Pastor John:
Is this translated correctly? When we started reading Hebrews last night, you said that Melchizedek was the greatest Old Testament figure. But then, this scripture came to mind:
Matthew 11:11
Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist; notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Wendell
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Good question, Wendell. Others asked me that question last night. Yes, that verse is translated correctly.
The author of Hebrews never actually made the statement that I made; to wit, “Melchizedek was the greatest Old Testament figure.” So, your question is more directed at what I said than what he said.
The main point of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the greatest figure of all time. The author takes pains to compare Jesus to angels, to Moses, to Abraham, the Levitical priests, and finally, to Melchizedek. Even the men and women in Chapter 11 can be seen as a list of people who are not as great as the Son of God. As great as they all were, the Son of God is understood, by that point in the book, to be greater.
The author of Hebrews probably made the effort to point out the superiority of Melchizedek because of the way the Jews looked at Abraham. All of Israel in Jesus’ time would have considered Abraham, “the friend of God”, to be the father of their faith and of their nation, and being the father of the faith and nation, he was greater than anyone who was his descendant. The author of Hebrews uses that logic in 7:9-10. When he showed that Melchizedek was greater than father Abraham, many Jewish readers must have been stunned at the thought that anyone could be greater than Abraham. And so, if Melchizedek was greater than Abraham, Melchizedek must be the greatest Old Testament figure, according to the thinking of the Jews at that time and the logic of Hebrews. The author of Hebrews didn’t mention John the Baptist, and so, neither did I, and I believe that the statement I made accurately reflects what Hebrews teaches.
Now, if you asked the author of Hebrews about Matthew 11:11, he would probably say something like, “Well, yes, Jesus was right, of course, but my point was….” At least, that is what I will say, and leave it at that.
Thanks, Wendell.
Pastor John