Hebrews 7:11-12 - Exposition

If then perfection ( τελείωσις : cf. οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐτελείωσεν ὁ νόμος ) were through the Levitical priesthood for under it (rather, upon it, on the ground of it ) the people hath received the Law , what need was there that another (rather, a different ) priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron. For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the Law. Here a further thought is introduced. So far the superiority of the priesthood after the order of Melchizedek to the Aaronic has been shown. The new thought is that the very mention in the psalm of a different order of priesthood implies that the old order, and with it the whole legal dispensation which depended on it, was imperfect and to be superseded. This is the general drift of Hebrews 7:11 , Hebrews 7:12 , though the sequence of thought in their several clauses is not easy to follow. Ideas in the writer's mind, not expressed, seem necessary to be understood. In the parenthetical clause of Hebrews 7:11 , ἐπ αὐτὴς and νενομοθέτηται are decidedly to be preferred, on the ground of authority, to ἐπ αὐτῇ and νενομοθέτητο of the Textus Receptus. 'The meaning of the clause (whatever be the precise thought connecting it with the sentence in which it stands) is that the whole Law rested on the institution of the priesthood; not the priests only, but the whole people ( ὁ λαὸς ), received their Law as grounded on it. On the same idea depends Hebrews 7:12 , where it is said that a change of the priesthood involves of necessity a change of the Law.

The verses next following serve to remove all doubt that there is a complete change of the priesthood; the proofs being, not only the patent fact that the Messiah is of the tribe, not of Levi, but of Judah ( Hebrews 7:13 , Hebrews 7:14 ), but also, for mere abundant evidence of the Divine purpose, that significant utterance, again adduced, about his being after the order, not of Aaron, but of Melchizedek ( Hebrews 7:15 , Hebrews 7:16 , Hebrews 7:17 ).