Day 704: Something much better - Hebrews 7 vs 11 - 22

11 If the priesthood of Levi, on which the law was based, could have achieved the perfection God intended, why did God need to establish a different priesthood, with a priest in the order of Melchizedek instead of the order of Levi and Aaron? 12 And if the priesthood is changed, the law must also be changed to permit it. 13 For the priest we are talking about belongs to a different tribe, whose members have never served at the altar as priests. 14 What I mean is, our Lord came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never mentioned priests coming from that tribe. 15 This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared. 16-17 Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. And the psalmist pointed this out when he prophesied, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

18-19 Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless. For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. 20-21 This new system was established with a solemn oath. Aaron’s descendants became priests without such an oath, but there was an oath regarding Jesus. For God said to him,“The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow:‘You are a priest forever.’” 22 Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God. Hebrews 7:11-22 New Living Translation's paraphrase.

I used a paraphrased translation for today's reading because it does help modern day non-Jewish readers to grasp something that the first Jewish Christians would've more easily understood. For just as important to them as angels, Moses, and the priestly system of the temple, were the tribes to which they belonged. The writer was explaining how Jesus Christ is the perfect priest God had provided, and the only priest they (and us) would ever need. But what was the important point he made to them in vs 13?

The priest he's speaking of there is Jesus Christ, and, as the family lists Matthew and Luke give in their gospels show, Jesus was born of the tribe of Judah. The Jewish priests, however, were all from the same tribe as Moses and Aaron, i.e. the Levites, and no mention was ever made by Moses of a priest from Judah. For Jews that presented a problem. What would be needed for introducing a priest who was not from the Levites? (vs 12)

The law (given by God through Moses) would have to be changed! That would have been mind boggling to Jews and they would need strong evidence of such a change. What does the writer say is the evidence that such a change had indeed come about? (vs 15)

He says that Jesus Christ's priesthood stems not from Aaron and the Levites, but from the man named Melchizedek who lived in the days of Abraham. And in vs 16-17 he quotes words from a Psalm David wrote about the coming Messiah which foretold that He would be a priest 'in the order of Melchizedek'. (It was Psalm110 vs 4) Many of the Jews would've immediately asked 'but why did God see it necessary to change the law – and send a new priest?'. What was the writer's surprising reply to such a question? (vs 18-19)

The priestly system given through Moses was a temporary provision until Messiah came. It's sacrifices pointed to Messiah, but the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sins. The law and all the sacrifices were imperfect in themselves. And in case those asking questions were still in doubt, what does he say is confirmation why Jesus is a better way? (vs 20-21)

The promise of this perfect priest in Psalm 110:4 was made with an oath. God solemnly swore that Messiah would be a ‘forever’ priest. He would never die and need to be replaced, as was the case of the Levitical priests. That's why the new covenant God made to save everyone in all the world who turns to Christ is much better that the Old Covenant made with the Jews. (vs 22) If you are in Christ by faith – you have a priest who makes you perfect in God's sight!