"Jesus, the Founder and Perfector of Our Faith"

Melchizedek

Melchizedek was a king-priest in the city of Canaan during the time of Abraham. Abraham met him after defeating the kings that were trying to conquer Canaan. Melchizedek was known as the king of Salem as well as the priest of God Most High. He was a figure that resembled Christ in many ways. Abraham even gave Melchizedek a ten percent share of everything. This was the origin of the tithes given under the law to the priests.

Jesus was descended from Judah and not Aaron, so the priesthood of Melchizedek and Jesus did not come from the law but from the power of eternal life. The law of the priests descending from Aaron was set aside because it was weak and useless. A better hope came by way of Jesus, through which those who believed in Him could draw closer to God. This priesthood came from a better covenant relationship with Jesus.

Priests were prevented from continuing in their offices when they inevitably died. Christ's priesthood, however, would be unending because His life would continue forever. He would always be able to intercede on behalf of others because He was eternal. If the law had been a perfect covenant, there would be no need for the covenant with Jesus. When God spoke of the new covenant, He did away with the old, obsolete covenant. It was written, "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah" (Jeremiah 31:31, ESV®).

The Holy Place

The first covenant had rules for worship and the location of worship. It was first the tent and then the temple. The place of worship contained instruments like the lampstands and the ark of the covenant. It was divided into sections where the priests went to make sacrifices. The priests would go into the first section often, but only the high priest could go into the other section, and then only once a year.

Jesus had a perfect tent when He came as the high priest. The sacrifice did not involve goats' blood or calves' blood—it was Jesus' blood that secured eternal salvation. If a goat's blood was sufficient, then how much more would the blood of Christ be for a perfect offering? "Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (Hebrews 9:22).

Christ did not enter a holy place made by hands; instead, He entered the holiest place: heaven. Christ appeared to God on behalf of humanity. He did not have to make sacrifices every year like the high priest did because He made His own supreme sacrifice. People were required to die, and then they would be judged. Christ was sacrificed for the sins of many and would come again—not to deal with sin, but for those waiting for Him.

Christ came to do the will of God. He did away with the first covenant and made the second covenant, which sanctified believers once and for all. The Holy Spirit testified to this by saying that He would not remember sin anymore because once sins were forgiven, there was no need for sacrifices.

Faith

The author of Hebrews then reassured the Hebrews in Rome. He told them that they had a great priest allowing them to enter the house of God with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Their hearts had been cleansed from evil, and their bodies had been cleansed by baptism. God had promised, and God was faithful. The author asked the Hebrews to motivate each other to love and do good works. He reminded them to meet to encourage each other.

He warned that continuing to sin after receiving the gospel was dangerous. The people should fear judgment. They should not dishonor the blood of the covenant that was made with the blood of Jesus. The author of Hebrews refreshed their memories about when they had first been saved and had endured struggles and suffering. At that time, they had compassion for prisoners, and they accepted having their property taken. They did this because they knew that something better awaited them. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

The author then went through a list of people from the Old Testament and discussed how faith worked in their lives. He mentioned the faith of Abel, who died for his faith. He brought up the faith of Noah, who built the ark based on his faith. He spoke about Abraham and Sarah as well as Moses and the Israelites, who wandered in the wilderness with the faith of something better to come. He named many that persevered through their faith. He noted that they would have a much better place to go because of their faith.

The author declared that believers should put down their sins and stay faithful. They should use Jesus as an example. Jesus was "the founder and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus had endured hostility from sinners, but unlike Jesus, the believers had not had their blood shed yet. The author of Hebrews stated that God disciplined those He loved. If they did not receive this discipline, then they were not sons and daughters of God.

New Meaning of Sacrifices

The author of Hebrews wrote that the Hebrews should show love to each other. They were not to forget people in prison or the mistreated. They were to hold marriage in esteem. They were not to love money but instead be satisfied with what they had been given. They should not forget their leaders; they should look at what these church leaders had done as examples and use them as a model for their faith. They were not to be misdirected by false teachings. They were not to be preoccupied with earthly cities but instead seek the city that was to come.

Summary

Melchizedek was a king-priest in Canaan during the time of Abraham. He was a different type of priest, not from the line of Aaron. The author used Melchizedek to help the Hebrews understand more about Jesus. God spoke a new covenant into existence with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The author cautioned the Hebrews that they should not dishonor the blood of Christ by returning to a sinful life. Christians should show hospitality, remember people in prison, not love money, and be satisfied with what they had been given.

Application and Reflection

Application

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" (Hebrews 13:2). We should always look for opportunities to help others.

Reflection

Jesus endured hostility and suffered during His death on the cross. We should be honored when we suffer for Christ. Through suffering, we become closer to Him.