A High Priest After Melchizedek

Introduction

Good morning to all. May I encourage you to find in your Bible the book of Hebrews? And I urge you to do that because you’ll be able to follow along the lesson much more closely if you can follow Hebrews chapter 5. I’m glad to see you here. I think our audience is a little bit diminished. As I was driving just around the corner, I thought, wow, this fog is so heavy, I hope none of our members have a problem getting here or having a wreck at least because of the fog. As you can tell by now, my voice is sort of like our foyer out there. It’s under repair. As of Thursday, I began to get a little laryngitis, and Friday got worse. But I still thought, well, I can handle this all right.

It’ll be gone by Sunday. But yesterday it was even worse, so I got Greg prepared just in case. And I got up this morning. I thought, well, I’ve got enough voice, and I got this lesson prepared, and I want to talk with you and think you can follow along with me from the scripture. And I just thought of so much for Greg to have to do three lessons bang, bang, bang, right in a row. So I hope you can hear and able to follow along. Our lesson today, I think, is one of the most important out of Hebrews. At least one that we probably don’t understand as much as other passages from Hebrews. Frankly, how many of us would say, well, let me explain to you what being a high priest really means?

Can you? Why there’s so much attention to Jesus being our great high priest. Do you realize that there are thirteen chapters in Hebrews? Nine of those thirteen chapters. Jesus is referred to and some trait about him as our high priest. Now, in our studies, if you’ve been with us at this nine o’clock hour, we’ve been going through Hebrews, and we started off as the book does, or as the letter does, how that God, who at sundry times and in diverse manner spake in time fasted to fathers by the prophets, hath in his last days spoken unto us by his son. And then he sets out to prove the superiority of Jesus Christ. Why does God speak through him? In the very first chapter, he proves that Jesus is greater than the angels, even though the angels were the ones through whom God spoke to Moses to give the law Moses.

But to which of the angels did he ever say, Thou art my beloved son? And I have begotten thee. None is the answer of that. And then he set out to prove that Jesus was greater than Moses, even the lawgiver. But in chapter 3, he describes how Moses really was like a son, or as a servant, that is, in the house, whereas Jesus was like the son over the house, whose house we are as the church of the people of God. So he’s superior to angels, superior to Moses. And then he proceeds to show that he is superior even to Aaron, who was the high priest, the brother of Moses. But who might say who stood next to Moses as indeed the one through whom the people really looked to for the law, the word of God, and who would make the sacrifices for the people of God?

1. Jesus, Our Great High Priest

Jesus, our great high priest, so what? So if you have your text, then I want us to first of all read these from nine different chapters, how great and how important it is that he be our high priest. First of all, look back in your text, the Hebrews chapter 2, where in verses 17 and 18, the writer says, Therefore, in all things, he had to be made like his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted. Then right on into chapter 3, therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him who appointed him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house.

Then in chapter 4, in Hebrews chapter 4, and in verses 14 through 16, seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was on all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. And then in our lesson today, in these first ten verses of chapter 5, and I’m not going to read all of them again. Porter read these a while ago, but I hope you understood that as he read and will talk about them, it’s a summary might say.

As verse 1 says, every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray since he himself is also subject to weaknesses. Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself to offer sacrifices for sins. And no man takes dishonor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was, so also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but it was he who said to him, You’re my son, today I have begotten thee. And then in really in verse 10, it is said and introduced to us for the first time and then elaborated on in chapter chapter seven, that he is called by God as high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

What does that mean? Can you explain that? How important is it that Christ is a priest, a high priest after the order of Melchizedek? But then going into chapter six, in Hebrews 6 and in verse 20, well, I’m going to start with verse 19. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, though sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become high priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. There it is again. And then as you go into chapter 7, really, there’s much more emphasis and explanation of what that really means. How that he is a priest after the order of Melchizedek. How important is that? We’ll discuss that later in the lesson.

But looking at chapter 7 and verse 28. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness. But the word of the old which came after the law appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. Chapter 8 1. Now this is the main point of the things we’re saying. Now look at this. We’ve come this far in Hebrews, and he says, now here’s the main point of the things we’re saying. We have such a high priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. In the chapter 9 and in verse 11, Christ came as high priest of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, out of this creation.

And then finally in chapter 10 and in verse 21. The scripture says, I’m going to start with verse 19. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he consecrated for us through the veil, that is his flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. For he who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.

2. A Position of Supreme Importance

I think it rather obvious when this much attention throughout the book of Hebrews speaks about how Christ is our great high priest. It certainly indicates it’s a position of supreme importance. Aaron and his lineage were given the responsibility about sacred things, things that pertain to God, things that pertain to man’s relationship with God. He was the one authorized by God to administer the sacrifices, to enter into the holy place once every year to offer the blood of atonement, the blood for the sins of the people. He was a man, you might say, who stood next to the monarch in influence among the nation, indispensable source of knowledge of God’s will, and he was the channel through which spiritual life really was communicated. You must understand. I say probably most of us as Christians today don’t comprehend the importance of a high priest.

But remember, this letter is written to Hebrews. It’s written to Jews. And the people who first received this message, no doubt, did comprehend how important the high priest is and was and had been in their life as a Jew. And so for now the writer to say, well, just as you’ve learned in your life earlier as a worshiping Jew, who would see or witness that every year at the day of atonement, the high priest would offer sacrifice. First of all, he would offer a bull or a bullet, sacrifice the bullock, and he’d enter into the holy of holies. And there sprinkle the blood five times around the mercy seat for his own sins. And then he would take a goat and sacrifice it and also enter into the holy of holies to sprinkle the blood around the mercy seat for the sins of the people.

And then there was the scapegoat that he would then later release to go out into the wilderness, had to carry the sins with him, signify that they’re no longer held accountable by God to the people. That’s an important day. How else could the people have any kind of confidence that they really had this relationship with God and one that they themselves were freed from their sins? At least we say freed. It still looked to the cross of Christ, and the blood that Jesus shed on the cross went backwards to take care of the people who had been holy to God, as well as to us today, forward. But here were people, as the Hebrew writer is writing this letter, they begin to comprehend. That’s an important day in their life.

The day of atonement, the seventh month of the year.

Why did he offer sacrifice for himself? Well, the high priest was himself imperfect. He had sins too. But the fact that he walked among men, they knew this high priest, let’s say, we’ll start with Aaron and then others who followed, that he understood their weaknesses and their troubles. But he had to offer for himself. And then he would offer for the people. Jesus Christ was without sin. His offering was different from the high priest. And that’s one of the arguments that’s made throughout this letter. That indeed here is one who came and lived among us perfectly without sin. But he himself was able to offer sacrifice for us. Jesus, having walked in the flesh with us, understood our tempt our temptations. Remember back in chapter 2, tempted on all points like as we are, yet without sin.

3. Called by God, Just as Aaron Was

Jesus, though, even himself could not be a high priest except to be called of God. Look now at chapter 5, and our lesson really for today, Hebrews chapter 5 starts off. Every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weaknesses. You see the point?

Yes, he’s perfect, but he understands. You can’t say, well, you know, Jesus, he doesn’t really understand my walk. Well, he does too. He came and walked as a man. Just as the high priest in their day, in the time of the Moses, the law of Moses, in effect, that high priest understood because he was in flesh and blood like they were. But here is Jesus. And now in verse 3, because of this, he is required, as for the people, so also for himself to offer sacrifices for sins. Just as I explained. He first offered in the Holy of Holies for his sins. And then later for the sins of the people. Verse 4, and no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God.

Just as Aaron was. You mean Jesus was called by God. You couldn’t be a high priest just because you might be the most popular among the people. It wasn’t an election among the people who should be the high priest. You may remember those of you who are Bible students had in Numbers chapter 16. There’s a story about three Jews who really contended with the fact that Moses and Aaron were in leadership. Indeed, what happened to them is that they were put to death. The earth swallowed them up because they had come and challenged. They didn’t like the leadership of Moses and Aaron, Korah, Dathan, and Abira. But indeed, what was proved to them is that Moses and Aaron had been elected by God. And it wasn’t the right of some human being to come in and say, Look, Moses and Aaron, we don’t want you leading us anymore.

Their lives paid the price of that objection. But now look at Christ Jesus. In verses 5 and 6, verses chapter 5 of Hebrews, so also Christ did not glorify himself to become a high priest. But it was he who said to him, that is, it was God who said to him, You are my son. Today I have begotten you. Quotation from Psalm 2 in verse 7. Verse 6, as he also says in another place, you are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. Psalm 110, verse 4. Written almost a thousand years before Christ ever came to the earth, it was already prophesied he would be a priest. And after the order of Melchizedek. Well, you say, so what? I’m sometimes wondering a group like this.

4. A Priest After the Order of Melchizedek

I’m not going to ask you to raise your hand, but if I did, how many could raise your hand and say, I can explain what it means to be a priest after the order of Melchizedek? What does it mean? Well, actually, those of us who’ve been in the auditorium class the last three months, we’ve gone through the book of Genesis. I’d hope you’d raise your hands. Because back when we studied in Genesis chapter 14, there was a time when Lot, the nephew of Abram, you remember he had gone and settled his family around Sodom. And what happened as the story in Genesis 14 records is that some kings of the north had come down and overrun some of the cities and kings of the south, Sodom and Gomorrah being among the number.

And therefore took them captive, took their goods. When the word came to Abraham that his nephew Lot had been captured and taken and was being taken north, Abram gathered around 318 of his own servants who had trained. That is, they were like trained soldiers. And therefore he follows after and catches Keterilama and the other kings of the north and releases or brings back Lot safely, and he gets the goods that they had stolen, you might say, from these cities. So what? On his way back, he meets Melchizedek, king of Salem. We don’t know any more about Melchizedek than what’s right there. He was king of Salem. What we do know from that text in Genesis chapter 14, verses 18 through 20, he, Melchizedek, blessed Abram. And Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek.

And the point being made is now, you know, the one who is greater blesses the lesser. And only the lesser would pay tithes to the greater. So what that said is, while we know Abraham is the father of the faithful, and what a great man Abraham was, yet Melchizedek was greater than Abram. And so, as we, and we’ll enlighten on this more when we get to chapter Hebrews 7, that though Jesus Christ is a high priest, he couldn’t have been a high priest after the order of Agron. He couldn’t have been a high priest because the priest came out of the tribe of Levi. And in Hebrews chapter 7, in fact, the scripture says that as Jesus was of the tribe of Judah, the Jews would have objected.

He couldn’t be a priest after the tribe of Judah, for he, out of the tribe of Levi, for he was the tribe of Judah, of which Moses spake nothing regarding priesthood. How can Christ be a priest? Much less a high priest. Because, as the scripture says, just as there’s a change in the law, there must also be a change in the priesthood. There’s a change from the law of Moses governing God’s people today. Now it is the gospel of Christ, which is our word of authority. But as there’s a change in the law, there’s a change in the priesthood. He is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, to whom through Abraham’s loins, even the Levite priest paid tithes. That is, they are of the loins of Abram.

5. Christ Jesus Gave His Blood

And as Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek, so they are part of that lineage. So the point is, Christ is greater than the high priesthood of Aaron. But now, following the thought, chapter 5 again, verse 7, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and was heard because of his godly fear. What’s he saying? And earlier under the law of Moses, the high priest, as I said earlier, first of all, would offer a bullock, and then take it, the blood in there and sprinkle it five times around the mercy seat for himself. His sins. And then he would take the blood of a goat and sprinkle it five times around the mercy seat for the sins of the people.

But in each case, he had to take the blood of animals. Christ Jesus gave his blood. It wasn’t the blood of animals. All of this, as we will see even later, Hebrews 10 and verse 1, the law was a shadow of good things to come. So what’s being represented even by the Levitical priest and high priest, the blood signified the penalty of sin is death. But as Hebrews 10 in verse 4 says, the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin. But it was as a shadow. It was as a God saying, Now, look, later on, there’s going to be the real sacrifice that counts eternally for man of all ages. It is Jesus who gave his blood.

That’s what Aaron and the other high priest did. So how much more important? And then when he says in this verse, did you notice?

How many times have you ever read Matthew 26, even other passages that speak about the sacrifice of Christ? Three times he prayed. It would be possible that this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. How many times did the Lord as he knew what was coming? And from a physical per point of view, the terrible pain and suffering of being nailed to the cross and dying in that way. Yes, there were tears. There was concern. Luke describes in one passage that the blood sweat fell from his face as though it were blood. In other words, profusely. It was a terrible thing. But it wasn’t the blood of bulls and goats. Christ Himself was a sacrifice. He’s our high priest. Yes. His own blood is what he offered for our sins.

In fact, in chapter 9, if you have your Bible, look at chapter 9 in the last three or four verses. In verse uh chapter 9, verse 24, Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself. Now to appear in the presence of God for us. Not that he should offer himself often as the high priest enters the most holy place every year with the blood of another. In other words, every year the high priest had to repeat that sacrifice. But Christ now goes into the holy of holies into heaven itself, but one time for all time. Verse 6 26, he then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world. But now through, but now once at the end of the ages, he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

6. The Author of Eternal Salvation to All Who Obey Him

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for him, he will appear a second time, apart from sin for salvation. What a powerful passage if we can comprehend. Christ Jesus, our great high priest. But then with that in mind, look at the back at chapter 5, verses 8 and 9. Though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he himself, which he suffered. Having been perfected, he became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him, called by God as high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Though he was a son, yet he learned obedience. That seems untenable, doesn’t it?

Jesus Christ, being of the characteristic of Godhood, he was God with us, Emmanuel means at his birth. Yet he learned obedience.

In fact, he is an omniscient, I believe. Was even as he walked. So it doesn’t mean that he didn’t understand the meaning of obedience before this. But I believe what it does describe is that his experience as a man. As he faced the cross, why did he pray that prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before the cross? Why did the sweat fall from his brow like it did before he was put to death? He understood from a human point of view. He learned obedience in that sense that he became, he exemplified obedience while walking in the footsteps of other men. No one can say to the Lord, You don’t understand. He well understands. Probably better than most of us, the obedience to the cross. We don’t face that kind of death.

But Jesus Christ left us an example. His experience gave him insight into man’s point of view. And therefore, as our high priest, he’s able to come to the aid of those of us who are tempted. He is able to offer sacrifice for us who are sinners. Jesus Christ willingly endured the painful experience and demonstrated all the submission, what submission may mean. But notice also in this verse. He, though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. And having been perfected, he became what? I’m reading, of course, the New King James Version. He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him. Interesting, that same word is translated in the New American Standard Persian, that He became indeed the one who is the source of eternal salvation.

He is the captain of eternal salvation. In other words, it is through Jesus Christ and only through him that salvation has been made possible. He’s the author, the source, the captain of eternal salvation. Indeed, what Christ did was pave the way for you and me. We can look to him and know that as we apply his blood that we can be redeemed from our sins. We apply his blood as we are baptized into the death of Christ, Romans 6, verses 3 and 4. And therefore, it is in that experience, of course, that we have sins washed away. But did you notice? He’s the author of eternal salvation to whom? He didn’t say to everybody. He died for everybody. But we have a choice to make. He is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him.

Conclusion

Those of the days who teach salvation by faith only, add a word the Bible doesn’t add. We’re saved by faith, by grace through faith. But it’s to those who obey him that he provides eternal salvation. He is our high priest after the order of Melchizedek, even as Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek the greater. So Jesus Christ is the greater high priest than that of Aaron. Indeed, what a blessing. What a privilege we have. I hope this lesson has helped us stop and think about what it really means to be after the order of Melchizedek, that we have that high priest. I want to close by reading one more passage that we really read a moment ago. But if you would with me, the end of chapter 4, that really starts our lesson today.

Chapter 4 and verse 14 through 16. Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. If you’re not walking with the Lord as you ought. If you would say, Well, I’m not sure if the Lord were to come this hour, whether I’d be saved or not, I hope before you leave the building today, you’ll make it right with the Lord. You need to repent and ask for prayers of your fellow brethren that you can do that.

Or if you’ve never been immersed, if you’ve never had the blood, wash away your sins. That you will submit, repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins. As you do it today. Before we close, let us bow in a word of prayer. Almighty God, our loving Father, we are so grateful for your love for us, people who do not deserve. And yet, though you first loved us, we certainly love you. We’re thankful for Jesus the Christ, who suffered for us and died in our place. That he was able to go into the holy of holies into heaven itself to offer sacrifice for our sins. We thank you, Lord, for the power of your word. Help us to fully and properly understand it and to make proper application in our lives that we might obey and find that salvation through Christ Jesus.

Bless us now as we continue our studies in the Bible classes and then as we worship around the Lord’s table, and then as we are edified by your word being preached later. Guide us and keep us in your care. May we always glorify you in our lives. In the name of Christ we pray. And amen. If you’re visiting with us, let me explain that we have just a short break, maybe five or ten minutes or so. Then we go to our Bible classes at the next hour. And then for 45 minutes, and then we’ll come with a little break between that. We come back into the auditorium. At that time we’ll have our Lord’s Supper and another sermon. Thank you very much.