With the mention of this name begins the discussion of a deep and wonderful subject: "Christ's High-Priesthood--Its Nature and Power." He leads up to it in the fifth chapter. In 5:10 the Lord's penman is ready to open the great theme; and then, it seems, he staggers at the thought of presenting such a deep, spiritual truth to such unspiritually-minded hearers. They are too dull, spiritually, to understand. They are sure to misunderstand unless he prepares their minds as best possible. So he leaves the subject at 5:10, and rebukes and warns and exhorts. If you should drop out the whole text from 5:11 to 6:20, it would not affect the argument in the least. He begins at 7:1 just where he had left off at 5:10.

      Let us also prepare our minds. Let us remember that this is meat, not milk. We are entering on yet holier ground. Let us draw near in faith and in reverence. Let us look for God's mind in this teaching, and leave idle, curious speculation to those babes who know not with what they are dealing.

      All we know about Melchizedek is recorded in three passages. The first, in Gen. 14:18-20, where he mysteriously steps upon the scene, is [84] introduced as priest of God Most High, blesses Abram, and receives from him a tithe--a tenth of all Abram possessed, which latter was an acknowledgment on Abram's part of all Melchizedek's claims. Just as suddenly and mysteriously as he appears, he vanishes. Not a trace, not another mention in the course of that history. A thousand years roll by. Then for one moment that name appears again in a great Messianic psalm, where David in the Holy Spirit recorded God's oath to the Messiah: "Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek." (Ps. 110:4.) Another thousand years of silence. Then the Holy Spirit speaks once more of Melchizedek--this time in reference to the Messiah already come, who even now is "the author of eternal salvation, named of God a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." Here he gives us the fullest account of that mysterious person. Let us note the items one by one: (1) Melchizedek--King of righteousness; (2) King of Salem--King of peace; (3) without father; (4) without mother; (5) without genealogy; (6) having no beginning of days; (7) having no end of life; (8) made like unto the Son of God; (9) abideth a priest continually. Now, who is that? There are many useless theories and speculations [85] in regard to that. God never ministered to the idle curiosity of man. There is one point in all this which we need to know, and that point is that Melchizedek's order of priesthood was greater than the Aaronic, not being limited by time nor by other circumstances; a priesthood not based upon the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. Such is Christ's priesthood--never-changing, never-ending. "Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

      Look over the nine items above which describe Melchizedek. Take any of the theories extant and apply them to this pattern; they will not fit. The fact is, nobody knows who Melchizedek was or is. One man says: "The silence of Scripture as to his genealogy and birth and death is interpreted as proof of how different his priesthood is from that of Aaron and the priests in Israel, where descent was everything." But, plausible as that sounds, the Scriptures say he had no beginning of days nor end of life; and not only is his death not mentioned, but it says he did not die. Note the ninth item. It is in the present tense. Note also verse 8: "He liveth." To say he had no father or mother or genealogy in the [86] priesthood explains some things, but not everything. The nine items describe, to all appearance, a being supernatural, greater than man. Is it an angel? That would fall short. Is it Christ? The description fits him more than any one else. But even there are obstacles. We simply do not know, and cannot know, and need not know. Let us content ourselves with the revelation of Christ's great and exalted priesthood, presented under the figure of Melchizedek.

      "Now consider how great this one was." (The word "man" used in the American Revised Version is not in the Greek, only as implied in the masculine form of the demonstrative pronoun.) Greater than Abraham, for Abraham received a blessing from him; greater than Levi and the Levites (therefore greater than Aaronic priests), because they, although exalted to stand nearer to God than all the other tribes of Israel, and though they received the tithes, the religious offerings of God's people, themselves paid tithes to Melchizedek. How? In the person of Abraham, from whom they sprang. (Verses 4-10.)

      As Melchizedek, therefore, was higher than Aaron, so was his order of priesthood--the [87] order of Christ's priesthood--greater than that of Aaron.

      Now the old law depended for its worship, sacrifices, service of God, and ministrations in general, upon the Levitical priesthood. It also provided for the selection, succession, ordination, consecration, of these Levitical priests, and only Levitical priests. It is evident, therefore, that another order of priesthood must be based upon another law, and must bring with it another law and another order of things--in fact, another covenant--a covenant by so much better as the new priesthood is greater than the old. See the comparisons of the two priesthoods in verses 11, 15, 16, 20, 21, 23, 24. So this new priest is one, immortal, unchangeable, higher than the heavens--a Son perfected for evermore. (Heb. 5:5, 6, 9, 10.)

      All priests were given to meditate between man and God and bring man to God. Jesus, our High Priest, is on the throne, in the sanctuary of the highest heaven, for this very purpose. He is not a vain figure--one who, having completed a "system," or "scheme," or "plan" of redemption, sits back and lets men follow it as best they can--but a living Helper, Savior, Mediator, Intercessor, from whom flows continual sustenance to each human soul that draws near [88] unto God through him; for he is the Head, we are the members of his body; he is the Vine, we are the branches. Apart from him we can do nothing.

      Our Father in heaven, we thank thee for the better hope by which we may draw near unto thee, and the perfect High Priest who brings us unto God and whose continual intercession sustains and cleanses us and keeps us clean. We look unto thee, O Father; we come unto thee through thy holy and merciful Son, our Lord and our Mediator. Grant us deliverance from all our adversaries. Make us strong to conquer. Keep us by thy power according to thy exceeding great and precious promises, that nothing may separate us from thy love. And when by Jesus' sacrifice and intercession we shall have received the final redemption, we will glorify and praise thy love and wisdom evermore, through Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

      The next lesson is chapter 8. What is the main point of the teaching of chapter 7? What does he say in chapter 8 concerning the service [89] of the old law and its tabernacle? Why was a second covenant needed? Did God ever make a faulty or imperfect covenant? Memorize verses 10-12. What excellencies of the new covenant are here enumerated? What covenant is that mentioned in verse 9? Who broke it? Did the old order cease suddenly or gradually? (Verse 13.) [90]

[LOH1 82-90]