The epistle to the Hebrews 7:1-10

Hebrews

7:1-10

The Argument Proper

1. The Sufficiency of Christ's Atonement, 7:1-10:25

i] The superiority of the Melchizedekian priesthood

Argument

We now come to the heart of the doctrinal section of Hebrews. The Rhetor sets out to explain the significance of Christ's priesthood, as revealed in Psalm 110:4, namely that Jesus' priesthood is like that of the Melchizedekian priesthood in that it is a permanent priesthood providing an eternal atonement for God's people. In the passage before us he examines the life of Melchizedek himself, arguing from the scriptures that his priesthood was superior to that of the Levitical priesthood.

Issues

i] Context: See 2:10-18. As can be noted from the outlined structure of Hebrews in the Introduction, the first of the two main arguments begins at 7:1 running through to 10:31, with the final verses, 10:19-31, made up of a summary conclusion / peroratio, v19-25, and a digression / digressio, v26-31, serving as an admonition / exhortation.

In this series of arguments, the Rhetor seeks to establish that Christ's once and for all, complete and effective sacrifice, a sacrifice eternally applied on our behalf by Jesus, our great high priest (he is like Melchizedek, a priest forever), assures our right of approach to God and thus guarantees our salvation, sanctification and glorification. Koester summarises the central argument carried in these chapters as "Jesus' suffering is the sacrifice that enables others to approach God." The Rhetor progresses this argument by showing that Jesus is indeed the priest spoken of in Psalm 110:4, "a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." This fact is driven home by comparing Christ's priesthood with that of the Levitical order, comparing the renewed covenant under Christ with the religion of old Israel. Whereas Israel's cult has failed to realise the promises of the covenant, Christ, in his death, resurrection, ascension and enthronement, has fully realised God's plans for his people.

Koester suggests that Christ's priestly ministry, covering 7:1-10:18, can be divided into two sections:

7:1-28. Christ is a priest after the type of Melchizedek:

7:1-10. Abraham's submission and recognition of Melchizedek provides the basis for the argument in v11-28.

7:11-28. Christ's priesthood is superior to the Levitical priesthood / cult and to the Mosaic law.

8:1-10:18. Christ, as a superior priest, after the order of Melchizedek, offered an acceptable sacrifice in his death, a sacrifice that perfectly atoned for sins and thus permanently renewed the covenant. The argument is repetitive such that a formal structure is somewhat illusive. None-the-less, Koester's suggestion is worth following, although note Attridge, Ellingworth and Lane:

8:1-13:

Jesus' ministry compared to Levitical ministry, 8:1-6;

The promise of the new covenant, 8:7-13.

9:1-28:

Jesus' ministry compared to Levitical ministry, 9:1-14;

The making of the new covenant, 9:15-28.

10:1-18:

Jesus' ministry compared to Levitical sacrifices, 10:1-10;

Jesus' sacrifice and the new covenant, 10:11-18.

The section ends with a call to persevere in faith, 10:19-25.

ii] Background: A general introduction; See 1:1-4.

iii] Structure: The superiority of the Melchizedekian priesthood:

Who was Melchizedek? v1-3;

Melchizedek's honoured standing over Levi, v4-10;

The evidence of a tithe and a blessing, v4-7;

The tithe is collected by one who is living, v8;

Levi paid the tithe through Abraham, v9-10.

Both Lane and Ellingworth suggest a chiastic structure:

Melchizedek met Abraham, v1a;

Melchizedek blessed Abraham, v1b;

Abraham gave a tithe to him, v2;

Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder, v4b;

Melchizedek blessed the one who had the promises, v6b;

Melchizedek met Abraham, v10.

iv] Interpretation:

In arguing the superior nature of Jesus' priesthood, the Rhetor sets out to show that Jesus' priesthood is like that of Melchizedek, uniquely different to the Levitical priesthood. Whereas Israel's priests were descended from Abraham, Jesus stands apart from the Levitical priesthood, apart from Aaron and his descendants. Jesus is like Melchizedek, a priest who was superior to Abraham, and so therefore superior to the Levitical priesthood.

To progress the argument, the Rhetor first provides the audience with a historical survey. He explains that Melchizedek was both a king and a priest. This is not unique in antiquity, but it is unique in the scriptures. He also notes that he was the king of Salem, often understood as another name for Jerusalem, but the meaning of "Salem", namely "peace", is the point he wants to underline - Melchizedek is the king of righteousness and the king of peace. "Peace" is used in the sense of blessing, so Melchizedek is the righteous king who blesses.

Going on, the Rhetor uses a form of exegesis, common at the time, where significance is drawn from unstated facts. There is no record of the birth of Melchizedek and no genealogy (for a priest to be duly recognised, he has to have a verifiable genealogy). For the Rhetor, this makes his priesthood unique, resembling the Son of Man, a permanent priesthood.

To bring out the superiority of Jesus' priesthood, the Rhetor notes that Melchizedek is identified by Law as superior to Aaron; he is superior because Abraham recognised the superiority of Melchizedek by paying him a tenth of his booty. This is reinforced by the fact that a lesser person is blessed by the greater - Abraham was blessed by Melchizedek. Also, in the case Melchizedek, he was "declared to be living", rather than mortal, those who die.

For the Rhetor, the evidence is conclusive, the Melchizedekian priesthood is superior to that of the Levitical priesthood. Melchizedek possessed a unique priesthood that serves as a type for Jesus' priesthood. Of course, his interpretive methodology is not quite our cup-of-tea, but we get the point.

Guthrie notes four possible explanations as to why the Rhetor has focused on Melchizedek: Psalm 110 was his favourite Psalm; He has a strong interest in Abraham, referred to a number of times in Hebrews; Melchizedek was a Biblical personality of great interest at the time; There was a theological need at the time for these particular converted Jews to have their messiah, Jesus (from the house of Judah), properly replace the priests from the house of Levi in their Jewish temple / synagogue cultus.

As for the identity of Melchizedek, it has been much debated. Over the centuries he has been identified as a divine being - a pre-incarnate Jesus; the Holy Spirit: Jesus himself (Gnostics); a heavenly being superior to Jesus (Melchizedekians of the 3rd. century). An angelic being was a common explanation of who he was: Michael; Shem, the son of Noah; a heavenly representation of the mind (Philo); a superior angelic being.

If we are willing to treat scripture at face value, then Melchizedek was a Canaanite king-priest who worshipped the one God, and who was recognised by Abraham as a man of faith. The Rhetor, with his rabbinical exegetical methodology, uses Melchizedek as scriptural support for the unique nature of Jesus' priesthood.

Text - 7:1

The superiority of the Melchizedekian priesthood, v7:1-10. i] Who is Melchizedek? v1-3. The Rhetor now introduces us to Melchizedek by describing him. The description runs through to the first part of verse 3. He first notes that he was a king-priest and that he ruled Salem. In drawing from the account in Genesis 14:18, the Rhetor fails to mention that Melchizedek "brought out bread and wine" to Abraham, but recounts when he met him, and that on meeting him he blessed him (just what a king of Salem / peace would do).

Verses 1-3 consist of a single sentence in the Greek with the main verb being menei, "he remains" - "This Melchizedek ...... remains a priest forever".

gar "-" - for [this melchizedek]. More reason than cause, explanatory, here introducing a description of Melchizedek, the king of Salem, 6:20. The demonstrative pronoun outoV, "this", is backward referencing to Melchizedek, 6:20; "Now this Melchizedek .....".

Salhm gen. "of Salem" - [king] of salem. The assumed genitive is adjectival, descriptive, idiomatic / subordination, "king over Salem". The NIV treats "king" as a predicate nominative, "was king of Salem", whereas the ESV treats it as appositional, "Melchizedek, king of Salem".

tou qeou (oV) gen. "of God" - [priest] of the god [of the highest]. The genitive is adjectival, possessive. The superlative adjective uyistou, "highest" is attributive, limiting "God". Harris notes that the use of the 2nd attributive position, tou qeou tou uJyistou, is emphatic.

oJ sunanthsaV (sunantaw) aor. part. "He met" - the one having met [abraham]. The participle is adjectival, attributive, limiting "Melchizedek"; "who met Abraham on his return from the slaughter of the kings", Moffatt.

uJpostrefonti (uJpostrefw) dat. pres. part. "returning" - returning. The participle serves as the object complement of the direct object "Abraham", standing in a double dative construction, stating a fact about the object "Abraham". Often treated temporally; "who met Abraham after / on his return / as he was returning ...." The object "Abraham" takes a dative after the sun prefix verb "to meet".

apo + gen. "from" - from. The preposition, expressing separation, introduces an adverbial phrase modifying the participle "returning"; "returning from the slaughter of the kings".

twn basilewn (oV) gen. "of the kings" - [the slaughter] of the kings. The genitive is adjectival, verbal, objective / descriptive, idiomatic, "the defeat which was inflicted upon the kings"; "when Abraham returned from killing the kings", CEV / "who went to meet Abraham on his return, after he had utterly defeated the kings", Cassirer.

euloghsaV (eulogew) aor. part. "blessed [him]" - [and] having blessed [him]. The participle is adjectival, attributive, limiting "Melchizedek"; "Melchizedek ...... who met Abraham ...... and who blessed him". Harris reminds us of Granville Sharp's rule here, where the articular participle "having met" and the anarthrous participle "having blessed" are linked by the single article oJ to modify the same substantive, here "Melchizedek".

Other than describing Melchizedek in messianic terms, the point the Rhetor underlines is that Abraham offered him a tithe of the spoils of battle.

w|/ dat. pro. "[gave] him" - [and] to whom. Dative of indirect object after the verb "to divide".

apo + gen. "of [everything]" - [abraham divided, distributed, a tithe, tenth] from [all = everything]. The preposition is used here instead of a partitive genitive; "a tenth part of all the spoils of battle", Phillips.

men ..... de "then" - on the one hand ........., but/and on the other hand. An adversative comparative construction. Here the correlative construction is used for enumeration; first .... and then second .......

eJrmhneuomenoV (eJrmhneuw) pres. mid. part. "means" - [Melchizedek is = means] being interpreted. The participle is adverbial, probably instrumental, expressing means, as ESV, "by translation".

dikaisunhV (h) gen. "of righteousness" - [king] of righteousness, [but/and and = also the king of salem, which is = means, king of peace]. The genitive, as with "of Salem" and "of peace", is adjectival, limiting "king". Harris suggests attributive. The Rhetor uses the genitives to describe the character of Melchizedek; he is a man who exhibits righteousness, and peace and thus is a man from whom blessings flow. The two descriptors carry messianic overtones, possibly reflecting his eternal nature, so Dodds, although the Rhetor doesn't make anything more of it. Note that the Hebrew translation of the phrase is usually understood to mean "my king is righteousness", but the Rhetor has followed the usual Rabbinic interpretation of the time.

To further describe the character of Melchizedek, the Rhetor draws a truth from the silence of the Genesis account, namely that the Melchizedekian priesthood is permanent, a forever / perpetual / continual / uninterrupted priesthood (eiV to dihnekeV), and as such, it serves as a type for the Son of God. The Rhetor makes this argument by noting that Melchizedek lacked any family background. The logic of this argument is anything but convincing to the Western mind, but to a Hellenistic Jew it is very convincing. From the permanent nature of the Melchizedekian priesthood, the Rhetor will develop the argument that whereas the Levitical priesthood requires repetitive sacrificial offerings, Jesus' priestly sacrifice is once and for all.

apatwr "Without father" - fatherless, [motherless, without genealogy]. The verse begins with three further attributive adjectives limiting "this Melchizedek" by description. His parents are not identified and there is no record of his ancestors - an unusual fact for a priest. Although not indicated, the descriptive "without genealogy" probably explains the statement that the original account does not mention his father and his mother; "there is no record of his ancestors", Bruce. This serves to illustrate something about the unique nature of his priesthood.

ecwn (ecw) pres. part. "-" - having. The participle, as with "resembling", is adverbial, modifying the verb "to remain", usually treated as modal, expressing manner; "having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he continues a priest forever", ESV. It is possible an instrumental sense was intended, "by means of".

mhte .... mhte "without ....., or" - neither [a beginning of day] nor [and end of life]. Negated disjunctive correlative construction. The two genitives are technically adjectival, partitive, although they are common idiomatic phrases. The Rhetor is not implying that Melchizedek is immortal; he is simply expanding on the idea of an unrecorded linage, a unique fact, not so much about Melchizedek himself, but the Melchizedekian priesthood evident in Jesus' priesthood.

tw/ uiJw/ dat. "the Son [of God]" - [but/and having been made like] the son [of god, he remains a priest into the time unlimited = forever]. Dative of comparison. Manson argues that the Rhetor's use here of "Son of God" implies "superiority over an inferior entity". Note that it is unusual for the verb "to remain" to take a predicate nominative, but it does so here.

ii] Melchizedek's honoured standing over Levi, v4-10. In typical Rabbinical style, the Rhetor sets out to show that, because Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of his spoils and was blessed by him, Melchizedek is superior to Abraham, and that therefore, by implication, his priestly order is superior to the Levitical priestly order. Of course, it logically follows that if a human representative of the Melchizedekian priestly order is superior to the Levitical priestly order, how much more so is Jesus, a Melchizedekian (one like Melchizedek) "on the basis of the power of an indestructible life", 7:16.

a) The evidence of a tithe and a blessing, v4-7. The Rhetor holds the view that profound implications can be drawn from the fact that Melchizedek received a tithe from Abraham and also blessed him. The evidence reveals that the Melchizedekian priesthood is superior to the Levitical priesthood.

w|/ dat. pro. "[gave] him [a tenth]" - [you see, look, observe (imperative), how great is/was this one = he] to whom [and = even abraham, the patriarch]. Dative of indirect object. Note that oJ patriarchV, "the patriarch", stands in apposition to "Abraham", and is emphatic by its position at the end of the verse. Note also that the pronoun phlikoV, "how great, large", is possibly used here as an exclamation.

ek + gen. "of" - [gave] from [the spoils, plunder, booty]. The preposition is usually taken here to stand in for a partitive genitive; "gave a tenth of the spoils", ESV. Lane notes that the "tenth" of the spoils may have been the best of it.

The argument: oiJ men, "On the one hand", the covenant stipulations require the Israelites to provide a tenth of their bounty to the Levites serving in the tent of meeting / temple. oJ de, "On the other hand, Melchizedek was not a Levite and had no right to a tithe, and yet not only did he received a tithe from Abraham, the covenant bearer for the people of Israel, Melchizedek even bestowed a blessing on Abraham - everyone knows that it is the inferior person who is blessed by the superior person.

men ....., de "-" - on the one hand ......, but on the other. Adversative comparative construction which correlates two contrasting ideas covering v5-6.

ek + gen. "of [Levi]" - [the ones] from [the sons of levi]. The preposition serves as a partitive genitive; "descendants of Levi", ESV.

lambanonteV (lambanw) pres. part. "who became" - having received [the priesthood]. The participle is adjectival, attributive, limiting "the sons / descendants"; "The descendants of Levi who succeed to the priestly office", REB.

apodekatoun (apodokatow) pres. inf. "to collect" - [have a commandment] to tithe = to collect tithes from [the people]. The infinitive is epexegetic, specifying the commandment; "that they are to collect a tithe from the people".

kata + acc. "-" - according to [the law]. Expressing a standard, cf., Num.18:21-24; "they have a commandment in accord with the law".

kaiper "even though" - [that is, the brothers of them] although [having come out of]. This concessive conjunction, along with the adverbial participle exelhluqotaV, "having come out of", serves to introduce a concessive clause. The participle is accusative in agreement with the accusative subject of the clause, "brothers" = "fellow Israelites". The perfect tense is emphasising the ongoing consequences of the action. The Levitical priests are descended from Abraham, as are all the other children of Abraham, all are equal, but Abraham gave homage to Melchizedek as someone greater than him, hence the priesthood of Melchizedek is greater than the Levitical priesthood.

ek + gen. "from" - from [the loin of abraham]. An idiomatic repetition of the ek prefix of the verb "to come out of" / expressing source, origin.

Abraham was the father of the people of Israel and his greatness lay in him being the first man to receive the covenant promises from God, and yet he was blessed by Melchizedek, implying that Melchizedek is even greater.

de "however" - but/and on the other had. See v5.

oJ ... mh genealogoumenoV (genealogew) pres. part. "This man ..... did not trace his descent" - the one having not traced descent. The participle serves as a substantive, subject of the verb "to receive tithes from". The reference is to Melchizedek.

ex (ek) + gen. "from" - from [them has received tithes of abraham. Expressing source / origin. "Abraham" would likely be genitive, ablative, source / origin; "from Abraham".

ton econta (ecw) pres. "him who had the promises" - [and he blessed] the one having the promises. The participle serves as a substantive, direct object of the verb "to bless".

The inferior is blessed by the superior.

cwriV de pashV antilogiaV "And without doubt" - but/and apart from all contradiction. This Greek phrase means "without question / without doubt"; "It is beyond dispute that", ESV.

uJpo + gen. "by" - [the lesser is blessed] by [the greater]. Expressing agency. The comparative adjectives "lesser" and "greater" serve as substantives.

b) The tithe is collected by one who is living, v8. Reinforcing the argument that the Melchizedekian priesthood is greater than the Levitical priesthood, the Rhetor refers to the point he made in v3. In the case of the Levitical priesthood, the tithe is received by apoqnhskonteV anqrwpoi, "dying men", ie., mortals, whereas Melchizedek is a man testified in the scriptures as one that zh/, "lives". The Rhetor is again employing a Rabbinic form of argumentation from silence. There is no mention of the death of Melchizedek which reveals that his priesthood is permanent, and as such he serves as a type of Christ.

kai "-" - and. Here the coordinating conjunction serves to introduce additional information; "Furthermore", Berkeley.

wJde men .... ekei de "in the one case...., but in the other case" - in the one case ....., but/and in the other case. Adversative comparative construction, correlating two contrasting ideas.

apoqnhskonteV (apoqnhskw) pres. part. "who die" - [the man] dying [receives the tithes]. The participle is adjectival, attributive, limiting "men"; "mortal men", ESV.

marturoumenoV (marturew) pres. mid. part. "him whom is declared" - the one being declared by scripture. The participle serves as a substantive, subject of the assumed verb "to receive".

oJti + subj. "to be [living]" - that [he lives, receives the tithes]. Introducing an object clause / dependent statement of indirect speech expressing what is declared by scripture, namely, that he lives, Gen.14:17-20.

c) Levi paid a tithe through Abraham, v9-10. Continuing to argue for the superiority of the Melchizedekian priesthood over that of the Levitical priesthood, the Rhetor proposes an argument that even he has to admit is rather tenuous; "It might even be said". The argument is based on the notion that a person's descendants are part of them and therefore Abraham's grandson Levi gave homage to Melchizedek through Abraham. Although the argument scrapes the barrel somewhat, it serves to further reinforce the unique nature of Jesus' priestly service. Jesus, the king-priest, exercises a priestly role far superior to the Levitical priesthood, a permanent priesthood, "a priest forever just like that of Melchizedek".

wJV e[poV eipein "One might even say" - [and] as if to speak a word. A common idiomatic expression outside the NT; "so to speak", serving to "qualify a too absolute expression", Ellingworth. Attridge describes it as a nod to his "playful" exegesis, given that if you push the allusion you end up with Jesus giving homage to Melchizedek through Abraham.

oJ ... lambanwn (lambanw) pres. part. "who collects" - [and = even levi] the one collecting [tithes]. The participle serves as a substantive standing in apposition to Levi; "even Levi, the receiver of the tithes, paid tithes through Abraham", Moffatt.

di (dia) + gen. "by" - [has paid tithes] through [abraham]. Instrumental, expressing means; "through, by means of".

v10

gar "because" - for. More reason than cause, here serving to introduce an explanation as to how it was that Levi paid tribute to Melchizedek; see gar 1:5.

oJte "when" - when [melchizedek]. Temporal conjunction serving to introduce a temporal clause.

autw/ dat. pro. "Abraham" - [met] him. Dative of direct object after the sun prefix verb "to meet with".

tou patroV (hr roV) gen. "his ancestor" - [he was still in the loin] of the father [of him]. The genitive is adjectival, possessive.

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