, Heb 7:25 wherefore such an high priest as he is, must become men, and be suitable to them, especially since he is pure and holy, and in such an exalted state, Heb 7:26 and this is another difference between him and the priests under the law; they were men that had infirmity, and were guilty of sins themselves, and so had need to offer for their own sins, and then for the sins of others; but Christ, the Son of God, who was consecrated a priest for evermore, by the word of the oath, had no sin of his own to offer sacrifice for, only the sins of his people, which he did once, when he offered himself, Heb 7:27,28.