Turning to the theme of the Torah (the Law), the author of the epistle reasons about it in the same way as his teacher Paul. He sees several levels of Torah: on the one hand, Torah as legislation...
Turning to the theme of the Torah (the Law), the author of the epistle reasons about it in the same way as his teacher Paul. He sees several levels of Torah: on the one hand, Torah as legislation, as a legal and moral code, and on the other, the inner Torah as a spiritual core and a spiritual and moral imperative that defines a person's relationship with God and his whole life. It is clear that the author of the epistle looks at Christ in the same way as all Christians of that time did: as the only example in the history of the people of God of the living Torah.
Continuing Paul's thought about the Torah and extending it to the Levitical priesthood, he says: just as the Torah by itself does not make a person perfect, so the priesthood existing within the framework of such a Torah, which does not bring to perfection, cannot sanctify the people in all fullness. Paul speaks often and at length in his epistles about the fact that the Torah, even the inner Torah, still does not make a person perfect, that it cannot qualitatively change human nature and free it from the power of sin. But the Levitical priests are the same sinful people as everyone else; none of them revealed to the world examples of the living Torah. And if so, then the sanctification by which God sanctified the people through their priestly action could not be complete. The fullness of the Torah is the living Torah, and the living Torah is Christ Himself.
In Christ there is a change, or alteration, of the Torah, and therefore the priesthood must also change. Of course, this does not mean that some other priestly community or corporation should come to replace the Levitical priesthood. The point is different: it concerns the manner and fullness of the people's sanctification, corresponding to the new quality of their life. In fact, for life in the Kingdom, for abiding as part of the body of Christ, a Christian must be sanctified in all the fullness possible for him, in a way he was never sanctified through Yahwist sacrifices, because no person in a fallen state can be sanctified completely.
But now, in the process of a person becoming a living Torah (and the path in Christ, the path of becoming like Christ, was understood by the first generations of Christians precisely as a person's becoming in Christ as the living Torah), he must be sanctified precisely in fullness, since it is given to him as a created being. And such sanctification is possible only in that spiritual space of the relationship between the Father and the Son where the Church also abides. There the High Priest is already Christ Himself, and the fullness of sanctification also proves to correspond to Him.
7
7:1 The sum of this chapter is, Christ, as appears from his type, Melchisedec, who was greater than Abraham himself, from whom Levi descended, has a priesthood altogether excellent, new, firm, perpetual. Gen 14:18, etc
7:2 Being first - According to the meaning of his own name. King of righteousness, then - According to the name of his city. King of peace - So in him, as in Christ, righteousness and peace were joined. And so they are in all that believe in him.
7:3 Without father, without mother, without pedigree - Recorded, without any account of his descent from anyancestors of the priestly order. Having neither beginning of days, nor end of life - Mentioned by Moses. But being - In all these respects. Made like the Son of God - Who is really without father, as to his human nature; without mother, as to his divine; and in this also, without pedigree - Neither descended from any ancestors of the priestly order.Remaineth a priest continually - Nothing is recorded of the death or successor of Melchisedec. But Christ alone does really remain without death, and without successor.
7:4 The greatness of Melchisedec is described in all the preceding and following particulars. But the most manifest proof of it was, that Abraham gave him tithes as to a priest of God and a superior; though he was himself a patriarch, greater than a king, and a progenitor of many kings.
7:5 The sons of Levi take tithes of their brethren - Sprung from Abraham as well as themselves. The Levitestherefore are greater than they; but the priests are greater than the Levites, the patriarch Abraham than the priests, and Melchisedec than him.
7:6 He who is not from them - The Levites Blessed - Another proof of his superiority. Even him that had the promises - That was so highly favoured of God.When St. Paul speaks of Christ, he says, "the promise;" promises refer to other blessings also.
7:7 The less is blessed - Authoritatively, of the greater.
7:8 And here - In the Levitical priesthood. But there - In the case of Melchisedec. He of whom it is testified that he liveth - Who is not spoken of as one that died for another to succeed him; but is represented only as living, no mention being made either of his birth or death.
7:9 And even Levi, who received tithes - Not in person, but in his successors, as it were, paid tithes - In the person of Abraham.
7:11 The apostle now demonstrates that the Levitical priesthood must yield to the priesthood of Christ, because Melchisedec, after whose order he is a priest,
- Is opposed to Aaron, Heb 7:11-14.
- Hath no end of life, Heb 7:15-19,
but "remaineth a priest continually." If now perfection were by the Levitical priesthood - If this perfectly answered all God's designs and man's wants For under it the people received the law - Whence some might infer, that perfection was by that priesthood. What farther need was there, that another priest - Of a new order, should be set up? From this single consideration it is plain, that both the priesthood and the law, which were inseparably connected, were now to give way to a better priesthood and more excellent dispensation.7:12 For - One of these cannot be changed without the other.
7:13 But the priesthood is manifestly changed from one order to another, and from one tribe to another. For he of whom these things are spoken - Namely, Jesus.Pertaineth to another tribe - That of Judah. Of which no man was suffered by the law to attend on, or minister at, the altar.
7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah - Whatever difficulties have arisen since, during so long a tract of time, it was then clear beyond dispute.