HEBREWS 7:4

In Hebrews 7:4 the Bible starts an explanation of the differences between the priesthood of Melchisedec and that of Levi, emphasizing why the priesthood of Melchisedec was better. This is an important point to make because Jesus was not of the Levites. Jesus is a high priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. It says in Hebrews 7:4, “Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.” First we are told that Melchisedec was “great,” and then it is pointed out that Abraham gave ten percent of his goods to Melchisedec.

Concerning the giving of tithes, it says in Hebrews 7:5, “And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham.” In the Old Testament law, who received the tithes? The Levitical priests received them. This is a good time to make an important point about tithing. Notice the phrase “according to the law.” For example, the Bible says in Numbers 18:24, “But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave-offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore, I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.”

The law commanded that tithes be paid to the priests of Levi. This is the same law that set up the levitical priesthood. Therefore, when the priesthood ended, it is reasonable to say that tithing ended. That certainly would explain why tithing is never given as a commandment to Christians in the New Testament. Perhaps God wants Christians to feel free to give more than ten percent. For example, the New Testament principle on giving is presented clearly in Second Corinthians 9:7 that says, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” This would have been a good time to mention tithing if tithing was to be a part of a Christian’s giving, but the Holy Spirit says nothing about tithing in this passage: a pattern that the Holy Spirit follows throughout the New Testament epistles.

Returning to the theme of Melchisedec and the Levites and the tithes that each of them received, the Bible says in Hebrews 7:6-10, “But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive the tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.” Melchisedec gave the blessing to Abraham. “The less is blessed of the better.” In a symbolic sense the Levites paid tithes to Melchisedec through their father Abraham. This also demonstrates the greatness of Melchisedec compared to the Levitical priests.

The priesthood that came through Aaron and through Levi had some serious limitations and failures. That is why God brought a new priest from a different order of priesthood to replace the old order. Hebrews 7:11-12 says, “If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” The law had a fatal flaw. It did not bring perfection, and perfection is an absolute requirement for entering the kingdom of God. As it says in Hebrews 7:19, “the law made nothing perfect.” That is why the law was temporary. God wants us to be made perfect, so He changed the law. That is what Hebrews 7:12 says, “there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” One of the changes to the law is what we are being taught in this passage in Hebrews: the removal of the Levitical priesthood. Of course, if the priesthood is removed, so are the sacrifices, so are the ceremonies and observances surrounding the sacrifices, so is the temple and the temple worship, and so is the tithing to the Levitical priests removed.

There are differences between the Old Testament and the New Testament. One of those differences has to do with the law. In the Old Testament the law was given to the people and they were required to keep the law or suffer the penalty of death. In the New Testament, things have changed. “Ye are not under law but under grace.” The Bible says in John 1:17, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” There is a difference between law and grace, and there is a difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Make sure that you know the difference or you may be trying to do things that are not God’s will for Christians. The New Testament makes clear the things that are required for Christians. Beware of taking things from the Old Testament law as requirements for your life, especially if you do not find such things clearly commanded in the New Testament for Christians to do.

If the old had been good enough, there would not have been a necessity for a new. The old is replaced by the new. That is what Jesus taught in Mark 2:21-22 when He said, “No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filleth it up taketh way from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.” The lesson is clear. Do not mix the old with the new. God has brought something new. Jesus called it the New Testament. Make sure that you know what is old and what is new, and do not mix the two of them. Serious mistakes have been made regarding doctrine and regarding practical matters such as child-rearing because this principle that Jesus gave was not followed.

The Bible says in Hebrews 7:13-14, “For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.” These two verses continue to make the point that the law did not reveal this important detail about the Messiah. The Messiah came out of the tribe of Judah, but there is no provision in the law for a priest to come out of the tribe of Judah. In other words, the law was changed. The teachings of the New Testament take precedence over the teachings of the Old Testament law. Make sure that you understand the New Testament very well before you study the Old Testament, or you will not understand the Old Testament. Make sure that you take the New Testament with you when you journey back into the Old Testament. Do not make the mistake of opening up the Old Testament and forgetting what the New Testament teaches on a multitude of subjects.

One more time the difference between the old and the new is explained in Hebrews 7:15-16. It says, “And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.” Notice the two phrases in Hebrews 7:16; “not after the law” “but after the power of an endless life.” Eternal life does not come by the keeping of the law. The law is called “a carnal commandment” because the law is connected to the flesh. The law is connected to the human life and a human’s ability to keep the law. The weakness of the law is found in the human race. “There is no man that doeth good and sinneth not.” Therefore, the law can only condemn. The law never forgives. That law says, “Are you guilty?” And if you are guilty, then you are condemned. The opposite of law is grace. Grace says through Christ, “I know you are guilty, but because you believe in me, I forgive you.” Once you are forgiven, you have the promise of “an endless life.”

The Bible says in Hebrews 7:17-19, “For he testifieth, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.” Notice that verse 18 says that there is “a disannulling of the commandment.” God gave a commandment at one time in the past. Then there came a time when God took the commandment back. The commandment was no longer a requirement. Something changed. A new time came, and God took away the commandment. This is once again an explanation of the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is part of the Word of God. The Old Testament should be read and studied and understood by Christians. But only with this understanding: some things from the Old Testament and especially from the law have been done away with. You must know the New Testament very well to know which things those are. Be careful. If you study the Old Testament without this understanding, you are going to believe things and teach things that you should not. How else will you know what has been disannulled? I once heard someone make the following statement: “The Bible says it. I believe it. That settles it.” Such a statement is true, but only if one understands the Old Testament and the New Testament, and the difference between the two. There is a difference between law and grace.

Why was part of the Old Testament disannulled? We are told very clearly that it was because of “the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.” The law is weak. The law is unprofitable. The law made nothing perfect. Jesus wants to save mankind, not condemn us. But the law will only condemn us if we do not keep it perfectly, and no one keeps it perfectly. It says in Galatians 3:10, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” The law is weak because human beings are weak. No man has kept the law. No man doeth good and sinneth not. But Jesus Christ came bringing grace and glory. When we believe in Him we are given an endless life. According to the law of the Old Testament, we should be condemned because each of us have broken the law. But there is a New Testament. Because of the New Testament, we are not condemned once we have believed in Christ. The Bible says in Galatians 3:13-14, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree; That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

The Bible says in Hebrews 7:20-22, “And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.” Verses twenty and twenty-one state one more time why the priesthood of Jesus is better than the priesthood of the Levites that was established by the Old Testament law. According to verse twenty-two, Jesus brought “a better testament.” The New Testament is better than the Old Testament. That is exactly what Hebrews 7:22 is saying. The Old Testament law brings condemnation and death and punishment. The New Testament brings forgiveness and hope and grace and eternal life. A testament is a covenant: an agreement between God and man. Jesus has agreed to give eternal life to all who believe. That testament is much better than what existed before.

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