BETTER THINGS

Summer 2013

HEBREWS 7:1-28 – JESUS, LIKE MELCHIZEDEK

Melchizedek is superior (better) than Abraham (1-10) Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek Melchizedek blessed Abraham Melchizedek is immortal Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek

HEBREWS 7:1-28 – JESUS, LIKE MELCHIZEDEK

The inadequacy of the Old Priesthood (11-19) “perfect”, “perfection” Christ (2:10, 5:9) The Law could not “perfect” God’s people

No real sacrifice for sins (9:9; 10:4) If the priesthood had to change, the

Law had to change (12) The law concerning priesthood Jesus was from the tribe of Judah

HEBREWS 7:1-28 – JESUS, LIKE MELCHIZEDEK

The former commandment is set aside Weak Useless “set aside”

Cancel, disannul, out-of-date, over, finished, wiped away

The eternal priesthood of Christ A better hope By which we can draw near to God

HEBREWS 7:1-28 – JESUS, LIKE MELCHIZEDEK

The supremacy of the New Priesthood (20-28) Christ has become high priest with an oath Jesus is a “guarantor of a better covenant”

First time “covenant” is mentioned Jesus personally guarantees the terms of the covenant

Levitical priests were “many in number” 83 high priests from Aaron to A.D. 70, according to

Josephus Christ holds the priesthood permanently Christ saves for all times (to the uttermost)

Those who draw near to God He always lives to make intercession for them

HEBREWS 7:1-28 – JESUS, LIKE MELCHIZEDEK

Jesus lived a sinless life, now He lives a glorious life “separated from sinners”

He is the perfect priest AND the perfect sacrifice He offered the one perfect sacrifice “once

for all” Contrast:

The law and the word of the oath Men and a Son The Aaronic high priests in their

“weakness” and the Son as an eternally perfected high priest

HEBREWS 7:1-28 – JESUS, LIKE MELCHIZEDEK

Melchizedek The oldest recorded priesthood Suited for kings, not based on flesh and

blood The Levitical priests

Many, sacrifices had to be offered over and over

Their sacrifices kept the people at a distance

Jesus Can guarantee the new covenant because

of his indestructible life He is not weak, but holy, blameless,

unstained

HEBREWS 8:1-13: JESUS: BETTER MINISTRY, BETTER PROMISES

Chapters 5-7: the person of Christ as high priest

Chapters 8-10: the ministry of Christ as high priest

HEBREWS 8:1-13: JESUS: BETTER MINISTRY, BETTER PROMISES The Heavenly Ministry (8:1-6)

Christ is the real priest located in the only real place where sin can be dealt with—in the presence of God

Jesus died on earth, but His offering was made in heaven. (On earth, He was not a priest.)

Christ is seated, the Levites stand Levites serve in an earthly sanctuary,

Christ ministers in heaven (the true tent)

HEBREWS 8:1-13: JESUS: BETTER MINISTRY, BETTER PROMISES Christ’s ministry is more excellent

Better than the angels (1:4) Better covenant and ministry than the old (8:6) Better blood than that of bulls and goats (9:13-

14) Blood that speaks better than the blood of Abel

(12:24) A better ministry demands a better covenant Christ is both minister (high priest) and

mediator (God’s representative) diatheke (covenant)– God alone sets its

condition (Christ guarantees it—7:22)

HEBREWS 8:1-13: JESUS: BETTER MINISTRY, BETTER PROMISES

The New Covenant (8:7-13) A better covenant with better promises

implies the inadequacy of the previous one Old was “weak and useless”, could not bring

one near to God (7:18-19) Prophesied 600 years earlier (Jeremiah

31:31-34) The first covenant failed because Israel

failed

HEBREWS 8:1-13: JESUS: BETTER MINISTRY, BETTER PROMISES The New Covenant

A covenant of assurance “I will” is said 6 times

I will establish a new covenant This is the covenant I will make I will put my laws I will be their Lord I will be merciful I will remember their sins no more

The new covenant doesn’t primarily depend upon us, but on God

God has promised to fulfill it and it will never be broken or displaced

HEBREWS 8:1-13: JESUS: BETTER MINISTRY, BETTER PROMISES

The New Covenant A covenant of assurance A covenant of obedience

Poetice parallelism Old covenant required obedience, offered a

close relationship with God Consisted of external commands, written on

stone The new covenant is written within, on the

heart

HEBREWS 8:1-13: JESUS: BETTER MINISTRY, BETTER PROMISES Written on our hearts

We must obey God Deuteronomy 30:11-14 Ezekiel 11:19-20 Psalm 40:6-8 There is a direct connection between obedience and

what is in the heart Those in the new covenant relationship with

God have His law written on their hearts, thus they do not need to be taught

“know” means to know and do Those who have no knowledge of God are those who

violate God’s law (Jer. 5:4-5; Matt. 7:21-23; John 7:17; 8:23; 17:3)

HEBREWS 8:1-13: JESUS: BETTER MINISTRY, BETTER PROMISES The New Covenant

A covenant of assurance A covenant of obedience A covenant of grace

Forgiveness of sins is the basis of all the blessings in the new covenant (not of the old)

Under the new covenant sins are fully forgiven and forgotten (instead of “a reminder of sin every year” [10:3])

This grace is only through Christ (9:11-14, 28; 10:12-14; 13:12)

HEBREWS 8:1-13: JESUS: BETTER MINISTRY, BETTER PROMISES The New Covenant

“obsolete” Something that is past

God made it obsolete because it no longer served His purpose

“Becoming obsolete” – something that is still present Levitical sacrifices were still being offered at the temple But this system was “ready to vanish away”

A.D. 70 Perfectly fulfills the terms of an ideal covenant

Israel failed to keep covenant with God God has provided a new and better covenant

He is theirs, they are His; engraved within them is the delight to do His will; they know Him and walk in His ways; and they have forever the forgiveness of their sins

Christ is in heaven, as high priest, ministering

BETTER THINGS

Summer 2013