English · ASV

Hebrews 7

Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

The Superiority of Melchizedek's Priesthood 1–10

1
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ​
2
to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; ​
3
without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God), abideth a priest continually. ​
4
Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils.
5
And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest’s office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham:
6
but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises.
7
But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better. ​
8
And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. ​
9
And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receiveth tithes, hath paid tithes; ​
10
for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.

Necessity of Changing the Priesthood and Law 11–19

11
Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron? ​
12
For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. ​
13
For he of whom these things are said belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar.
14
For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests. ​
15
And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest,
16
who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life: ​
17
for it is witnessed of him, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.
18
For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness ​
19
(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God. ​

Christ's Eternal Priesthood Secured by an Oath 20–28

20
And inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath
21
(for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath by him that saith of him, The Lord sware and will not repent himself, Thou art a priest for ever); ​
22
by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. ​
23
And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing:
24
but he, because he abideth for ever, hath his priesthood unchangeable. ​
25
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. ​
26
For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; ​
27
who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself. ​
28
For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, perfected for evermore. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Hebrews 7

Verse 1

king of Salem — The account is Gen 14:17–20: Melchisedec brought out 'bread and wine', blessed Abram and received 'tithes of all'. Salem is named in Ps 76:2, 'In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion'. 'Most high' (hypsistos) is the title behind 'the Son of the Highest' in Luke 1:32.

Verse 2

King of righteousness — 'By interpretation' (hermeneuo) is the verb of John 9:7, 'Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent)'. The name Melchisedec gives 'King of righteousness' and Salem gives 'King of peace' (eirene), in that order: 'first' righteousness, 'after that' peace. The tithe is that of Gen 14:20.

Verse 3

without father, without mother — Apator, ametor and agenealogetos ('without descent') occur only here, as does 'made like' (aphomoioo). Genesis names no parents for Melchisedec and records neither birth nor death. So he resembles the Son, who 'abideth a priest continually', the word rendered 'for ever' in 10:12, 14.

Verse 7

the less is blessed of the better — 'Better' (kreisson) is the keyword seen in 6:9 and again in 7:19, 22. The principle is applied to Gen 14:19, where Melchisedec blessed him 'that had the promises' (v.6). 'Contradiction' (antilogia) is 'strife' in 6:16 and 'contradiction of sinners' in 12:3; 'without all' means beyond dispute.

Verse 8

he liveth — 'Here' are the Levites, who 'die' and need successors (v.23); 'there' is Melchisedec, 'of whom it is witnessed' (martyreo) that he lives, the verb of v.17, 'he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever'. The witness is Ps 110:4, which speaks of no end. Christ says, 'I am he that liveth, and was dead' (Rev 1:18).

Verse 9

payed tithes in Abraham — Levi receives 'all the tenth in Israel' (Num 18:21), yet v.10 says he 'was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him'. 'As I may so say' renders the phrase hos epos eipein, 'so to speak', in which epos occurs only here, a modest way of putting the argument. Dekatoo is the verb 'tithe'.

Verse 11

perfection… by the Levitical priesthood — 'Perfection' (teleiosis) occurs only here and in Luke 1:45, where it is 'performance'; 'Levitical' (Leuitikos) occurs only here. The question is why 'another priest should rise', the verb of v.15, 'there ariseth another priest'. 'The order of Aaron' is named only here.

Verse 12

the priesthood being changed — 'Changed' (metatithemi) and 'change' (metathesis) are the verb and noun of Enoch's removal in 11:5, 'Enoch was translated'. The law is moved with the priesthood, since 'under it the people received the law' (v.11). The new covenant of Jer 31:31–34 is quoted in 8:8–12.

Verse 14

sprang out of Juda — Anatello is used of the sun rising (Matt 5:45) and the day star arising (2 Pet 1:19); the Branch from Jesse's roots is the same figure (Isa 11:1). The priests were of Aaron's house (Ex 28:1), and Moses 'spake nothing' of Juda in that regard. Rev 5:5 calls Christ 'the Lion of the tribe of Juda'.

Verse 16

the power of an endless life — The 'carnal commandment' is priesthood by descent from Aaron. 'Endless' (akatalytos), indissoluble, occurs only here and answers v.3, 'neither beginning of days, nor end of life'. 'Power' (dynamis) is the word of Rom 1:4, 'declared to be the Son of God with power… by the resurrection from the dead'.

Verse 18

disannulling — Athetesis occurs only here and in 9:26, where Christ appears 'to put away sin'. The 'commandment going before' is the rule of priesthood by descent. 'Unprofitableness' (anopheles) is found elsewhere only in Titus 3:9. The Law itself is 'holy' (Rom 7:12); it was 'weak through the flesh' (Rom 8:3).

Verse 19

a better hope — 'Made nothing perfect' uses teleioo, the verb of 5:9. 'Bringing in' (epeisagoge), something brought in alongside, occurs only here. 'Draw nigh' (eggizo) is the verb of Jas 4:8, 'Draw nigh to God'; the way is open in 4:16, 'come boldly unto the throne of grace'.

Verse 21

with an oath — The Levitical priests 'were made without an oath'; 'oath' here is horkomosia, found only in vv.20, 21 and 28. The oath is Ps 110:4, 'The Lord sware and will not repent' (metamelomai, to change the mind). It is the Lord's own oath, as he swore to Abraham (6:13).

Verse 22

a surety — Egguos, one who gives a pledge for another, occurs only here. Judah once became 'surety for the lad' (Gen 44:32). Jesus is surety of a 'better testament' (diatheke, covenant), called 'a better covenant' in 8:6 and tied to 'the blood of sprinkling' in 12:24; its pledge is the oath of v.21.

Verse 24

an unchangeable priesthood — Aparabatos, which does not pass to another, occurs only here. The Levitical priests 'were not suffered to continue by reason of death' (v.23); he 'continueth ever'. The people had heard 'out of the law that Christ abideth for ever' (John 12:34). Hierosyne, priesthood, is peculiar to this chapter.

Verse 25

to the uttermost — Panteles, completely, occurs elsewhere only in Luke 13:11, 'in no wise lift up herself'. 'Come' is proserchomai, the verb of 4:16, 'come boldly unto the throne of grace'. 'Make intercession' (entynchano) is the verb of Rom 8:34, where Christ at God's right hand 'maketh intercession for us'.

Verse 26

holy, harmless, undefiled — 'Holy' is hosios, the word of 'thine Holy One' (Acts 2:27). 'Harmless' (akakos), without evil, occurs elsewhere only in Rom 16:18, where it is 'simple'. 'Undefiled' (amiantos) is also the word of Heb 13:4 and Jas 1:27. 'Higher than the heavens' answers 4:14, 'passed into the heavens'.

Verse 27

for this he did once — 'Once' is ephapax, once for all, the word of 9:12, 10:10 and Rom 6:10. The pattern here is 'first for his own sins, and then for the people's' (Lev 16:6, 15; cf. 5:3), beside the two lambs 'day by day continually' (Ex 29:38). Christ's one offering was 'himself' (9:14).

Verse 28

consecrated for evermore — 'Consecrated' is teleioo, 'made perfect' in 5:9 and of the Son's own path in 2:10. 'Infirmity' returns from 5:2, where the human priest is 'compassed with infirmity'. 'The word of the oath, which was since the law' is Ps 110:4 (v.21), given after the law was.