10: Jesus, Surety of A Better Covenant (Heb 7:1-28)

The Basics

Setting

Having diverted his attention to the present needs of his reader, the author now goes back to the teaching that Jesus is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. The name of Melchizedek has appeared briefly in previous passages, but now the author develops this theme. In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus is the superior High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, and what that means to us.

Key Verse

“For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever” (7:28).

Did You Know…?

1.         Melchizedek (7:1): His meeting with Abraham is recorded in Genesis 14:17-20.

2.         Salem (7:1) “is a shortened form of ‘Jerusalem’ (see Ps 76:2) and is related to the Hebrew word for ‘peace’”…. ^4/27

Observation

Outline

(7:1-3)

(7:4-10)

(4:11-19)

(4:20-28)

(20-22)

(23-25)

(26-28)

Key Words/Phrases

Segment Analysis

7:1-3

1.         Why is Jesus Christ, like Melchizedek, the King of righteousness and King of peace?

2.         In what ways was Melchizedek a unique priest?

7:4-10

3.         How does verse 4 introduce the main point of this paragraph?

4.         How does the author show that Melchizedek was greater than Abraham?

5.         How does he show that he was greater than the Levitical priests?

7:11-19

6a.        The author argues in 11 that perfection was not through the Levitical priesthood because there was the need for another priest to rise in the order of Melchizedek. On what basis does he claim that there is the need for another priest in the order of Melchizedek?

6b.        What is “perfection” meant here?

7.         Why does the change of priesthood require a change of the law (12)?

8.         What is different about the new priesthood, according to verses 15-17?

9.         Contrast the “before and after” of the new priesthood (18-19).

7:20-28

10.        What is the significance of the oath, according to 20-22?

11.        What were the limitations of the Levitical priests? How did our Lord Jesus overcome these limitations?

12.        Why is it that only an unchanging priesthood can bring us salvation (23-25)?

13a.      What function of Jesus’ priesthood is emphasized in 25? How does it relate to our salvation?

13b.      How does it help you in your Christian walk to know that Jesus is interceding for you?

14.        What qualities of Jesus the High Priest does 26-28 focus on?