Priest of the Order of Melchizedek

(Hebrews 5:5-10 – A Priest of the Order of Melchizedek)

Jesus had many titles. He was the Son of God, the Word, the Son of Man, son of David. But one of His most important titles was that He was a priest of the order of Melchizedek.

This was a supremely important role that Jesus played, and it was necessary that He was a priest of the order of Melchizedek. He could not be a priest of Judaism because He came to change the ways by which mankind could come to God and be saved.

When we look into these things and see who Melchizedek was and what His priesthood was all about, we see that it was natural that Jesus become such a priest. But first we ought to look at why Jesus could not be a priest of Judaism and why this priesthood of Melchizedek is different to the former priesthood.

A Priest of the Order of Aaron

Aaron became the first high priest over the people of Israel. He did not take the role upon himself, but was appointed by God to this position. And all subsequent high priests of Judaism were required to be the descendants of Aaron. This too was ordained by God.

But there were more priests necessary for the running of the Temple worship in Jerusalem. Some were singers, some attended to the alters, some carried out the various menial tasks required to administer the Temple, others attended to managing the storehouses and tithe offerings.

So, God selected the tribe of Levi to be the tribe of Israel from which all of the priests were to be appointed. God further instructed that no-one from any of the other eleven tribes could enter the priesthood as only a priest of Levi could attend the Temple.

This was such a strict requirement that the people of the tribe of Levi did not receive any lands when Canaan was divided up. God said that He was their portion. This was necessary lest they be distracted by the say to day needs and works. But they still needed the things to sustain their life, which is why God commanded that the Levite priests should receive the tithes and divide the tithe among the rest of the Levites. They had a commandment from God that permitted them to take the tithes from the other tribes as an exaction and their due, and no-one other than a Levite had any authority to take or receive a tithe. It was given to the Levites in perpetuity, which is something the modern church should consider where they have neither the right nor authority to seek tithes as they are not descended from Levi. There is more I can say about that, but if you want to know more, read my free eBook: Should Christians Tithe?

And the fundamental work of the priesthood of Aaron under Judaism, was to administer and teach the people of Israel the laws of God and to praise and worship God for His greatness and glory, and the blessings He had bestowed upon Israel. They managed all of the requirements of the Old Covenant that was made between Israel and God.

A Priest of the Order of Melchizedek

Jesus was unable to be a priest under the Old Covenant because of several key issues.

• First, Jesus was not descended from the tribe of Levi who were the ONLY tribe from whom the priests could be selected. He was born from the tribe of Judah, from which the kings of Israel were crowned.
• Second, Jesus was not descended from Aaron and high priests could only be from Aaron’s descendants. Even other members of the tribe of Levi who were not descendants of Aaron, but who could be priests because they were Levites, they too could not be the high priest. Jesus was descended from the line of David the King.
• Finally, Jesus came to bring into effect a New Covenant that was not like the Old Covenant of the law. And because it was a New Covenant, He could not be a priest of the Old Covenant. The priesthood had to change if there was to be a change in the covenant. This will be discussed later as this issue is fully covered in the Book of Hebrews.

Melchizedek was not a priest of Aaron. In fact He was a priest of God, and he was not a man.

Who was Melchizedek?

Melchizedek was a spiritual being and was the priest of the Most High God, as is seen in the first verse of Hebrews 7. And the qualifications for being a priest of the order of Melchizedek are also identified in Hebrews 7.

1 For this Melchiz’edek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him; 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, and has neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest for ever. 4 See how great he is! Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of the spoils. (Hebrews 7:1-4)

How did Jesus become a priest of the order of Melchizedek

To become a priest of the order of Melchizedek, someone had to be:

1. Absolutely righteous
2. A person of peace
3. A spiritual being
4. One who lives on forever

Jesus was all of these things…and more. But like the priests of the order of Aaron, Jesus did not just take or assume the mantle of a priest of the order of Melchizedek. He was appointed into this role by God, as the scripture we are studying today tells us.

5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee”; 6 as he says also in another place, “Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchiz’edek.” 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard for his godly fear. 8 Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; 9 and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchiz’edek. (Hebrews 5:5-10)

Why did Jesus go through this suffering?

Jesus suffered greatly while upon this earth and through His suffering He learned and kept obedience to God. He was perfect and remained perfect through the many sufferings He suffered so that He could be appointed as a priest of the order of Melchizedek.

Likewise, we will suffer as we follow the footsteps of Jesus. The transformational process that the Holy Spirit is working in the people of God is not without pain.

Consider a fine sculpture or a fine piece of woodwork. Both will have the hammer and chisel taken to them, and have abrasive paper applied to smooth and shape them into the works of art they will become.

So too we will go through suffering, tribulation, and the fires of this life as the sinful passions of our flesh are “chiselled and sanded” off our human nature.

Jesus suffered to be appointed as a priest of the order of Melchizedek so that He could bring the New Covenant into existence for us. He became the mediator of the New Covenant which is vastly superior to the Old Covenant so that we could find the true path to salvation.

The Old Covenant dealt with the things of the flesh. It provided laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances. It provided a form of worship based upon the laws of Moses under Judaism.

But Christianity under the New Covenant provided freedom. It takes away sin and removes the law so we are free to worship God apart from the confines of the law. And under the New Covenant, every person has the offer of the Holy Spirit to work transformation in their life so that we can be perfect as Christ is perfect.

This is why it was necessary and important that Jesus became a priest of the order of Melchizedek, rather than a priest of Aaron, bound under the laws of the Old Covenant. It is a new and better way.

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