Hebrews 7 | What's a lesson for the original audience?
Jesus, the New Melchizedek
The big lesson that stands out comes as a recognition of who Jesus is. While the original reader may or may not have known the significance of Melchizedek, the point in bringing him into the narrative at all is for the sake of exemplifying an important reality concerning Jesus. Jesus is the better priest. He is the new Melchizedek and a priest forever. This is yet another example of what it means for the old to pass away and all things to become new.
It is important to remember that the original audience was facing that temptation to draw back to the old covenant. The clear message becomes a resounding effort to show that Jesus is better in every way. If even Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, how should this current audience respond to one of that same priestly order?
In Jewish culture, the actions of Abraham prove to be incredibly significant. It is with Abraham that the promises concerning Israel originated. With Abraham the sign of circumcision was given. In Abraham, the Lord as provider is shown. Abraham exemplified faith in a way that carried throughout Israel’s history into what it looks like to have faith in Christ. The prophets often drew back to Abraham as did the Lord Himself. It was a significant thing for a Hebrew to recognize themselves as children of Abraham, and like good children, they follow in the path of their father. Well their father, Abraham, honored Melchizedek in these ways. So the same should these Hebrews do unto Jesus. If they are truly of Abraham, they will hold to Jesus in this regard.
At the end of it all, among the many lessons, the core stands to be that Jesus is better. If we are to compare Jesus to any other thing, we too may find the depth of this truth in the same way. Still, there are more lessons to be found. What lessons do you see for the original audience?
It is important to remember that the original audience was facing that temptation to draw back to the old covenant. The clear message becomes a resounding effort to show that Jesus is better in every way. If even Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, how should this current audience respond to one of that same priestly order?
In Jewish culture, the actions of Abraham prove to be incredibly significant. It is with Abraham that the promises concerning Israel originated. With Abraham the sign of circumcision was given. In Abraham, the Lord as provider is shown. Abraham exemplified faith in a way that carried throughout Israel’s history into what it looks like to have faith in Christ. The prophets often drew back to Abraham as did the Lord Himself. It was a significant thing for a Hebrew to recognize themselves as children of Abraham, and like good children, they follow in the path of their father. Well their father, Abraham, honored Melchizedek in these ways. So the same should these Hebrews do unto Jesus. If they are truly of Abraham, they will hold to Jesus in this regard.
At the end of it all, among the many lessons, the core stands to be that Jesus is better. If we are to compare Jesus to any other thing, we too may find the depth of this truth in the same way. Still, there are more lessons to be found. What lessons do you see for the original audience?
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January
John 14:22-31 | What's the lesson for me today?John 14:22-31 | What am I going to do about it?John 14:22-31 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:1-11John 15:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:1-11 | What's the connection?John 15:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:12-27John 15:12-27 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:12-27 | What's the connection?John 15:12-27 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:12-27 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:12-27 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:12-27 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:1-15John 16:1-15 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:1-15 | What's the connection?John 16:1-15 | What’s a lesson for the original audience?John 16:1-15 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:1-15 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:1-15 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:16-33John 16:16-33 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:16-33 | What's the connection?John 16:16-33 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 16:16-33 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:16-33 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:16-33 | Prayer Prompts
February
Passage of the Week: John 17John 17 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 17 | What's the connection?John 17 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 17 | What's the lesson for me today?John 17 | What am I going to do about it?John 17 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:1-11John 18:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:1-11 | What's the connection?John 18:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:12-40John 18:12-40 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:12-40 | What's the connection?John 18:12-40 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:12-40 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:12-40 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:12-40 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 19John 19 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 19 | What's the connection?John 19 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 19 | What's the lesson for me today?John 19 | What am I going to do about it?John 19 | Prayer Prompts
March
Passage of the Week: John 20John 20 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 20 | What's the connection?John 20 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 20 | What's the lesson for me today?John 20 | What am I going to do about it?John 20 | Prayer PromptsJohn 21 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 21John 21 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 21 | What's the connection?John 21 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 21 | What's the lesson for me today?John 21 | What am I going to do about it?Passage of the Week: Hebrews 1:1-4Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What is a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 1:5-14Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:5-14 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:1-4Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the connection?
April
Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 2:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:5-9Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the connection?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What am I going to do about it?
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