Christ and Melchisedec
D____ wrote:
Mike, I was just wondering if you could give me your interpretation of the verses below?Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Heb 7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Thanks, Mike
D____
Hi D____,
It is good to hear from you.
You ask about Mic 5:2 and Heb 7:3. Let’s look at them in order.
Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
This seems to be fairly straightforward in saying that Christ would be born in Bethlehem. What confused so many, and I think you would agree with me that it was all by design, was that Christ’s parents were really from Nazareth. The Holy Spirit saw to it that the time of Mary’s deliverance of her firstborn son was when she and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem to be taxed. Consequently when it came time for the Pharisees to try to figure out who this man was, they thought that he was of Nazareth:
Luk 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Luk 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
Luk 2:3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
Luk 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
So even though Joseph was a resident of Nazareth, he had to go to Bethlehem to be taxed “because he was of the house and lineage of David.”
This threw every one off of Christ’s lineage and His true significance, including His own disciples.
Joh 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
Joh 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Of course, the Pharisees were also being misdirected by the whole situation of Christ’s family being of David but from Nazareth of Galilee.
Joh 7:50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
Joh 7:51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
Joh 7:52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
So no one was expecting the Messiah to come out of Nazareth, even though Christ was born in Bethlehem and came back to Nazareth via Egypt. After all, as little as most want to admit it, God called his elect out of Egypt:
Hos 11:1 When Israel [ was] a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hos 11:2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
Verse two sure doesn’t sound like anything concerning a spotless Savior, but then the whole purpose is to keep the multitudes deceived, so while this verse and many others applied to Christ don’t seem to be applicable, the Holy Spirit says they are.
Mat 2:15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
‘Egypt’ spiritually is the unconverted world:
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies [ shall lie] in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt , where also our Lord was crucified.
But Christ was born in Bethlehem because he also had to be of God’s people and not just of God’s people but of the house of David, the ruler of God’s people.
So Christ was called, both out of Egypt and out of Bethlehem of Judea. This was because Christ has to, as the captain of our salvation, identify both with the world and with God’s fallen people. He had to partake of “the same… flesh and blood ” as all mankind.
Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified [ are] all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham [ the nature of “sinful flesh”] .
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [ his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Your second question was about Heb 7:3
Heb 7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
This verse has led many who fail to see the point that Paul is making here in Hebrews, to believe that Melchisdec was Christ Himself or else some priest of God who never died. Anyone thinking such thoughts is missing entirely what Paul is trying to prove in the seventh chapter of Hebrews. Paul’s only purpose in bringing Mechisidec into this discussion is to show that King David had prophesied of a change in the priesthood from one which was based on physical pedigree to a spiritual priesthood which had no connection to the Aaronic, Levitical priesthood.
Melchisedec was not even connected to the tribe of Levi. He certainly was not connected to the family of Aaron. And yet Melchisedec was “the priest of the most high God” long before there ever was an Aaronic priesthood. Paul insists that the priesthood which was “after the order of Melchisedec” was actually superior to the Aaronic order. The point Paul is making is that we have no record of Melchisedec’s genealogy simply because physical genealogy is of no consequence in the new priesthood “after the order of Melchisedec.” After all Melchisedec had no [ record of] father or mother.”
Heb 7:1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem [ Jerusalem – Jos 10:1-4], priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Heb 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Heb 7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Heb 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Heb 7:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
Heb 7:6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Heb 7:7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
Heb 7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
Heb 7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
Heb 7:10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
Heb 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need [ was there] that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
Heb 7:13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
Heb 7:14 For [ it is] evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Heb 7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Heb 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
Heb 7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Verse thirteen makes it clear that Paul is saying all of these things are spoken pertain to our Lord who is of another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar, because it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. The emphasis is on Christ, not on a Canaanite king who was used as a type of Christ who had no Levitical, Aaronic credentials.
Paul takes what David said:
Psa 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
And under inspiration of God’s Spirit, this verse that appears to be spoken of David is applied to Christ. It is “in Christ ” that all scripture is fulfilled. It was Christ Himself who said these worlds:
Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
So in Christ we, too, become priests forever after the order of Melchizedek, because we to have no record of Aaronic, Levitical priesthood. Being in Christ is good enough:
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Melchizedek was both the “King of Salem and the priest of the most high God.” Christ too was both a king and a priest, and as He is so are we…”
1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
I hope that answers your question about Melchizedek. If I have overlooked something you were asking about, let me know.
As with so many things in God’s word; from a lamb to the temple, to the altar, to the curtain between the holy place and the Holy of Holies, the cherubim woven into those curtains, and I could go on and on; Melchizedek was a Canaanite king who is another type and shadow of Christ and His priesthood,. which was established by God’s sovereign decree independent of anything connected with the law of Moses.
Mike
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