Hebrews 7:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

NIV: because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

NASB: for he was still in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met him.

CSB: for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

NLT: For although Levi wasn’t born yet, the seed from which he came was in Abraham’s body when Melchizedek collected the tithe from him.

KJV: For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

NKJV: for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

The author of Hebrews is attempting to show that the figure of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:14–24) is greater than even Abraham. This will fit into an upcoming argument that the priesthood order of Melchizedek is superior to that of the Levitical priests, which explains why Jesus Christ is the true, perfect means of our salvation. Verses 9 and 10 do this by hinting at a concept known as federal headship, where a people's ancestors are spoken of as their "head," or "leader," as if those who were born later were part of their ancestor. A classic example is that of Adam, used by Paul in the book of Romans: Adam sinned, and we were all "in" Adam at that time (Romans 5:12).

Here, the point is being made with a direct statement that it's a figure of speech. The prior verse used the Greek phrase hōs epos eipein, literally meaning "so to speak." Levi, like all of the priests who descended from him, was figuratively "still in the loins" of Abraham when Abraham honored Melchizedek with a tithe. In that sense, even the Levitical priests can be said to have offered a tithe to a greater figure. This summarizes the author's argument about Abraham and Melchizedek, setting up his next point about the priesthood held by Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 7:1–10 introduces the author's central argument about the superiority of Jesus Christ. Melchizedek, a figure from the story of Abraham in the Old Testament, is the main evidence used. In this segment, the author shows how Melchizedek was superior to Abraham, since Abraham paid him tithes. This has implications for the priesthood of Melchizedek, as well as the priesthood of the Old Testament. Next, the author will show how the priesthood of Jesus, symbolized by Melchizedek, is superior to that of the Levitical law.

When Abraham met with Melchizedek in the Old Testament, he honored him with tithes. This shows that Abraham recognized Melchizedek's superiority. Since the Old Covenant was flawed—based on limited priests and limited sacrifices—it is inferior to the priesthood of Melchizedek, which is unending. Jesus Christ fulfills God's promise to establish a priest ''forever'' in a way which perfectly meets our needs.

Chapters 5 and 6 detoured from the main theme in order to present a warning about faithlessness and apostasy. Chapter 7 returns to the topic of Melchizedek, who represents a mysterious but important moment in Old Testament history. Here, the author will show how Melchizedek was superior to Abraham, and that Melchizedek's priesthood is superior to the priesthood of Aaron. This leads into the next chapters, which show how Jesus Christ perfectly fulfills our salvation in ways which the Old Covenant cannot.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.