Hebrews 5:5-6

God appointed Christ as king-priest when He sat down at the right hand of God following His ascension (Hebrews 1:5). The title "Christ" (Anointed One) stresses our Lord’s humility. As the Anointed of God, Jesus (cf. Hebrews 4:14) did not exalt Himself as He might well have done. [Note: Guthrie, p. 127.] These two offices and functions were primary in the writer’s argument in this epistle. Psalms 2:7-9 and Psalms 110:1 (cf. Hebrews 1:13) predicted Messiah’s reign. Psalms 110:4 also predicted His priesthood. The same God who appointed Jesus as His Son also appointed Him high priest forever (cf. Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 7:17; Hebrews 7:21; Hebrews 7:24; Hebrews 7:28). We have a great high priest, Jesus the Son of God, and it is as He is Son that He carries out His vocation of high priest. [Note: Moffatt, p. 64.] No other New Testament writer referred to Psalms 110:4, but this writer quoted it three times (cf. Hebrews 7:17; Hebrews 7:21) and alluded to it eight more times (in chs. 5-7). [Note: See D. M. Hay, Glory at the Right Hand: Psalms 110 in Early Christianity, pp. 46-47.]

"The appeal to Melchizedek, who as the first priest mentioned in Scripture is the archetype of all priesthood, validates Jesus’ priesthood as different from and superior to the Levitical priesthood." [Note: Lane, p. 123.]

"When . . . Jerusalem fell into David’s hands and became his capital city (2 Samuel 5:6 ff.), he and his heirs became successors to Melchizedek’s kingship, and probably also (in a titular capacity at least) to the priesthood of God Most High." [Note: Bruce, pp. 95-96.]

"All that a priest does in offering sacrifice for men Christ does. But whereas they do it only symbolically, he really effects atonement.

"There was no succession of priests from Melchizedek and thus no ’order.’ Jesus, however, was a priest of this kind-not like Aaron and his successors." [Note: Morris, p. 49.]