Faith without religion.
Dual Nature of Christ: Divine Mystery and Human Experience
In this teaching, we delve into the intriguing figure of Melchizedek, as introduced in Genesis 14 and further explored in Hebrews 7. Melchizedek, described as the king of Salem and priest of the most high God, receives tithes from Abram, highlighting his significant spiritual stature. The writer of Hebrews draws a profound comparison between the Levitical priesthood and the unique, eternal priesthood of Melchizedek, which is later associated with Jesus Christ.
The discussion emphasizes the superiority of Melchizedek’s priesthood over the Levitical order, which was bound by mortality and lineage. Unlike the Levitical priests, who were descendants of Abraham and subject to death, Melchizedek’s priesthood is portrayed as eternal and unchangeable, akin to the priesthood of Christ. This comparison underscores the idea that Jesus, as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek, offers a more excellent ministry and a better covenant, one that transcends the limitations of the old law.
The teaching also touches on the implications of this understanding for contemporary religious practices, particularly in relation to the LDS faith. By recognizing Melchizedek as a pre-incarnate manifestation of Christ, the teaching challenges the notion of a restored priesthood and emphasizes the sufficiency of Christ’s eternal priesthood.
Ultimately, the message is clear: Jesus, as our high priest, king, and prophet, is superior to all other religious systems. His priesthood, unlike the Levitical order, is not bound by death or genealogy, offering believers a direct and eternal connection to God through faith. This new covenant, written on the hearts and minds of believers, signifies a transformative relationship with God, free from the constraints of the old law.
Teaching Script:
Hey guys – we have prerecorded this teaching so if you are in the live audience welcome – I am obviously not here but visiting my new and only granddaughter Marybird in Southern California and will return next week (and God willing).
So let’s begin with a PRAYER
SONG
SILENCE
So, in our verse by verse of Genesis 14 we came upon a being called, Melchizedek. And last week we talked extensively about the fact that Abram chose to pay this Melchizedek tithes.
This we learned from Genesis 14:18-20 which says
Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Now to better understand these words we have to compare them with Hebrews 7, the most nutrient rich content in all of scripture relative to the topic of Melchizedek which says (and we are going to read from verse 1 to 12 and appeal to it extensively today)
Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
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;
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.
4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
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:
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
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?
12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
Genesis 14.18-20
Part III
PRERECORDED
August 31st 2022
Airing Sunday September 4th 2022
TAKE EAT, IN REMEMBRACE
Okay, so after describing Melchizedek and some of the attributes of his person, meaning he had no father or mother or beginning or ending of days, which we’ve covered, the writer of Hebrews says at (verse 4)
4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
All through these next 7 to 12 verses the writer is making a comparison between the priesthood, rank and purpose of the Levitical priesthood and the singular non-transferable, possessed by only one being ever, Melchizedek (who I maintain was an appearance of the Messiah before He became incarnate. This Christ, as we will seem bore a priesthood very unlike the Levites.
So, the writer begins by exalting the rank and dignity of Melchizedek. See, the Jews had a profound veneration for Abraham; and if it could be shown that Melchizedek was superior to Abraham, then it would be easy to demonstrate the superiority of Christ, as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
We will soon read the writers point – IF the Levitical priesthood was so great, from which came from Abraham and the Law, why would Christ come bearing this “other” what is called “unchangeable” and untransferable priesthood born by Melchizedek?
This is really the point of the next eight verses.
Again, Abraham – who is the recipient of the greatest respect among the Jews showed respect to Melchizedek by paying him a tenth part, so we must look at what this Melchizedek represented.
So, the writer says (at verse 4):
Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man (Melchizedek) was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
And he goes then out from Abraham – in to the future, and speaking of His offspring, saying:
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:
The meaning here is that the Levitical priests had a right to receive tithes of their brethren under the law, right? This was due to their position as priests who were told to live off the tithes given them by the people.
But, these Levitical priests were descendants of Abraham, who paid tithes to Melchizedek, and were therefore inferior (as the descendants of Abraham) to Melchizedek, whom Jesus the Messiah was a priest “after the order of.”
In other words, the Levitical priests had a position of superiority over all the other descendants of Abraham (as evidenced by the fact that those people paid their tithes to them) but still he says they were inferior to Melchizedek, and consequently then to Christ as a priest, by the fact that the Father of their faith and race and nation, paid tithes to him.
He goes on (verse 6)
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them, received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
IOW, “but Melchizedek, whose descent is not counted from them, receive tithes of Abraham.
The word “descent” here is another word for pedigree and or genealogy, meaning Melchizedek had no blood ties to the Levitical priests.
This completely proves that Jesus was not in any way related to that order of priesthood. And this is why He wasn’t even allowed in the Holy of Holies as the Son of God incarnate.
No, Jesus was of such a different order that He had no right, in His flesh, to enter the Holy of Holies, being from an entirely different, even an entirely, unfit lineage to participate in that stuff.
But so superior was this priest Melchizedek (whom Christ was after the order of) that He blessed Abraham, or as the passage says, he blessed him that “had the promises,” referring to the fact that Abraham was promised by God to “have numerous posterity.” So, then verse 7
7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
IOW, the things I am telling you are not disputable – they are without contradiction: “the less (Abraham) was blessed of the better (Melchizedek).
And in the book of Hebrews the word better is significant. Back when we studied it verse by verse we noted that the writers main point to these Jewish converts is Jesus is “better” that anything from whence they came.
The term better is used twelve times in the book of Hebrews alone representing 10% of all the times it is ever used.
When we really appeal to the meaning of this word used herein, the basic point is Jesus is better that any and all other systems of religion – including those that will use his name but place people in bondage.
So yes, these systems of religion have merit in the material world. Certainly, there are elements to it that make living in this life easier, more cohesive, better organized possibly – but Jesus (and Jesus alone) is simply . . . better in and of Himself as our High Priest, as our King, as our Prophet, as our Apostle.
I suppose this is our message to everyone – religionists or humanists of every walk – Jesus is better.
(beat)
So, where Abraham is the father of the nation, and of faith, and a prince of sorts – the immediate head of a company of nomads (or migratory shepherds) having, it is true, a huge number of dependents, and actually called a prophet in Genesis 20:7, Abraham is never called either “a priest” or “a king,” and did have “a father and a mother,” and “a beginning of days, and an end of his life,” where Melchizedek (and the Messiah who came in after him in perfect similitude) did not, proving themselves in these ways better too.
So, the writer says there is no contradiction in the fact that the less was blessed of the better as the act of pronouncing a blessing implies superiority of rank, age, or station.
When a father lays his hand on his children and blesses them, it is understood to be the act of one superior in age, venerableness, and authority.
In the Old Testament when a prophet pronounced a blessing on the people, the same thing was understood.
And while this idea is still carried on today by men (and even some women in churches) . . . as if a blessing of the priest or minister or pastor over a congregation illustrates spiritual superiority or venerable authority . . . I would strongly suggest that all such practices of veneration ENDED in and with Christ, who is the final and only high priest that all believers of every walk, race, gender and nation venerate, since, as Paul writes in Galatians 3:27-28 . . .
Galatians 3:27-28
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
And as Romans 10:12 says:
“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”
1st Corinthians 12:13 adds
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
Colossians 3:11 says, speaking of the body:
“Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”
Galatians 5:6 adds
“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”
Listen to the Preeminence of Christ as described in Colossians one beginning at verse 12:
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
These descriptions all point back to the image of Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes and Melchizedek blessed.
Now the writer goes back to the tithe subject, again, just proving the superiority of Melchizedek to the Law, saying:
8 And here “men that die” receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
This verse is another proof text, in my opinion, that Melchizedek was not a mortal man but a Christophany. I say this because the writer says:
“And here (speaking of the Levitical priests which he is making the comparison) “And here men that die receive tithes.”
In other words, the Levitical priests (who were men who died) received tithes while they were alive “BUT,” he adds, “there,” (referring to when Melchizedek received tithes of Abraham) “whom (referring to Melchizedek) it is witnessed that he lives.”
Yes, the Levitical priests received tithes from their brethren but they were mortal and would die. Death had victory over them like every other man.
So even though they held a position of superiority (evidenced by the fact that they received tithes of the people) they died and this seems to prove that their priesthood – and the mortal priests that held it – were inferior to the priesthood of Jesus after the order of Melchizedek.
Why?
Because neither Melchizedek nor Jesus were overcome by death.
Imagine this.
There is a family of super-heroes. They all have powers that are supernatural compared to the rest of the world.
But every member of that family is mortal and gets disease and illness and dies. So, while the powers and or rights are somehow passed down through the family genealogy, all that operated by them are susceptible to death.
But there is another superhero outside this family. He has no father or mother, no beginning or ending of days, and he has a power that cannot go away, because He never dies.
His power and priesthood is His alone – because He is NOT ever subject to death, so what would be the need of any other having it?
And in the annuls of prophetic utterance we are told that another, the promised Messiah, was going to come and He would also bear this power – and that death and corruption can never overcome Him either.
The only way we could ever understand the person of the first bearer is He is NOT mortal, otherwise the comparison would not make any sense. Instead, I maintain that Melchizedek was the preincarnate Christ, manifesting to Abraham as a means to establish His position.
HALF WAY MARK
No, Melchizedek was never a living human being but merely a spiritual manifestation of the Messiah himself.
And so, the Levitical priesthood, because those who bore it were subject to death, was completely inferior to whomever bore the non-Transferable priesthood of Melchizedek.
Then the writer makes yet another point and this one is a weee-bit more difficult to easily explain. But WE don’t care, do we? (verse 9)
9 And as I may so say, (or, “let me give you another illustration) “Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
Now, the key to understanding this verse simply is the word “in” as in, “Levi also, who received tithes, payed tithes IN Abraham.”
Obviously the writer doesn’t mean that Levi had actually paid tithes to Abraham – he wouldn’t even exist for hundreds of years because those who would bring him forth into the world (Isaac, Jacaob) hadn’t been born either!
But the point is because Abraham paid tithes, and Levi was going to come OUT of the loins of Abraham, even Levi, who would come through Abraham, was indirectly paying tithes to Melchizedek too!
For clarity, let me put it this way:
Levi was the mortal man after whom the whole Levitical priesthood was named.
He was the third son of Jacob and Leah, and was born in Mesopotamia. He is interesting as he received both a curse and a blessing. First the curse.
In a fascinating tale of love and drama, Genesis 34 tells us a story. Jacob had his twelve sons and a daughter named Dinah. Well, Dinah went out and about on a journey to greet other women in the land and she ran into a male named Shecham, a Hivite, who took her and lay with her and defiled her.
The Hebrew word means he brought shame upon her and does not necessarily mean rape so they could have had a consensual relationship.
In any case, it appears that Shecham the Hivite loved Dinah and wanted her for his wife, so he went to his father, a prince of the Hivites and said, “Get her for me to be my wife.”
Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, got wind of this and dealt treacherously with Shecham and Hamor by telling them that in order to be in good standing with the children of Israel they had to be circumcised.
Apparently, from the narrative in Genesis 34, Shecham and Hamor were honorable men and agreed and after the old snippy snippy (of them and all the males), when they were laying there recovering, the Sons of Jacob, lead by Simeon and Levi, went in and slew them all, removing Dinah from the house of Shecham, who was now dead.
In his blessings upon his sons, Jacob said in Genesis 49 to Simeon and Levi:
“Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”
Did this come to pass?
Well, let’s talk about the blessing that also came upon Levi.
Levi had some children, one of whom was a daughter named Jochebed. She and her husband (Amram) had some sons – Aaron and then Moses who was born three years later.
Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab of the house of Judah (Exodus 6:23; 1st Chronicles 2:10), by whom he had four sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
When the time for the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt drew nigh, Aaron was sent by God (according to Exodus 4:14,27-30) to meet his long-absent brother, that he might assist him in all that they were required to do in bringing about the Exodus of the Jews.
Before long Aaron became the “mouth” or “prophet” of Moses, meaning he spoke for him, because he was a man of a ready utterance (Exodus 7:1-2,9,10,19).
After leaving Egypt (according to Exodus 19:24 and 24:9) when the COI were encamped before Sinai and Moses was commanded by God to ascend the mount to receive the tables of the law, Aaron and his two sons, Nadab and Abihu, along with seventy of the elders of Israel, were permitted to accompany him part of the way to “behold afar off the manifestation of the glory of Israel’s God.”
While Moses remained on the mountain with God, Aaron returned unto the people; and yielding through fear, or ignorance, or instability of character, to their clamor, made unto them a golden calf, and set it up as an object of worship (Exodus 32:4; Psalm 106:19).
On the return of Moses to the camp, Aaron was sternly rebuked for the part he had acted in this matter; but Moses also interceded for him before God, who forgave his sin (Deuteronomy 9:20).
On the mount, according to Leviticus 8:1-36 and 9:1-34, Moses received instructions regarding the system of worship which was to be set up among the people; and in accordance therewith Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the priest’s office.
His descendants, “the house of Aaron,” constituted the priesthood in general (including that of High Priest) and the other branches of the tribe of Levi held subordinate positions.
Therefore, we have the Levitical priesthood as a whole (extending out from Levi) and then the Aaronic priesthood which was the superior office (if you will) of that over all Levitical priesthood.
With Levi (and Simeon) being cursed, so to speak, for their cruel deeds and the curse being that they would be “scattered through Israel,” how does this play into the fact that Levi’s progeny were also the chosen bearers of the priesthood.
As priests, which was a blessing, they never inherited any land and therefore were, according to the curse, inevitably “scattered throughout Israel!”
Pretty wild, eh?
Anyway, the writer, speaking of Levi “paying tithes to Melchizedek,” says (in verse 10)
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father (Abraham), when Melchisedec met him.
In a matter of speaking, the writer seems to be saying that Levi, while in the loins of Abraham also met Melchizedek, and paid tithes to him.
And verse 11 brings us to the point with a tremendous “IF/WHAT query, saying:
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 was not called after the order of Aaron?
The Jews believed that their priesthood was all that – that somehow through it and its applications perfection could be attained.
If that was the case, the writer states, what “further” need was there, “that another priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek . . . with Him NOT being called after the order of Aaron?
The implications of this passage are enormous – especially when dealing with the LDS who are all around us.
But the implications are only meaningful IF we clearly understand the relationship of
Melchizedek to Jesus and
the priesthood of Aaron to the Jews.
I get in a lot of trouble for making “stances on things” that others like to consider “debatable.” But in light of the ministry we still have in place online that reaches out to the LDS these stances are absolutely necessary to remove the confusion and obfuscation not taking a stance produces.
To conclude that Melchizedek was a real living flesh and blood man (like Shem) opens the door for a “hidden or lost priesthood” to exist which ultimately re-appeared at the time of the Messiah and according to our LDS friends, He bestowed upon Peter, James and John (on the Mount of Transfiguration) but with the apostles being killed off needed to be “restored” to earth by Joseph Smith.
The concept is as simple as this – If Melchizedek was flesh and blood then His priesthood could have been passed along.
Of course, all the intimations that the writer of Hebrews gives here (about Him being without descent, father or mother, or end of days) have to be ignored to believe such a thing . . .
And the comparison he makes to the Aaronic priesthood being inferior because it is possessed by men who die (verse the Melchizedek only being held by those who don’t) becomes even more important and clear.
This is why such things are important in the Mormon/Christian debate. Same with eschatology. If Jesus took His pure Bride then there is no need for such a church today!
By seeing teachings clearly we can make sense of what the writer is telling us, and we have a defense against deceptions which flourish in the dark like mushrooms in manure.
Having a handle on what the writer’s intentions are here in Hebrews we can now clearly see what verse 11 means when he asks:
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 Melchisedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
In other words, what do we need Jesus for, guys, if this Levitical priesthood was sufficient?
So, from all of this argumentation we can step back and make the following statements without equivocation:
The writer of Hebrews has proven that compared to Melchizedek the Levitical applications (which include living by the law) are inferior.
That if the scripture was correct, and the Messiah would be after the order of Melchizedek, then there would be no reason to look back and long for association with the Levitical.
That since Jesus is after the order of Melchizedek, and death had no hold on Him, we can look to Him as our single and superior high priest (especially when comparing Him to the numerous Levitical high Priests who all die!).
Even from their own Scriptures it was apparent that a priest, of a permanent and “better” character was to rise (of another order) and this proved that there was a defect (of some kind) with the previous order.
What were the defects? While the author does not explain them, I can think of a few:
That the Levitical priesthood could not be established on a permanent basis because it was held by men who die.
That the rules and order of it could never make Man perfect because the blood being offered through sacrifice could never take away sin.
Because while the law delivered under this priestly line was perfect, when it was assigned to human beings of flesh and blood it only served to prove our sin – and make us even all the more guilty of death!
So again,
“If the priesthood of Leviticus was acceptable, then the Law associated with it is also acceptable,” seems to be the argument the writer is making.
And
“if the priesthood is not able to bring human kind to perfection, and there was obviously a change in it in the presence of the Messiah who came in the order of “another priesthood,” then . . . (listen) then “there must be a change in the law!”
So, he adds (verse 12)
12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
To best understand this change, and what the author is speaking to, we need to jump ahead to chapter 8, which we read in our verse by verse years ago. But go with me over to the next chapter beginning at verse 6.
Here the writer continues speaking of Christ being better than the earlier covenant established with the Jews, and says (speaking of Him as our great high priest)
Hebrew 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless (the law) then should no place have been sought for the second (grace).
8 For finding fault with them, he (God) saith, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
The end point at hand is obvious.
The priesthood – and all that came with it, the Law, animal sacrifice, high priests who die and pass their priesthood on to other men who would die . . . was changed in the Messiah Christ, who came after the order of Melchizedek, so (as verse 12 says) “there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”
Now, in all who believe, whether Jew or Greek, male or female, rich or poor, bond or free, but in this case of the epistle to the Hebrews, God says:
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
In summary, this New Covenant is called salvation by grace through . . . faith – on Him who came after the order of this strange Old Testament person called Melchi – Tsdek, or, the true and only King of Righteousness.
Questions/Comments/Prayer
See you in person here next week or in the archives.
