This is the next lesson in Hebrews. Use it to his glory, if you wish.
Hebrews: A New Day Coming
Hebrews 5:1-10 – A Priest Who Is Independent
The problem with most organizations is that the people in them are beholding to something or someone. They have an agenda that is sometimes secret. Maybe they belong to an organization that is working behind the scenes to get something done. Maybe they are trying to change things from where they are to something else entirely.
The High Priest throughout biblical history was one who was a Levite, the tribe from which all priests came. He was also sinful, as all sin and fall short of the glory (Romans 3:23). Whatever he was, he was only empowered because of his birth and his membership in an exclusive organization.
When Jesus came, he was independent of all organizations. He was straight from God and had no hidden agenda. He was a priest-king from the Old Testament, in Genesis 14, who was the king of Salem and fed Abraham and his army after rescuing Abraham’s nephew Lot from captors. Because of his generosity, Abraham blessed Melchizedek with a tithe of all his spoils from conquering the other king.
When Jesus came, God said that he was going to a normal person just like everyone else. But he would also be a priest after the order of Melchizedek, not Levi, the normal way for the Israelites. He would be independent of earthly affiliation. Because of this, today we are independent, unattached to anybody giving us permission to do what we do.
We may belong to a denomination and that denomination ordains us, but that denomination does not and cannot give us permission to preach. That comes from God. All the denomination does is recognize and authenticate that permission God has already given.
Jesus did that, he preached and he taught. And in doing it, he learned obedience. Jesus was not born with inherent knowledge on what to do. He was, after all, human. But he learned quickly and was quickly obedient to that which he needed to obey. He didn’t care about earthly authority, but was a priest like Melchizedek, one who was ordained by God. And because he learned, he teaches us and gives us hope and a return to God.
And Melchizedek was before the law, before the Israelites, before Moses. So Jesus, and us also as we move in him, are before the law. We serve God from our hearts, not earthly permission.
Questions:
1. What difference does all this Melchizedek stuff make anyway? Is it all that important?
2. Does that mean that anyone has the right to get up and preach anytime he or she feels like it? What about being called?
3. Can a perfect Son of God deal gently with us when we sin? After all, he never sinned. And how can a perfect Son of God be subject to what we are subject to?
4. V5 Was God Jesus’ Father before he was born?
5. Why pick some obscure person like Melchizedek? Weren’t there better people to emulate?
6. Jesus was heard because of his reverent submission (7). How is it we are heard? We are not nearly as reverent or submissive as he?
7. And how could a perfect Son of God learn obedience? Learning indicates mistakes. Did he make any?
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