Bible Study Hebrews 7: 1-28

 

A Commentary of the Book of Hebrews

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: King James Version

Bible Study Hebrews 7: 1-28

Text:

7 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; 3 without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: 6 but he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. 7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. 8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. 9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, 16 who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. 19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: 21 (for those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) 22 by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 1: “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;”

Melchisedec serves as the primary example of the priestly order to which Christ belongs. This priesthood is both superior to and older than the Aaronic order, which explains why the author cautioned his audience about the complexity of the topic. To fully grasp this, one must examine the role of the original king-priest; Melchizedek is notably significant because he held both titles, thereby prefiguring Christ.

The reference to the "most high God" identifies the deity who was originally called Abram from his ancestral home. The connection to Salem (Jerusalem) is also critical. There is a clear parallel drawn here: just as Abram followed God, his descendants are now called to move beyond ancient traditions to follow One who surpasses even Melchizedek. Furthermore, the fact that Melchizedek "met Abraham" is vital, as this encounter took place before Aaron existed and involved Aaron's own forefather. Through a lengthy parenthetical explanation spanning from "who" to "abideth" in Hebrews 7:3, the author clarifies the importance of this mysterious historical figure.

Verse 2: “to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;”

Within this historical setting, tithing a tenth of one's spoils to a deity was a common practice. However, this specific offering was significant as it was presented to "the most high God" through a priest who held a position superior to Abraham. This is noteworthy because Abraham is the spiritual and physical forefather of the epistle's audience. Furthermore, the designations "King of righteousness" and "King of peace" serve as messianic titles.

Verse 3: “without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.”

In this passage, Melchizedek serves as a profound archetype of Christ, mirroring the Savior in yet another significant dimension. The Lord Jesus emerges from the depths of eternity and proceeds into the same; He possesses neither a point of origin nor a conclusion. As both the Alpha and the Omega, He remains unreachable in the distant past and unsurpassable in the unfolding future, encompassing the totality of time and existence within Himself. To find a mortal representation of such an eternal nature, one must look to the unique presentation of Melchizedek in the Book of Genesis. While Genesis is a record defined by its detailed pedigrees—meticulously documenting the lineage from Adam through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—Melchizedek appears upon the sacred stage without any such background. He enters from obscurity and vanishes just as abruptly, leaving no further trace in the historical record. This intentional omission of his genealogy by God was designed to establish Melchizedek as a type of the Lord Jesus in His priestly capacity. Building upon the prophetic witness found in Psalm 110, we recognize that Melchizedek foreshadows Christ in His divine eternity. Because Jesus is the Son of God, He holds a priesthood that is immutable and everlasting, persisting throughout all ages without end or alteration.

Verse 4: “Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.”

It is an established spiritual principle that the individual who receives the tithe possesses a superior standing to the one who offers it, just as “the less is blessed of the better” (Hebrews 7:7). Through both the act of tithing and the bestowal of blessing, Melchizedek is revealed to be of greater stature than the patriarch Abraham.

Verse 5: “And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:”

Upon the institution of the Mosaic Law, those of the lineage of Levi were divinely mandated to receive tithes from their kinsmen. This act of tithing by the children of Israel was not intended as a tribute to the men themselves, but rather as a profound expression of obedience to the sacred Law of God.

Verse 6: “but he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.”

One might naturally assume that Abraham held a position of superiority over Melchizedek; however, this was not the case. Melchizedek was a Gentile who served as the priest of the Most High God. The source of his divine knowledge and the details of his personal history remain undisclosed. Any claims regarding further particulars of his life are merely speculative.

Verse 7: “And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.”

Verse 5: “And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:”

Following the establishment of the Mosaic Law, individuals within the Levite lineage were divinely authorized to collect tithes from their fellow Israelites. This practice served not as a personal tribute to the priesthood, but as a formal demonstration of submission to the divine statutes.

Verse 6: “but he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.”

While it might be assumed that Abraham occupied a superior status to Melchizedek, the scriptural evidence suggests otherwise. Melchizedek, a Gentile serving as priest to the Most High God, possessed a history and source of divine knowledge that remain largely unrecorded. Consequently, any further assertions regarding his personal background remain purely conjectural.

Verse 7: “And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.”

Abraham received a blessing from Melchizedek, thereby establishing the latter's superiority. In a similar manner, when believers offer worship to the Lord Jesus Christ, they are formally acknowledging His supreme authority and preeminence.

Verse 8: “And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.”

The “men that die” are the Levites, whose office and authority is transmitted through descent and inheritance, in association with the provisions of the law. Melchizedek, however, “lives.” The declaration that he is living is found in Ps. 110:4.

Verse 9: “And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.”

The text does not imply any preexistence of Levi. Rather, the argument relies on Abraham's representative role as the progenitor of a lineage-based priestly system, meaning these subsequent priests cannot transcend Abraham himself. This reasoning does not suggest that every descendant of Abraham participated in his actions simply by virtue of physical lineage.

Verse 10: “For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.”

The priestly tribe of Levi was lineally present within Abraham when he rendered tithes to Melchizedek; consequently, Levi is accounted as having paid tithes through his ancestor. In a similar manner, humanity participated corporately in the sin of Adam, resulting in universal mortality. Unless the return of the Lord occurs first, physical death remains inevitable due to this corporate inclusion and shared guilt in Adam. Conversely, the believer is now rendered complete through vital union with Christ. 

Verse 11: “If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?:

An inseparable connection existed between the Mosaic law and the priesthood. Because all people without exception were sinners condemned by the law, a priestly system was absolutely necessary to mediate between humanity and God. The phrasing “after the order of Melchisedec, and not ... after the order of Aaron” signifies that while the Aaronic (or Levitical) priesthood was flawed, Melchizedek’s order was perfect. Furthermore, the prophetic declaration of a future figure who would serve as “a priest for ever” (Ps. 110:4) was revealed in the middle of the Levitical priesthood's historical timeline, clearly indicating that the current system was intended to be superseded by a superior one. 

Verse 12: “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”

The Aaronic priesthood and the Mosaic Law are inherently linked, as that priesthood was characterized by the offering of bloody sacrifices. Because these two entities function together, we are no longer subject to the Mosaic Law.

Verse 13: “For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.”

Since the tribe of Levi was designated as the priestly lineage, the Lord Jesus, descending from the tribe of Judah, could not function as an earthly priest. This necessitated a change in the priesthood, given that Christ did not originate from the line of Levi.

Verse 14: “For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.”

Because Christ, the Christian’s High-Priest, belonged to the tribe of Judah rather than Levi, His priesthood operates entirely outside the framework of the law that authorized the Levitical system. This distinction serves as definitive proof that the Mosaic law has been abrogated. In place of the Levitical system, a New Covenant has been established, featuring a new Priest and a new sacrifice. Ultimately, He set aside the law by fulfilling it completely, thereby achieving the perfect righteousness that the law itself was fundamentally incapable of producing.

Verse 15: “And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,”

This reflects the prophetic declaration in Psalm 110 regarding the promised Messiah.

Verse 16: “who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.”

Christ was established as a priest through His resurrection from the dead, thereby possessing an endless life.

Verse 17: “For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”

Pursuant to the declaration in Psalm 110:4, a priest within the order of Melchizedek is ordained to serve in “for ever.”

Verse 18: “For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.”

Although the law is holy and good, it can neither provide the power required to fulfill its demands nor justify those who violate it through sin.

Verse 19: “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”

Serving merely as a preparation, the law brought nothing to completion. Rather, “a better hope” signifies the new covenant, which stands superior by guaranteeing total redemption and drawing us into the very presence of God.

Verse 20: “And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:”

The Levitical priesthood was established without any associated divine oath.

Verse 21: “ (for those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)”

The Levitical priesthood was established without any divine oath. In contrast, the priesthood promised in Psalm 110 holds superiority because it was solemnly confirmed by a divine oath.

Verse 22: “by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.”

This verse introduces the concept of a “testament” for the first time in the epistle. In this setting, Jesus functions as more than a mediator; as our High Priest, He provides a definitive guarantee. This assurance is established not merely by the covenant's inherent attributes, but primarily by the distinct character of the Priest Himself and His perpetual priesthood.

Verse 23: “And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:”

Consequently, the Aaronic priesthood of the Old Testament was invariably terminated by death. Aaron passed away, as did Moses. The demise of Aaron represented a loss to Israel that was arguably as significant as, if not greater than, the death of Moses. Through his passing, the nation lost its high priest—the one who had accompanied them through the wilderness and possessed an intimate understanding of them. This necessitated the appointment of a new priest. In contrast, believers do not possess a transitory priesthood, as Christ lives eternally to make intercession for them. 

Verse 24: “but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.”

The Lord Jesus will no longer experience death. He died once for our sins, but He will never die again; He remains perpetually present for you. 

Verse 25: “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Through His eternal life and endless priesthood, Jesus is able to constantly intercede for worshipers who “draw near to God through him,” ensuring their full and everlasting salvation. The word “uttermost” highlights either a comprehensive salvation satisfying every need, or an eternal salvation anchored in His perpetual prayers for us.

Verse 26: “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;”

The term “Such” is utilized for emphasis, drawing a direct connection between Jesus and Melchizedek regarding His role as a “high priest” who satisfies our requirement for deliverance from sin and its penalties. Furthermore, the description “Separate from sinners” (translated literally as “separated from sinners”) does not oppose the message of 2 Corinthians 5:21: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Rather, it emphasizes a concept that is later reiterated in 9:28. In His current position of heavenly exaltation, Christ remains distinct from the sinful world and is “made higher than the heavens.”

Verse 27: “who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.”

The concept of a “daily” offering points to the endless cycle of repetition throughout the year, serving as clear evidence that those sacrifices were incapable of truly and finally dealing with sin. The distinction “first for his own sins” underscores the supreme nature of Christ’s priesthood, as He possesses no personal sins requiring atonement. A central theme within Hebrews is captured in the phrase “this he did once,” which contrasts the perpetual, daily offerings of the Levitical priests with Jesus’s singular, all-sufficient sacrifice. Finally, the expression “offered up himself” holds immense theological weight; unlike the Levitical order that could only sacrifice animals, our High Priest offered His own life as the perfect substitute—Man for man.

Verse 28: “For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.”

A stark contrast is drawn between “Men ... which have infirmity” and “the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.” Human agents face severe limitations in this priestly role: they are mortal and impermanent, they are compromised by sin, and they can only offer animal sacrifices, which fail to serve as a true substitute for mankind created in the image of God.

Conversely, the Son is “consecrated for evermore” by a divine “oath.” Christ demonstrated His perfection by facing temptation without ever succumbing to sin, yielding absolute obedience to the Father and establishing a perfection that is eternal.