Lessons About Jesus From A Priest Named Mel Series

The Bible is by far the most unique and amazing books on planet earth. I especially love the Old Testament stories.

As a child I remember my mother reading me the Old Testament Bible Stories at night at bedtime. As a boy, I was mesmerized by the stories and still are to this day.

My favorite stories as a kid were the stories that peeked my interest such as:

a) Elijah mocking the Prophets of Baal telling them that their God was in the bathroom. I Kings

18.

b) Bears attacking 42 boys after they made fun of Elisha for being bald. II Kings 2:23-24

c) Jehu driving like a maniac. II Kings 9:20

d) God requiring the Philistines to give a unique apology gift of 5 golden rats and 5 golden

tumors for stealing the Ark of the Covenant. I Samuel 6:4

e) God speaking through a Balaam’s donkey. Numbers 22: 28-30

For a boy, those stories caught my attention the most.

Yet, as the writer of Hebrews, one of the stories that jumped off the page to him was the story of Melchizedek. Therefore, for 10 verses in Hebrews 5, he talks about this ancient priest and tells us how Jesus relates to this interesting and mysterious man in scripture.

Transition:

One of the things that makes the Book of Hebrews difficult to read is that the writer of Hebrews was written with an assumption that you understand the Old Testament. It assumes that you have an understanding of Old Testament tradition, theology, or background.

Therefore, in short, as you read about Melchizedek today you might not know the story. You might not know who “Mel” as I will call Him, is.

Well, if you don’t, good news! I do and today you can learn the story and in the process understand what makes Him so special. What makes Him special besides the fact that he shows up in Genesis 14 in the Bible.

Twice in the Book of Hebrews we read about “Mel.” We read about him in Hebrews 5 and then again in Hebrews 7. He takes up a lot of Biblical real estate for a reason. The reason why is because his appearance as a Priest and King in the Old Testament tells us about Jesus as our Priest and King who appears in the New Testament.

So let’s join the story time about “Mel” the Priest, and let’s hear what the Hebrew writer tells us about Jesus through the story of Melchizedek’s life.

Transitional Sentence: From the story of Melchizedek we learn that Jesus is:

I. Unique

vs. 1-5-“For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin; he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself is also beset with weaknesses; and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins as for the people, so also for himself. And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him: You are my Son Today I have begotten you.”

Explanation:

As the writer of Hebrews starts telling the story of Melchizedek, he begins by comparing Jesus to Him.

Melchizedek was the most popular priest in the Hebrew culture. He was intriguing, mysterious, and talked about often in the synagogues of the first century.

Today, he’s still that way. Here’s some facts about Mel:

a) Only three books in the Bible mention Melchizedek. (Genesis, Psalms, and Hebrews)

b) The New Testament actually talks more about Melchizedek than the Old Testament.

c) Melchizedek lived during Abraham’s time and blessed Abraham - that’s a big deal,

especially to a Hebrew.

d) Mel is mysterious, he has no recorded family and was the Priest of Salem; better known today

as Jerusalem.

He was one special guy! Yet, Jesus was even more unique than Him!

In contrast, the writer of Hebrews talked about how priests were special because they all had to be qualified to serve as priests. What made them qualified?

1. Priests all had to be a men; basically, humans. In verse 1 we read: “For every high priest

taken from men...” This is why God had to become a man; it was a qualification for being a

priest.

2. Priests had to be God’s man. In verse 1 we read: “appointed on behalf of men”- It’s not like

what is happening today. You couldn’t go online and get a “priest certificate or ordination

papers” to represent God if you were not appointed-- you could not be a representative of

God.

3. Priests had to be sympathetic with men- Vs. 2- “he can deal gently with the ignorant and