Hebrews 7:11

DIVISION IV

(Hebrews 7:11-8:13)

CHRIST IS THE SURETY OF A BETTER COVENANT

Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron? (Hebrews 7:11)

The introduction of Aaron's name at this point, connecting it with the Levitical priesthood, is for the purpose of showing that, as far as this argument is concerned, there is no difference between them. It cannot be argued, therefore, that Aaron's priesthood was essentially any different from that of the Levitical priesthood. Still in the mind of the author was that astounding declaration of God in Psalms 110:4, in which the Messiah was revealed as coming not through the Levitical and Aaronic order, but through that of Melchizedek! This divine revelation, centuries after the system of Levi and Aaron had been operative, shows that God never did intend or plan that perfection could come through that system. If he had so planned or intended, what was the use of a Messiah arising after the order of a totally different priesthood?

It cannot escape the attention that this preoccupation on the part of the author with the interest and concern of his readers in the Levitical priesthood plainly shows that they were Jews by birth, had become Christians, and then were in danger of embracing Judaism. If the intended readers had been Gentiles, there could never have been the slightest notion that any of them ever imagined that perfection was through the Jewish priesthood.

Perfection is incidentally revealed here as the purpose of all mediation between God and human beings, such perfection being of a kind that would permit people to draw near unto God, as will be revealed further a little later in this epistle. As a matter of fact, the Levitical priesthood was designed, not to permit people to draw near to God, but to keep them at a distance, and to emphasize their unworthiness, by reason of sin, to draw near to God, such design being evident in the sacred areas of the tabernacle that the people could not enter, and in the most sacred area which not even the priests could enter, but only the high priest; and even he could do so only on one day in the year. As Bruce expressed it,

The Aaronic priesthood was neither designed nor competent to inaugurate the age of fulfillment; that age must be marked by the rise of another priest, whose priesthood was of a different order and character from that of Aaron.[14]

"For if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law" (Galatians 3:21).

Of the greatest importance in this verse is the parenthesis: ("for under it hath the people received the law"). This is mentioned to prepare the readers for the tremendous implications of the change of the priesthood. Not merely the priesthood is changed to a new order, but EVERYTHING, even all, of which that priesthood was the foundation and support. Hewitt called that priesthood which was changed "the pillar upon which the Mosaic system rests," and concluded that "with its fall is included the whole constitution, not merely the ceremonial."[15] Milligan likewise said, "It was in fact the foundation of the Old Economy, and the whole Law of Moses stood and fell with it."[16] Some commentators disagree, believing that only the ceremonial or priestly laws were abrogated. Lenski, for example, said, "What law is referred to is evident; it is not the whole Mosaic law but the laws that pertain to the priesthood."[17] Whatever the intent of this particular verse there can be no doubt that the entire system of Moses fell with the change of the priesthood, even the Decalogue. Christ himself gave the verdict in this in the Sermon on the Mount, in which, time and again, he enumerated one after another of the Ten Commandments, using the formula, "Ye have heard it said by them of old time ... but I say unto you." (See Matthew 5:21-22,27-28,33-34.) Revolting as the thought seems to many, the Decalogue itself has been taken out of the way, nailed to the cross, and superseded by the teachings of Christ. In fact, a major part of the Sermon on the Mount is given over to an analysis of specific commandments in the Decalogue, setting them aside as originally given, and REAFFIRMING THEM in a much more comprehensive frame of reference. To understand this as saying that "Since the Decalogue has now been taken out of the way, people are free to commit adultery and murder" is ridiculous. Any careful reading of Christ's words will show that quite the contrary is true. He did replace the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," for example, with another, but it is far more strict and binding than the one in Moses' law. Christ did not merely prohibit murder but forbade any thought of depreciation toward a fellow human being. Christ said,

Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say unto his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire (Matthew 5:22).

Now, let a man answer if this is any different from the Decalogue, and if different, is it more strict or not? And thus it is with most of the commandments in the Decalogue. Not only are people forbidden to commit adultery, murder, etc., but guilt is imputed where there is the desire or intention of doing such things, and even where there are present emotions, attitudes, and desires which are antecedent to such sins. An exception of this re-affirmation and extension of the commandments is the fourth commandment, relative to the sabbath. It was never extended by Christ and is therefore not binding on the community of Christ's followers; hence, Christians have never been required to observe the sabbath day. In fact, it may be emphatically affirmed that sabbatarianism and other errors have sprung from a failure to see that in the change of the priesthood there was also a change of the whole system of which the priesthood was the foundation.

[14] F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Hebrews (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967), p. 144.

[15] Thomas Hewitt, op. cit., p. 120.

[16] R. Milligan, op. cit., p. 204.

[17] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 224.