Hebrews 7:1-3

MacArthur "A type refers to an Old Testament person, practice, or ceremony that has a counterpart, an antitype, in the New Testament. In that sense types are predictive. The type pictures, or prefigures, the antitype. The type though it is historical, real, and of God, is nonetheless imperfect and temporary.  The antitype, on the other hand, is perfect and eternal."

 

1) The priests were subjects of the king.

2) The priests offered sacrifices that were not permanent.

3) The priesthood was completely hereditary.

4) The time of priestly service was temporary.

 

The priesthood of Melchizedek was superior because:

   I.  It was a royal priesthood.

-Gen. 14:18-20

-Most High God = El Elyon

   a.  King of righteousness.

-melek = king; sedeq = righteousness

   b.  King of peace

-shalom = peace

 

  II.  He received tithe from Abraham.

 

 III.  It wasn't dependent upon heredity.

-made like = aphomoioo = to make like, to produce a facsimile or copy

 

 IV.  It wasn't temporary.

-perpetually = dienenkes = without interruption, continually.

-O'Brien "Consequently, Melchizedek foreshadows the priesthood of Christ at that point where it is most fundamentally different from the Levitical priesthood."

Hebrews 6:13-20

Guthrie "The passage’s transitional purpose works as follows. The exhortation of 5:11-6:12places spotlight on human actions and responsibility. In 5:11-6:3 the writer points to the readers’ lack of growth and need to move on in the faith. In 6:4-8 the apostates’ rejection of Christ and consequent peril serves as a harsh example, the author emphasizing their lack of fruitfulness. In 6:9-12 the encouragement found in the listeners’ own past fruitfulness plays a nice counterpoint to the warning of 6:4-8, yet keeps primary focus on human response to God. To be sure, the action of God underlies the whole of5:11-6:12, but the author places the emphasis on human responsibility in responding to the works of God. All of this may lead to our feeling somewhat insecure. The reader of this commentary may have ended our treatment of 6:4-12 asking, “Then is it all up to me? Where is the provision of God in all of this?” The author of Hebrews, while wishing to emphasize the seriousness of our responsibility in responding properly to the gospel, does not intend to leave us feeling insecure. Beginning with 6:13 the discussion turns back with full force toward God’s provision of a superior basis for Christian perseverance.”

 

  I.  Abraham serves as an example of patient endurance.

    a.  Abraham knew God's promise is based upon His character.

    b.  Abraham patiently waited and obtained the promise.

-Gen. 22:16-18

-patienlty waited = makrothumia = longsuffering, patient endurance

 

 II.  God demonstrated His faithfulness through His oath.

-confirmation = bebaiosis = legal guarantee

-even more = perissoteron = more abundantly, more convincingly

    a.  To demonstrate the unchanging nature of His purpose.

-interposed = mesiteuo = to intervene, act as a mediator, sponsor, surety

    b.  To encourage His people to hold fast to the hope set before us.

-taken refuge = kataphugo = to flee, to flee for refuge

 

 III.  Our hope is anchored to the work of Jesus our High Priest.

-sure = asphales = safe

-steadfast = bebaios = firm, established; idea of something which is reliable, well founded or confirmed

-forerunner = prodromos = one who runs before

Hebrews 6:9-12

I.  Continue to serve through love.

-convinced = peitho = persuade; perfect passive

-accompany = echo = have

 

  II.  Maintain zeal for our hope until the end.

-diligence = spoude = earnestness, diligence, great zeal

-full assurance = plerophoria = fullness, full assurance, certainty, conviction

-Guthrie "Verse 11, however, again bears witness to a basic, though often neglected dynamic in this author's sermon - the uncertainty that surrounds any evaluation of another person's status before God apart from continued manifestations of God's grace. In other words, if the outward manifestations of genuineness dealt with in 6:9-10 cease, confidence in that genuineness evaporates."

-I John 2:19; Gal. 5:22-23

 

 III.  Follow the example of faithful endurance.

-sluggish = nothros = dull, sluggish

-imitators = mimetes = imitate, one who is like another

-patience = makrothumia = longsuffering, patience, patient endurance

-Matt. 24:13, Phil. 1:6, I John 2:19