Jesus Greater Than Melchizedek

• Certain priestly families could not produce their genealogical records (lost or destroyed);

• And because they had no records of genealogies;

• They were therefore excluded from the priesthood for ever

• To be an Old Testament priest (priest of Aaron).

• Genealogy was literally everything!

We have already noted that Melchizedek has no genealogy:

• We are told of no time when Melchizedek began or ended his priesthood;

• We are told of no time when he was born or died.

• Therefore symbolically he had no beginning and has no end;

• And symbolically his priesthood had no end either;

• Symbolically it is still going,

• Symbolically Melchizedek is still serving as a priest and king today.

Ill:

• I have to sign in and out, when I visit most Schools;

• If I forget to sign out, the record shows I am still on site.

• Until I sign out and officially end my visit;

• As far as the school is concerned I am still ‘at work’ on their premises.

The antitype is clear

• Melchizedek is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ in that,

• Jesus is truly eternal, without beginning or end.

• Though Jesus Christ was born at Bethlehem;

• The Bible makes it quite clear that he pre-existed in heaven (John chapter 1 verse 1)

• Even though Jesus Christ did physically die on a cross,

• Again the Bible makes it very clear; this was not the end of him

• For He arose from the dead and today verse 17 says:

• He lives in "the power of an endless life" or “Indestructible life”

So for the writer of this letter, the point he is making is clear:

• Melchizedek is superior to Aaron and his priesthood of the Old Testament;

• In a variety of ways:

(a).

• Neither Aaron nor any of his descendants could claim to be "without genealogy".

• That was the very thing they had to prove to be a priest.

(b).

• They could not claim to have an eternal ministry.

• Because they physically died and were replaced by someone else.

(c).

• Nor could they claim to be both kings and priests,

• Their very qualification to one office barred them from the other.

Note:

• Having showed us how superior Melchizedek is compared to Aaron;

• The writer now shows us how superior Jesus Christ is compared to Melchizedek:

(a).

• For Melchizedek was human, flesh and blood, a literal person in history.

• In contrast Jesus was and is the Son of God (Hebrews chapter 1).

(b).

• For Melchizedek these truths were symbolic

• (He appeared without genealogy, but of course he had human relatives)

• But for Jesus these truths are real;

• He was not created or will not die of old age etc.

• His is eternal (“The same yesterday, today, forever”);

• And therefore his priestly ministry is eternal! (verse 27 “permanent priesthood”)

(4). Melchizedek's superiority (verse 4-10):

“Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!