Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Monday after the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Posted on September 17, 2018 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: Hebrews 7:1-28 (NKJV)

7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6 but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8 Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies:

“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

20 And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath 21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:

“The LORD has sworn and will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek ‘”),

22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.

23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

Devotion

The author of the epistle to the Hebrews shows us how the Old Testament is to be interpreted. All of Scripture teaches about the Christ. The Old Testament taught about the Christ who would come in the future, whereas the New Testament teaches that the Christ has come and has completed the work of salvation. Sometimes the Old Testament teaches about the Christ by direct prophecy, as when Isaiah plainly said that the Christ would be born of a virgin (Is. 7:14). At other times the Old Testament teaches by example, as in the case of Melchizedek, priest of Salem (Gen. 14). In such a case, God provides a small truth, which points forward to the greater reality to be revealed in the New Testament.

Melchizedek is a type of the Christ, meaning he points forward to Christ’s person or work by a point of similarity. Melchizedek was a priest of God, even though he was before the line of Levi. In the same way, Christ is the High Priest because He was before all. Melchizedek is greater than Abraham, for he both blessed Abraham and received an offering from him. In the same way, the Christ is the God of Abraham who is worthy of worship from Abraham’s descendants. Melchizedek has no recorded family. In the same way, the Christ, though
born of Mary, has no biological father, but His Father is God and His family is those who believe in Him. Melchizedek’s life-span is not recorded, even as the Christ lives and reigns forever, so will those who believe in Him.

We pray: Lord, we pray Thee that Thy grace may always go before and follow after us and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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