Today I will start on chapter five.
1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also Christ glorified nothimself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begottenthee. 6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tearsunto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he werea Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
This looks like another big chunk, but it’s mostly just filler. The Jewish Christians who were thinking about returning to Judaism and abandoning the faith of Christ looked to the ordination of the Aaronic priesthood as proof that it is superior to the Church. God ordained Aaron and his sons to be the priests of the Tabernacle. Those contemplating apostasy saw that as desirable. The preacher is pointing out that the priesthood of Jesus Christ is older, and still ordained by God. The priests of the Temple were of the order of Aaron. Jesus is a Priest of the order of Melchisedec.
Melchisedec is a compound word made up of the Hebrew words for king and righteousness. So the name is most likely a title worn by the ancient Jebusite rulers of Salem, the city later taken by David to be his capitol. The kings of Salem were kings of righteousness. And Salem is the Chaldean word for peace, so they were also the kings of peace. To be a priest of the order of Melchisedec one must also be royal, in line to rule the City of Peace. Thus Jesus’s title, Prince of Peace, has more than one meaning.
I will cover more about Melchisedec in the next few posts, as the preacher spent quite a lot of breath on the subject. But rest assured that Jesus didn’t appoint Himself to be high priest over the Christians, He was ordained by God as the rightful ruler of the City of Peace. As Lord of all the creation, Jesus qualifies as a priest of the line of Melchisedec. I am glad to make Him Lord over my own life and my heart. Won’t you do the same?
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