Christ - Priest In Order Of Melchizedek

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you a royal priest?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that we are like CHRIST a royal priest.

IV. TEXT:

Hebrews 5:6 (Amplified Bible)

5:6 As He says also in another place, You are a Priest [appointed] forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.

Parallel:

Psalms 110:4 (Amplified Bible)

110:4 The Lord has sworn and will not revoke or change it: You are a priest forever, after the manner and order of Melchizedek.

V. THESIS:

I am a royal priesthood chosen by GOD.

1 Peter 2:9 (Amplified Bible)

2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

VI. TITLE:

CHRIST - Priest in order of Melchizedek

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Date of writing: Before AD. 70

B. Style of writing: Best Greek style

C. Authorship: Not specific, but generally attributed to Apostle Paul. Can be also ascribed to Barnabas, Luke, Apollos

D. Audience: Hebrew Christians

E. Theme: Christ is superior to the prophets; Christ is superior to angels—J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible

F. Purpose: The chief doctrinal purpose of the writer was to show the transcendent glory of the Christian dispensation, as compared with that of the Old Testament.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

G. Keyword: better

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. CHRIST is Priest forever

"As He says also in another place, You are a Priest [appointed] forever"

Hebrews 7:1-3 (Amplified Bible)

7:1 FOR THIS Melchizedek, king of Salem [and] priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

7:2 And Abraham gave to him a tenth portion of all [the spoil]. He is primarily, as his name when translated indicates, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, which means king of peace.

7:3 Without [record of] father or mother or ancestral line, neither with beginning of days nor ending of life, but, resembling the Son of God, he continues to be a priest without interruption and without successor.

Psalms 110:4 (Amplified Bible)

110:4 The Lord has sworn and will not revoke or change it: You are a priest forever, after the manner and order of Melchizedek.

CHRIST's Priesthood is forever not based on the tribe of Levi, but on Himself, the Pre-Incarnate CHRIST.

Numbers 3:6 (Amplified Bible)

3:6 Bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.

B. CHRIST is after the order of Melchizedek

"after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek"

Order in Greek word is "taxis" meaning:

1. an arranging, arrangement

2. due or right order, orderly condition

3. the post, rank, or position which one holds in civic or other affairs

Melchisedek means "king of righteousness" and is the king of Salem and priest of the most High God, who lived in the days of Abraham. Abraham saw CHRIST before the Incarnation as CHRIST testifying about it before the unbelieving Jews.

John 8:56 (Amplified Bible)

8:56 Your forefather Abraham was extremely happy at the hope and prospect of seeing My day (My incarnation); and he did see it and was delighted.

Genesis 14:18 (Amplified Bible)

14:18 Melchizedek king of Salem [later called Jerusalem] brought out bread and wine [for their nourishment]; he was the priest of God Most High,

Hebrews 5:10 (Amplified Bible)

5:10 Being designated and recognized and saluted by God as High Priest after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6:20 (Amplified Bible)

6:20 Where Jesus has entered in for us [in advance], a Forerunner having become a High Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7:1 (Amplified Bible)

7:1 FOR THIS Melchizedek, king of Salem [and] priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

Hebrews 7:10-11 (Amplified Bible)

7:10 For he was still in the loins of his forefather [Abraham] when Melchizedek met him [Abraham].

7:11 Now if perfection (a perfect fellowship between God and the worshiper) had been attainable by the Levitical priesthood—for under it the people were given the Law—why was it further necessary that there should arise another and different kind of Priest, one after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one appointed after the order and rank of Aaron?

Hebrews 7:15-17 (Amplified Bible)

7:15 And this becomes more plainly evident when another Priest arises Who bears the likeness of Melchizedek,

7:16 Who has been constituted a Priest, not on the basis of a bodily legal requirement [an externally imposed command concerning His physical ancestry], but on the basis of the power of an endless and indestructible Life.