Hebrews 7:11-28--Jesus Compared to Melchizedek

Hebrews 7:11-28 English Standard Version (ESV)
Listen:  https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Heb.7.11-Heb.7.28
Jesus Compared to Melchizedek
11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. 13 For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
15 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is witnessed of him,
“You are a priest forever,
    after the order of Melchizedek.”
18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
20 And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, 21 but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him:
“The Lord has sworn
    and will not change his mind,
‘You are a priest forever.’”
22 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.
23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

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So why all this talk about Melchizedek?  It comes back to the theme of the book.  Even though Melchizedek is an interesting character, Christ is more excellent than Melchizedek or the Levitical priesthood.  The Levitical priests were there to teach and execute the Mosaic Covenant, but God promised a new kind of high priest, not from the line of Aaron, but in the order of Melchizedek because Jesus was going to make, teach and execute a New Covenant that would expand beyond bloodline from the physical children of Abraham to the spiritual children of Abraham--of us that believed and it was credited to them as righteousness.  However, Jesus was a descendant of both Judah (legally, through Joseph and by blood through Mary), but would not be a son of Levi (specifically the clan of Aaron) to serve as a Levitical high priest which is why God foretold that Jesus would be a different kind of high priest, like Melchizedek that was both priest and king.

Let's look at the New Covenant for a minute.  it is a more excellent covenant and supersedes the Old Covenant because it could never permanently deal with sin.  The blood of bulls, rams and goats could only cover the unintentional sin of the people of God but could not take them away and no provision was made for high-handed sins that were willful and rebellious.  A new an better covenant was needed.  Even David prayed for God to take away his sin and choose to not remember it or hold it against him because he knew that there was no sacrifice atone for his adultery with Bathsheba and the premeditated murder of her husband.  The author makes the point that there were lots of Levitical priests because they were continuously making atonement for themselves and the other people of God, but Jesus' atonement was better because His death on the cross satisfied God once for all and Christ was able to sit down at the right hand of the Father because His work was finished.  Also, Jesus was superior because as I just mentioned He needed no sacrifice to be made for himself and because He was not simply appointed to the office but that He is the very Son of God that was able to come before God and make intercession on behalf of all those that belong to Him.

As we continue on, we will continue to see how Jesus is a more excellent high priest, our Great High Priest and is greater than Levi, Aaron and Melchizedek.  While I understand this may not be as amazing to you as is it was to the people of that time, if you were one of the people that watched the death and blood that was required to satisfy the wrath of God annually during the Day of Atonement, and you realized that Jesus took care of this once for all so that no longer only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Hollies once a year, but that the veil was torn so that all could enter God's presence at any time through Christ.  Jesus is a much more excellent sacrifice, but He's also a much more excellent priest.