This morning, there are many wild theories about Melchisedec and many more and wilder theories about Jesus Christ. However, Paul plainly said that there was simplicity in Christ. So, if things get overly complicated in the explaining and applying, that is because we foolish mortals have complicated the matter one more time. There are most certainly things about our God that are mysterious and incomprehensible to our finite minds, but the truth in Christ is simple, even if we cannot seem to find the correct application. How many times have I been blessed to hear the gospel preached in demonstration of the Spirit and in power, and I left hitting my forehead saying, "How did I not ever see that before?" Many times, the Lord has not seen fit to reveal it to us, and when we see it, it is very plain and simple.

Here Paul is laying out the priesthood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Christ's priesthood could not come after the similitude of Aaron, for that would require our Lord to be born of the tribe of Levi. However, for Him to fulfill the prophecy of sitting upon the throne of His father David, He MUST be born of the tribe of Judah. Therefore, there is of necessity a change in the priesthood. Therefore, our Lord was and is a priest after the order of Melchisedec. What makes this priesthood special? Our Lord was made a priest not after the law of a carnal commandment.  

In the Levitical priesthood, it was a law of carnal commandment of who the next priest would be. To find out who the next priest would be, one only had to look at the children of the current priest. Being a priest (after the order of Levi) required only that one be born into that family (carnal commandment). However, our Lord's priesthood is not after that fashion. Christ did not have to have a particular tribe, family, or race (for the priesthood). It did not come after this manner. When some scoffer would try to claim, "How could Jesus be both a priest and king when that requires being of the tribe of Levi and Judah?" The Lord has already been there and made provision. His wisdom is infinite, and His direction clear and righteous.  

So, our Lord was made a priest not dependent upon family. But, it was dependent upon something. It was dependent upon the power of an endless life. The priesthood of our Lord is only valid as long as our priest is alive. Now, that seems to be an obvious condition, but no man is sure of his life. The Jews (by nature) could only have hope in their priest as long as there was clear heir-ship and genealogy. That is one of the reasons that they so meticulously kept track of the lineage of the tribes  (another reason would be to prove the Lord's Christ).  However, our Lord does not need genealogies for this priesthood, for this Priest ever liveth.  

His life is without end, and as such our Priest is ever present to make intercession for us. He has offered Himself without spot to God once for our transgressions. But, He appears in the presence of God for us continually to mediate our supplications and requests. So, did there ever come a time when His life was absent? This is a very important question, as not everyone will give the same answer anymore. The verse above requires that the answer be given, "His life is NEVER absent." One might then inquire, "What about when He laid down His life upon the tree of the cross?" That is a fair question.  

The answer is that only His body died.  To say that Jesus Christ did not have life for three days and three nights would destroy the priesthood that He occupies, give Satan free course for a little while, and probably rend the entire universe apart by its fibers. Our Lord still lived for three days and nights. However, to show His ultimate power over death, He raised up that DEAD BODY to life again to bring us hope and justification. We are declared righteous in the fact that He arose, and we have hope that one day our bodies will be raised up and fashioned like unto His. What a wonderful High Priest is ours!

In Hope,

Bro Philip