JESUS Christ’s High Priesthood after the order of Melchisedec Heb. 7:1-10, FAR MORE EXCELLENT THAN Aaron’S PRIESTHOOD, 11-28.
Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life…” These statements in v. 3 referred to him as referred him as priest. Heb. 5:1, says, “For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God”. To be possessed of human nature is an essential prerequisite in order for one to occupy and exercise the sacerdotal office. The Son of God could not serve as Priest till He became incarnate. “Without father, without mother, without descent”. Now in connection with the Aaronic priesthood, personal genealogy was a vital prerequisite, hence the great care with which they preserved their pedigree: see Ezra 2:61, 62. But, in contradistinction from them, Melchizedek was priest of an order where natural descent was not regarded, an order free from the restrictions of the Levitical, Numbers 3:10, etc; therefore was he an accurate type of Christ, who belonged not to the tribe of Levi. “Having neither beginning of days nor end of life” is to be explained on the same principle. The Jewish priests “began” their “days” as priests at the age of twenty-five, when they were permitted to wait upon their brethren: Num. 8:24 and cf. 1Chro. 23:27, 28. At the age of thirty they began their regular priestly duties: Numbers 4:3. At the age of fifty their priestly “life” ended: “from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service and shall serve no more” (Num. 8:25). But no such restriction was placed upon the sacerdotal ministry of Melchizedek: so, in this too, he was an eminent type of Christ. The priesthood of the Son of God, ordained and appointed by the Eternal Three, was the original, and Melchizedek’s priesthood furnished the copy, and given in advance is the same thing as the type. Melchizedek was “assimilated to the Son of God” as a type. A priest of the most high God. A royal priest, possessing personal majesty and authority. The king of righteousness, and king of peace. The one who “blessed Abraham”, and the one who received the grateful gifts of God’s people represented by Abraham. He did not owe his priesthood to natural genealogy and abiding a priest beyond the bounds of the Levitical limitations.” Pink Arthur W. “The expression ‘abideth a priest continually’, therefore, is the equivalent to saying that he had a perpetual priesthood in contradistinction from those whose office terminated at a definite period, or whose office passed over into the hands of others” (A. Barnes). “Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Act. 2:29; 7:8, 9. Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils” (v. 4). Think of how great he “must have been”, seems preferable to “was”. His exalted rank appears from the fact that none other than Abraham gave him a tithe as the servant of God. It is a token of official respect; it is the recognition and acknowledgement of his superior status. Abraham was the founder of the Jewish nation; spiritually he was the “father” of all believers (Rom. 4). -How “great” then must be Melchizedek, superior to Abraham, therefore how “great” must be that order of priesthood to which he belonged! First, Abraham was subject unto him: Second, in the dignity of Abraham; “the patriarch”. Third, Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils.” Pink A. W.
