Category: Hebrews

Tenth of the Spoils – Part 1

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Hebrews 7:4-6 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 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: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. 

‘Man was’ – He was a man and even greater than Abraham, the source of the Jewish race. There remains no mystery about him given the facts here. Because he had no recorded father, mother, etc. does not make him a man of mystery or a divine person as many have thought. Christ is better than Melchizedek: [1] Christ will be the future eternal king of Jerusalem (Ezek. 43:7; 48:35; Zech. 14:1-21; Rev. 20:1-15); Melchizedek was the past temporary king (7:1). [2] Christ is an eternal priest (Heb. 6:20; 7:17); Melchizedek was temporary (7:1). [3] Christ is God (Heb. 1:8; John 1:1-2, 14); Melchizedek was a man (7:4). [4] Christ is the eternal King of Righteousness (Jer. 23:6); Melchizedek was temporary (7:2). [5] Christ is the eternal King of Peace (Isa. 9:6); Melchizedek was temporary (7:2). [6] Christ is an eternal being (Heb. 1:8; John 1:1-2; Mic. 5:2; Isa. 9:6); Melchizedek was not (7:3, 6). [7] Christ as an eternal being has no father, mother, beginning of days, or end of life (Mic. 5:2); Melchizedek had all these but they were not recorded (7:3, 6). [8] Christ was the antitype; Melchizedek the type of an eternal priesthood (Heb. 6:20; 7:17).

‘Patriarch’ [Greek: patriarches] father or chief of a family or tribe (7:4; Acts 2:29; 7:8-9).

‘Tenth of the spoils’ –  The doctrine of tithing is clear in Scripture: Tithing was practised 430 years before the Law of Moses (Gen. 14:20; 28:22; Heb. 7:1-11). Tithing was practised under the Law of Moses (Lev. 27:30; Mal. 3:10). Tithing was practised in the New Testament: [1] Christ taught it (Matt. 23:23; Luke 11:42; cp. Matt. 5:20 with Luke 18:11-12; see Matt. 10:10; Luke 10:7-8). This was teaching for the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 11:11-14; Luke 16:16).

To be continued…

Melchisedec – Part 2

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Hebrews 7:1-3 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually. 

The twofold purpose of Paul: [1] To show that Jesus Christ was the Person prophesied of in Psalms 110:1-7, which psalm the Jews uniformly held to refer to the coming Messiah. [2] To answer the objections of the Jews against Christ’s priesthood because He did not come from priestly stock and could not be the antitype of Aaron or fulfil Leviticus 21:10-15. From the Jewish viewpoint, Christ would be further disqualified because (1) No proselyte could be a priest; (2) No slave could be a priest; (3) No bastard could be a priest (Jews accused Him of being illegitimate); (4) No son of a Nethinim (temple servant of the priest) could be one; (5) No man whose father exercised a base trade such as the carpenter trade. Many Jews considered Him unfit to be a priest because of this.

Here Paul shows that the priest didn’t need to come from a particular stock, for Melchizedek was a priest of the most high God and not from Abraham or Aaron: He was a Canaanite. Jews considered any person not in the regular genealogies of Israel to be without a father and descent or genealogy. Then, too, Jews considered Melchizedek to be without a father and mother because he was a righteous man and should not be classed with the heathen. This special phraseology was not uncommon when a person was unknown or obscure. Such was their way of signifying that the parents were unknown.

‘Tenth part of all’ – It was customary among ancient nations to give a tenth of the spoils of war to the objects of their worship.

Melchisedec – Part 1

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Hebrews 7:1-3 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually. 

‘Melchisedec’ – There are ten facts about Melchizedek: [1] He was the King of Salem, ancient Jerusalem (7:1; Gen. 14:18). [2] He was a priest of God in Abraham’s day. [3] He met Abraham when he [Abraham] was returning from his military victory. [4] Abraham gave him one-tenth of the spoils (7:2; Gen. 14:16-24). [5] Melchizedek was called the King of Righteousness. [6] He was called King of Salem, or King of Peace. [7] Melchizedek had no descent [Greek: agenealogetos] without genealogy; without recorded father or mother; and without recorded beginning of days or end of life (7:3, 6). He had a father, mother, birth, and death, but these were not recorded, so that he could be a type of Christ who was an eternal being really without beginning and ending (Mic. 5:2; Isa. 9:6-7; John 1:1-2; Heb. 1:8; Rev. 1:8-11). [8] He made a type of Christ so that Christ could be made a priest after his order (7:3; 5:6, 10; 6:15-20; 7:1-10, 15-21). As God Christ was not begotten, was not God’s Son, and had no birth or death. Only as man did the second person of the Divine Trinity have a begetting, a father, a mother, a birth and a death (Acts 13:33). The word Son supposes time, generations, father, mother, beginning, and conception – unless one is a son by creation, as Adam (Luke 3:38), and angels (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Gen. 6:1-4). Time, creation, and beginning are opposites to God and eternity and are absolutely impossible to reconcile with them. If sonship refers to deity, not to humanity, then this person of the Deity had a beginning in time and not in eternity. It is plainly stated in Psalms 2:7; Acts 13:33 and  Hebrews 1:5; 5:5 that God had a Son “this day” and not in eternity. It is stated in Hebrews 1:5-7; Luke 1:35 and Matthew 1:18-25 when this took place. It was nearly 2,000 years ago. It had been predicted that God would have a Son (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Heb. 1:5; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:32-35). This was fulfilled when the virgin conceived “of the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 1:20), not at any other time. To say that God had an eternal Son would mean He had two; but it is plainly stated that Jesus was “the only begotten of the Father” (John 1:14, 18; 3:16-18; 1Jn. 4:9). [9] He was an ordinary man (7:4). [10] He was greater than Abraham (7:4-7).

To be continued…

Impossible for God to Lie – Part 3

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Hebrews 6:16-20 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entered into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 

‘Two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie.’ There are thirty limitations of God noted in Scripture (continues): He cannot recognize any man as His child or His servant who serves sin and the devil (Matt. 6:24; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:1-13; 1Cor. 3:16-17; Gal. 5:19-21; 1Jn. 3:8-10). He cannot keep the saved from sin if he chooses to go back into sin (Rom. 6:16-23; 8:1-13; 1Cor. 3:16-17; 6:9-10, 19-20; Heb. 6:4-9; 10:26-29; Jas. 5:19-20; 1Jn. 2:1-2; Ezek. 33:12-20). He cannot keep one from incurring the death penalty should he go back into sin (Ex. 32:32-33; Ezek. 18:4; 33:12-20; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; 1Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8; Heb. 6:4-9; 10:26-29; Jas. 5:19-20). He cannot be lenient with any who sin or encourage anarchy in moral government (Gen. 2:17; Ezek. 18:4; 33:12-20; Rom. 1:18-31; 5:12-21; 6:16-23; 8:1-13; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8; Jas. 5:19-20).

‘Fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.’ Here we have an allusion to the cities of refuge, and to persons who fled to them in safety (Num. 35:1-34; Jos. 20:2-3). The sinner can flee to Christ and find eternal refuge and safety (John 3:16).

‘Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.’ Here Paul changes the allusion from safety in the cities of refuge to a ship reaching the harbour after a tempestuous voyage, knowing that her anchor is sure and steadfast. So it is with the believer who has the hope of eternal life anchored safe in heaven (6:19-20).

‘Forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever.’ Jesus is our Forerunner to heaven and our High Priest to represent us until we are safe in heaven with God.

Impossible for God to Lie – Part 2

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Hebrews 6:16-20 …That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie… 

‘Two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie.’ There are thirty limitations of God noted in Scripture (continues): He cannot tolerate hypocrisy (Isa. 1:13). He cannot spare Himself or Christ in the redemption of the human race from eternal hell (Matt. 27:42). He cannot turn down one soul that comes to Him according to His terms (John 6:37). He cannot judge the righteous with the wicked (Gen. 19:22; Rev. 20:5-6, 11-15). He cannot fail to answer prayer when unwavering faith is exercised (Matt. 17:20; 21:22; Mark 11:22-24; John 14:12-15; 15:7, 16; 16:23-26; Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1:5-8). He cannot forgive one unconfessed sin (Luke 13:1-5; 1Jn. 1:9). He cannot keep one saved who lives in sin (Rom. 8:12-13; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8). He cannot automatically cancel the death penalty when people sin and incur that penalty (Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 16:1-27-23; 8:1-13). He cannot do away with free moral agency and moral responsibility (Rom. 6:16-23; 8:1-13; Gal. 5:19-21; 1Jn. 1:7). He cannot make one a slave to Himself so that he can never go back into sin if he chooses (Rom. 6:16-23; 8:1-13; Heb. 6:4-9; 10:26-29; 1Jn. 1:7). He cannot guarantee that every saved man will continue in Christ (John 15:1-8; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; 1Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20; 9:27; Gal. 1:6-8; 5:4; Ex. 32:32-33; Ezek. 33:12-20). He cannot make any man a son of God in the same sense Jesus is (John 1:18; 3:16; Rom. 8:14-16). He cannot look upon the sins of the saved as being unreal, or deal with them on a different basis from those of the unsaved (Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; 1Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8). He cannot cancel any reaping for what is sown (Rom. 8:12-13; Gal. 6:7-8). He cannot force a man to serve Him against his own will (John 3:16; 7:17; 8:34; 1Tim. 2:4; 2Pet. 3:9; 1Jn. 1:7; Rev. 22:17).

To be continued…

Impossible for God to Lie – Part 1

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Hebrews 6:16-20 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entered into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 

‘Greater’ – One of great authority who can enforce the contract and punish for any failure to keep it.

‘Confirmation’ [Greek: bebaiosis] making fast or sure; establishing. It is a legal term for a guarantee.

‘The heirs of promise’ – The children of faith (Rom. 4:1-25).

‘The immutability of his counsel’ – The unchangeable purpose of calling the Gentiles to salvation by Jesus Christ and saving all who believe, of both Jews and Gentiles (Gal. 3:13-14; 1Cor. 12:13; Rom. 1:16).

‘Two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie.’ This refers either to God’s oath and promise (6:13) or to the two oaths of God confirming the promise to Abraham (6:13) and making Christ a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (7:21). There are thirty limitations of God noted in Scripture: He cannot break His own laws (Ps. 119:89). He cannot lie (Heb. 6:17-19). He cannot deny Himself (2Tim. 2:13). He cannot have respect of persons (Rom. 2:11; Jas. 2:9-10). He cannot save one soul apart from grace and faith in Christ (Rom. 3:26; John 3:16). He cannot be unrighteous (Rom. 9:14). He cannot bless men apart from faith (Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1:5-8). He cannot curse men when they meet His terms (1Jn. 1:9). He cannot do away with or change His own eternal plan (Acts 15:18; Eph. 2:7; 3:11). He cannot save rebels who persist in rebellion, refusing to meet His terms (Pro. 1:22-33; 29:1; Matt. 18:3; John 3:3, 5). He cannot be tempted with evil (Jas. 1:13-15).

To be continued…

God made Promise to Abraham Part 2

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Hebrews 6:13-15 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 

‘Obtained the promise.’ The promise referred to in this verse is the supernatural birth of Isaac, but forty-eight promises were given to Abraham (continues): I will multiply you exceedingly (Gen. 17:2; 22:17). You will be the father of many nations (Gen. 17:5-6). I will make you exceedingly fruitful (Gen. 17:6). Kings shall come from you. I will make a covenant with your seed eternally (Gen. 17:7). I will be a God to you and your seed (Gen. 17:7-8). I will bless your wife (Gen. 17:16). I will give you a son from her (Gen. 17:16-19). She shall be a mother of many nations (Gen. 17:16). Kings shall come of her. I will establish My everlasting covenant with Isaac and his seed (Gen. 17:19-21). I will bless Ishmael (Gen. 17:20). I will make him fruitful. I will multiply him abundantly. He shall beget twelve princes. I will make him a great nation. Sarah shall have a son next year (Gen. 17:21; 18:10, 14). I will not destroy Sodom if I find fifty righteous people (Gen. 18:26). I will not destroy the city if I find forty-five righteous people (Gen. 18:28). I will not destroy it if I find forty righteous people (Gen. 18:29). I will not destroy it if I find thirty righteous people (Gen. 18:30). I will not destroy it if I find twenty righteous people (Gen. 18:31). I will not destroy it if I find ten righteous people (Gen. 18:32). In Isaac shall your seed be called (Gen. 21:12). I will multiply your seed as the sand in number (Gen. 22:17). Your seed shall be the victor over their enemies. In your seed shall all nations be blessed (Came through the Gospel and Jesus Christ).

God made Promise to Abraham Part 1

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Hebrews 6:13-15 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 

‘Swore by himself.’ There was none greater than He to whom He could appeal, so He pledged His own eternal power to fulfil the promise.

‘Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.’ This is the 16th Old Testament prophecy in Hebrews (6:14; Gen. 22:17) and is fulfilled.

‘Obtained the promise.’ The promise referred to in this verse is the supernatural birth of Isaac, but forty-eight promises were given to Abraham: I will show you the land (Gen. 12:1). I will make of you a great nation (Gen. 12:2). I will bless you (Gen. 12:2; 22:17). I will make your name great. You will be a blessing. I will bless them that bless you (Gen. 12:3). I will curse them that curse you. In you all nations will be blessed (Gen. 12:3; 22:18). I will give this land to your seed forever (Gen. 12:7; 13:14-17; 15:18-21; 17:8). I will make your seed as the dust in number (Gen. 13:16). I am your shield (Gen. 15:1). I am your great reward (Gen. 15:1). Your own son shall be your heir (Gen. 15:2-4). Your seed shall be as the stars in number (Gen. 15:5; 22:17). Your seed shall be strangers and oppressed for 400 years (Gen. 15:13). I will punish their oppressors (Gen. 15:14). I will bring your seed out of bondage (Gen. 15:14-16. Fulfilled in Exo. 12:1-51). I will bless your seed with great material substance (Gen. 15:14). You will die in peace (Gen. 15:15). You will be buried in a good old age. I will make an eternal covenant with you (Gen. 17:4, 7).

To be continued…

The Full Assurance of Hope Unto the End

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Hebrews 6:9-12 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which you have showed toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That you be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 

‘We are persuaded better things of you.’ We are persuaded that you will not apostatize and not neglect your salvation to reap the judgment of God (2:2-3), as some of your brethren have done (6:4-8).

‘For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love.’ God’s promises are His debts to man. His righteousness and justice require Him to keep them, so you will be rewarded.

‘Ministered to the saints.’ This refers to contributions to the poor saints in Judea, as in 2Corinthians 8-9.

‘We desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.’ Paul comes back to his often repeated subject to the Hebrews here – that of warning them they must continue in full assurance of the hope of eternal life even to the end, and that by so doing they will finally inherit the blessings of the promises (6:11-12; cp. 2:3; 3:6, 12-14; 4:1-2, 6, 11; 6:1-8). Slothfulness will deprive them of both hope and faith.

‘Followers’ [Greek: mimetes] imitators. He gives Abraham as an outstanding example of faith (6:12-15), then gives a whole list of faith-worthies of the Old Testament whom we can imitate in faith (Hebrews 11:1 – 12:3).

Put Him to an Open Shame

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Hebrews 6:6-8 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God: But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 

‘If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance.’ Fourfold apostasy and the end of apostates: [1] If they shall fall away (6:6). “Fall away” is from the Greek: parapipto, to fall aside; apostatize; fall away. It means to throw overboard all faith in the experiences of the gospel and to deny them. People are here warned that such is possible. How could they fall away from the experiences of Hebrews 6:4-5 if they never had them? The language is past tense and factual so it cannot be denied that the ones referred to did at one time have experiences. [2] To renew them again to repentance is impossible. The reason given is that they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to open shame. This is the final act of apostasy. They publicly judge Him as an imposter and worthy of death. That is, they do not believe in Him or His atonement any longer. Since such faith is the only thing that could renew them again to repentance, it then becomes impossible. How could they be renewed again to repentance if they had not experienced repentance before? The word “again” means once more; another time; anew; and this requires repentance once before. [3] As that which bears thorns and briers, they are rejected (6:8). The Greek: adokimos means reprobate (Rom. 1:28; 2Cor. 13:5-7; 2Tim. 3:8; Tit. 1:16); rejected (6:8); and castaway (1Cor. 9:27). It means to become Christless and literally rejected. [4] The end of apostates (6:8). Just like that which bears thorns and briers is burned, so apostates are to be punished in eternal hell (Isa. 66:22-24; Matt. 25:46; Mark 9:43-49; Rev. 14:9-11; 20:10-15).