Re: Naked Bible 185: Hebrews 7
The previous chapter ended with a declaration that Jesus was a priest of the order of Melchizedek. Chapter 7 opens with a declaration that this priesthood does not depend on lineage the way Aaron’s priesthood does. Old Covenant priests had to be from the Tribe of Levi and the descendants of Aaron.
The language is paradoxical. On the hand, it would be easy to read the symbolism making Melchizedek a divine being. On the other hand, a more literal rendering means that he was illegitimate (no father) and whose mother was likely a slave – zero inheritance. But this is aimed simply as a contrast to the Aaronic priesthood. This ancient king was a priest approved of God, yet not any part of the tribal system of Israel. In that sense, the priesthood of Christ is superior to that of any High Priest of Israel, as Melchizedek prefigured the Son of God. Who resembles whom?
The priesthood of Aaron could theoretically be terminated by the death of all his descendants. Melchizedek’s priesthood was not inherited; God alone made the appointment. Christ rose from the dead and cannot die again. The priesthood of Melchizedek is superior simply because Abraham, the ancestor every Jew claimed, gave a tithe of plunder – from a conquest fully justified – to Melchizedek.
Now, the priests of Aaron received a tithe from their own countrymen, but the whole nation gave a tithe to Melchizedek before any of them were ever born. Moreover, Melchizedek blessed Abraham, demonstrating who was superior in rank before God. The greater always blesses the lesser. The tithes under the Law pointed out how the priests of Aaron were mortal; without the tithe of food crops, they would have starved. Jesus as the final priest of Melchizedek lives forever.
Heiser chases through a large amount of legendary material about Jewish efforts to identify Noah’s son Shem with Melchizedek. The issue is that Jews eventually became deeply embarrassed by the way Abraham paid deference to a Gentile, so they slipped in this idea that Shem was still alive. Thus, they can claim the Abraham was simply honoring his own ancestor. Other rabbis after the time of Christ tried to denigrate Melchizedek. The first was a case of Jewish racism, while the second was anti-Christian spite. This nonsense shows up in both Jewish and early Christian literature.
At any rate, the writer of Hebrews goes on to note that Levi was represented in Abraham – Levi had tithes paid on his behalf to Melchizedek. Thus, the priesthood of Melchizedek is superior. Heiser notes a lot of logical problems with the whole idea in verses 9-10, but I believe he was chasing his own tail. He does note that the Early Church Fathers struggled with the pre-existence of souls, but that’s only because they were too Hellenized to grasp the fundamental Hebrew approach. Those questions are impertinent. There’s no getting around how an ancestor’s decisions and vows in the presence of God still bind every descendant until God Himself intervenes.
In the rest of the chapter, the writer offers an argument that Heiser seems to have ignored. The appointment of a superseding priesthood indicates that the Covenant of Moses was also eclipsed by a New Covenant in Christ. Moses is gone. Christ now stands in Eternity. Everything God could possibly have done to redeem mankind is fulfilled in His Son.
