Such omissions respecting a 'personage so exalted are contrnry to Oriental custom. The points which the Holy Spirit has studiously concealed about Mclchize,lek arc- his personal parentage, his priestly pedigree, and the dates of bis hirth antl death. 2. A• a type. (Ver. 3.) The brief notice of Melchizedek in the Book of Genesis has been framed so as to exhibit in him as strikinz as possible a prefiguration of Christ. Melchizedek wa~ "made like unto the Son of God," at once in the events of his per- sonal career, and in the shape given to the Dible narrative respecting him. The Lord Jesus Christ is both "King of righteousness" and "King of peace;" he dispenses spiritual peace upon a basis of righteousness. He is a royal Priest, wearin" both the mitre and the diadem. He had no predecessor in his office, and he shall ha;e no suc- cessor. His priesthood is of older date, and of superior dignity to that of Levi. In all these respects Melchizeilek was a type of Christ. II. 'J.'HE SUPERIORITY OF MELCHIZEDEK's PRIESTHOOD TO THE LEVITICAL PBIEBT- BOOD. (Vers. 4-10.) "Consider" this, says the apostle. Although the theme is recondite, and" hard of interpretation" (eh. v. 11), it deserves careful stucly, since it concerns the dignity and glory of the Son of God (Ps, ex.' 4). 1. Melchizedek is superior to Abraham,~the ancestor of the Levites. (Vers. 4-7.) No Old Testament name is more illustrious than that of "Abraham, the patriarch; " no heraldic escutcheon could boast marks of greater honour than that which bears the arms of "the father of the faithful "-" the friend of God." Yet we see this venerated founder of the Hebre1v nation humbly acknowledging the superiority of Melchizedek. (1) Abraham paid tithes to him (vers. 4-6). Under the Levitical law tithes were due from the people to the priests, priests and people being brethren by race; but here we have a Gentile pontiff receiving tithes from Abraham, the patriarch offering them spontaneously. (2) Melchizedek pronounced a blessing upon Abraham (vers. 6, 7). This also implied Abraham's spiritual inferiority. The head of the chosen nation, to whom God had given "the promises," stood humbly before this Hamite priest to receive his blessing. 2. The Lev·itical priests were dying men ; Melchizedek appears only as a living priest. (Ver. B.) Aaron's sons obtained the sacerdotal dignity by descent; they died and suc- ceeded one another. But Melchizedek's priesthood was inherent and underived. He is exhibited on the inspired page only as a living priest, in order that his office may the more suitably prefigure the intransferable priesthood of Christ. 3. The Levitical priests virtually paid tithes to Melchizedek. (Vers. 9, 10.) All the sacred honour with which Aaron and his sons wore invested was derived from Abraham, as the head of the nation; and so, when Abraham confessed the religious superiority of Melchizedek, the long line of Aaronical priests may in a sense be said to have done so also. Learn in conclusion: 1. 'fhe unparalleled majesty and glory of the Lord Jesus. Abraham was greater than Aaron; Melchizedek was greater than Abraham; but Christ is infinitely greater than Melchizedek. 2. Christ's priestly benediction is more effi- cacious than that of Melchizedek. He has been sent "to bless us, in turning away every one of us from our iniquities" (Acts iii. 26). 3. If Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe of the spoils, should not we dedicate to the Lord Jesus Christ, not our tithes only, but our all?
Vers. 11-28.-0hrist greater than Aaron. This passage is really just a commen- tary on the Old Testament oracle contained in Ps. ex. 4. 'l'here might appropriately be prefixed to it as a motto the words, "Behold, a greater than Aaron is here." I. 'l'nE IMPERFECTll)N OF THE LEVITIOAL PRIESTHOOD. (Vers. 11-19.) Aaron's mediation could not satisfy justice, or pacify conscience, or sanctify the heart. All that it could do was to exhibit a faint adumbration of the ideal priesthood. The words of Ps. ex. 4 suggest this insufficiency, for they contain the promise of the Messianic priesthood. 1. Jesus was of other descent. (Vers. 11-14.) He belonged to the tribe of Judah; and not, like Aaron's sons, to the ecclesiastical tribe of Levi. 'l'he fact of this change in itself proves the inefficacy of the hereditary Hebrew priesthood. 2. Hi, priesthood ia of everlasting duration. (Vers. 15-17.) The Jewish priests one by one succumbed to death; buL Jesus Christ is himself "the Life." Life resides essentially and originally in him. So his priesthood is abidiug; his official dignity remains " for ever." From this it follows (vers. 1~, 19) that the Levitical priesthood, and the entiro ceremonial law which enshrined H, have bec:o abrogated; and in their stead bas come rno l'IIE EPISTLE TO THE HEilREWS. [cu. VIL 1-28.