BIBLE STUDY MANUALS: HEBREWS CHAPTER 7

(Heb 6:16 NASB) "For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.

(Heb 6:17 NASB) In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath,

(Heb 6:18 NASB) so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

(Heb 6:19 NASB) This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,

(Heb 6:20 NASB) where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

(Heb 6:13 NASB) For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,

(Heb 6:14 NASB) saying, "I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU."

(Heb 6:16 NASB) For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.

(Heb 6:17 NASB) In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath,

(Heb 6:18 NASB) so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

(Heb 6:19 NASB) This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,

(Heb 6:20 NASB) where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

In Heb 6:13-15, it is stipulated relative to the promise God made to Abraham, that since God, being absolutely Sovereign and absolutely trustworthy could swear to keeping that promise by no one greater than Himself, so He swore by Himself, saying to Abraham, "I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU," which is a certain guarantee of what God promised to Abraham, with the proviso that Abraham respond with sufficient faithfulness; and following that is a statement in Heb 6:15 referring to Abraham, "having patiently waited, he obtained the promise," indicating that at long last Abraham was sufficiently faithful to obtain the promise in accordance with his volition, albeit in accordance with the sovereign decrees of God Who stipulated just what Abraham would choose to do. For Abraham did have his moments of unfaithfulness. Although Abraham patiently waited for 25 years, wherein he obtained God's promise; that promise was nevertheless not yet obtained in an actual historical timeframe as yet. What seems to be a contradiction, God being Who He is, is outside of time and absolutely trustworthy and sovereign; so that when it was indicated that Abraham obtained the promise, within Abraham's lifetime after 25 years when Isaac was born. So far as God is concerned, the promised IS surely obtained by Abraham in accordance with His sovereign decrees which will be realized in time.

(Heb 6:16 NASB) "For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute,"

The verse indicates that individuals swearing by one, i.e., by an authority greater than themselves, settles the matter among fellow men. So much the more the matter is settled when God is involved, which is the point being made in the three previous verses and concluded in Heb 6:17, which reads:

(Heb 6:17 NASB) "In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath."

So the heirs to the promise God made and secured with Abraham and his descendants was that much the more secured by God by His oath by Himself which authenticated the unchangeableness of His purpose as a result of the oath which God interposed / intervened between Himself and Abraham to absolutely verify the reliability of His promise. God being Who He is, Who is absolutely Sovereign and reliable, cannot change. Therefore what He has promised to Abraham and his descendants will absolutely come to pass - and in God's viewpoint Who is outside of time, it is already obtained by Abraham at the moment he "interposed with an oath."

(Heb 6:18 NASB) "so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us."

So by two unchangeable things which God did, i.e., make a promise which is unchangeable for God and an oath which is unchangeable for God as well because of Who He is: absolutely Sovereign, absolute Righteousness, immutable / unchangeable and therefore He cannot lie. Therefore the promise to the believer in this age relative to rewards for that believer's faithfulness is set in stone. Therefore believers - those who have trusted alone in Christ alone for eternal life - who thereafter "have taken refuge in the sense of refuge in God, i.e., those believers have taken refuge in God to deliver to them what God has promised to fulfill in them based on the Sovereignty, Righteous character and trustworthiness and immutability of God in accordance with the believer's faithfulness. So we believers may receive strong encouragement of God's deliverance of His promise for us because of the trustworthy character of God, so that they may take hold of the hope - the sure hope - of God's promise to us as particularly applicable to each believer in this Church age - the sure hope that He has set before us of His particular promise for each believer as He did long ago with Abraham and the promise God specifically stipulated for him and his descendants. Note that a careful reading of the epistles of the New Testament will provide insights to such promises particularly applicable to Church Age believers, and how believers may secure the promises that God has made on their behalf through being faithful and through persevering in that faithfulness. Note that at first Abram / Abraham was not entirely faithful to what God had promised through Abraham and Sarah, albeit Abraham finally turned toward God and he thereby obtained the promise:

(Heb 6:18 NASB cont.) "so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us."

The writer does not specify what we believers are to take refuge from, but the context makes it clear that he is thinking of their temporal lives in a sinful world that believers should flee from participating in / contributing to the sinfulness of the world so that they may qualify for reception of all of part of their particular promise - their reward for faithfulness - that God in His absolute sovereignty has set aside for each believer to receive based on His plan for each believer that He has decreed. And yet it will be according to their faithfulness to God. Thus those believers who have taken such refuge in God, i.e., His absolute promise and absolute oath that He swore by Himself that He would fulfill that promise; that believer will have a strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before them of receiving temporal blessings and eternal rewards that God has set aside for them.

(Heb 6:19 NASB) "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,"

The phrase in Heb 6:19 rendered "This hope" then refers to the sure hope of God's promise of rewards for each believer in this age - the church age - to which promise God swore by Himself (which is applicable throughout history for all individuals) that He would absolutely fulfill for each individual - which promise is "both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil," i.e., in the sense of entering (symbollically) the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle which symbolized the very presence of God which people in ancient times were not allowed to enter and to which the author of Hebrews is referring to relative to all individuals throughout history. So the Christian hope is not exhausted by what it sees of earthly possibilities. It reaches into the very presence of God.

Now the phrase rendered, "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul" speaks of a ship which is anchored and thus it is safe from drifting away. Hence its position and safety are sure. In the same way, the sure hope of the Christian is a stabilizing force for the soul of the Christian - i.e., the person of the Christian - (and believers of all ages) which absolutely assures him of having that hope of the fulfillment of God's particular promise to him to be realized in accordance with God's decrees

yet in proportion / relative to how faithful he is.

(Heb 6:19 NASB) "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,

(Heb 6:20 NASB) where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

[The phrase in Heb 6:19 rendered "This hope" then refers to the sure hope of God's promise of rewards for each believer in this age - the church age - to which promise God swore by Himself (which is applicable throughout history for all individuals) that He would absolutely fulfill for each individual - which promise is "both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil," i.e., in the sense of entering (symbollically) the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle which symbolized the very presence of God which people in ancient times were not allowed to enter into the presence of God and to which the author of Hebrews is referring to relative to all individuals throughout history in the matter or receiving their promise from God. So the Christian hope is not exhausted by what it sees of earthly possibilities. It reaches into the very presence of God.

"Heb 6:19:This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,]

Heb 6:20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,"

indicating that Jesus entered that inner sanctuary of the tabernacle indicating that He - His Humanity - entered into the presence of God as a forerunner to His own, those who have become believers in Him for salvation; and thus have as a result [Heb 6:19]: this hope sure and steadfast because of Jesus' being their forerunner and as a result will receive God's promise to them which figuratively includes their entrance into the sanctuary of the tabernacle to be in the presence of God; in other words to be in the presence of God forever in eternity. For He - Jesus Christ - is our High Priest forever and that according to the order of Melchizedek, Who is Jesus Christ Himself - the only one who qualifies to be a priest according to that particular order of priests.

****** REVIEW EXCERPT FROM MELCHIZEDEK STUDY ******

or jump to beginning of Heb 7

If you examine the passages that refer to Melchizedek, you will find that the only One that Melchizedek it could be is Jesus Christ Himself in His preincarnate appearances - the only one Who could be high priest of the order of Melchizedek:

(v. 18) Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,

19 and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

PS 110:2 The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies.

PS 110:3 Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth.

PS 110:4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

[Biblestudymanuals: A priest that rules forever must be in the order of a priesthood that is forever]

HEB 5:4 No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.

HEB 5:5 So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father. "

HEB 5:6 And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

[Biblestudymanuals: God appointed Christ to be a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek which implies that Melchizedek must be suitable for Christ Who is eternal and perfect / without sin. Hence Melchizedek must be eternal and perfect / without sin, i.e., God]

HEB 5:7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

Heb 5:9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

Heb 5:10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

[Biblestudymanuals: Christ was through His Perfect Humanity through His sacrifice for the sins of the whole world was made perfect and became the sourse of eternal salvation for all who obey / believe in Him for that eternal salvation and was designated by God to be a high priest in the order of Melchizedek, which order must be eternal and perfect]

19 "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

(Heb 6:19) "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,

(Heb 6:20) where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,"

1) [Biblestudymanuals ON HEB 6:19-20]:

[Biblestudymanuals: These verses indicate that Jesus entered the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle indicating that He - His Humanity (which is of course present with His diety) - entered into the presence of God as a forerunner to those who are of His own, those who have become believers in Him for salvation; and thus have as a result [Heb 6:19]: this hope sure and steadfast because of Jesus' being their forerunner and as a result will receive God's promise to them which figuratively includes their entrance into the sanctuary of the tabernacle to be in the presence of God; in other words to be in the presence of God forever in eternity. For He - Jesus Christ - is our High Priest forever and that according to the order of Melchizedek, Who is Jesus Christ Himself - the only one who qualifies to be a priest according to that particular order of priests.

(Heb 7:1 NASB) "For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,"

[Biblestudymanuals: Note that just as God's presence was in the tabernacle in the wilderness and in the temple in Jerualem for a period of time, so Melchizedek, Who is God, was present as king of Salem [future Jerusalem] and priest of God Most High for a period of time. So Melchizedek met Abraham as Abraham was returning from his victorious battle with the kings, (Gen 14:1-24) ]

(Heb 7:1 NASB) "For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,"

"1 The writer begins his explanation of the significance of Melchizedek by referring to the incident in Genesis 14:17ff. His minor changes from the LXX do not affect the sense. First he describes Melchizedek as "king of Salem," which may mean "king of Jerusalem" ("Salem" is another name for Jerusalem in Ps 76:2). But it is curious that if the writer thought that Jerusalem was in fact where Melchizedek ministered, he does not mention the fact that Jesus suffered there. Perhaps he was not particularly interested in geography. But it is also possible that he saw Salem as some other place. Westcott (in loc.) says that in Jerome's time Salem was understood to be near Scythopolis, and, again, the LXX of Genesis 33:18 seems to identify Shechem with Salem.

Melchizedek was not only a king but a "priest of God Most High." It was not uncommon for one person to combine the roles of priest and king in antiquity. It is, however, the special characteristics of this man rather than the dual offices that are noteworthy. In Genesis 14:17-18 we read that the king of Sodom, who had suffered at the hands of the kings Abraham had just routed, went out to meet the triumphant patriarch and that Melchizedek brought out bread and wine; but the author passes over both of these facts. He concentrates on those aspects of the incident that will help him make the points he has in mind about the work of Christ. The first of them is that he "blessed him," a point he will return to in v. 7."

(Heb 7:2 NASB) to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.

[Biblestudymanuals: Furthermore, Melchizedek's name means "king of righteousness" then also "king of Salem" which means "king of peace." The phrase "king of righteousness" implies sinless perfection and the phrase "king of peace" implies that an individual be a sinless person of perfect peace which disqualifies imperfect man, (Ro 3:10; 17) all of which signify that Melchizedek can only be God in order to qualify to be a priesthood for Jesus Christ. For no one else can be king of righteousness and king of peace except God Himself. Note that only God can appropriately bear the titles of king of righteousness and king of peace. So there is only one Who can be appointed high priest of the order of Melchizedek, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Prince of Peace, (Isa 9:6), Who is eternal God, king of peace, king of righteousness. No one else can qualify, certainly not a Melchizedek who is merely a human being with a sin nature. That would not be any better than Jesus Christ being appointed by God as a high priest of the order of the Aaronic Priesthood.

"2 Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything, i.e., of the spoils from the battle. This is another point that is elaborated later (in vv. 4ff.). So far the author is simply identifying Melchizedek with his reference to the incident after the battle. Now he goes on to the significance of Melchizedek's name and title. The name, he says, means "king of righteousness." (This is a translation of the Heb. name; it might be more accurate to render it "my king is righteous," but NIV gives the sense and brings in the noun "righteousness" that features so largely in the NT vocabulary of salvation.)

Then the writer goes on to the title "king of Salem." The place name comes from the same root as salom, the Hebrew word for "peace," and it may accordingly be translated in this way. The Greek word "peace" (eirene) has about it the negative idea of the absence of war; in the NT, however, it picks up something of the fuller meaning of the Hebrew salom, which it regularly translates in the LXX. So eirene comes to signify the presence of positive blessing, the result of Christ's work for men. We are reminded of the "Prince of Peace" (Isa 9:6; righteousness in v. 7 is among the qualities linked with this messianic figure). The combination of righteousness and peace is seen in Psalm 85:10. As used here, the two terms point to distinctive aspects of Christ's saving work."

(Heb 7:3 NASB) "Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually."

[Biblestudymanuals: This cannot be taken that there is no record of Melchizedek in the sense of no "paper trail," i.e., no record, as some contend. It is too specific and repetitive: Melchizedek is without father or mother??? without genealogy??? without beginning of days or end of life???, like the Son of God Who in His Diety is without father or mother, without genealogy, without begining of days or end of life, he remains a priest forever??? Melchizedek cannot be a mortal human being because he, like the Son of God, remains a priest forever. If there were no record of Melchizedek yet he is nevertheless mortal, why the emphatic repetitive phrases, "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever. Why not simply write that there is no official record of him. Finally, any priest who has no official record of him, no genealogy available to qualify that he is a priest, then according to Jewish law he cannot be a priest even if he is one according to Jewish Law - something that the Hebrew Christians addessed in the letter should know: (Neh 7:64). So we are left with a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ in the form of perfect humanity to be priest and king of Salem, Who blessed Abraham and received Abraham's tithe].

(Heb 7:3 NASB) "Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually."

"3 The terms "without father" and "without mother" (apator, ametor) are used in Greek for waifs of unknown parentage, for illegitimate children, for people who came from unimportant families, and sometimes for deities who were supposed to take their origin from one sex only. Some scholars hold that Melchizedek is viewed in the last mentioned way and is being pictured as an angelic being.

[Biblestudymanuals: If any of this were the case, why isn't this made clear in the author's writing??? It is too far fetched not to be clearly stipulated so that readers can get the message that an angel is in view. Besides this, are angelic beings suitably equal to Jesus in order for one of them to provide a priesthood that Jesus can be a member high priest????? No!]

(Heb 7:3 NASB) "Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually."
But it seems much more likely that the author is proceeding along the lines that the silences of Scripture are just as much due to inspiration as are its statements. When nothing is recorded of the parentage of this man, it is not necessarily to be assumed that he had no parents but simply that the absence of the record is significant.

[Biblestudymanuals: on Heb 7:3: Why can't it be concluded that Melchizedek actually did not have parents, instead of forcing this verse to say that there were no historical records of Melchizedek? It literally says, (Heb 7:3 NASB) "Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually."

Right or wrong that's what the words say. You have to allow what the Bible properly translated says. So this cannot be taken that there is no record of Melchizedek in the sense of no "paper trail," no oblisk or writing chiseled in stone, i.e., no record, as some contend. It is too specific and repetitive: Melchizedek is without father or mother??? without genealogy??? without beginning of days or end of life???, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever??? He cannot be a mortal human being because his priesthood is described as like the priesthood of the Son of God Who is God, in the sense that He qualifies in every respect to be absolutely like the Son of God in every respect in order for the Son of God to be a high priest in the order of / the priesthood of Melchizedek. For Melchizedek can be nothing less in any aspect than the likeness, i.e., of the same form of - in the sense of equal to Jesus Christ. Otherwise Christ could not be of the order of the priesthood of Melchizedek. So this verse is not describing Melchizedek as having a limited likeness to God / Jesus Christ like man who is made in God's image is. For the priesthood of men cannot be the priesthood that the Son of God, Jesus Christ in His Diety could be a representative member of. For Christ is the perfect Son of God Who is stipulated a priest like the priesthood of Melchizedek forever!!!, because Melchizedek is likewise described as a priest who remains a priest forever. And there is only one priest who is a priest forever Jesus Christ Who must thereby be Melchizedek. Note that the word rendered "like" here means the same as, more specifically of the same form, not similar as some contend.

Finally, some contend that since Melchizedek is described as like Jesus then it means that they are not the same person. That if they were the same person then the verse would say so. But the phrase says, " like the Son of God he remains a priest forever" It compares the priesthood of the Son of God to the priesthood of Melchizedek, and since both are described as "forever" then the duration of their respective priesthoods is the same as if to provide evidence that they are one and the same Person.

Now if there were no record of Melchizedek yet he is nevertheless mortal, why the emphatic repetitive phrases, "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever. Why not simply write that there is no official record of him? Finally, any priest who has no official record of him, no genealogy available to qualify that he is a priest, then according to Jewish law, (Neh 7:64), he cannot be a priest even if he is one. So we are left with a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ in the form of God and perfect humanity to be priest and king of Salem, Who blessed Abraham and received Abraham's tithe.

"These searched among their ancestral registration, but it could not be located, therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood."

[Passages which indicate a preincarnate appearance of God, i.e., of the Son of God]:

Gen 16:7-13 - Hagar; Judges 6:11-14 - Gideon; Gen 18:1-33 - Abraham; Gen 32:24-32 - Jacob; Num 22:8-41 - Balaam:

A study of these passages and others reveals that the Angel of the Lord appeared in human form multiple times (cf. Gn 18:2, 22 ... and performed normal human functions (Gen 32:24; Nm 22:23, 31), yet he was an awe-inspiring figure (Gen 32:30; Jgs 6:22; 13:22) exhibiting divine attributes and prerogatives including predicting the future (Gn 16:10-12), forgiving sin (Ex 23:21), and receiving worship (Ex 3:5; Jg 13:9-20). The title Angel of the Lord is particularly striking because it is used in many of these passages interchangeably with the terms Yahweh (Jehovah) and God in such a way as to leave little doubt that the angel is a manifestation of God Himself. Compare Dan 3:24-25 - Nebuchadnezzar.

Note that the angel of the Lord appeared before Abraham as a preincarnate Son of God as well - Gen 18:1-33 - Abraham]

What was true of Melchizedek simply as a matter of record was true of Christ in a fuller and more literal sense.

[Biblestudymanuals: on Heb 7:3 Since Melchizedek is a preincarnate appearance of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, then Christ cannot be Melchizedek in a fuller sense, both are one and the same. There is nothing to indicate "fuller and more literal" in the text. That is being read into the text. One should only read "from" the text, not into the text]

(Heb 7:3 NASB) "Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually."

So the silence of the Scripture points to an important theological truth. Melchizedek is also "without genealogy," a term the writer apparently coins. Taken together, the' three terms are striking, for in antiquity a priest's genealogy was considered all-important. After the Exile, certain priests whose genealogy could not be established "were excluded from the priesthood as unclean" (Neh 7:64). And just as the record says nothing of Melchizedek's genealogy, so it says nothing of his birth or death. This further silence in Scripture points the writer to another truth about Jesus—viz., that his priesthood is without end. He uses the full title of Jesus—"Son of God"—as in 4:14; 6:6; 10:29 ("my son" in 1:5; 5:5). Since the writer does not use it often, we may sense an emphasis on the high dignity of the Son of God. And it is the Son of God who is the standard, not the ancient priest-king.

[Biblestudymanuals: on Heb 7:3: Re the phrase: "And it is the Son of God who is the standard, not the ancient priest-king;" You are reading this into the text. The standard of Melchizedek is equal to the standard of the Son of God, otherwise the Son of God could not be a priest of the order of Melchizedek!!!!! They have to be and are one and the same Person.]

The writer says that Melchizedek is "made like" (aphomoiomenos) the Son of God, not that the Son of God is like Melchizedek. Thus it is not that Melchizedek sets the pattern and Jesus follows it. Rather, the record about Melchizedek is so arranged that it brings out certain truths that apply far more fully to Jesus than they do to Melchizedek. With the latter, these truths are simply a matter of record; but with Jesus they are not only historically true, they also have significant spiritual dimensions. The writer is, of course, speaking of the Son's eternal nature, not of his appearance in the Incarnation."

[Biblestudymanuals: on Heb 7:3: The phrase rendered "made like the Son of God" must be referring to the diety and the perfect humanity of the Son of God in a preincarnate appearance since the Son of God is eternal in His diety and His perfect humanity as well from the time the Son of God added to Himself perfect Humanity which began in the first century. So anyone made like the Son of God IS the perfect humanity of the Son of God in His Diety Who was born of a woman via the Holy Spirit in the first century but an earlier appearance of perfect humanity in Abraham's time as Melchizedek. The word "like" here can refer to nothing less than the same / identical in every way. So we have in view the perfect humanity of Christ, for His diety was not made, it is eternal. Hence in view is the perfect humanity in a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ Who appeared in perfect Humanity in Abraham's time - yet to be made into Perfect Humanity in the first century through the woman and the Holy Spirit - His perfect Humanity in view in the context of the Book of Hebrews - a book to Hebrew Christians who are to look back to the time of Abraham to understand that the preincarnate Jesus Christ was in view.

Furthermore, Expositor's commentary is wrong in a number of other points. There is too much emphasis in Heb 7:3 on the quality and person of Melchizedek that is presented in such a manner to be sufficient to allow Christ to be the priest - the sole priest of the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek must be "like" in the sense of equal to the Son of God in every way, hence Melchizedek is Jesus as He is named today, but is a preincarnate appearance in Abraham's time.

Furthermore, this cannot be taken that there is no record of Melchizedek in the sense of no "paper trail," i.e., no record, as some contend. It is too specific and repetitive: Melchizedek is without father or mother??? without genealogy??? If there is no genealogy that there cannot be a record at all. And Melchizedek is stipulated without beginning of days or end of life???, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever??? He cannot be a mortal human being because he, like the Son of God, remains a priest forever. If there were no record of Melchizedek yet he is nevertheless mortal, why the emphatic repetitive phrases, "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever. Why not simply write that there is no official record of him. Evidently, only Jesus Christ qualifies for being an high priest of the order of Melchizedek. So if Melchizedek is anything less that Who Christ is - the eternal Son of God, without father or mother, (albeit the perfect Humanity of Christ had a human mother), without beginning or end, a priest forever; then Jesus Christ could not be a high priest of the order of Melchizedek! His qualifications are to superior]

(Heb 7:1 NASB) "For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

(Heb 7:3 NASB) Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually."

"C. The greater Priest and His greater ministry (7:1-10:18)
Here begins the longest single expository passage in the epistle. Its very length suggests its importance. Its theme is the core theme of Hebrews. The real resource of the readership, in the midst of their pressures, is the high priesthood of Christ. They must realize the greatness of that priesthood, its superiority to the Levitical institutions, and the perfect access they have to it on the basis of Christ's death.
1. The Superior Priest (chap. 7)
The writer returned to the theme he had introduced in 5:1-10, but which he doubted his readers would comprehend (cf. 5:11). In the conclusion of his most recent warning (5:11-6:20) he had renewed the subject of the Melchizedek priesthood (6:19-20). The exposition of that theme is now given.
a. The greatness of Melchizedek (7:1-10)

7:1-3. To begin with, the writer set forth the personal greatness of the Old Testament figure Melchizedek. As a fit prototype for Christ Himself, Melchizedek was both a king and a priest. He both blessed... Abraham and received his tithes. Melchizedek's name and title suggest the messianic attributes of righteousness and peace. So far as the Old Testament record is concerned, he was without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life. In saying this, the author is often taken to mean that the silence of the inspired record presents Melchizedek as typologically like the Son of God. But though this is possibly true, the statements do not sound like it, particularly the assertion that Melchizedek remains a priest forever. The word "forever" translates a phrase (eis to diēnekes) that occurs only in Hebrews (here and in 10:12, 14) and means "continuously" or "uninterruptedly."

[Biblestudymanuals: Or eternal. The word can and DOES mean eternal, because Christ, the Son of God IS eternal and nothing less! And there can only be ONE priest of the order of Melchizedek Who is eternal and His life cannot be continuous, it must be eternal, no beginning and no end. If Jesus Christ is a priest of the order of Melchizedek, and since Christ is eternal / forever, then Melchizedek must be eternal / forever - no beginning, no end, no father no mother, eternal. There cannot be anyone else but the Son of God in view in a preincarnate appearance in Abraham's time. Christ cannot be of a priesthood that is not eternal. There is no typology here. Melchizedek CANNOT be a type of Christ, He must BE Christ! Furthermore, there is no record of Melchizedek because He is the Son of God without beginning or end. By the way if a priest has no record or genealogy than that disqualiies him as a priest according to Neh 7:64]

It seems more natural that the author meant that Melchizedek belonged to an order in which there was no end to the priesthood of those engaged in it. (He later said in 7:8 that Melchizedek "is declared to be living.") If this is correct, Melchizedek may have been an angelic being who reigned for a time at Salem (i.e., Jerusalem). If so, the statement that he was "without beginning of days" would not mean that he was eternal, but simply that he had a pretemporal origin. Nor would this concept of Melchizedek as an angel elevate him to the same level as God's Son, since the author painstakingly asserted the Son's superiority to the angels (1:5-14). There is indeed evidence that, at Qumran, Melchizedek was regarded as an angelic personage. If this is the case in Hebrews, then the Son of God is the High Priest in an order in which Melchizedek is simply a priest."]

[Biblestudymanuals]: Melchizedek cannot be an angelic being because Melchizedek is described as without beginning and end!!! Christ is far superior to angelic beings!!!!!

(Heb 7:4 NASB) Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils.

[Biblestudymanuals: on Heb 7:4: Now from Heb 7:4-10, the author of Hebrews proves out how great this man Melchizedek was / is to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. And his conclusion is that Melchizedek is immeasurably greater even than Abraham.

Notice that in Heb 7:4, Abraham the great patriarchal father through whom is descended Isaac, Jacob, Israel, Moses, Jesus Christ gave the choicest spoils to Melchizedek Whom Jesus is like Him in every way which leads into the next verse Heb 7:5.

(Heb 7:4 NASB) "Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils."

[Biblestudymanuals]: So there is no dispute: the lesser Abraham and all of his descendants are the lesser and are blessed by the greater Melchizedek, albeit, excluding Jesus Christ as the Son of God and as in His Perfect Humanity who is Melchizedek in a preincarnate appearance]

(Heb 7:5 NASB) "And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham.

(Heb 7:6 NASB) But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.

5-6a Here the meaning of the payment of the tithe is spelled out. Not only was such a payment widely customary but the law required it to be made. The writer speaks of "the descendants of Levi who become priests" as "collecting a tenth from the people." In the law it was provided that the people were to pay tithes to the Levites (Num 18:21, 24). But the Levites similarly paid tithes to the priests (Num 18:26ff.); so it could well be said that the people paid tithes to the priests. In any case there seems to be some evidence that in the first century the priests carried out the whole tithing operation, and the writer may be glancing at contemporary custom. This tithing was done by divine appointment.
The writer is strongly interested in "the law," which he mentions fourteen times. The word can denote law in general or a principle according to which one acts. But it is specially used for the law of Moses, which is the meaning here. The law required tithes to be taken of people of whom the priests were "brothers." There is a sense in which the priests had no inherent superiority. They were kin to those who gave tithes to them. They owed their ability to collect tithes to the provision made in the law and not to any natural superiority. But with Melchizedek it was different. He "did not trace his descent from Levi." Melchizedek was not simply one among a host of brothers. He was a solitary figure of grandeur. And he exacted tithes not simply from his brothers but from Abraham. His greatness stands out.
6b-7 Not only did Melchizedek exact tithes from Abraham, but he also blessed him. The giving of a blessing was a significant act in antiquity. As Calvin puts it, "Blessing is a solemn act of prayer with which one who is endowed with some outstanding public honour commends to God private individuals who are under his care" (in loc). There are senses of the word "bless" in which men "bless" God, i.e., praise him, or in which an inferior prays that God will prosper some superior. But the word is not used in such a way here. It is rather the official pronouncement given by an authorized person. When that happens, there is no denying that it proceeds from a superior: "The lesser person is blessed by the greater."

In the Genesis account Melchizedek makes no claims nor does Abraham concede anything in words. But the patriarch gave up a tenth of the spoils, thus implicitly acknowledging the superior place of Melchizedek. And Melchizedek proceeded to bless Abraham, accepting the implied superiority. The situation is clear to all parties. There is no need to spell it out. And the author is simply drawing attention to what the narrative clearly implies when he brings out the superior status of Melchizedek. Even when Abraham is seen as the one "who had the promises," Melchizedek is superior."

(Heb 7:8 NASB) "In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on."

[Biblestudymanuals: Again, the point is made that mortal men receive tithes - those mortal and sinful men of the aronic priesthood - the Levitical priesthood - receive tithes from their people Israel under the Mosaic Law; and those men of the Levitical priesthood must make sacrifices for their own sin; but Heb 7:8 states in "that case" in the sense of the case of Melchizedek, the "one" meaning that he, Melchizedek receives tithes "of whom it is witnessed that he lives on." This is so because He [Melcizedek = Christ] lives on, i.e., he is eternal. And He is the only One Who is eternal - without beginning of days or end of life; for he is the priest who is: (HEB 7:3) "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God [Who is God] he remains a priest forever." They are one and the same. The Son of God, Jesus Christ being the preincarnate Son of God appearing in perfect Humanity as the King and Priest of Salem. For according to (HEB 7:2) '''and Abraham gave him [Melchizedek] a tenth of everything. First, his [Melchizedek's] name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace;" ''' - both titles also attributed to Jesus Christ in His Perfect Humanity]

(Heb 7:8 NASB) "In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on."

"8 NIV is a trifle free in this verse. Rather, it reads, "And, here, mortal ['dying'] men receive tithes, but, there, one of whom it is testified that he lives." Those who receive tithes are not merely capable of dying; they do die. They are seen to die. (The present tenses of both dying and receiving coupled with the "here" at the beginning may be held to indicate that the temple system was still in operation at the time the words were written. Thus they support a date before A.D. 70 for the writing of the epistle.) "There" puts Melchizedek in strong contrast to the Aaronic priests. He is remote from this scene. The writer does not say that Melchizedek lives on but that the testimony about him is that he lives. Once more he is emphasizing the silences of Scripture to bring out his point. Scripture records nothing about the death of Melchizedek. This must be borne in mind when estimating the significance of the incident and the way the priest-king prefigures Christ."

[Biblestudymanuals: Correction: Melcizedek = Christ lives on, i.e., he is eternal. And He is the only One Who is eternal - without beginning of days or end of life; for he is the priest who is: (HEB 7:3) "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God [Who is God] he remains a priest forever." They are one and the same. The Son of God, Jesus Christ being the preincarnate Son of God appearing in perfect Humanity as the King and Priest of Salem. For according to (HEB 7:2) '''and Abraham gave him [Melchizedek] a tenth of everything. First, his [Melchizedek's] name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace;" ''' - both titles also attributed to Jesus Christ in His Perfect Humanity]

(Heb 7:9 NASB) "And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes,

(Heb 7:10 NASB) for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

HEB 7:9 "One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,

HEB 7:10 "because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor."

[Biblestudymanuals: So in contrast to the Levitical priesthood who received tithes from the people of Israel establishing their priesthood over the people of Israel, albeit each priest had to sacrifice for his own sins and was in no way superior to the people of Israel; figuratively speaking, Levi at the time of Abraham being a then future descendant of Abraham was still in a sense in the body / the genes of Abraham who was a future descendant of Abraham's and thus in that ancient moment when Abraham paid the tithes to Melchizedek it included Abraham's descendants who also are attributed to having paid those tithes to Melchizedek, establishing the absolute superiority of the priesthood of Melchizedek to the Levitical priesthood as well as the great patriarch father Abraham, so that the Melchizedek priesthood would qualify to be a perfect, forever priesthood for Jesus Christ to be a high priest of - of which He, Jesus Christ, the Son of God was the only One Who could qualify. Hence the priesthood of Melchizedek could only have one high priest, the Son of God, Jesus Christ Who alone was qualified to be of the priesthood of Melchizedek for Heb 7:3 says, Melchizedek is "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God [Who is God] he remains a priest forever." So in ancient times the priest of Melchizedek was the preincarnate Jesus. He could not be a mortal human being who has a sin nature and who died in ancient times at the end of his reign as priest and king of Salem. But He was the preincarnate Jesus Christ - the Son of God Who appeared to Abraham and all those in ancient times as the Priest and King of Salem as He appeared then to Abraham and others to complete His mission. For that was fully within the capacity of the Son of God, Who is Creator and God]

(Heb 7:9 NASB) "And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes,
(Heb 7:10 NASB) for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him."

HEB 7:9 "One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,

HEB 7:10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor."

"9-10 One might even say" translates hos epos eipein, an unusual expression (not found elsewhere in the NT or LXX) that "serves to introduce a statement which may startle a reader, and which requires to be guarded from misinterpretation" (Westcott, in loc). The characteristic of Levi (and his descendants) was not that of paying but of receiving tithes. Of course, there is something of the "in-a-manner-of-speaking" about Levi's collecting of tithes just as there is in his paying of them, because he collects them not in person but through his descendants. But the startling thing is that he should be said to pay tithes at all.
When Abraham paid Melchizedek a tithe, the author sees Levi as paying it, for "Levi was still in the body of his ancestor." This is a way of speaking we find here and there in the Bible when the ancestor includes the descendants. So it was said to Rebekah, not two children but "two nations are in your womb" (Gen 25:23). Again, Paul can say, "In Adam all die" (1Cor 15:22). Levi was thus included in the payment of the tithe (and, of course, all the priests who descended from him and whom the Hebrews esteemed so highly). The author wants his readers to be in no doubt about the superiority of Christ to any other priests and sees the mysterious figure of Melchizedek as powerfully illustrating this superiority."

[Biblestudymanuals] There is herein no doubt about the superiority of Christ to any other priest. Melchizedek is clearly as Heb 7:3 stipulates Heb 7:3 says, Melchizedek is "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God [Who is God] he remains a priest forever." So in ancient times the priest of Melchizedek was the preincarnate Jesus. He could not be a mortal human being who has a sin nature and who died in ancient times at the end of his reign as priest and king of Salem. But He was the preincarnate Jesus Christ - the Son of God Who appeared to Abraham and all those in ancient times as the Priest and King of Salem as He appeared then to Abraham and others to complete His mission. For that was fully within the capacity of the Son of God, Who is Creator and God]

(Heb 7:4 NASB) "Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils.

(Heb 7:5 NASB) And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham.

(Heb 7:6 NASB) But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.

(Heb 7:8 NASB) In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on.

(Heb 7:9 NASB) "And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes,"

(Heb 7:10 NASB) for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him."

"7:4-10. The personal superiority of Melchizedek over the patriarch Abraham is guaranteed by the fact that Abraham gave him a 10th of the plunder. And though Melchizedek had no connections with the Levitical order, still he both received this tithe from Abraham and blessed him. This act of blessing reinforced his superiority to the patriarch. Moreover, he was evidently superior to the Levites as well, who collected tithes but were nonetheless subject to death. By contrast the tithe collected from Abraham was collected by him who is declared to be living. Furthermore, in a sense Levi paid the tithe through Abraham because... Levi was still in the body of his ancestor. The original expression, rendered one might even say, probably means something like "so to speak." The writer knew that Levi did not literally pay tithes to Melchizedek, but on the principle that an ancestor is greater than his descendants, Abraham's act affirmed Melchizedek's superiority even to the Levitical priests themselves. Melchizedek thus has a greatness which the Old Testament record clearly attests."

(Heb 7:11 NASB) "Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?"

[Biblestudymanuals]: Heb 7:11 asks the question, "Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law) - [for the Law was perfect, then] - what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?" And the answer is because the people failed miserably to keep the Law. No one was conducting himself righteously in accordance with the Law at all, not even the Levitical priests! The Law was righteous, but the people could not / would not obey it. So the situation demanded something that works. Notice that since perfection could NOT have been attained through the Mosaic Law; then this is a clear indication that there must be a priesthood that is not flawed but perfect and forever to accomodate Christ Who is not flawed but perfect and forever / eternal Who Himself would be a substitute for the people to provide His Righteousness for them based on their faith in Him to do that. So the implication is that the priesthood of the order of Melchizedek is perfect hence a high priest that is perfect and eternal, one appointed by God in the order of the perfect priesthood: the order of Melchizedek which substantiates the fact that Melchizedek is Christ in His preincarnate appearance which includes His encounter with Abram. Could Christ be of the order of an imperfect, mortal priesthood if He is to be perfect and eternal? No. Hence the order of Melchizedek is perfect and forever by dint of Jesus Christ being a high priest of the order of Melchizedek as appointed BY GOD to be of that priestly order which replaced the priestly order of Aaron. Furthermore, according to (HEB 7:2) '''and Abraham gave him [Melchizedek] a tenth of everything. First, his [Melchizedek's] name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace;" ''' So if Christ, Who is testified to in Scripture as "king of righteousness" for the name Melchizedek means king of Righteousness; and "king of peace" for Salem means peace just like Melchizedek. If Christ were a high priest of the order of Melchizedek, Melchizedek could be nothing / nobody less that a preincarnate appearance of the Son of God in Perfect, Righteous Humanity - King of Absolute Righteousness and King of Absolute Peace. For when Christ returns, His kingdom on earth will be one of righteousness and peace. Ultimately, in the new heavens and new earth there will be the fullest righteousness and peace. This is what Peter spoke about: "We are expecting a new heavens and a new earth - the New Jerusalem with the Christ as the King of Righteousness and King of Peace on the throne (cf Rev 22:1). For the Son of God, the Word, is Creator of all things: "There is nothing that was created that was not created by Him" (Jn 1:3). Note that although the law came later than Melchizedek and could be thought to be God's way of replacing all previous priesthoods. But the author points out that the priesthood of Melchizedek was spoken of in Psalm 110, well after the giving of the law. That God spoke through David about the Melchizedekian priesthood, while the Aaronic priesthood was a going concern, shows that the priests of the line of Aaron could not accomplish what a priesthood aimed at. And because the priesthood and the law went together, that meant a change in the law as well.

"B. The Royal Priesthood of Melchizedek and of Christ (7:11-14)
For the Jew there was an air of finality about the law; it was God's definitive word to men. Also, there was for the Jew the presumption that the Aaronic priesthood was superior to that of Melchizedek, for the law came later than Melchizedek and could be thought to be God's way of replacing all previous priesthoods. But the author points out that the priesthood of Melchizedek was spoken of in Psalm 110, well after the giving of the law. That God spoke through David about the Melchizedekian priesthood, while the Aaronic priesthood was a going concern, shows that the priests of the line of Aaron could not accomplish what a priesthood aimed at. And because the priesthood and the law went together, that meant a change in the law as well. The author sees it as significant that Jesus did not come from the priestly tribe of Levi but from the royal tribe of Judah. This fits in with the fact that Jesus' priesthood is of the order of Melchizedek and that he was king as well as priest.

11 Here "perfection" means the condition in which men are acceptable to God. The work of the priests of the line of Levi aimed at bringing about this acceptability, but our author tells us that they failed. That the psalmist speaks of another priest shows that the Levitical priests had not accomplished what they aimed at. The words in parenthesis show that the law and the priesthood were closely connected. Moffatt translates, "It was on the basis of that priesthood that the Law was enacted for the People."

We ought not think of the law and the priesthood as two quite separate things that happened to be operative at the same time among the same people. The priesthood is the very basis of the law. Without that priesthood it would be impossible for the law to operate in its fullness. Thus the declaration by the psalmist (v. 17) that there would be another priest was devastating. He looked for a priest "in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron." The Aaronic priesthood was not succeeding and thus had to be replaced by a more effective priesthood.

(Heb 7:12 NASB) For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

[Biblestudymanuals]: So Heb 7:12 is stating that when the priesthood is changed - which is evidently based on a particular law, i.e., a certain set of principles to abide by, of necessity there takes place a change of law - in this case a change of the Mosaic Law which demanded obedience to it in order to be Righteous unto eternal life. The Mosaic Law evidently did not work because people could not / would not obey it all the time if at all - even the priests. So the change of the priesthood in this case signified the failure of that priesthood which is based on that particular law which demands an absolute obedience to the Law in order to be qualified to enter the eternal kingdom of God. And the failure of Israel to do this thus demanded a change of the priesthood and the Law]

(Heb 7:12 NASB) For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

"12 The connection between the priesthood and the law means that a change in the one involves a change in the other. The author is speaking of more than a transference of the office of priest from one person to another. He is speaking of a change from one kind of priesthood to another. Priesthood like that of Melchizedek differs fundamentally from that after the order of Aaron. Christ is not another Aaron; he replaces Aaron with a priesthood that is both different and better. And with the Aaronic priesthood went the law that had been erected with that priesthood as its basis. Lacking that priesthood, that law had to give way. It had lost its basis. So the author says there must be a change of law."

(Heb 7:12 NASB) For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also."

"b. The new priesthood supersedes the old (7:11-19)
Having established Melchizedek's greatness both personally and in comparison with Abraham and Levi, the writer was ready for a new point. This superiority was needed, since the Law was superseded. The inadequacy of the legal and Levitical systems had to be replaced by something better.

7:11-12. In the simplest manner, the author argued for the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood on the basis of God's promise (recorded in Ps. 110:4) that a new Priest would arise belonging to an order other than Aaron's. Since there was a change of the priesthood, it follows that the whole legal system on which the Levitical institutions were predicated also had to be changed. Here the writer virtually affirmed the Pauline truth that "you are not under Law" (Rom. 6:14), though he approached it from a different angle."

(Heb 7:13 NASB) For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.

[Biblestudymanuals]: So in Heb 7:13, it states that the One Who replaced the priests who were priests of the tribe of Levi - those under the Mosaic Law, i.e., replaced the Levitical / Aaronic priests who did not succeed - that One, Jesus Christ belonged to a different tribe of Israel, (Judah) and evidently belonged to a different priesthood as well: that of the priesthood of Melchizedek. And it says further that no one from that tribe, Judah, has ever served at the altar. So evidently the altar which served to perform sacrifices under the Mosaic Law to address ones sins were not effectual because the people were not credited with Righteousness unto eternal life via the Mosaic Law because no sacrifice for sins under the Law by an individual Who is not Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can be effectual unto eternal life. Only temporal forgiveness is in view if the sacrifice is performed in accordance with the Mosaic Law bringing one back to fellowship with God and fellow Jew; but not for eternal life. So the Levitical / Aronic altar in the temple / tabernacle was not used by the replacement High Priest of the tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ to forgive sins unto eternal life or for any sins. For His sacrifice was once for all sins past, present and future by any individual who simply trusted in Christ alone for forgiveness of sins, (Heb 10:1-18; Jn 3:16, et al]

(Heb 7:13 NASB) "For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar."

"13 The change in the law is seen in that Jesus did not belong to the tribe recognized by the law as the priestly tribe. His tribe was "different," which may mean no more than that it was another than the priestly tribe or that that tribe was of a different nature. It was a nonpriestly tribe. In fact, it was a royal tribe. From this tribe no one "has ever served at the altar." There is a change of tense from the perfect in the word translated "belonged" to an aorist in that rendered "served." Zuntz comments, "The differentiation is excellent; it intimates that no one of the tribe of Judah had ever attended to the altar (prosesche) and that Jesus 'has permanently a share in' (met escheke, 'belongs to') that tribe" (cited by Bruce, in loc.).

David and Solomon, who were of the tribe of Judah, are said to have offered sacrifice (2Sam 6:12-13, 17-18; 24:25; 1 Kings 3:4; 8:62ff.). But two things should be said about this. In the first place, it is possible that these kings did not do the actual ceremonial. (It is unlikely that Solomon personally offered 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep.) David and Solomon may have "offered" in the sense that they provided the sacrificial victims, leaving priests to perform the liturgical function. And in the second place, even if these kings did sometimes perform the actual offering, this was occasional and not their regular function. The author is speaking of the regular ministrations of a priest at the altar, and this none but the sons of Aaron did in the OT period

[Biblestudymanuals]: So it is clear in Heb 7:14, that our Lord - Jesus Christ - descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe, Moses said nothing about priests. Judah was not a priestly tribe. And Scripture makes it clear that Jesus' Perfect Humanity was born in Bethlehem which is in Judah]

(Heb 7:14 NASB) "For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests."

"14 For" introduces the explanation of the preceding. The author calls Jesus "our Lord" again only in 13:20. Mostly his use of the term "Lord" (kyrios) is for the Father, but there is no doubt as to whom he means here. His verb "descended" (anatetalken) is unusual in this sense; and Buchanan can go as far as to say, "In none of the Old Testament usages of the verb anatellein was it employed to mean a 'descendant' of a certain tribe or family" (in loc.). Anatellein means "rise," "spring up" and may be used of the rising of a star or of the springing up of a shoot from the roots of a plant. The author may have in mind the rising of a star or, more likely, the OT prophecies about the Messiah being a shoot from the root of David (Jer 23:5 uses the cognate noun for this purpose). Here in v. 14 Jesus is said to come "from Judah," this and Revelation 5:5 being the only places outside the nativity stories to say explicitly that this was his tribe. And to this tribe Moses had nothing to say about priests, the law did not envisage priests from any tribe other than Levi. That is what made the priesthood like that of Melchizedek so unusual."

(Heb 7:13 NASB) "For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.

(Heb 7:14 NASB) "For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests."

"7:13-14. Levitical priesthood was superseded by the fact that our Lord descended from Judah. That tribe had no role in the Levitical institutions, and the things God had said about the new Priest applied to One from Judah, which is proof that a change was made."

(Heb 7:15 NASB) And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,

[Biblestudymanuals]: So in Heb 7:15 it is made even more clear since another priest like Melchizedek Who appeared to Abram / Abraham millennia ago appears in the sense of one Who is so described in such a manner as it does in Scripture as so Superior to the Aaronic / Levitical priesthood - One Who is able to provide a priest Who has no sin, Who is eternal and Who can provide His perfect Righteousness to those who are mortal and have sinful natures and trust in that priest for forgiveness of sin, (Heb 10:1-18).]

(Heb 7:15 NASB) "And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,"

"C. Christ's Priesthood Superior Because of:
1. His life (7:15-19)
The author pursues his theme of the superiority of Christ. He sees him as superior because of his life, the divine oath, the permanence of his priesthood, and his sacrifice. First, he indicates the importance of the fact that Christ is not limited by death as the Levitical priests were.
15 What it is that is "even more clear" is not said (there is nothing in the Gr. equivalent to NIV's "what we have said"). Westcott thinks it is the ineffectiveness of the Levitical priesthood; Moffatt, that it is the abrogation of the law. More likely the expression is general and is meant to include both—possibly also that Jesus came not from Levi but from Judah. It is the appearance of a priest "like Melchizedek" that is the decisive factor."

(Heb 7:15 NASB) And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,

(Heb 7:16 NASB) who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.

[Biblestudymanuals]: So in Heb 7:15-16, it is indicated that the priesthood of Melchizedek is based on the power of an indestructible / forever life which order of Priests is compatible for Christ to be a high priest of. For He, Christ, is indestructible / eternal just as Melchizedek is Who the latter is therefore God, the Son of God preincarnate appearing before Abram / Abraham]

(Heb 7:15 NASB) "And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,

(Heb 7:16 NASB) who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life."

"16 This priest is distinguished by the quality of his life. "A regulation as to his ancestry" renders an expression that is literally "a law of a fleshly commandment." This includes his ancestry, but it may well be wider. It includes all that is "fleshly" about the law. As Robinson puts it, the command "is one which belongs to the realm of man's physical nature, and bears only indirectly on his spiritual being" (in loc.). By contrast, Christ's priesthood depends on "the power" (which means more than "authority") "of an indestructible life." There is a special quality about the life of Christ. Neither does it end nor can it end (cf. the description of him as "the prince" or "author of life," Acts 3:15).

(Heb 7:17 NASB) For it is attested of Him, "YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

[Biblestudymanuals]: So the priesthood of Melchizedek is characterized in Heb 7:17 by and based on the power of an indestructible / forever life which is compatible /commensurate with Christ being appointed by God to be of the order of the priesthood of Melchizedek, because Christ is indestructible / eternal. For Christ is indestructible / eternal just as Melchizedek is by dint of being qualified for Christ to be appointed of the order of Melchizedek, Who Christ therefore is God, the Son of God in His preincarnate appearance before Abram centuries ago as it states in Gen 14:18-19 being King of Salem, Priest of God Most High for a season, just as the Lord God made His presence in the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem amidst His chosen people Israel, and a number of other preincarnate appearances]

(Heb 7:17 NASB) For it is attested of Him, "YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

"17 "For" introduces the clinching testimony of Scripture. The passage cited gives the reason for the foregoing. It is quoted verbatim as in 5:6 (where see commentary). It establishes the special character of Christ's priesthood because of no other priest could it be said that his life was "indestructible." Though it could be said that the Aaronic priesthood was "a priesthood that will continue for all generations" (Exod 40:15), no individual priest is "forever."

(Heb 7:18 NASB) "For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness."

[Biblestudymanuals]: Whereupon Heb 7:18 states, "For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness" indicating that the commandment to keep the commandments of the Mosaic Law is a weak commandment because sinful man cannot / will not keep the commandments, thereby making it useless in attaining eternal life, even in maintaining fellowhip with God or fellowship with fellow Israelites.

(Heb 7:18 NASB) "For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness."

"18 The opening words might more literally be rendered "For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment," where "annulling" is a legal term that points to the complete cancellation of the commandment in question. "Regulation" refers as in v. 16, to the whole law. The Levitical system in its entirety is set aside by the coming and the work of Christ. At the same time, "former" (proagouses) implies a connection. The Levitical system was not simply earlier in time; it also prepared the way for the coming of Christ. But it had to give way because it was weak and unprofitable. It could not give men strength to meet all the needs of life. It could not bring men salvation."

[Biblestudymanuals] on commentary above: "The Levitical system ... prepared the way for the coming of Christ" because men could not keep the Law perfectly and thereby receive eternal life because man is sinful and unable to keep God's Law or even be willing to do that. So there had to be another way. And that way was through Christ's once for all sacrifice for the sins of all mankind, (1 Jn 2:2); that through a moment of faith alone in His sacrifice alone one would immediately and forever receive the free gift of eternal life.]

(Heb 7:19 NASB (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

[Biblestudymanuals]: And in Heb 7:19 it indicates that the reason that the commandments of the Mosaic Law were weak and useless is that the Law made nothing perfect and man was nothing but imperfect / sinful. But on the other hand there is indeed a better hope, through which we may draw near to God]

(Heb 7:19 NASB "(for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God."

"19 The parenthesis underlines the defects of the law. The writer does not explain what he means by "made perfect" (see comments on 2:10), but clearly he has in mind something like "made fit for God." The law did not give people complete and lasting access to the presence of God. It had its merits, but it did not satisfy their deep needs. For the writer's use of "better," see comments on 1:4; and for his use of "hope," see comments on 3:6; 6:11. The thought of what is better is characteristic of Hebrews, and hope is central to the Christian way. Notice that the hope is said to be better than the regulation or commandment, not better than the hope associated with the commandment. Law and gospel stand in contrast. The gospel is "better" because it enables people to "draw near to God." It was this that the old way could not bring about, but the new way can."

(Heb 7:15 NASB) "And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,

(Heb 7:16 NASB) who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.

(Heb 7:17 NASB) For it is attested of Him, "YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

(Heb 7:18 NASB) For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness.

(Heb 7:19 NASB (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God."

"7:15-19. A further proof (and what we have said is even more clear) is found in the consideration that the new Priest has an indestructible (akatalytou) life. Psalm 110:4 was here quoted again to show that such an unending life is an inherent part of the order of Melchizedek. (The author probably had this text in mind when he made the statement about Melchizedek in Heb. 7:8.) Thus the new Priest does not hold His office on the basis of a regulation as to His ancestry. This rendering freely translates the original which is more nearly represented by the words "not after the Law of a carnal commandment." The writer seems to mean that the Law which regulated the priestly institution and succession was "carnal" or "fleshly," not in the sense of being evil, but in the sense that it pertained to people of flesh who died. But this former regulation has been replaced because of its inherent weakness and uselessness. What has replaced it is the new priesthood which constitutes a better hope... by which we draw near to God. Thus the writer established the point that the Law which made nothing perfect was replaced by a priestly institution which can accomplish its objectives in those who approach God through it."

[Biblestudymanuals]: And the message of a better hope in Christ in Heb 7:19 is reinforced in Heb 7:20 by the fact that this better hope through Jesus Christ was not without an oath as those in the Levitical Priesthood were as follows in Heb 7:21, the oath made by God Himself about His Son - salvation through Him alone - Jesus Christ Who is a priest forever! - of the priestly order of Melchizedek]:

(Heb 7:21 NASB (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, "THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER'");

[Biblestudymanuals]: Heb 7:21 states, (for they - the Levitical priests - became priests without an oath, but He [Jesus Christ] did become a high priest of the order of Melchizedek with an oath through the One [God the Father] Who said to Him [Jesus Christ, God's one and only Son], "THE LORD [GOD] HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER' "]

(Heb 7:21 NASB (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, "THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER'");"

"2. The divine oath (7:20-22)
The argument is now developed with reference to the oath that established the priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. There was no such oath when the Aaronic priesthood was set up, which means that this priesthood lacks the permanence so characteristic of the priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. There was always something conditional about Aaron's priesthood.
20-21 The oath declares the purpose of God in an absolute fashion. It allows of no qualification on account of human weakness or sinfulness or anything else. So the writer contrasts the priesthood that has the security of the divine oath to that which lacked it. Christ is contrasted with the Levitical priests, and the importance of the oath is stressed. It was not simply that an oath was sworn at the same time he was made priest but that the oath was the very essence of what was done. That is the point of the argument. The psalm is quoted once more, this time beginning a little earlier to include the reference to the swearing of the oath and the assurance that the Lord will not change his mind. The new priesthood is permanent. There is no question of its ever being done away."

[Biblestudymanuals on Expositors' above]: Not only that, but the oath was sworn by the LORD God Himself: "THE LORD [GOD] HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER' "

(Heb 7:22 NASB)"so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant."

[Biblestudymanuals]: Just as Heb 7:21 authenticates Jesus' much superior priesthood to the Levitical priesthood because Jesus is a priest of the order of Melchizedek through the oath sworn by God Himself; so Heb 7:22 goes on to say, "so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a much better covenant" in the sense of an

(Heb 7:21 NASB (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, "THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER'");

agreement to provide forgiveness of sins which is infinitely superior to the old covenant of the Mosaic Law the latter of which was made by God to be taught and enforced through the efforts of mortal / sinful priests of the tribe of Levi. So if one perfectly obeyed the Mosaic Law then one received eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God; but this has always been impossible for individuals to do because they constantly sin because they have sin natures. On the other hand Christ's covenant with Israel and the rest of mankind

is one in which God alone has taken care of the sin problem by Himself - His one and only Son, Jesus Christ Who is God the Son in His perfect Humanity paying for the sins of the whole world, forever because He Himself is eternal and thus lives forever to maintain that guarantee / that covenant with Israel and all of mankind of forgiveness unto eternal life for all those individuals of Israel and all of the rest of mankind who choose at some time in their lifetimes to trust alone in Christ alone to receive forgiveness of sins forever.

(1 Jn 2:2 NASB) "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."

And all of this was sworn to by God Himself in an oath as it stipulates in Heb 7:21 as follows:

(Heb 7:21 NASB) ("for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, "THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER'");

(Heb 7:21 NASB (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, "THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER'");

(Heb 7:22 NASB)so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

20-21 The oath declares the purpose of God in an absolute fashion. It allows of no qualification on account of human weakness or sinfulness or anything else. So the writer contrasts the priesthood that has the security of the divine oath to that which lacked it. Christ is contrasted with the Levitical priests, and the importance of the oath is stressed. It was not simply that an oath was sworn at the same time he was made priest but that the oath was the very essence of what was done. That is the point of the argument. The psalm is quoted once more, this time beginning a little earlier to include the reference to the swearing of the oath and the assurance that the Lord will not change his mind. The new priesthood is permanent. There is no question of its ever being done away.

22 "Guarantee" translates a word found only here in the NT (engyos) and it brings before us an unusual idea. The old covenant was established, as Bruce (in loc.) points out, with a mediator (Gal 3:19) but with no one to guarantee that the people would fulfill their undertaking. But Jesus stands as a continuing guarantor and that in two directions. He guarantees to men that God will fulfill his covenant of forgiveness, and he guarantees to God that those who are in him are acceptable.

This is the writer's first use of the term "covenant" (diatheke), a word whose importance for him may be gauged from the fact that he uses it no fewer than seventeen times, whereas in no other NT book is it found more than three times. In nonbiblical Greek it denotes a last will and testament, but in the LXX it is the normal rendering of the Hebrew berit ("covenant"). It is agreed that in NT diatheke mostly means "covenant." It also seems, however, that now and then the meaning "testament" is not out of mind (e.g., 9:16). The author may have chosen this word rather than syntheke, the usual word for "covenant," because the latter might suggest an agreement made on more or less equal terms. By contrast, there is something absolute about a will. One cannot dicker with the testator. And in like manner man cannot bargain with God. God lays down the terms. (See further my Apostolic Preaching of the Cross 3rd ed. [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965] ch.2)."

(Heb 7:21 NASB (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, "THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER'");

(Heb 7:22 NASB)so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant."

If, as the author has shown, Melchizedek was greater than Levi (vv. 4-10) and the new priesthood necessarily abrogates the old (vv. 11-19), then the new Priest has to be greater than the Levitical priests.
7:20-22. The priesthood of Christ differs dramatically from the Levitical priesthood in that it was instituted with an oath. By contrast, the descendants of Aaron assumed their jobs without any oath. The writer then quoted again the divine oath of Psalm 110:4 whose very solemnity argues for the superiority of the new Priest, who was majestically inducted into His role. Moreover, because of this oath, Jesus became the guarantee (engyos, used only here in the NT) of a better covenant. In His own person, Jesus assured the superiority of the new order over the old because His oath secured His permanent installation in the priestly office."

(Heb 7:23 NASB "The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing

(Heb 7:24 NASB) but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.

(Heb 7:25 NASB)Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

[Biblestudymanuals]: Notice that in order for Jesus to provide salvation unto eternal life He must continue forever as it stipulates in Heb 7:24 and thereby He holds His priesthood permanently so that all may believe in His propitiation for the sins of the whole world and forever be saved - because He continues forever - thereby He always lives to make intercession for them]

(Heb 7:23 NASB "The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing

(Heb 7:24 NASB) but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.

(Heb 7:25 NASB)Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

"3. Its permanence (7:23-25)
It matters to the author that Christ's life was different in quality from other lives. He has emphasized this in vv. 15ff. and he comes back to it with the thought that the permanence of Christ's priesthood makes it superior to the Levitical priesthood. His life is such that there is no need and no place for a successor.

[Biblestudymanuals on Expositor's above]: Since there is no place for a successor to Jesus Christ in the priestly order of Melchizedek, then there is only one priest in that order. So Melchizedek is the first priest and the last, Who is Christ in the sense of the Son of God in a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ in human form at the time of Abraham

So if Christ, Who is testified to in Scripture as "king of righteousness" for the name Melchizedek means king of Righteousness; and "king of peace" for Salem means peace just like Melchizedek. If Christ were a high priest of the order of Melchizedek, Melchizedek could be nothing / nobody less that a preincarnate appearance of the Son of God in Perfect, Righteous Humanity - King of Absolute Righteousness and King of Absolute Peace. For when Christ returns, His kingdom on earth will be one of righteousness and peace. Ultimately, in the new heavens and new earth there will be the fullest righteousness and peace.]

(Heb 7:23 NASB "The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing

(Heb 7:24 NASB) but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.

(Heb 7:25 NASB)Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

"23-24 Once more the Levitical priests are set in contrast to Christ. They had to be numerous because like all men they died, and successors were needed to keep the priesthood functioning. Josephus says that there were eighty-three high priests from Aaron to the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 (Antiq. XX, 227 [x. 1]; the Tal says there were eighteen during the first temple and more than three hundred during the second, Yoma 9a).

Death was inevitable for the Aaronic priests and it meant the cessation of their exercise of the high priesthood. But with Christ it is different. He remains forever and thus his priesthood never has to be continued by another. The word rendered "permanent" (aparabatos) is found nowhere else in the NT. It is often understood to mean "without a successor," but this meaning does not seem to be demonstrated. The word means "that cannot be transgressed," or, as Abbott-Smith puts it, "inviolable, and so unchangeable" (s.v.). Christ lives through eternity, and his priesthood lives with him. The quality of his life means a quality of priesthood that cannot be matched by the Levitical priests.

25 From Christ's unchanging priesthood the author draws an important conclusion about the salvation Christ accomplishes. The verb "to save" (sozo) is used absolutely, which means that Christ will save in the most comprehensive sense; he saves from all that humanity needs saving from. The expression rendered "completely" (eis to panteles) is an unusual one, used again in the NT only in Luke 13:11 of the woman who could not straighten herself "completely" ("at all," NIV). This may well be the sense of it here, too. Christ's salvation is a complete deliverance no matter what the need of the sinner. Some take the word panteles in a temporal sense and see it as scarcely differing from "forever" or "always." There is more to be said for the former meaning, though the latter is not impossible. The verb "is able" (dynatai) refers to power. Christ's inviolable priesthood, a priesthood that can never be put away, means that he has the capacity (as others have not) of bringing a complete salvation to all who approach God through him.

At the end of the verse we find that Christ intercedes for those who come to him (cf. Rom 8:34). This is sometimes made the vehicle of strange theories, such as the one that says that Christ is always pleading his sacrifice in heaven while worshipers on earth do the same thing in the Holy Communion. It must be stressed that there is no thought of Christ as a humble suppliant. Rather, he is supreme and his very presence in heaven in his character as the one who died for mankind and rose again is itself an intercession. As Snell puts it, "We must be careful not to infer from this verse, or from the last phrase of 9:24, that the author thought of our Lord as having to maintain a kind of continuous liturgical action in heaven for our benefit... the meaning is that our Lord's presence in heaven, seated at God's right hand, and awaiting the full manifestation of his already achieved victory, itself constitutes his effective intercession for us" (in loc.)."

(Heb 7:23 NASB "The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing

(Heb 7:24 NASB) but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.

(Heb 7:25 NASB)Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

"7:23-25. No Old Testament priest ever functioned in this permanent way, since all were subject to death. But the permanent priesthood of Jesus gives Him the capacity to carry His saving work to completion. When the writer asserted that He is able to save completely, he continued to have in mind the salvation-inheritance first referred to in 1:14. The readers were to hold fast to their professions of faith and to continue numbering themselves among those who come to God through Him, knowing that He can see them through every trial and difficulty right to the end of the road because He always lives to intercede for them. In saying this, the author reverted again to a truth he had already enunciated (4:14-16) where he had invited the readers to avail themselves boldly of the mercy and grace accessible to them through Jesus' priesthood. As they did so, they would find that their Captain and High Priest could get the job done! He could lead them victoriously into the glory of the many sons. In this way He saves "completely." "

(Heb 7:27 NASB) who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

(Heb 7:28 NASB) For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever."

[Biblestudymanuals]: on Heb 7:26-28]: So the priesthood of the priests of the order of Aaron who administered the Law to Israel were limited in their mortal lifespans, weak, sinful and not able to administer salvation unto eternal life to themselves or to others. It was fitting that all of mankind in order to have available to them eternal life to have a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens, Who does not need daily, like those high priests who administered the Law to Israel - the priesthood of Aaron - to offer up sacrifices for others and even for their own sins. So Christ Who is without sin offered up Himself once for the sins of all mankind. But the word of the oath [which word came from God making an oath] which came after the Law, appoints a Son - Jesus Christ made perfect forever in His Perfect Humanity - appointed by God Himself as high priest to the order of the priesthood of Melchizedek - a priesthood equal to the eternality and perfection of the high priest Jesus Christ.

(Heb 7:28 NASB) For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever."

"4. His better sacrifice (7:26-28)
This section of the study is rounded off with a glowing description of Christ as our High Priest, better qualified than the Levitical priests, and one who offered a better sacrifice than they did.

(Heb 7:26 NASB) "For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;"

"26 NIV omits the important word "for" (gar) that links this proposition to the preceding one. It is because Christ is what he is that he intercedes as he does. "Meets our need" is literally "is fitting for us" (hemin eprepen). Even our human sense of the fitness of things is able to recognize Christ's suitability for his saving work.
There are two Greek words for "holy," one (hagios) refers to the quality of separateness of belonging to God, and the other (hosios) signifies rather the character involved in that separation. Hosios is used here. He is also "blameless" (akakos, "without evil," "innocent") and "pure" (amiantos). "Pure" contains the thought of being undefiled, and there may be a contrast between the ritual purity the Levitical high priest must be careful to maintain and the complete moral purity of Jesus.
There is probably another contrast in the words "set apart from sinners," for the Levitical high priest was required to leave his home seven days before the Day of Atonement and live in such a manner as to ensure that he avoided ritual defilement (M Yoma 1.1). But Jesus' separation was not ritual. Some think the words refer to his spotless character and think he is being contrasted with sinful men. It is more likely that we should take the words closely with the following. His work on earth is done. He has accomplished his sacrifice. He has been "exalted above the heavens." This makes him the perfect intercessor.

(Heb 7:27 NASB) "who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself."

"27 There is a problem in the reference to offering sacrifices "day after day" for, while there were daily sacrifices in the temple, the high priest was not required to offer them personally; and the sacrifices that did demand his personal action, those on the Day of Atonement, took place once a year not once a day, a fact the author well knows (9:7, 25, 10:1). Some have thought that we should understand the words to mean not that the high priest offered every day but that he felt the need to offer every day. Others think that Christ's high priestly office, unlike that of the Levitical high priests which involved repeated offerings, is fulfilled daily by his one sacrifice. Such solutions have their attraction. Yet it is not easy to reconcile them with the actual words used. Bruce (in loc.) reminds us that it was always possible for the high priest, as for other people, to commit inadvertent sin, which required the offering of a sin offering (Lev 4:2-3) and that thus the high priest needed to offer daily (to ensure his fitness for ministry). We should also bear in mind that Leviticus requires the high priest to offer the cereal offering each day (Lev 6:19-23; notice that it is "the son [not all the priests] who is to succeed him [Aaron] as anointed priest" who is required to offer this offering [v. 22]). This was regarded as expiatory (Lev R 3:3).

Jesus stands in contrast to the earthly priests. He has no need to offer for his own sins because he has none (4:15). And he has no need to keep offering for the sins of the people, for his one sacrifice has perfectly accomplished this. They were sinful men and had to provide for the putting away of their own sin before they were in a fit condition to do anything about the sins of the people. What they did for themselves, they then proceeded to do for others. But Christ's offering is different. There is none for himself. And for others, he offered "once for all" (ephapax). There is an air of utter finality about this expression. It is characteristic of the author that he introduces the thought of Christ's sacrifice but does not elaborate. He will return to the thought later and develop it."

(Heb 7:28 NASB) "For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever."

"28 Here the contrast between men with all their infirmities and the Son with his eternal perfection is further brought out. "The law" brings us back to the law of Moses, the law of divine origin indeed, but the law that necessarily operates among men with all their weakness. And when the law appoints high priests, they must be limited as all men are limited. There is no other possibility. The "weakness" (astheneia) refers to "the frailty to which all human flesh is heir" (BAG, s.v.). Priests are not made from some super race but from ordinary men, with all the frailty that characterizes ordinary men.

"But" introduces the contrast: the oath makes the difference. This, we are remind ed, "came after the law" and so cannot be thought of as superseded by it. The oath has the last word, not the law. And the oath appointed the Son. Actually Psalm 110 which speaks of the oath, does not mention the Son, who is referred to in Psalm 2. But the author sees both psalms as referring to Jesus; so he has no difficulty in applying terminology taken from the one to a situation relating to the other. And the Son "has been made perfect forever." He has been made perfect through those sufferings (2:10) that bring people to God."

(Heb 7:26 NASB) "For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;

(Heb 7:28 NASB) For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever."

In any case the new Priest had no need either for sacrifices for Himself or for repeated sacrifices for others. His one act of self-offering was definitive and sufficient. Of this more will be said in Hebrews 9 and 10. Here the author was content to conclude that, in contrast with the Levitical priests, the Son is a perfected High Priest. The reference to the fact that He has been made perfect forever recalls 5:8-10. The sufferings of the Son, here referred to as His sacrificial offering of Himself once for all (ephapax, cf. 9:12; 10:10; also cf. hapax, "once" in 9:26, 28), are what have constituted Him "perfect" for His role in God's presence where He intercedes for His followers. Thus the Law appointed as high priests those who were weak, but the oath, which came after the Law, appointed this kind of Priest. Accordingly the readers could go to Him at all times, fully confident of His capacity to serve their every need."