Hebrews 7:11-14 – Christ is greater than the Old Covenant and the Levitical priesthood

The author had reasoned that Melchizedek was more superior to Abraham and Levi. He now turned to emphasize the priesthood of Melchizedek and Christ, and showed why as priests they were more superior to the Levitical priesthood, as stipulated in the Mosaic Covenant. He even went on to show that God would replace the Levitical priesthood.

He reasoned that had the old system been adequate, Christ would have functioned in that order. There would be no necessity for the Melchizedek order. But because of its flaws, God already had intention to bring an end to it. That was why in Psalm 110:4, God foretold that the Messiah would function in the order of Melchizedek.

The issue here is this: if the Levitical Priesthood and the Mosaic Law had been able to bring a person into a vital relationship with God, there would not be the need for the Melchizedek order. In this passage, we also have the clearest assertion that God had to make a change because of the inadequacy of the Mosaic Law. For in the Mosaic Covenant, the priesthood played a very major role. When God foretold of the change in priesthood, He already had in mind to change the whole covenant. For according to the Mosaic Covenant, Christ could not officiate at the altar because He came from the tribe of Judah. No one from that tribe had ever served as priest. This made it necessary for the Law to change.

Here the author’s intention was to warn the backsliding Jewish believers not to return to Judaism. He warned them against mixing Old Testament priestly rituals with Christianity. In do doing, he also carefully showed the significance of the priesthood in the order of Melchizedek over that of the Levitical system. 

The warning is for us today as well. Though we may not have so much entanglement with the Law we do have some entanglement with man-made traditions. We must remember that Christ our priest is from a Messianic priest. He is our only perfect access to the Holy of holies. He is our perfect mediator and access to God’s holy presence. Let us not presume to draw near to God through other ways but through Him and Him alone!