Hebrews Chapter Seven, King Of Salem

 

Hebrews 7:2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning, “king of peace,” [3] without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

 

Moving along, the writer explains that when Melchizedek met with Abram, the patriarch tithed to him. “And he gave him a tithe (or tenth) of all,” Genesis 14:20. What may be considered from this? First, Abraham’s tithe clearly assumes Melchizedek’s role as priest of God Most High. The king-priest blessed the patriarch, and Abraham have him a tenth of all the spoils.

Hebrews Chapter Seven, Searching For Melchizedek

 

Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

 

Recall how the author of Hebrews already addressed the person of Melchizedek, saying, that Jesus Christ was called, “by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing,” Hebrews 5:10, 11. Beginning in this passage the author deigns to pause the progression of his doctrine and enters into a parenthetical portion of the epistle.

Christ, The Savior Is Born

 

Merry Christmas, one and all! I pray that everyone is having a blessed and safe holiday. In light of Christmas’s arrival, I would like to focus on the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Molehills Part 2, The King James Only Movement

 

“Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us,” Luke 9:49.

 

The King James Version (KJV or AV) is indeed an old translation of the Bible, translated largely from the Textus Receptus (Received Text) and the Hebrew Masoretic Text. Beloved by many, it has found itself thrust into the uncomfortable position of divine appointment. In short, the KJV has developed a movement over the decades of people that believe it is divinely inspired and without error, like the original Biblical autographs God inspired the prophets and apostles to write.

Hebrews Chapter Six, Christ's Priesthood

 

The picture is painted of Jesus Christ as God’s eternal High Priest, who enters the Holy of Holies in Heaven into the presence of the Father to mediate the covenant ratified by His blood shed on the cross for our sins. One reason this need be done once for all is that while the Old Testament sacrifices anticipated payment for sin’s transgression, Christ our Lord fulfilled what the Aaronic priesthood symbolized: the satisfaction of God’s justice.

Hebrews Chapter Six, Behind The Veil

 

Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, [20] where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

 

Verse 19 leads in from the verse previous, which stated that the saints should, “lay hold of the hope set before us.” The idea is that this hope, visible through faith, is on display for the pilgrim walking in its direction. When we face it, we may see it; when we turn from it, it is gone because we have chosen a path, of which, the hope displayed is no longer our end goal. We have “fallen away” from the foundation of our faith if this is so, and thusly our hope likewise shifts to another object.

Hebrews Chapter Six, God's Immutable Nature

 

“Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel.” Having established who the heirs of promise are, we move on. Tracking backward a little, note that God is determined to show something. We learn that His intended audience, the people to whom He wishes to demonstrate this something are the heirs of promise, the saints of all time of the seed of Abraham. 

Hebrews Chapter Six, Extreme Consolation

 

Hebrews 6:17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it with an oath, [18] that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

 

To begin, let us map verse 17 and dig a little bit into the grammar. “Thus,” it begins, leading out of verse 16. The previous verse attested to how men used swearing as a means of settling a matter, appealing to an authority above their own as a sign of dealing honestly.

Hebrews Chapter Six, Invoking The Name Of Yahweh

 

Hebrews 6:16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end to all dispute.

 

Verse 16 is not an endorsement of the practice of swearing, or taking oaths. The writer, as we have already noted numerous times, is addressing a readership of Jewish Christians who are therefore well acquainted with the concept of swearing in the name of the Lord, and all that it entails.

Hebrews Chapter Six, When God Swears

 

Hebrews 6:13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, [14] saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” [15] And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

 

It said numerous times in the New Testament not to swear, but to simply answer yes or no to an inquiry. Furthermore, we are cautioned that going beyond merely saying yes or no is of the devil, or Satanically inspired, James 5:12, Matthew 5:34, 37.

Hebrews Chapter Six, Practicing Diligence

 

Hebrews 6:11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, [12] that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

 

This labor of love the Hebrews performed was shown toward Jesus’ name. How? In that they ministered to the saints, and continued still to do so. In verse 11 the writer addresses them individually, compelling each of them to show the same diligence, persistence, or thoroughness.

Hebrews Chapter Six, Consolation

 

Hebrews 6:9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. [10] For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

 

Hearkening back to my previous argument regarding salvation’s durability, these verses confirm that fact. Verse 9 concludes the author’s thought processes on infant faith, sterility, lack of progression and finally falling away from the object of our faith. Yet even at this lowly state, Paul encourages the downhearted by reminding us all, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny himself,” 2 Timothy 2:13.

Hebrews Chapter Six, Blessing Or Burning

 

Hebrews 6:7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; [8] but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

 

The primeval curse in Eden is recalled in this passage. “Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,” Genesis 3:17, 18. The visible manifestation of sin’s curse lay in the ground Adam was taken from, verse 19. By nature the cursed earth would yield thorns and thistles: the symbols of sin.