Charles Spurgeon Commentary Hebrews 7
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
Hebrews 7
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
Hebrews 7
"For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is King of peace;" — Hebrews 7:1-2 (ASV)
His very names being instructive, Righteousness first, and Peace afterwards, as it is with our divine Lord, who has brought in everlasting righteousness, and speaks peace to guilty men.
"without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God), abideth a priest continually." — Hebrews 7:3 (ASV)
Melchisedec just passed across the page; he has no predecessor, he has no successor. We see him in Scripture, and we know nothing of his descent, we know nothing of his death; we only know that he was a priest of the Most High God. This very silence about him is highly significant and instructive, for in this he is like unto the Son of God, who abideth a priest continually.
Now consider who this great man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth part of his spoil. If Abraham, the father of the faithful, the friend of God, paid tribute to him, how great must he have been, how high his office!
"And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest`s office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham: but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises. But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better." — Hebrews 7:5-7 (ASV)
And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
Therefore, Abraham was less than Melchisedec: he could not bless Melchisedec, but Melchisedec could bless him. How great, then, was he! How far greater still is that Lord of ours, of whom Melchisedec was but a type.
"And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receiveth tithes, hath paid tithes; for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him." — Hebrews 7:8-10 (ASV)
Thus the old priesthood, the Levitical and Aaronic priesthood, paid homage to the Melchisedec priesthood, which is greater still.
"Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need [was there] that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron?" — Hebrews 7:11 (ASV)
We read in the psalm just now, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec, which proves that the priests of the order of Levi were not sufficient: there was need of a still greater priesthood.
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