Course: Jesus the
Son of God
Section Five: The Exalted Son of God
Lesson 9
Lesson Title: The
Melchisedek Priesthood
Theme: The Present Ministry of the Son of God;
Text: Psalm 110:4 'You are a
priest forever after the order of Melchisedek'.
Introduction: The priesthood of
Melchisedek.
The appearance of Melchisedek is very short but the
significance is great, Genesis
·
Melchisedek was a priest
of God Most High: El Elyon (Genesis
·
He brings forth bread and
wine (covenant relationship)
·
He blesses Abram
It is evident that Melchisedek is a type of the
priesthood of the Son of God.
Some maintain that Melchisedek is an appearance of
the Son of God (a theophanies).
·
Abram paid tithes to
Melchisedek in recognition that all that he had was the Lord's.
·
Abram refused the riches
offered by the King of Sodom.
There is a contrast between the blessing of
Melchisedek and the riches of
The blessing of the Lord is more to be desired than
the riches of the world.
Introductory
Story: The
kingly line and the High Priest at the time of Jesus.
Jesus and John the Baptist.
·
Jesus was of the kingly
line of Judah and the rightful heir to the throne as the descendant of David (Matthew 1:1-17).
·
John the Baptist was of
the priestly line of Levi and rightful heir to be High Priest as the descendant
of Aaron (Luke 1:5).
·
Caiaphas the High Priest
had no scriptural right to be High Priest.
·
Herod the Great was an
Idumeaen. His family had no scriptural right
to the throne.
Exposition:
1. The nature of the Melchisedek priesthood.
A royal priesthood.
·
Melchisedek was both King
and a Priest. This was impossible under
the Aaronic priesthood. The priests were
Levites. Jesus was not a priest after
the order of Aaron. Jesus was of the kingly line of
When Jesus was crucified Pilate wrote 'Jesus of
Nazareth, King of the Jews'. Jesus hung
on the cross as both King and Priest. He
offered His life as a sacrifice for sin.
·
Melchisedek - King of
Righteousness. His name is
Righteousness. It depicts one who is
inherently righteous. Jesus Christ is
the Righteous One. His name is Jehovah Tsidkenu, The Lord our righteousness. Jeremiah
23:5-6 'Behold, the days come, saith the
LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign
and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days
·
Evidence
of being born again of the Spirit of God is righteousness. 1
John
·
King of
·
Reconciling. Romans
5:1 'Therefore being justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:'
·
Ruling. Colossians
·
Keeping. Philippians
4:7 'And the peace of God, which passes all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.'
2. A completed work. A new covenant
(bread and wine)
·
Caiaphas tore his
clothes. Matthew
26:65 Then the high priest rent his
clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of
witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
The law stated:
Leviticus 21:10 'And he that is the high priest among his
brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated
to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his
clothes;'.
Caiaphas tore his clothes because he was angry but
God had him do it because there was no need for a High Priest serving in the
temple anymore. The true High Priest,
the Lord Jesus Christ, is the eternal High Priest.
·
On the cross Jesus cried
'it is finished'. John
The work was finished.
The Son of God was made a curse on the cross so that
we can be redeemed from the curse of the law.
Galatians
The believer is:
·
Crucified with Christ (Galatians
·
Buried with Christ (Romans 6:4)
·
Risen with Christ (Colossians 3:1)
·
Ascended with Christ (Colossians 2:6)
·
Veil of the temple torn
from the top to the bottom.
Matthew 27:51 'And, behold, the
veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth
did quake, and the rocks rent;'
The veil of the temple was torn from the top to the
bottom because the way into the presence of the Lord had been made open through
the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are able to come boldly into the presence of the
Father because of the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son.
Hebrews
3. His Ascension - Far above all (God Most High).
He sat down (Hebrews 1:3;
·
He ascended where He has
always been as the Son of God now He is there as
·
He inherited everything
that had always been His as the Son of God. Everything that has always been His
is now our inheritance in Christ
·
An Eternal Priesthood. Hebrews 7: 25 'Wherefore he is able also to
save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to
make intercession for them.' There is no record of
Melchisedek's birth or death. Hebrews 7:3 '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 Lord is our eternal representative.
He stands in the presence of the Father on our behalf eternally. W e
have an advocate with the Father, 1 John 2:1. The Lord
Jesus is our intercessor who represents us before the Father for ever.
·
There is no condemnation
to those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans
·
Promised blessing of the
Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38-39 'Then Peter said unto
them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your
children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall
call.'
The blessing of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is
to 'as many as be afar off'. It is for
every believer in the present day.
Summary:
The priestly ministry of the Son of God is
1) A royal priesthood
2) A completed work
3) An everlasting priesthood