A priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek

Hebrews 5 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; ² he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is clothed in weakness; ³ and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins for himself, as well as for the people. ⁴ And no one takes the honor for himself, but receives it when he is called by God, just as Aaron also was.

⁵ So too Christ did not glorify Himself in becoming a high priest, but it was He who said to Him,

“You are My Son, Today I have fathered You”;

⁶ just as He also says in another passage,

“You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

⁷ In the days of His humanity, He offered up both prayers and pleas with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His devout behavior. ⁸ Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. ⁹ And having been perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him, ¹⁰ being designated by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

¹¹ Concerning him we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become poor listeners. ¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the actual words of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.

Genesis 14:18-20 says: Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” In today’s text it says: Christ did not glorify Himself in becoming a high priest, but it was He who said to Him, “You are My Son, Today I have fathered You”; just as He also says in another passage, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of His humanity, He offered up both prayers and pleas with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His devout behavior. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him, being designated by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. It is significant that Jesus was designated as a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, because Melchizedek was both a priest and a king. As God’s Son Jesus had and has both governmental authority and spiritual authority. Through Him, we have also been made priests and kings. 1 Peter 2:9 says: You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. We are to use our position as priests and kings to proclaim the excellencies of God and Christ

Remember that Jesus has governmental and spiritual authority. In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus says: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  We are to be those who are teaching others to follow all that Jesus commanded, but the text says: Concerning him we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become poor listeners. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the actual words of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil. Many today are unacquainted with the word of righteousness. Rather than milk, they only partake of a watered-down gospel that does not distinguish between good and evil. Many believe they can be called by the name of Christ, yet embrace the evil and immorality of the world. What kind of teachers are they then? In Matthew 5:17-20 Jesus says: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Our righteousness can only exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees because we have been given the righteousness of Christ, yet without righteousness, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says: He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. If we have become the righteousness of God in Christ, how can we continue to walk in and embrace the unrighteousness of the world? In Matthew 7:13-14; 21-23 Jesus says: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it… Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

Jesus says He will be with us to the end of the age. That is not the end though but rather it is the beginning of a new age. In Revelation 21:5-8 the Lord says: “Behold, I am making all things new… It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give water to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life, without cost. The one who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But for the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 22:16-17;20-21 says: “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you of these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires, take the water of life without cost…  He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.