Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18-28
In the ancient times, particularly in non-Israelite culture, the kingly duties and the priestly duties are commonly practiced by the same man. Melchizedek is the king of Salem who blessed Abraham after the successful rescue that he did for his nephew Lot.
Melchizedek is considered a high priest of the God of Most High. Melchizedek means “My king is righteous” or simply “king of righteousness”. Salem on the other hand is a shortened word for “Jerusalem” and the same word is related to the Hebrew word for “peace”.
After Abraham defeated Kedorlaomer, Abraham gave the tenth of the plunder (v.4) in response to Melchizedek's blessings. Here we see that Abraham's tithe shows that he is indebted to no man except to the God Most High.
The book of Hebrews describes Melchizedek, to have no father nor mother (v. 7:3), wiithout geneology, without beginning nor ending. In contrast however, the book of Genesis never mentioned of the parentage of Melchizedek nor his birth and death. The only clear thing is that he had become one of the historical figures of Israel at the time of Abraham.
The Hebrew tradition believes that Melchizedek was the prefiguration of Christ.
Despite of this little descrepancy to what the Jewish culture believes and to what the book of Genesis have mentioned, we can see here that what matters is what the Jewish tradition stands for Melchizedek.
Believing that Melchizedek is the prefigured Christ, the author of the book of Hebrews is trying to compare the position of Melchizedek to Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Truths About Jesus Being the High Priest
The Son of God possess eternity (v.3)
The author of Hebrews emphasized that just like Melchizedek, the Son of God does not have geneology, nor beginning and ending. Thus, he is a priest forever.
We all know that humanly, Jesus has geneology, he has parents. But spiritually speaking, even in our studies last December, we have seen that God chose a virgin to conceive Jesus in order to show that Jesus really comes from the Most High, and not from or among men. He lived among men, but he did not come from among men.
Even Joseph his foster father almost left Mary thinking that Mary is seeing someone and that she got pregnant. But the angel of the Lord came to him in a dream telling him not to be afraid but to wed Mary and give a name to the Son of God. The Messiah is to be born out of the lineage of David, thus, Joseph's lineage was that of David, so as fulfilling the prophecy.
Yet, we should note that Jesus was concieved through the power of the Holy Spirit, so as He came from God, possessing their attributes though in human form.
The Son of God is worthy of tithe (v.4-10)
The book of Genesis have taught us many things about giving. The story of Cain and Abel taught us that giving our offering to the Lord should be in the right manner. Now Abraham, after rescuing Lot and winning the battle against his enemy, he gave the tithe to Melchizedek as a show of his respect to the Lord. Abraham showed that his victory is not for kings but for God.
Then the book of Hebrews is arguing that if the Levites are worthy for the tithes that they are receiving from their brothers because of the law, then all the more the recipient of the tithes that does not come from the geneology of the Israelites. The Israelites were required to give the tithes, yet Abraham gave the tithe freely to Melchizedek.
Now, the Son of God, Jesus Christ is in the order of Melchizedek, a priest forever, therefore he is all the more worthy of the tithe.
Therefore, we may think that we used to give tithe to the church for the people who runs the church. But no, we give our tithes, because we love Jesus and respect the High Priest forever. It is not the pastors whom we are giving, it is not the council, but it is giving to our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Son of God has become the guarantee of a better covenant (v.11-22)
The argument of the writer continues. According to the passage, the people already have the tribe of Aaron to be the priests of the people. It is the priests who bring the offering of the people to the Lord. And the priest is not an office that one can choose as his profession. It is something that must be out of inheritance.
But Jesus Christ is totally different. He does not come out of the tribe of Levi. He came from the tribe of Judah. He became a priest not in accordance to the law but in accordance to God's power of an endless life. He is the priest who became the guarantee of a better covenant.
The law of Moses made no one perfect in the eyes of God. But God because of His great love for the people, he gave us someone who can be an ultimate guarantee of our eternal life.
The Son of God has a continuing office (v.23-25)
Jesus Christ after he died did not remain in the grave, but ressurected to continue his purpose, to be the only way the truth and the life. The only one mediator between God and humanity. Jesus continues to live so that those people who come through Him will be saved.
The Bible lives to prove that there is God, and that through Jesus Christ, we may receive salvation. All through out history, different people attempted to destroy the Bible in order to destroy the belief in one true God. Though there were times in the history that it is very difficult to acquire a Bible, we can still see that the Bible continous to exists. And this is one of the reasons why the Bible is the most amazing book ever written, and is known to man. Thus, the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ continous to exist.
Jesus though suffered death, he overcome death in order to prove the life that is in Him. Furthermore, verse 25 is a powerful verse to take note. It says; “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.“
The Son of God is the perfect Hight Priest (v.26-28)
We have mentioned earlier that the High Priest is the mediator between God and humanity. The priests are the one who brings the offering of the people for their appeasement with God. But even though they are the mediator between men and God, the priests also sacrifices, first for their sins then for the people.
Verses 26-28 gives us a brief description of who was Jesus.
“For such a Hight Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priest men who have weakness, but the word of the oath which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.”
Is there anyone that we know who can equal with Christ? The Bible describe Christ to be perfect, holy, undefiled, separate from sinners, and above the heavens. Only God can ever possess these characterictics, yet thousands of people still deny the deity of Christ.
Conclusion
The Son of God is more than the High Priest Melchizedek. He is eternal and is the perfect mediator between God and men.
No comments:
Post a Comment