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CHRIST AS PRIEST AFTER THE ORDER OF MECHISEDEC.
The Lord Jesus is presented to us in the opening chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews as God’s Son. It is as God’s Firstborn Son, however, that He is brought before us, and not as Only-begotten. In Bible times, the firstborn son of the family was usually inheritor of the name firstborn. But since, as with the case of Reuben, the firstborn son was not necessarily the one who gained the office, the title does not refer to time, but title. A man’s firstborn had three areas of duty. First, he was charged with the task of communicating the mind of the father to the rest of the family, thus acting in a prophetic character. Second, he was to introduce the rest of the family into the presence of the father, so that they were at ease there, thus acting in a priestly way. Third, he was to administer the father’s affairs, so acting as the king in the family.
It is easy to see how the Lord Jesus functions in these three ways, for in Hebrews 1 He is the Son who speaks for God, and in that chapter is addressed thus, “Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee”, 1:5, the day in question being the day when He began His public and prophetic ministry to Israel, as a consideration of Acts 13:23-37 will show. That the writer still has His prophetic ministry in view is seen in that he continues the theme of the Lord speaking in Hebrews chapter 2 and contrasts it with the word spoken through angels, that is, the law given at Sinai. No angel, however, even though used to bring God’s law to Israel, has ever been addressed as God’s Son and invited to sit at God’s right hand, and hence must take a lesser place as attendant of the throne of God, and not its occupant.
In Hebrews 5:6 the Lord Jesus is again addressed as God’s Son, but this time in connection with His priesthood, which, being after the order of Melchizedec, is a kingly one. Here the words “Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee”, are linked with the words “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisidec”. Now the latter quotation is from Psalm 110, which deals with the ascension of Christ to the right hand of God, as Peter’s use of it on the Day of Pentecost shows, Acts 2:33-36.This marks the beginning, therefore, of Christ’s priesthood.
It might be helpful at this point to outline the two ways in which the subject of the priesthood of Christ is approached in the Epistle. In chapters 1-7, the emphasis is on the person who is priest, and the way in which His life’s experiences down here, especially His temptations, qualify Him to serve as a priest who gives help and succour to those who likewise are passing through trials on the earth. In this section, the writer draws upon the ministry of Melchisedec towards Abraham, and that mainly by comparison.
In Chapters 8-10, however, the emphasis is on His priesthood bringing His people into the good of His death, hence the subject of blood is to the fore. In this second division, it is not progress through the world that is in view, but access into the heavenly sanctuary. In this section, the writer draws on the illustration of Aaron, and the way in which he ministered to God. This time mainly by way of contrast.
We are now in a position to notice the general structure of Hebrews 7, which may be divided into seven paragraphs, as follows:
(a) 1-3 Melchisedec, personally and officially, as a king-priest.
(b) 4-10 The priesthood of Christ results in blessing for His people.
The priesthood of Christ involves mediating when believers bring gifts to God.
(c) 11-14 The priesthood of Christ supercedes the Levitical order.
(d) 15-17 The priesthood of Christ is carried out in the energy of Divine Life.
(e) 18-19 The priesthood of Christ is profitable to God.
(f) 20-22 The priesthood of Christ does not cause God regret.
(g) 23-28 The priesthood of Christ is continual, and effectual.
Each of these sections has a keyword, or words, either derived from things said about Melchisedec in 1-3, or from the quotation that the writer has made in 5:6, where he began to speak about the order of Melchisedec. We will notice these key words as we proceed. From this point on, the notes will take a more concise form.
(a) 1-3 Melchisedec, officially and personally, as king-priest.
7:1 For- elaboration on 6:20, “become high priest after the order of Melchisedec”. This Melchisedec- the one mentioned in 5:10 and 6;20. King of Salem- it is not certain that this is Jerusalem, which was known formerly as Jebus. The LXX translates Psalm 76:2 as “His tabernacle is in peace”, not viewing the word salem as a place-name. Would the writer emphasise the significance of Salem if it was Jerusalem, seeing that he will urge his readers to distance themselves morally from that place in 13:12-14? If Salem is the same as the Salim of John 3:23, then this is highly significant, as we shall see. Priest of the Most High God- a title which emphasises God’s supremacy over all, and especially to be demonstrated during the millenium. Melchisedec worshipped and served the one true God in the midst of Canaanitish polytheism. He combined priesthood with kingship, as Christ does to perfection. See Zechariah 6:13, Isaiah 6:1, remembering Uzziah sought to combine priesthood and kingship, and was judged for it, 2 Chronicles 26:16-23, and note also 27:2, concerning his son. Who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings- unaffected by their warring, for he is king of peace. He meets Abraham before the king of Sodom makes his unrighteous suggestions, for Melchizedec is king of righteousness. He is supreme and in control in these two key areas, and thus is like Christ. And blessed him- This prepares us for the idea that the priesthood of Christ is for our blessing. This is returned to in :6,7.
7:2 To whom also Abraham also gave a tenth part of all- as well as Melchizedec acting, Abraham also acted by giving God’s portion to Melchizedec. He thus recognised that Mel. was acting for God. The responses of God’s people are channelled through Christ, and Mel. illustrates this. The spoils of battle are given to God in gratitude. The significance of this is brought out in :5-10. First, being by interpretation, King of righteousness- the writer sees significance in the meaning of names, and their order, for righteousness must be established before peace can be known, Romans 5:1. Mel. must have been an exceptional ruler if these things are true of him amidst the corruption all around. Compare Lot in Sodom, vexing his righteous soul with the unrighteousness of that city, 2 Peter 2:8.Because of this he is taken up as a type of Him who is separate in nature from sinners, :26.
7:3 Without father, without mother- as far as the record goes. Especially significant as Genesis is a book of eleven genealogies, and Mel. would have made twelve.The details are deliberately withheld to make him as much like the Son of God it is possible for anyone to be. The Lord Jesus has a genealogy in fact, so it is not that Mel. was not descended from anyone, for that would have made him unlike the Son of God in this respect. We know Aaron’s father and mother, and we know Eleazar took over the priesthood from him. Christ’s priesthood, like Mel’s. is not successional. Without descent=genealogy. The reference is not to to descendants, but ancestors. Christ’s priesthood is not tribal, as was Levi’s. Having neither beginning of days, nor end of life- not literally, but as far as the record goes. This is emphasised later, for Christ’s priesthood is after the power of an endless life. But made like unto the Son of God- the “but” indicates the difference between the -ve statements “without…” and this +ve one. Only by the withholding of thse details can he in any way be like the unique Son of God. Abideth a priest continually- the main verb of the sentence beginning in :1.
(b) 4-10 The priesthood of Christ results in blessing for His people.
The priesthood of Christ involves mediating when believers bring gifts to God.
KEYWORDS: Tithe and bless.
7:4 Now consider how great this man was- since he is like the Son of God, considering him will be profitable. Consider=to think upon with interest and purpose, with the observation of details. Unto whom the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils- the word patriarch is at the very end of the sentence for emphasis, “and he the patriarch”. He might have special reason to keep the spoils, as he had won them. Did he feel his victory was as a result of Mel’s. intercession? Where did Abraham learn that the tithe, or tenth part, was God’s part? from Melchizedec? By meeting Abraham before the king of Sodom came with his temptations to “keep the goods”, Genesis 14:21-23, Mel. succoured the one about to be tempted, see hebrews 2:18. He had dealings with the priest of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth- he could afford to let the goods go- but not before God had His portion. Spoils=top of the heap. In other words the best. Do we give to God the first and best? Seek ye first the kingdom of God…..Matthew 6:33.
7:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood- Note the way the Levitical priesthood is magnified here, in order to make the contrast with the Mel. priesthood even more telling. Have a commandment to take tithes of the people- their priesthood is so important that God commands that it be supported by the tithes the people offer to Him. According to the law- their tithes were a legal requirement, whereas Abraham gave in gratitude for God’s grace to him in his victory. Note the way the law and the priesthood of Levi are bound up together, so the civil and ceremonial law are connected. That is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham- the Levites, and the rest of the tribes, all have the honour of coming from Abraham, but even though this is the case, Levi has the added privilege of coming from the priestly tribe, and hence must be supported.
7:6 But he whose genealogy is not counted from them- clearly so, because Mel. lived long before Levi. But this does not prevent Levi from acknowledging him, as :9 indicates. Note the reference to genealogy, or pedigree, again. Received tithes of Abraham- so he is superior to Abraham the patriarch, the father of the faithful. And blessed him that had the promises- so there are blessings beyond what were promised to Abraham before. From Abraham’s answer to the king of Sodom we may deduce the blessings were far more than earthly things. Up to Genesis 14, Abraham had only been promised earthly things, but mel. speaks of God as possessor of heaven and earth. Cf. 9:15, “the promise of eternal inheritance”. See also the blessings of the New Covenant in 8:8-12.
7:7 And without all contradiction- the writer begins like this because his readers may have difficulty with the idea of someone being better than Abraham, especially if that person is a Canaanite king! They cannot gainsay his arguments though. The less is blessed of the better- the whole of the epistle has to do with Someone better, and Mel. typifies Him. A person who blesses with God’s blessing must already be in the good of the blessing himself. If Salem=Salim of John 3:23, then it was near to where John the Baptist, of the tribe of Levi, said “He must increase, but I must decrease”, :30.
7:8 And here- on the one hand. Men that die that die receive tithes- the tithe supports a dying cause, for the fact that the priest’s were not suffered to continue by reason of death is a sign of their inferiority, :23. But here- on the other hand. He receiveth them of whom it is witnessed that he liveth- witnessed, that is, by the eloquent testimony of the ommission in the Scriptural record. Of course, Mel. was not alive when Hebrews was written. Because his priesthood was a living one, paying tithes was worthwhile.
7:9 And as I may so say- the writer is confident he has authority from God to reason in the way that follows. Levi also, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes in Abraham- this statement puts the two orders of priesthood in direct contrast, and is the crowning point of the argument, which explains why it is left till last, even though Abraham paying tithes is dealt with in :6. By supporting the priesthood of Melchizedec, and giving to God via its priest, Levi, the one who gave his name to the Levitical and Aaronic priesthood, confesses its superiority. In :6 the point was that the famous patriarch paid tithes, here, that Levi did it. This means that the whole Levitical system is inferior to that of Melchizedec, and therefore of Christ, for He is High Priest after the order of Melchizedec. The only logical step to take in view of this is to go “outside the camp” of the Levitical system, 13:13.
7:10 For he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchizedec met him- Compare Romans 5:12, where all sinned in Adam, his act being a representative one. Note how important it is that Mel. has no genealogy, for no-one in his ancestry can be said to acknowledge a superior priesthood before he began to function.
c) 11-14 The priesthood of Christ supercedes the Levitical order.
KEYWORD: tribe.
7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the Law)- the therefore indicates a conclusion is about to be drawn on the basis of the foregoing arguments. One would expect that a priesthood that supported and enforced the requirements of the very Law of God would bring in the perfection that God demands. But it is not so. Note the linkage between the civil and ceremonial law, for some suggest that whilst the ceremonial is passed away, the civil is not. See Exodus 4:27 where Moses, the mediator of the Law, and Aaron, the Levitical and ceremonial high priest kiss on Mount Sinai, the Mount of God. What further need was there- for what can there be beyond perfection? Another (different) priest should rise- the arrival of a different sort of priest is indication that the Levitical sort was not ideal. Rise=stand up, compare Nehemiah 7:65. After the order of Melchizedec- we should not think that “order” means a succession of priests; it simply means “arrangement”. The priesthood of Christ is arranged in the same way as Melchizedec’s was, and there are no priests between the two of them. And not be called after the order of Aaron- the priesthood of Aaron supplies the writer with contrasts which further his arguments in chapters 9 and 10, but Christ never functioned as a Levitical priest.
7:12 For the priesthood being changed- the writer assumes we have seen the significance of his reasoning, and will agree that it is proved that the priesthood is in fact changed. It is not just a change of priest, but of priesthood, the whole order of things. There is made of necessity a change also of law- the governing principles must be different, seeing that the order is different. Since the governing principles of the levitical priesthood were those of the law of Moses, that law cannot govern the Melchizedec priest.
7:13 For He of whom these things are spoken- the word for “called” in :11 is the ordinary word for “to say”. Hebrews 5:6 begins “As He saith also in another place”, and then “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec”, so the instatement of Christ as priest is by the spoken word of God to Him. Pertaineth to another tribe- showing that one of the laws governing the Levitical priesthood was that the priest must be of the tribe of Levi. Of which no man gave attendance at the altar- no man of Judah would have been allowed to officiate at the altar.
7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah- the early believers clearly did not have any difficulty in seeing that the Lord Jesus was of the tribe of Judah. Our Lord- emphasising his exhaltation as priest, “The Lord said unto My Lord”, Psalm 110:1.David’s Lord has become ours. Lord, Jesus, and Son of God are all titles of Christ as priest, suggesting authority, sympathy and Divine sufficiency. Sprang- Used of the sunrising, and also in connection with the Branch, Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 6:12; Luke 1:78- Zecharias, a priest, admits that light has not sprung up through Levi. Of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood- Moses as representative of the Law, and also writer of Leviticus. If Moses the Mediator of the Law spake nothing about it, then the matter is settled.Christ is not king-priest because He is of the royal tribe of Judah, but rather because He has been made High Priest after the order of Melchizedec, and that order is a king-priest order or arrangement.Mel. was not a king because he was of Judah, nor priest because of Levi, for he was neither.
(d) 15-17 The priesthood of Christ is carried out in the energy of Divine Life.
KEYWORDS: For ever.
7:15 And it is yet far more evident- In :14 the evident thing was that He was of Judah, but it is far more evident that He is risen from the dead, thus showing that His life was not dissolvable by death. There would have been more witnesses to His resurrection in AD 68 than there were of His birth. For that after the similitude of Melchisedec- since Mel. was made like the Son of God as far as the record goes, then the subsequent priesthood of Christ can be like His; but He has to exist first for Mel. to be like Him. There ariseth another priest- that is, a different sort of priest, in the same degree that Mel’s. priesthood was different to Aaron’s.
7:16 Who is made=constituted, made to become. Not after the law of a carnal commandment- This priest is constituted as such not in accordance with the governing principle of a commandment which came to men in the flesh. Carnal=fleshen, not fleshly in the evil sense of unspiritual, (although many Levitical priests were this), but suited to life in the flesh down here, hedged about as it is by earthly limitations and relationships which render unfit to minister in the heavenly sanctuary. But after the power of an endless life- in relation to the fact that His life has been shown, by resurrection, to be indissoluble or indestructible by death, and therefore is endless. He is not regulated by commandments, but serves in the energy of His Deity, and hence He is priest because is the Son of God. One of the reasons why Christ rose from the dead was that He is the Living One, (Revelation 1:18, margin), sharing Divine, eternal life with the Father and the Spirit. He is fitted, therefore, to minister in the Heavenly Sanctuary, which is the Father’s House, since it is His eternal dwelling. For this reason Mel’s. death was not recorded in Scripture, and he is said to abide a priest continually. Nor had he those characteristics which mark a fallen nature received from father and mother.
7:17 For He testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec- as long as the life of our priest lasts, He shall be priest- in other words, for ever. The praises of God’s people shall always be offered “by Him”, 13:15. The writer is now dealing with various parts of the quotation from Psalm 110:4 he has used since 5:6. It is God who testifies in Psalm 110. Compare the testimonies of Christ and the Spirit in 10:5-18.
(e) 18-19 The priesthood of Christ is profitable to God.
7:18 For there is verily a disanulling of the commandment going before- by making Christ a high priest after the order of Mel. God set aside the former order as being no longer of value, together with the commandments which regulated it. For the weakness and unprofitableness thereof- the Levitical system had not the dynamic needed to bring men into the presence of God, and hence He was not profited by their worship. Note the contrast between the weakness of the law and the power of Christ’s life, :16. Unprofitableness- that which is not beneficial or serviceable.
7:19 (For the law made nothing perfect)- true in various connections, but here it did not provide the circumstances whereby the ordinary Israelite could draw near to God. But the bringing in of a better hope did- The word did is superfluous. On the one hand there is the disannulling of the commandment, :18, and on the other, the bringing in of a better hope or prospect through Christ. Better hope= sum total of all the blessings of which Christ is the guarantor. By which we draw nigh to God- on the ground of this hope set before us, 6:18-20, we have the encouragement and the ability to draw nigh to God. The law was unable to effect this. As we respond, God is profited.
(f) 20-22 The priesthood of Christ does not cause God regret.
KEYWORD:Oath.
7:20 And inasmuch as- see on :22, “by so much”. Not without an oath He was made priest- note the negative reference to Aaron not made priest by oath. There was no Divine oath at his consecration. If there had been, the Levitical system would have been permanent.
7:21 But this with an oath- This= Christ, made priest in accordance with Psalm 110:4, now quoted. By Him that said unto Him, “the Lord sware, and will not repent”- By uttering an oath God shows “the immutability of His counsel”, 6:17, and this gives “Strong consolation”, 6:18. Repent=regret. God will never regret installing Christ as High Priest, but He did surely regret the actions of those of Aaron’ line, such as Nadab, Abihu, Eli, Annas, Caiaphas. Sware=past; will not repent=future.
7:22 By so much- link with “inasmuch” = by how much, :20. By how much?…By so much. By the truth contained in :20,21, which speaks of Christ as priest by oath, there is given reason why the covenant of which he is about to speak is better. For it it is not only new, but everlasting, underwritten by the oath of God, which makes Him the priest-minister of the blessings of that covenant. Was Jesus made a surety of a better testament- Surety= personal guarantee. Jesus- note the seven references to Him under this name in the epistle, 2:9; 6:20; 7:22; 10:19; 12:2; 12:24; 13:12. The personal guarantee is given character by the personal name. His integrity makes it valid. He has been fully tested, and therefore is qualified, (perfected) to act for His people before God. Better testament- because established on better promises, 8:6; covenant victim is Christ Himself, 9:16; ratified in the heavenly sanctuary, 9:24; effects are final; deals with sins, 10:18; avails for Israel and Gentiles, 2 Corinthians 3.
(g) 23-28 The priesthood of Christ is continual, and effectual.
KEYWORD: Continue.
7:23 And they truly were many priests- down the centuries, not at one time, although there were many at the time of Christ’s birth. Perhaps the reference is to the genealogies of priests such as in 1 Chronicles 6:3-15, “were” should be “are”, i.e. in the record. It is said there were 60/70 High priests from Aaron to Caiaphas. Note the reference in that passage to the Captivity; the priests were unable to save them to the uttermost. Because they were not suffered to contnue by reason of death- they were mortal, “fleshen” men, not possessing indissoluble, indestructible life.
7:24 But this man- a solitary, unique man, in contrast to the many Levitical priests. Because He continueth ever- for death no longer has dominion over Him, and His life is endless literally, as Melchisedec’s was typically. Compare also “abideth a priest continually”, :3. Hath an unchangeable priesthood- He will never hand over to a successor. He who knows us through and through will never be replaced with a novice. It is not that the order does not change, for that is already proved in :11-14, but that the priest does not change. Note the contrast between creation which shall be changed, and Christ who is the Same, 1:11,12.
7:25 Wherefore- because of the features detailed in :11-24. He is able to save them to the uttermost- not only surety for the blessings, but Saviour for the blemishes. Uttermost- to the outermost. Those in extreme circumstances are not too far gone for Him to save them from their trouble. That come unto God by Him- as we approach to God, :19, we do so as those who have failed in some way. But Christ is fully able to bear the iniquity of the holy things, i.e. the iniquity which otherwise would make holy things unholy. As Aaron had a golden plate with “Holiness to the Lord” inscribed on it, so Christ has the holiness of His Father in mind all the time. See John 17:11. We approach God with assurance, not only because of the blood of Jesus, but also because we have a great priest over the house of God, 10:19-22. We also come unto God and His throne to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need, 4:16. Perhaps if Lot had come to Melchisedec things would have been different for him. Seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them= always living with a view to interceding for them. Aaron was chosen to assist Moses because he could speak well, Exodus 4:14. But he spoke badly at Sinai, Exodus 32:5; held his peace about Nadab and Abihu, and made excuses for his failure, Leviticus 10:3, 19; in Numbers 12:2 speaks against Moses. The Christian’s High Priest has no such shortcomings. He intercedes when the adversary seeks to condemn, Romans 8:34, (see also Luke 22:31,32- prayed for before the trial came), when believers sin, 1 John 2:1, and when the difficulties and temptations of the way overwhelm us. he is the author of eternal salvation, 5:9.
7:26 For such an high priest- as described in previous verses. Became us- is becoming to us, eminently suited to our need. He has no fault or sin to hinder Him in His ministry for us. Who is holy- not the usual word for holy, which is hagios; this is hosios= a combination of mercy, kindness and holiness. (See its use in Acts 13:34, 35, sure mercies, Holy One). This combination was seen in the life and ministry of Christ- it was not the priest and Levite of Aaron’s line which had compassion on the man fallen among thieves, Luke 10:33. Harmless= guileless, without an evil thought. Compare the priests as they clamoured for Christ’s death. Christ’s thought towards us as He intercedes are only good. Compare Elijah who interceded against Israel, Romans 11:2. Undefiled- free from contamination. Not simply ceremonially clean, but actually. See Leviticus 22:1-3, where uncleanness of priesthood meant banishment from the Lord’s presence. Separate from sinners- the verb is passive, separated by another. It is said of Aaron that he was “separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister unto Him, and to bless in His name for ever”, 1 Chronicles 23:13. He failed, however, and these ministries are carried out in a better and fuller way by Christ, who has been separated from the failed line of Aaron by being saluted as High Priest after the order of Melchisedec, 5:10. And made higher than the heavens- He has passed through the heavens, and is seated at the right hand of God, the place of power and influence. He is minister of the heavenly sanctuary, 8:1,2.
7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests- having spoken of His positive virtues, the writer now contrasts Him with Aaron and his successors. They sinned every day, whereas the days of Christ’s flesh were marked by piety, 5:7. To offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the peoples’- this may refer to daily offerings at Israels altar, or it may be a reference to the Day of Atonement, since daily=day by day, on each successive Day of Atonement, when matters were resolved before God. Aaron needed to offer for his own sins first, so that he could then minister for the people. This He did once- the this referring to offering for the people. We must not confuse offering with burning on the altar. The offering of the sacrifice was the bringing of it near the altar. Animals had to be brought to the altar to be killed, but Christ came willingly, and presented Himself at Calvary as a willing victim. Since He was not priest until He ascended, then He cannot have acted as a priest at His own sacrifice.
7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity- Because of their inherent weakness, they were liable to sin, as 5:2,3 indicates. But the word of the oath, which was since the law- because the law was not rendered out of date until Christ died, this proves that He was not High Priest at that time. Note the contrast between the impersonal way the law made men priests, with the personal word of the oath of God. Maketh the Son- the name Jesus is not mentioned here, since the contrast is between weak, infirm priests, and the Son who acts according to the power of His Divine and endless life. Who is consecrated for evermore- at his consecration, Aaron’s hands were filled with various parts of the sacrifices, and this is what consecration means in the O.T., “to fill the hand”. So Christ as He lifts up, so to speak, His pierced hands in intercession for His people, shows the Father the evidence of His completed work at Calvary. Here the Greek word is the same as in 2:10; 5:9, “to be qualified, fully equipped”. By the experiences He passed through down here, the Lord Jesus is able to
deal fully with every situation in which we need His priestly help. Since He is is fully-equipped He is able to fully save.
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We now begin a study of that section of the Epistle to the Romans which runs from chapter 5 verse 12 to the end of chapter 8, which deals not so much with what we have done, (the word “sins” is only found once from 5:12-8:39), but what we are. In other words, the criminal, not the crimes he has committed. Now that his sins have been forgiven, what is a believer’s relationship with God? What of the nature which caused him to sin before he was saved? By what power is the Christian life lived? And is the security of the believer assured? These questions, and others besides, are answered in the next sections of the epistle.
It might be found helpful to read the summary sections first, to get an idea of the thought-flow of these dificult and complicated verses.
THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS CHAPTER 5, VERSES 12 TO 21
5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgement was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Suject of Section 8
The apostle begins this fresh section of the epistle in which he deals with what we are by nature, by tracing that nature to Adam. By ‘nature’ is meant those essential features which combine to make a thing what it is. Through the sin and disobedience of the first man, who is the federal head of men as sinners, terrible consequences were passed on to all, which could only be remedied by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, who becomes the head of those who believe. The teaching of the previous section has prepared the way for what is presented to us now. The apostle assumes we accept the testimony of the early chapters of the Book of Genesis, with its record of the formation of the first man, Adam, his disobedience and fall, and the descent of all mankind from him in a state of sin.
Section 8 Romans 5:12-21
Christ and Adam compared and contrasted
The whole of the purpose of God for mankind centres on the fact that His Son became man, and as such is the second man, the last Adam. He came to “restore that which he took not away”, Psalm 69:4, or, in other words, came to remedy the loss and damage that Adam had brought upon men by his sin.
Structure of Section 8
The passage is very complex, but may be clearer if we note its structure in the following form, where the numbers represent the verses of the section:-
12 [(13-14) 15-17] 18-21
In other words, the main subject is in verses 12 and 18-21, and verses 13-17 form a parenthesis. Inside this parenthesis there is another, consisting of verses 13 and 14.
| 8(a) | 5:12 | Entrance of sin and its consequence |
| 8(b) | 5:13-14 | Existence of sin before the law-age |
| 8(c) | 5:15 | Effect of sin and God’s attitude |
| 8(d) | 5:16,17 | Ending of death’s reign |
| 8(e) | 5:18 | Extending of a gift to all |
| 8(f) | 5:19 | Experience of justification by many |
| 8(g) | 5:20 | Enhancement of sin by the law |
| 8(h) | 5:21 | Ending of sin’s reign |
Looking generally at the passage, we see that verse 12 introduces us to sin and death, verses 13 and 14 show that death is as a result of the sinful nature within, and not normally because of sins committed, verses 15 to 17 deal with death, and verses 18-21 with sin.
8(a) The entrance of sin and its consequence
5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Wherefore – a logical connection. The word “therefore” introduces a logical consequence, but verses 12-21 of this chapter are not a logical consequence of the preceding chapters, but they do answer the questions that those chapters might raise, and hence have a logical connection. It is important to notice that the counterpart of “wherefore as” in this verse is the “therefore as” of verse 18, hence the parenthesis of verses 13-17 is required by the grammar of the passage.
As by one man- a reference to Adam, the first man, and the federal head of the human race as sinners. “God… hath made of one blood all nations of men…” Acts 17:26, so we are all descended from this one man. There are not many races on the earth, for all have common descent from Adam and Eve his wife.
Sin- the principle of revolt against God, expressed in disobedience.
Entered into the world- sin existed in Satan before he introduced it into the world of men by means of Adam’s trangression. Adam was the door by which we perish, Christ is the door by which we are saved, John 10:9. Sin found an entrance into Adam’s heart, and through him to the rest of the world of men, for he passed on his nature to his children. The man is singled out, even though the woman sinned first, for it is by the man that the nature is passed on to the children.
And death by sin- physical death is a direct consequence of Adam’s fall. He was warned by God that death would come if he sinned, but he disobeyed God’s commandment and reaped the consequences. As a result, his nature became that of a sinful creature, and he passed on that nature to us all. As a consequence, we too are fallen and sinful, and face certain death, but in the mercy of God we are allowed a period to repent.
And so death passed upon all men– because death is the penalty for having a sinful nature, (“the wages of sin is death” 6:23), and that sinful nature is shared by all in the world because of their link with Adam the sinner.
For that all have sinned– “for that” means, “on the basis of the fact that”. The fact that the apostle can say, looking back through time, whether during the law-age or before, “all have sinned”, is the basis of the logical conclusion that what Adam did has affected us all, and sin has in fact entered into the whole of the world of men.
Summary
The sin and death which are in the world are the result of the sin of Adam the first man, who has passed on his sinful nature to us all.
8(b) The existence of sin before the law-age
5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
(For until the law sin was in the world- the principle of revolt against the rule of God that sin represents was in the world up until the formal giving of the law to Israel at Sinai.
But sin is not imputed when there is no law- the word translated imputed is only found here and Philemon 18, (“put that on mine account”). It means more than simply thinking of someone in a certain way, (which is the usual meaning of ‘impute’ in the New Testament), but goes further and involves putting something down in an account book as needing to be paid for. So whilst God did not overlook the fact that during the period from Adam to Moses men had sin within, He did not reckon it against them as needing to be paid for by instant death.
5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses- despite the foregoing, men still died in the period between Adam’s sin and Moses’ lawgiving. This proves that death is the consequence of having a sinful nature, and not the consequence of sinning. Only in extreme circumstances are men struck down in death by God because they have committed a particular sin; it is not the general rule.
Even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression- that is, those who had not gone against God’s will as expressed in a known law. Adam, like Israel, was formally given God’s law. The law God gave to Adam was “thou shalt not eat of it”, and the known penalty for transgression was “thou shalt surely die”, Genesis 2:7. It is said of Israel, “they like Adam have transgressed the covenant”, Hosea 6:7 margin. So both Adam and men under the law of Moses were given a commandment with a known penalty. Men in between Adam and Sinai were not in this situation, and therefore the fact that death reigned over them, (that is, was on the throne in their lives), was due to their nature from Adam, not their sinning like Adam.
Who is the figure of Him that was to come- the apostle rounds off this parenthesis by bringing together the two men that are to be compared and contrasted, Christ and Adam. Certain features about Adam in his official position as federal head of the human race provide both a comparison and a contrast with Christ the head of the new creation.
Summary
That death has passed upon all men because of the act of another is proved by the fact that men died even though they had not transgressed a law they knew about. In His mercy, God promised the seed of the woman immediately sin had entered into the world.
8(c) The effect of sin and God’s attitude
Key phrases
The offence of one…the gift in grace which is of one man.
Note the formula in verses 15,16 and 17- “but not as…so also…for if…much more”. Note too that in verses 13-17 and verse 19, the contrast is between one and many, emphasising the greatness of the problem to be addressed, and the greatness of God’s remedy, whereas in verses 12 and 18, it is between one and all, emphasising the universality of the problem, and the universality of the opportunity for benefitting by the remedy.
5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift- these words serve the dual purpose of introducing both a comparison and a contrast beteen Adam and Christ, as would be suggested by the word figure in verse 14. Both are heads of a race of people, both performed an act which affected those people, and both pass on their characteristics to the people. But the contrast is marked, for Adam brought in sin, death, and God’s judgement, whereas Christ brings in righteousness, life, and justification. By ‘the offence’ means a trespass, a false step. Adam’s false move has had devastating and universal consequences because of the attitude of heart which lay behind the act. The apostle assumes we accept the record of Genesis 3. The free gift is God’s gift in grace, freely bestowed. The words offence and gift are the key to the verse.
For if through the offence of one many be dead– the long list of men that have died physically down the centuries is directly attributable to the trespass of a single man at the beginning.
Much more- despite the seemingly insurmountable problem, God has overcome it, not by revoking the command which brought the death, but by introducing something far higher and grander.
The grace of God- God’s answer is not further condemnation, John 3:17; Luke 9:56, but the display of grace, unmerited favour to a fallen race. The condemnation of sinners is a righteous necessity, but God has no obligation to bless, yet chooses to do so.
And the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ– the word “gift” means an act of giving; the word “by ” is literally “in”, speaking of the character of the giving; the second use of the word “by” indicates the personal responsibility placed upon Jesus Christ to deal with the matter of the sin of man. The grace of God is expressed in the person of Christ, the Last Adam. This contrasts with the personal responsibility of Adam for his offence (the offence of one) and its consequences.
Hath abounded unto many– God delights to overflow in grace, and he does this towards the same number, “the many”, that are affected by affected by Adam’s offence. The offence of one man brought many into death, but the grace of God which is channelled hrough the one man Jesus Christ flows forth towards that same number, despite the fact that they are many.
Summary
The offence of one man, Adam, has resulted in the death of the many in the world, but the superabounding grace of God in Christ is expressed to that same number.
8(d) The ending of death’s reign
Key phrases
Death reigned through (the agency of) one…reign in life through (the agency of) one.
5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgement was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
And not as it was by one that sinned- the emphasis is now on the one person, rather than the one act of offending.
So is the gift– that spoken of in verse 15, and defined in verse 17 as the gift of righteousness. The phrase “and not” emphasizes that the gift is of a different character to the offence whose effects have been passed on to us, Adam’s gift was deadly; Christ’s is life-giving. The phrase “so is”, on the other hand, emphasizes that there is a comparison between what the two men did.
For the judgement was by one- by is “ek” meaning “out of”, indicating the source. Opinions differ whether the word ‘one’ refers to one man, Adam, or one offence. The comparison with many offences would suggest the latter, although the many offences are committed by many. The point is that there is a great obstacle to be overcome, since one sin has had such ruinous effects, yet there has been a multitude of people since who have committed a multitude of sins, which makes the situation much worse.
Unto condemnation– the word used here means ” a verdict pronounced with punishment following” a stronger word than is usually used, indicating the gravity of the situation. God’s verdict (“judgement”) went against man, and condemnation in the form of physical death was the result.
But the free gift– the apostle now reverts back to his original word for gift used in verse 15, grace-gift, indicating how the obstacle of so many sins, (whose presence proves that man is under condemnation), is dealt with. Only grace can do this; the law is powerless, as 8:3 will show.
Is of many offences– again “of” means “out of”, indicating the source. Just as the one sin of Adam was the reason why condemnation came, so in the wisdom of God, He has seen the many offences of Adam’s descendants as an opportunity for acting in grace, to His own glory. So the free gift is as a result of Adam’s sin, and its need to be remedied. This truth was misapplied by Paul’s opponents in 6:1.
Unto justification- “unto” means “with a view to”, for not all come into the good of what God is prepared to do. Not only does God justify in the sense of reckoning righteous, but in the context here justification means the lifting of the condemnation of death, giving the authority to reign in life. In this way the end of verse 16 prepares the way for the truth of verse 17.
5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one- the offence of Adam brought death upon men as a tyrant ruling their lives. There is no other cause for death’s reign, for “by one” is repeated to reinforce the point.
Much more- again there is the counteracting of Adam’s fall, but also further blessing. See verse 20, “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound”.
They which receive abundance of grace– the grace of God mentioned in verse 15, is available. Note the apostle limits it to “they which receive”, not the “many” in general; in other words, believers, not men generally.
And of the gift of righteousness- the gift consisting of righteousness.
Shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ)- instead of merely overthrowing the tyrant death, God enables the believer to reign, but only by the agency and strength of Jesus Christ. Note the “shall”, the full realisation of reigning in life is reserved for the future, although to be anticipated now, as detailed in chapter 6.
Summary
By the agency of one man, Adam, death reigned over his race, but by the agency of another man, Jesus Christ, God’s grace ensures that those who receive His gift of righteousness reign in life, both now and in the future. And just as the one offence of one man was the starting point of the condemnation, so the many offences of many men has been viewed by God as the starting-point of a process which results in the condemnation being removed.
8(e) The extending of a gift to all
Key phrases
Judgement came upon all…free gift came upon all.
5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Therefore as- means “so then”, the counterpart to the “wherefore as” of verse 12. The intervening verses have cleared the way for the truths of verses 18 and 19, and the apostle is now free to take the argument forward.
By the offence of one– the spotlight is again on two federal heads, Adam and Christ. Here, Adam is in view.
Judgement came upon all men to condemnation– the word judgement has been supplied by the Authorised Version from verse 16 to give the sense. The sentence of the Judge went against Adam and his race.
Even so– there is a straight comparison now, instead of the “as…much more” of the previous verses.
By the righteousness of one– the one supreme act of righteousness which Christ accomplished on the cross. Not His personal righteousness, for the meaning is fixed by the word used. The act of Adam in making a false step in relation to the will of God, is directly contrasted with the act of Christ when He fulfilled the will of God at the cross. The Lord Jesus was not dealing with sin during His life, or else He would have been forsaken of God then as well. It was only during the hours of darkness upon the cross that He was forsaken by His God.
The free gift came upon all men– the words “free gift” are supplied from verse 16. Upon means “towards”- just as the condemnation came towards all, so does the gift.
Unto justification of life– with a view to a cancellation of the condemnation, negatively, and the introduction into life in Christ, positively. Life in Christ is the theme of chapters 6 and 8.
Summary
There is a correspondence between the consequence of Adam’s act, and that of Christ. The one was an offence which brought condemnation, the other was an act of righteousness which brings justification.
8(g) The experience of justification by many
Key phrases
One man’s disobedience….obedience of one.
5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
For as- a more precise comparison even than the “as…even so” of verse 18, representing a refinement of the reasoning, which finds its climax in this verse, with its doctrine of the nature of men in Adam and men in Christ. The question might well be asked, How does verse 19 advance the argument, since it is so similar to verse 18? The answer is two-fold. First, the apostle now speaks of man by their constitution, made sinners and made righteous. Second, he implies how the state of being righteous is attained, for the disobedience of Adam may be contrasted not only with the obedience of Christ, but by inference with the obedience of faith.
By one man’s disobedience- the word is made up of two words, aside, and hear, giving the idea of refusal to hear. Adam had heard the command of God, but chose to “turn a deaf ear”.
Many were made sinners- made means “constituted”, the word being most often used of appointment to a position. The position appointed to men in Adam is that of being a sinner.
So by the obedience of one- Christ’s obedience to God even to the extent and extremity of the cross is in view, Philippians 2:8. Adam simply had to refrain from eating of the tree of knowledge, Christ had a heavy and sorrowful task before Him, even suffering on a tree, Acts 5:30, but did not waver in His obedience.
Shall many be made righteous- here the righteousness is based on the obedience of Christ, to preserve the contrast with Adam, whereas previously in the epistle the apostle has shown that it is by the obedience of our faith that righteousness is imputed to us.
Summary
Adam’s disobedience resulted in man being constituted a sinner, whereas the obedience of Christ in going to the cross to deal with sin in obedience to His Father, has brought a state of righteousness to those who are linked to Him by the obedience of faith.
8(h) The enhancement of sin by the law
Having prepared the ground for a consideration of the believer’s life in Christ as detailed in chapters 6 and 8, the apostle now prepares for chapter 7, with its consideration of the believer in relation to the law of Moses.
5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Moreover the law entered- the law of Moses came onto the scene as a side-issue, “came side-ways in”. This shows that Adam was not put under law as the nation of Israel was at Sinai, as some teach.
That the offence might abound- not in the sense that the number of sins might be increased, but that they might be shown in their true light, so that by a formal giving of the law what was wrong might be highlighted. By this means the initial offence of Adam, verse 15, was exposed in the offences of his race, verse 16.
But where sin abounded- as the law showed up its evil. The apostle reverts to the more general term sin, rather than ‘offence’ and transgression’, in preparation for the next chapters.
Grace did much more abound– the free favour of God is great enough to deal with all the offences, and to bring in positive things as well. Compare the “much more” of the reasoning of verses 15 and 17.
8(i) The ending of sin’s reign
5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
That- this means “in order that”, for the superabundance of grace has a purpose.
As sin hath reigned unto death- the preposition “unto”, is literally “in”, and when it does not denote physical location, it speaks of either power or character, the context deciding. Here the power behind the throne during the reign of sin, is said to be death. Death made sin’s reign a tyranny. Cf. Hebrews 2:15.
Even so might grace reign- grace so abounds that it dominates the scene, sweeps sin off its throne, and robs death of its power over the believer.
Through righteousness- sin reigned in death, whereas grace reigns through righteousness. There is not, then, an exact parallel in the two ideas. God does not simply restore man to innocence, but to a position consistent with righteousness. So grace reigns on a righteous basis, in contrast to the reign of sin which was on the basis of the unrighteous act of Adam.
Unto eternal life- grace superabounds so that not only is death defeated, but eternal life, the life of God, is imparted, not the life of Adam regained.
By Jesus Christ our Lord- He is the direct means by which grace reigns and eternal life is imparted. This full title is fitting now that He has triumphed through the work of the cross, and overthrown the reign of sin. How believers enter into that triumph is the theme of the next three chapters.