Melchisedec's Priesthood (Part 3) - Heb 7:13-18

Watch the video of this sermon on YouTube: Melchisedec's Priesthood (Part 3) - Heb 7:13-18 To learn more about Jesus Christ, click here: Jesus Christ To listen to or watch the previous sermon in the series, click here: (Part 2) To listen to or watch the next sermon in the series, click here: (Part 4) 12. Heb 7:13 - For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. A. The law of Moses dictated that the priests would be from the tribe of Levi, specifically the sons of Aaron (Exo 28:1-4,41; Exo 29:9). B. Aaron and his sons the priests were of the tribe of Levi (Deu 18:1). C. The Levites had the charge of the sanctuary and the priests had the oversight over them (Num 3:32). D. No man of any other tribe was ever given the office of the priesthood under the law of Moses. E. No man could take that honour unto himself (Heb 5:4). F. Those who tried to do the office of the priest were either put to death (Num 18:7; Num 16:31-33,40) or severely punished for it (1Sa 13:8-14; 2Ch 26:18-21). 13. Heb 7:14 - For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. A. Jesus was of the tribe of Judah (Mat 1:3,16; Luk 3:23,33; Rev 5:5). B. Moses never said anything about any man of the tribe of Judah being a priest. i. This is called the argument from silence. a. If the Bible specifies something, then anything which adds to it or takes away from it is wrong. b. When God tells a man to do something, he must do it; if he does anything else, he is breaking God's commandment. c. God doesn't have to tell a man to not do all other things when He has told him what to do; because contained in the imperative is a prohibition of all things contrary to it. ii. Here are some other Biblical examples of the argument from silence. a. The law of Moses stated that the shewbread was for Aaron and his sons (Lev 24:9). (i) From that statement, Jesus concluded that it was not lawful for David and his men to eat the shewbread, but only for the priests (Mat 12:3-4). (ii) A non-priest in Israel could not make the argument: "Sure, God said it was for the priests, but He didn't say that the rest of us couldn't eat it!" (iii) If God says it's for the priests, then that unequivocally means that no one else can eat it. b. The law of Moses stated that the Levites, specifically the sons of Kohath, were to carry the ark on their shoulders when it was to be moved (Num 4:15; Num 7:6-9). (i) David decided to move the ark on a cart, and Uzza was killed by the LORD as a result when he touched the ark to keep it from falling off of the cart (1Ch 13:7-10). (ii) David understood the argument from silence after this ordeal when he said "None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God" (1Ch 15:2). (iii) David couldn't argue with God and say: "But you didn't say that we couldn't move it on a cart!" (iv) If God says the sons of Kohath are to bear the ark on their shoulders, then no one else by no other means can transport the ark. c. Judaizers had told the Gentile Christians that they needed to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses (Act 15:24). (i) The apostles gave them no such commandment (Act 15:24). (ii) If no such commandment were given, then no such commandment is binding on the church. d. The same reasoning applies to musical instruments in the NT church. (i) The New Testament tells churches to sing (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16). (ii) In that it tells them to sing, only singing should be done. (iii) The argument from silence demands that nothing be added to the commandment, such as musical instruments. (iv) If God wanted musical instruments in church, He would have specified such. (v) Furthermore, how would one know which instruments God wants to be used since He didn't specify any? C. Because Moses never said anything about a man of Judah being a priest, but instead repeatedly stated that the priests were to be of the tribe of Levi, it was not lawful under the law of Moses for Jesus to be a priest. D. Therefore, since Jesus is a priest, the law of God must have been changed (Heb 7:12). 14. Heb 7:15 - And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, A. It is evident that the priesthood has been changed (Heb 7:12 c/w Heb 7:15). i. Evident - 2. Clear to the understanding or the judgement; obvious, plain. Const. to. †(it) is evident to be…: = ‘it is evident that (it) is…’ ii. But not only is evident, it is far more evident. B. It is beyond question because another priest, Jesus Christ, ariseth after the similitude of Melchisedec. i. Jesus is after the similitude of Melchisedec, which means that they are not the same person. ii. Ariseth is used in the present tense because Jesus is a continual being (Joh 8:58) who has a continual priesthood (Heb 7:24). 15. Heb 7:16 - Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. A. The Levitical priests were made according to the law of Moses (a carnal commandment) (Exo 28:1-4,41; Exo 29:9). i. The law of Moses was focused on carnal things (Heb 9:10). ii. The priesthood was passed on from father to son in a carnal manner. iii. It was conferred on a man because death prevented his predecessor from continuing. B. Jesus was not made a priest by a commandment in the law of Moses, but by reason of His endless life. i. Jesus' priesthood is not carnal in nature, but spiritual. ii. Jesus' priesthood was not passed on to Him by carnal means, but by a divine promise. iii. Jesus' will never leave His priesthood to another man because He ever liveth to make intercession for us (Heb 7:25). 16. Heb 7:17 - For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. A. This is a quote from Psa 110:4. B. It is from this single verse that Paul reasons that Jesus was not made a priest by a carnal commandment, but by the power of an endless life because He is a priest forever. 17. Heb 7:18 - For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. A. The commandment which established the Levitical priesthood was disannulled because of its weakness and unprofitableness. B. Disannul - 1. trans. To cancel and do away with; to make null and void, bring to nothing, abolish, annul. C. It was weak and unprofitable because it never accomplished the atonement of sins (Heb 10:1-4,11). D. It was abolished along with the rest of the law of Moses (2Co 3:7,11,13-14; Eph 2:15; Col 2:14-16; Heb 8:13). E. The fact that Jesus was made a priest after the order of Melchisedec demands that the law of Moses, which established the Levitical priesthood, has been abolished.