19th December, 2010

BRUCE C. WEARNE

Read Hebrews 7: 11-28

If a Jewish Christian were to measure his or her obligation to the Lord by how one's duty to the hereditary "line" of Israel's priestly family is performed then, by being reminded that Levi's tithing obligation was already implicated in Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek, it might help such a believer to see that priesthood has always been relative to the Lord's covenantal promises and purposes. But this only raises, once more, questions about Melchizedek's significance as a priestly-king. Now that Christ has come, according to this Melchizedekian pattern, the law's strict delineation between King and Priest (see, for example, the case of King Uzziah's attempt to usurp a priestly role in II Chronicles 26) is itself superseded in the Son of God's assumption of the priestly role.

PICTURE: Danilo Vitoriano (www.sxc.com) "The law...could provide a priest but it could not provide proper standing before the Throne of Grace. It could only point to the path along which such right-standing would be found, with its severe warnings against straying. But now that a Son has been provided with proper standing that priesthood has been superseded, since He takes up His office perfectly, and forever, for the children He brings along with Him."

And in fact, if we read this complex passage carefully we will see that the writer is actually talking about the One who, by oath of the Lord Almighty, assumes the Melchizedekian office in perpetuity, forever. So it is not about Melchizedek in some way being opposed to the Levitical priesthood. Rather, the Son of God, the Messiah, has now assumed a kingly priesthood, taking upon Himself the name of Melchizedek. It is this assumption of priestly office which makes the Levitical priesthood redundant. Even granting that the Levitical order paid tithes ("from the loins of their ancestor", see 7: 10), this priesthood never had the ability to provide Israel with the proper standing they needed before the Throne of Grace. The One who provides proper standing does so perpetually; death can not now prevent Him from doing so.

The question that arises is this: what was the task of this former priesthood? Notice how the letter continues to provide an answer by emphasising why the priesthood in this Melchizedekian line renders a service the Aaronic priesthood could never perform. Because this Royal Priesthood is perpetual it is sufficient for whatever is needed. Christ who has died has, on the basis of the Lord's sworn oath, now been raised to the office of Kingly Priest. Raised indeed. This perpetual priestly office implies both His death and His resurrection, whereas when a Levitical priest died another had to be appointed to replace him. That priesthood had no power over death. But this Kingly Priest, in His own sacrifice, has conquered death and thereby inaugurates a much better hope so that His own attain "proper standing" in the presence of their Creator - only in Christ are they received as image bearers of the Lord. This priesthood is maintained by the power of the living God, as the Lord had sworn to Abraham, "fear not Abram I am your shield; your reward shall be very great (Genesis 15: 1) I am El Shaddai walk before me whole". (17: 1).

This Heavenly Intercessor, has taken on the task of providing complete and perpetual deliverance for all those who approach God through Him - that is what assuming the dual (human) offices of King and Priest involves. That means that the promise to Abraham is now fulfilled by His rising and ascension, and Christ's active intercession completely annuls the previous law that governed the Aaronic priesthood. That was a law that was enacted as part of the education of those who were being comprehensively trained (by the Torah and the prophets) to eagerly anticipate their redemption as people of the Lord, looking earnestly for the healing ways of the Lord.

The Melchizedekian promise about David's Lord, made to King David, is the same Messianic promise. It is to this prophecy that repeated appeal is made throughout the New Testament. The One who fulfils the Royal Davidic line to rule all the princes of the earth has done His work which is now to be manifest in the lives of all "those near and those far off", those who obey the call and live out their days seeking God's Kingdom and His justice. They will follow the path opened up to them by God's own Spirit. They will walk by the spirit, not by the flesh, in the assurance that the Lord perpetually attends to their cries and ensures their deliverance. This then is the fulfillment of the Lord's promise to King David, "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. You are henceforth a priest."

This promise seems to have been the occasion for some uncertainty among the letter's intended readers, but the writer accommodates his exposition, in true priestly fashion, to meet those inclined to view the Lord's kingly rule over the gentiles as separate from any presumed priestly duties the incumbent may perform for God's people. Psalm 110 does not allow such separation. When David's Lord assumes His seat at God's right hand, He will perpetually perform both necessary duties as priest for His Royal people according to "power of a perpetual life".

So we now see that that priestly service in accordance with the Aaronic code, was designed to heighten a reverent anticipation among God's people for the full deliverance of Israel even as it was incapable of providing it. It could not deliver a priest who had in royally overcome death. Only a priesthood based on the Lord's oath could do that and, says the letter-writer, the Lord has provided such an oath and now we know for sure that He does not change His mind. His promises can be counted upon. The Levitical priesthood required the appointment of a man from among those he would serve, with duties that relate to his own, and the people's, weaknesses in their "flesh". Such a priest was always appointed to replace one who had died. The law, which was promulgated and administered under that priestly code, could provide a priest but it could not provide proper standing before the Throne of Grace. It could only point to the path along which such right-standing would be found, with its severe warnings against straying. But now that a Son has been provided with proper standing that priesthood has been superseded, since He takes up His office perfectly, and forever, for the children He brings along with Him.

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