Hebrews Lesson #10

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
HEBREWS 7:11-28
LESSON #10
CHRIST’S PRIESTHOOD IS A BETTER WAY

MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 37:4

READ HEB 7:11-25 MELCHIZEDEK, AARON, AND CHRIST

MAJOR POINTS:

1. A CHANGE IN THE PRIESTHOOD FROM AARON TO MELCHIZEDEK BRINGS A CHANGE IN THE LAW THAT ALL PRIESTS HAD TO COME FROM THE TRIBE OF LEVI. (12-14,18)
2. BECAUSE OF THE PROPHECY IN PSA 110, THE JEWS SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT A BETTER PRIESTHOOD WOULD REPLACE THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON. (17)
3. THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON WAS BEING SET ASIDE BECAUSE IT WAS WEAK AND UNPROFITABLE (18). IT COULD MAKE NO ONE PERFECT AND ACCEPTABLE BEFORE GOD (19) BECAUSE IT COULD NOT TAKE AWAY SIN. IT COULD ONLY COVER SIN WITH THE BLOOD OF ANIMALS.

THEN, WHAT WAS THE GOOD OF THE LAW?

GAL 3:24

IT WAS TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER TO LEAD US TO CHRIST. MAN NEEDED TO LEARN WHAT GOD EXPECTED, AND HE NEEDED TO REALIZE THAT HE COULDN’T POSSIBLY LIVE UP TO THE LAW.

4. THE TWO BLESSINGS CHRIST PROVIDES THAT THE LAW COULD NOT GIVE ARE A BETTER HOPE AND A WAY TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD (19).
5. THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST IS BETTER THAN AARON'S BECAUSE THE OATH WAS TAKEN BY GOD TO FULFILL IT. GOD NEVER FAILS TO FULFILL HIS PROMISES. (20-22)

GOD ORDAINED THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON BUT EACH INDIVIDUAL PRIEST WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY CALLED BY GOD. THE PRIESTHOOD WAS PASSED ON FROM FATHER TO SON. THEREFORE, SOME PRIESTS WERE GOOD ONES AND SOME WERE BAD ONES WITH WRONG MOTIVES AND WERE SPIRITUALLY UNFIT.

6. THE MEANING OF VERSE 22: "JESUS IS SURETY OF A BETTER COVENANT" =

A COVENANT IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN 2 PARTIES. A SURETY IS A GUARANTEE TO BOTH PARTIES IN THE COVENANT THAT THE COVENANT IS BINDING AND WILL BE KEPT. JESUS CHRIST IS THE PERFECT MEDIATOR BECAUSE HE IS ABLE TO GIVE A GUARANTEE TO BOTH PARTIES (GOD AND MAN). BY HIS DEATH, HE HAS MET GOD'S REQUIREMENTS AS TO THE PENALTY FOR OUR SINS. BY HIS LIFE AT THE HEAVENLY THRONE AS OUR HIGH PRIEST, HE MEETS OUR REQUIREMENTS.

7. THE MEANING OF VERSE 25: "...TO THE UTTERMOST"

HE CAN AND WILL SAVE US BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT NOW AND THROUGHOUT ALL ETERNITY AGAINST ALL OPPOSITION.

JESUS DIED ON EARTH TO SAVE US. HE NOW MINISTERS IN HEAVEN TO KEEP US SAVED.

READ HEB 7:26-28 CHRIST, THE IDEAL HIGH PRIEST

THE QUALITIES THAT MAKE JESUS CHRIST THE IDEAL HIGH PRIEST:

HOLY (PIETY, OBEDIENCE, LOYALTY, HUMILITY, FAITH)
HARMLESS (NO TRACE OF MALICE OR EVIL)
UNDEFILED (MORALLY WITHOUT SIN)
SEPARATE FROM SINNERS (IN HEAVEN WHERE SIN IS NOT FOUND)
HIGHER THAN THE HEAVENS (GREATER THAN THE ANGELS)
THE PERFECT SACRIFICE
CONSECRATED FOREVER (UNENDING DEVOTION TO OUR CAUSE AND TO THE CAUSE OF GOD)

COMPARISON OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON AND THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST (11-28)

PRIESTHOOD OF AARON	PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST
COMPOSED OF WEAK, SINFUL MEN WHO WERE NOT PERFECT	COMPOSED OF THE ONLY ONE WHO IS PERFECT AND WITHOUT SIN
ALL HIGH PRIESTS WERE DESCENDED FROM AARON	A LEGAL DESCENDENT FROM THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, BUT WITHOUT GENEALOGY BY WAY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT JUDAH
A PRIESTHOOD BASED ON HEREDITY	A PRIESTHOOD BASED ON AN ENDLESS, INDISTRUCTIBLE LIFE INDESTRUCTIBLE LIFE
PRIESTHOOD BASED ON THE MOSAIC LAW	PRIESTHOOD BASED ON AN OATH BY GOD
A PRIESTHOOD FILLED BY MEN WHO DIED	A PRIESTHOOD FILLED BY ONE WHO IS ETERNAL ETERNAL
PERFORMED HUMANLY DEFECTIVE INTERCESSION	PERFORMS AN ETERNAL, PERFECT INTERCESSION
PRIESTS PRESENTED CONTINUAL SACRIFICES FOR THEIR OWN SIN AND FOR THE SIN OF THE PEOPLE	JESUS PRESENTED HIMSELF ONLY ONCE AS A SACRIFICE FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE

WE HAVE DISCUSSED 3 PRIESTHOODS: THE PRIESTHOOD OF MELCHIZEDEK, THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST, AND THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON. IT WILL HELP TO SEE THEM SIDE BY SIDE.

COMPARISON OF PRIESTHOODS

PRIESTHOOD OF MELCHISEDEK	PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST	PRIESTHOOD OF AARON
A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD COMBINING OFFICES OF PRIEST AND KING	A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD = JESUS CHRIST, BOTH A KING AND A PRIEST 1TIM 6:15	AN INHERITED PRIESTHOOD THROUGH THE TRIBE OF LEVI AND THE LINEAGE OF AARON. ROYALTY CAME THROUGH THE TRIBE OF JUDAH
KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: THE MEANING OF HIS NAME	A RIGHTEOUS PRIESTHOOD = CHRIST THE ONLY ONE TO LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE LUK 23:47 1JOH 2:1	NO PRIEST WAS RIGHTEOUS. CONTINUAL SACRIFICE WAS REQUIRED TO COVER HIS SINS
KING OF SALEM = PEACE THE MEANING OF THE CITY WHERE HE WAS KING	A PRIESTHOOD OF PEACE = WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD BOUGHT BY THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS ON THE CROSS EPH 2:13-14 JOH 14:27	TRUE PEACE WITH GOD WAS NEVER OBTAINED BY COVERING SIN WITH ANIMAL BLOOD. THAT IS WHY THEY HAD TO CONTINUALLY OFFER SACRIFICES
"WITHOUT FAHTER, AND MOTHER, WITHOUT DESCENT" = HIS GENEALOGY WAS UNKNOWN	A PERSONAL PRIESTHOOD = JESUS HAD A SPECIFIC GENEALOGY THROUGH MARY BUT HIS SPIRITUAL FATHER WAS THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO HAS NO GENEALOGY. THEREFORE, HIS PRIESTHOOD WAS NOT INHERITED ALONG HUMAN LINES MAT 1:20	BECAUSE THE PRIESTLY OFFICE WAS INHERITED THROUGH THE TRIBE OF LEVI, THE FITNESS OF EACH PRIEST WAS UNCERTAIN. THERE WERE NO CONSISTENT QUALIFICATIONS
"HAVING NEITHER BEGINNING OF DAYS NOR END OF LIFE" = HIS LIFE HISTORY IS UNKNOWN	AN ETERNAL PRIESTHOOD = JESUS CHRIST, AN ETERNAL MEMBER OF THE TRINITY JOH 1:1-5,14	HUMAN PRIESTHOOD WAS NOT ETERNAL EXCEPT THROUGH ANCESTRY AS LONG AS IT WAS RECORDED AND PERPETUATED

SUMMARY: HEB 1:3 INDICATES THERE ARE 2 PARTS TO THE WORK OF CHRIST THAT THE BOOK OF HEBREWS WILL EXPLAIN.

AARON’S PRIESTHOOD PICTURES CHRIST’S WORK ON EARTH	MELCHISEDEK’S PRIESTHOOD PICTURES CHRIST’S WORK IN HEAVEN
ANIMAL SACRIFICE PICTURES CHRIST’S SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS FOR SIN. HE GAINED POWER OVER SATAN	"POWER OF AN ENDLESS LIFE" = HE GAINED POWER OVER SIN
THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD BROUGHT DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPT (SYMBOL OF WORLDLINESS)	CHRIST BRINGS US INTO THE "REST" OF GOD
ATONEMENT THAT BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN MAN AND GOD WAS TEMPORARY UNTIL CHRIST CAME	CONTINUAL INTERCESSION AS OUR PERSONAL, PERPETUAL ADVOCATE IN HEAVEN
RECONCILLIATION WITH GOD OPENED A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL MEN	CONTINUAL BLESSING AND PROVISION OF GOD FOR BELIEVERS IN CHRIST
AARON WENT INSIDE HE VEIL IN THE TABERNACLE BUT HE COULD NOT REMAIN THERE	CHRIST WENT INSIDE THE VEIL OF THE HEAVENLY TABERNACLE AND REMAINS THERE TODAY

SUMMARY: THE ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OLD TESTAMENT STYLE OF PRIESTHOOD AND THE NEW TESTAMENT STYLE IS BEST SEEN IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE BELIEVER

OLD TESTAMENT PRIESTHOOD OF AARON	NEW TESTAMENT PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST
LAW RESTRAINS = LEGALISM RESTRAINS MAN’S ACTIONS AND MAKES MAN FEEL GUILTY	POWER ENABLES = POWER OF CHRIST THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT FREES MAN TO LIVE A GODLY LIFE
EXTERNAL LEGALISTIC COMMANDMENTS = RULES AND LAWS CONTROL ONLY THE EXTERNAL NATURE OF MAN	INTERNAL POWER OF NEW BIRTH = THE INTERNAL WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT ONLY CONTROLS MAN’S OUTWARD ACTIONS, BUT ALSO HIS INWARD THOUGHTS AND ATTITUDES.
THE FLESH NATURE OF MAN = BECAUSE LAW DEALT ONLY WITH THE EXTERNAL, IT WAS POWERLESS TO PROVIDE ETERNAL LIFE	THE NEW NATURE OF MAN = BECAUSE CHRIST DIED ONCE AND FOR ALL, WE HAVE THE POWER TO BECOME SONS OF GOD WITH AN ETERNAL NATURE
THE LEGALISTIC SYSTEM WAS WEAK AND UNPROFITABLE = IT COULD NOT CHANGE ANYONE. IT COULD NOT GIVE MAN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. IT COULD NOT GIVE MAN ETERNAL LIFE	CHRIST’S BETTER SYSTEM IS POWERFUL AND PROFITABLE = MAN IS GIVEN A CHANGED LIFE, A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP TO GOD, AND ETERNAL LIFE

APPLICATION TO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE:

CHRIST AS YOUR AARON:

HE BECOMES YOUR REDEEMER AND YOU ARE BORN AGAIN.

OUT OF GRATITUDE, YOU COMPEL YOURSELF TO LOVE AND OBEDIENCE TO HIM.

THIS RESULTS IN UNCEASING EFFORT AND FREQUENT FAILURE BECAUSE HUMAN EFFORTS ARE WEAK AND WITHOUT SPIRITUAL POWER.

CHRIST AS YOUR MELCHIZEDEK:

HE BECOMES YOUR POWER OF AN ENDLESS LIFE

THIS POWER BECOMES PART OF YOUR NATURE WHERE YOU DELIGHT TO DO HIS WILL BECAUSE HE BREATHES HIS ENDLESS LIFE IN YOU. THIS POWER ENABLES YOU TO LIVE THE WAY HE WANTS YOU TO LIVE WITHOUT HUMAN STRIVING.

HOMEWORK
HEBREWS 8

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF HEB 7

HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE WITH JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR AARON ONLY?
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MAJOR PROBLEM IN YOUR LIFE WITH JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR REDEEMER ONLY? (BE SPECIFIC)
WHAT CAN JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR MELCHIZEDEK DO FOR YOU THAT YOU HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO ACCOMPLISH?
PRAY AND ASK JESUS TO BE YOUR MELCHIZEDEK AS YOU DRAW CLOSER TO HIM.

PREPARATION FOR HEB 8:

READ HEB 8:1-6

WHAT DO THE WORDS, "COPY, SHADOW, AND PATTERN" MEAN TO YOU?
WHAT THINGS ON EARTH WERE A "COPY" OF THE TRUE THINGS IN HEAVEN?

READ HEB 8:7-13

FOR BACKGROUND, READ DEU 6:1-9 PRO 7:1-3 JER 31:31-34

(FOR THE DILIGENT STUDENT, READ EXO 19-31 THE OLD COVENANT)

WHAT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE OLD COVENANT?
LIST THE CONDITIONS OF THE NEW COVENANT (HEB 8:10-13).

MEMORY VERSE: HEB 8:12