If, as the author has shown, Melchizedek was greater than Levi (vv. 4–10) and the new priesthood necessarily dissolves the old (vv. 11–19), then the new Priest has to be greater than the Levitical priests.
No priest in the order of Aaron was ever ordained and established on the basis of God’s personal oath. The Aaronic priests ministered “on the basis of the law of physical requirement” (Heb. 7:16). Their moral or spiritual fitness was not examined. The important thing was that a priest belonged to the right tribe and met the right physical and ceremonial requirements (Lev. 21:16–24).
Jesus’ heavenly priesthood was established on the basis of His work on the cross, His character (Heb. 2:10; 5:5–10), and the oath of God. “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever’” (Heb. 7:21; Ps. 110:4). Notice the introduction to the statement: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind.” The matter is finally settled and it cannot be changed.
20 And to the extent that it was not without an oath 21 (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, “The Lord has sworn And will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever’”); 22 by the same extent Jesus also has become the guarantee of a better covenant. 23 The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing; 24 Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is also able to save forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (NASB)
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- The oath God offered guaranteed that Jesus would provide a better and more secure covenant for His people.
- An important difference between the Aaronic priests and the priestly order of Melchizedek was God’s oath that established the priesthood of Melchizedek. There was not an oath for the Levitical priesthood
- Jesus’ character, His sacrifice, and the power of His resurrection pledge the strength of the new covenant
- The permanent priesthood of Jesus gives Him the capacity to carry His saving work to completion
CLOSER LOOK:
Verses 20–21: Hebrews 6:16–20 emphasizes the importance of God’s oath in providing a more secure foundation for the divine promise to Abraham, while 7:20–22 emphasizes that God’s oath provided a basis for a more secure covenant.
An important difference between the Aaronic priests and the priestly order of Melchizedek was God’s oath that established the priesthood of Melchizedek. The Levitical order which Aaronic priests followed was based on the Law, but it did not include an oath. In establishing Aaron as a priest, God had simply commanded Aaron to assume the office (Exod. 28:1). The presence of an oath made the security and clear superiority of Melchizedek’s priesthood doubly certain. The priesthood of Christ differs dramatically from the Levitical priesthood in that it was instituted “with an oath.” By contrast, the descendants of Aaron assumed their jobs “without an oath.”
The writer then quoted again the divine oath of Psalm 110:4, after verse 17 had quoted the oath there, whose very solemnity argues for the superiority of the new Priest, who was majestically inducted into His role. Verse 21b refers to the first half of Psalm 110:4 to show that God’s unchanging plan lay behind the priesthood of Melchizedek. Whenever God made a divine oath, He did not change His mind. Anyone who questioned the reality of this priesthood would have to contend with the mighty authority of God who had established the order.
Verse 22: This verse summarizes the discussion of the superiority of Jesus’ priesthood. The oath God offered guaranteed that Jesus would provide a better and more secure covenant for His people. Moreover, “by the same extent” (because of this oath), Jesus became the “guarantee (engyos, used only here in the NT)[1] of a better covenant.” In His own person, Jesus assured the superiority of the new order over the old because His oath secured His permanent installation in the priestly office.
The name Jesus appears last in the sentence, a position of emphasis clearly stating the importance of Jesus.
Jesus’ character, His sacrifice, and the power of His resurrection pledge the strength of the new covenant. This is the first appearance of the term covenant in Hebrews. The word will play an important role in the discussions in coming chapters. The covenant was an arrangement by which God’s purpose to save human beings became a reality. This new covenant depended on the saving work of Christ to accomplish its purpose.
The word guarantee appears nowhere else in the New Testament. Outside the New Testament it carried the meaning of a pledge or security for bail. Jesus himself provided a guarantee that God had provided a better covenant with a better hope.
The superiority of the divine oath of Psalm 110:4 is the theme of Hebrews 7:20-22. The Aaronic order had no oath, which is very interesting when you think about it. Therefore, the priesthood of the Messiah is better; the oath makes Jesus the “guarantee of a better covenant.” The new covenant, to be discussed in chapters eight and nine, is merely mentioned in passing in Hebrews 7:22. The old covenant had links with the Law and the Levitical order. It had proven to be a failure in producing people of godly character. Because Jesus was a better High Priest, this new covenant introduced a better hope. Jesus’ life provided strength for turning weak people into spiritual champions (see chapter 11). His death provided a basis for the acceptance by God of sinners into his family.
The writer has given three reasons why God changed the order of the priesthood from that of Aaron to that of Melchizedek: (1) the priesthood and the Law were imperfect; (2) being imperfect, they could not continue forever; (3) God had sworn by His oath that the new order would be established. Then the writer of this letter to the Hebrews closed this section with a fourth reason.
Verses 23–24: The permanence of Jesus’ high priesthood appears again (v. 17), this time emphasizing the contrast between the Levitical priests and Jesus. No Old Testament priest ever functioned in this permanent way, since all were subject to death. But the permanent priesthood of Jesus gives Him the capacity to carry His saving work to completion. Aaron’s line of priests had a multitude of members “because they were prevented by death from continuing.” For the Aaronic priests the office continued, but the person changed. The law of heredity guaranteed that some descendant of Aaron would fill the office. The successor, however, might lack the qualifications to intercede effectively with God for the people. A change in office might introduce an unqualified replacement. Obviously, this is not the case with Jesus. He continued to fill the same office. In His holy care, the office of High Priest was permanently secure.
Jesus holds his priesthood without change. Although Jesus has died, his priesthood has continued to function. Jesus’ death was not his cessation of being. His resurrection allowed him to live forever. His permanence stands in contrast with the transience of other priests. With Jesus nothing has changed. He still holds his office of priesthood. For eternity he knows and helps his people.
Verse 25: Jesus has a permanent high priesthood. As High Priest He prays always for His people. He pleads the cause of his people. The result of this priestly prayer is the salvation of His people. Because Jesus lives forever, He is “able to save forever.” When the writer asserted that He is “able to save forever (or completely),” the writer continued to have in mind the salvation- inheritance first referred to in 1:14. The readers were to hold fast to their professions of faith and to continue numbering themselves among “those who come to God through Him,” knowing that He can see them through every trial and difficulty right to the end of the road “since He always lives to make intercession for them.” In saying this, the author reverted again to a truth they had already enunciated (4:14–16) where they had invited the readers to avail themselves boldly of the mercy and grace accessible to them through Jesus’ priesthood. As they did so, they would find that their Captain and High Priest could get the job done! He could lead them victoriously into the glory of the many sons. In this way He saves “forever” or “completely.”
The permanence of Jesus Christ as the believer’s priest is the theme of Hebrews 7:23-25. The oath is fortified by an eternal priest. Some question revolves about the word, “forever,” (panteles, also translated as “completely”) of verse 25. Does it mean “completely” or “forever”? The word “forever” may mean that Jesus can save with totality or that He can save eternally. Either possibility supplies good meaning. Some commentators feel that here the emphasis is that Christ is able to save people entirely. Anyone who comes to God for salvation must come through Jesus, for salvation comes only through Christ. Some see it meaning “forever” because the emphasis of the passage is on endlessness. Meaning, the context is talking about the eternality of the Messiah, of the priesthood, so based on this, this side says it should be taken as forever. For a consideration of Christ’s intercessory work, you may want to consult Exodus 28:9-29; Matthew 14:23 and Luke 22:31-32. In Exodus 28, We have the priest with the breast plate; the twelve tribes inscribed on it with the twelve stones or with their shoulders with the six tribes on each shoulder. Luke 31 says, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat” (ESV). the “you” there is plural; but we cannot tell it from the English. “Satan has desired to sift you like wheat,” plural, meaning the disciples. Then Jesus goes on to say, “I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail,” and the “you” there is singular. This is fantastic! The Lord intercedes for us as individuals, so the Lord’s in intercessory work.
In summary it may be noted the office of the Lord Jesus has four superiorities in Hebrews 7:11-25. (1) It is based on an indestructible life (vv. 11-17). (2) It is founded on a better hope (vv. 18-19). (3) It is grounded on an oath (vv. 20-22). (4) His ministry is based on an eternal priesthood (vv. 23-25).
[1] Means “pertaining to assurance for the fulfillment of something, under good security.”