11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” 18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
Commentary
Vs. 11 "Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?"
Perfection could never come through the Levitical priesthood because both it's priests and it's service and sacrifices were all temporary. Therefore this verse begins one of strongest sections on the change of both the priesthood, but also the Covenant of which we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are now under. Therefore as the Word of God says, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law); of which we are not now under (Rom 6:14); what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood that came through Aaron was only given to minister the Law to the people under it, it was not given to minister the Gospel by which perfection ultimately comes to one and to all who repent and believe. Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ having provided the Atonement for all our sins and transgressions, because we are all transgressors according to the Law (Rom 3:19-26; James 2:10), being called to serve as God's High Priest (and thus having fulfilled the Law, the Old Covenant, before enacting the New Covenant) had to be called according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to Aaron's priesthood, which could never make anyone perfect through it's services and sacrifices. For like the Law which came through it, it was temporary, until both the Seed and His Sacrifice of Himself for us all was accomplished (Isaiah 53, vs. 10; Gal 3:19-25 etc.).
Vs. 12 "For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law."
And so with a change in priesthood, there is of necessity a change of the law (or covenant). There is than no clearer Scriptural statement of this than what is stated here. The New Covenant brought forth and enacted by the Lord Jesus Christ's shed blood and broken body than is how we draw near to God.
Vs. 13-14 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
The Word of God now makes another point about the Lord Jesus Christ being called according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to Aaron, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ came through the tribe of Judah, (not Levi), from which no man has officiated at the altar. A tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. Now this is being stated to refute every and any notions that anyone may have about the Lord Jesus Christ and His High Priesthood for us all being an continuation on of Aaron's or anyone else's.
Vs. 15-16 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.
Therefore Lord Jesus came in likeness of Melchizedek, but not as following a descendancy of Melchizedek or Aaron or anyone else in regards to His serving as High Priest. For the Lord Jesus Christ was not called as God's High Priest according to the law of a fleshly commandment (that is God did not call His own Son into His Service through a fleshly commandment given to a mortal man), but the Lord Jesus Christ has been called by God according to the power of an endless life, which is God's witness to us all that is His Son and His service for us all. The Superiority than of Christ's call over Aaron's is then the point being made here.
Vs. 17 For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
Therefore it is God who says to His Son, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4) Thus Jesus' Priesthood being established and sanctified from everlasting to everlasting is unique, and therefore must always be distinguished from Aaron's, because God our Father prepared it for Him alone. For the Lord Jesus Christ's ministry, unlike Aaron's, will never end.
Vs. 18-19 18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
The Word of God in verse eighteen makes it clear that there has been an annulling of the former commandment; literally then the ministry of Aaron has been done away with, because the law itself as a means by which men draw near to God (and thus as the means by which we are brought into a covenant relationship with Him) has been done away with. Now the reason the former commandment has been done away with was it's weakness and unprofitableness (vs. 18); that is it was weak and unprofitable in that it could not make perfect through it's ordinances and sacrifices (which needed to be repeated over and over again) those who were drawing near to God through it.
Therefore in verse nineteen the Word of God states: "the law made nothing perfect...", which is the indictment of it's weakness and unprofitableness, and thus it's inability to change anyone or anything, because all of creation is tainted by sin, ruled by death, and is swayed by Satan, therefore no one can be healed and made whole again by it. The Law simply doesn't have the power to do what only God can do for us all. In fact if you break this down to a personal level the Law will by no means strengthen you in your own resolve against sin, for the strength of sin is the Law (1 Cor 15:56), thus the sinful nature (or the flesh) is not held captive by the Law, it is only aroused by it (Rom 7:5-6). The Law then made nothing perfect, but only kept us under guard until God our Father provided through His own Son the Lord Jesus Christ the everlasting Atonement that would change everything and everyone who repents and believes in Him. Therefore through the Lord Jesus Christ and His Everlasting Sacrifice and Ministry there is the bringing in of a better hope through which we can all now draw near to God, not by mortal priests and their interceding for us, but directly through the Sacrifice and Ministry and Intercession of God's own Son. From the lowest of sinners to the most "refined" of men and women from every nation, of every language, of every generation, of every walk of life, there is now no one, or no place, which the Gospel cannot reach and thus is excluded from the redemption of Almighty God and having reconciliation with God Himself through Christ Himself. The day of salvation then is right here and right now for you, for me, and for everyone who repents and believes, therefore don't delay be reconciled too God today!
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Perfection could never come through the Levitical priesthood because both it's priests and it's service and sacrifices were all temporary. Therefore this verse begins one of strongest sections on the change of both the priesthood, but also the Covenant of which we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are now under. Therefore as the Word of God says, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law); of which we are not now under (Rom 6:14); what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood that came through Aaron was only given to minister the Law to the people under it, it was not given to minister the Gospel by which perfection ultimately comes to one and to all who repent and believe. Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ having provided the Atonement for all our sins and transgressions, because we are all transgressors according to the Law (Rom 3:19-26; James 2:10), being called to serve as God's High Priest (and thus having fulfilled the Law, the Old Covenant, before enacting the New Covenant) had to be called according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to Aaron's priesthood, which could never make anyone perfect through it's services and sacrifices. For like the Law which came through it, it was temporary, until both the Seed and His Sacrifice of Himself for us all was accomplished (Isaiah 53, vs. 10; Gal 3:19-25 etc.).
Vs. 12 "For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law."
And so with a change in priesthood, there is of necessity a change of the law (or covenant). There is than no clearer Scriptural statement of this than what is stated here. The New Covenant brought forth and enacted by the Lord Jesus Christ's shed blood and broken body than is how we draw near to God.
Vs. 13-14 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
The Word of God now makes another point about the Lord Jesus Christ being called according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to Aaron, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ came through the tribe of Judah, (not Levi), from which no man has officiated at the altar. A tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. Now this is being stated to refute every and any notions that anyone may have about the Lord Jesus Christ and His High Priesthood for us all being an continuation on of Aaron's or anyone else's.
Vs. 15-16 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.
Therefore Lord Jesus came in likeness of Melchizedek, but not as following a descendancy of Melchizedek or Aaron or anyone else in regards to His serving as High Priest. For the Lord Jesus Christ was not called as God's High Priest according to the law of a fleshly commandment (that is God did not call His own Son into His Service through a fleshly commandment given to a mortal man), but the Lord Jesus Christ has been called by God according to the power of an endless life, which is God's witness to us all that is His Son and His service for us all. The Superiority than of Christ's call over Aaron's is then the point being made here.
Therefore it is God who says to His Son, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4) Thus Jesus' Priesthood being established and sanctified from everlasting to everlasting is unique, and therefore must always be distinguished from Aaron's, because God our Father prepared it for Him alone. For the Lord Jesus Christ's ministry, unlike Aaron's, will never end.
Vs. 18-19 18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
The Word of God in verse eighteen makes it clear that there has been an annulling of the former commandment; literally then the ministry of Aaron has been done away with, because the law itself as a means by which men draw near to God (and thus as the means by which we are brought into a covenant relationship with Him) has been done away with. Now the reason the former commandment has been done away with was it's weakness and unprofitableness (vs. 18); that is it was weak and unprofitable in that it could not make perfect through it's ordinances and sacrifices (which needed to be repeated over and over again) those who were drawing near to God through it.
Therefore in verse nineteen the Word of God states: "the law made nothing perfect...", which is the indictment of it's weakness and unprofitableness, and thus it's inability to change anyone or anything, because all of creation is tainted by sin, ruled by death, and is swayed by Satan, therefore no one can be healed and made whole again by it. The Law simply doesn't have the power to do what only God can do for us all. In fact if you break this down to a personal level the Law will by no means strengthen you in your own resolve against sin, for the strength of sin is the Law (1 Cor 15:56), thus the sinful nature (or the flesh) is not held captive by the Law, it is only aroused by it (Rom 7:5-6). The Law then made nothing perfect, but only kept us under guard until God our Father provided through His own Son the Lord Jesus Christ the everlasting Atonement that would change everything and everyone who repents and believes in Him. Therefore through the Lord Jesus Christ and His Everlasting Sacrifice and Ministry there is the bringing in of a better hope through which we can all now draw near to God, not by mortal priests and their interceding for us, but directly through the Sacrifice and Ministry and Intercession of God's own Son. From the lowest of sinners to the most "refined" of men and women from every nation, of every language, of every generation, of every walk of life, there is now no one, or no place, which the Gospel cannot reach and thus is excluded from the redemption of Almighty God and having reconciliation with God Himself through Christ Himself. The day of salvation then is right here and right now for you, for me, and for everyone who repents and believes, therefore don't delay be reconciled too God today!
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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