A Comparison Beyond Competition

I don't know about you, but I really enjoy a good competition, and there's no better sport to bring that out in than baseball.

In baseball, more than any other team sport, you've got the spotlight on a 1-on-1 competition throughout the whole game. Whether it's the pitcher versus the batter, the base-runner versus the catcher, or even the manager versus the umpire, the 1-on-1 element is there throughout the sport.

Games and playoff series often come down to a single play involving a mono-y-mono showdown, and sometimes, even an entire season can be decided by such a play.

One such moment happened to my beloved Giants this May. The Orange and Black was in the midst of defending its World Series title, when 2010 NL Rookie of the Year Buster Posey went down for the season on a play at the plate that not only cost the team the game, but--in hindsight--effectively ended the season with four months left to play.

While other team sports may not feature the same type of in-game individuality, there's always constant debating about who's the best. Is it Kobe or LeBron? Magic or Michael? Favre or Montana? Rice or Ocho Cinco?

Alright, maybe that last one was a bit of a throw-away, but you get my point. Matchups are really fun.

That's probably why the book of Hebrews is always a good read. The basic premise of the book is that Jesus is supreme over everyone and everything, and the repetition of the book has all the complexity of a "My dad can whip your dad" argument.

But the simplicity of the argument form doesn't by any means reflect a lack of depth with the book, which is widely considered to be a sort of transcribed sermon from the early church.

In fact, the simplicity of the "my dad can whip your dad" outline only serves to frame some of the most clear and precious truths of the gospel.

Over and over again, the writer (or preacher) holds up something rightly regarded as worthy of honor and, in many cases, even worship, and over and over again, he holds said thing up to the light of who Jesus is, putting that thing in its proper perspective and Jesus into his--as the supreme Son who is indeed the final Word of God to the people of God.

The goal of this repeated comparison (in which there really is no contest) is to worship Jesus and cling solely to him whose throne is forever (1:8, cf Ps. 45).

• In chapter one, Jesus is superior to the angels as the unique Son of God, image of God, creator of all, holder together of all things, heir to all things and final purifier of the sins of his people. 

• Chapter two sees Jesus further compared to angels, as the one who has tasted death for his people and sanctified us, and is therefore not ashamed to call us brothers.

• Chapter three trumpets Jesus' superiority to Moses, the greatest of Old Testament figures, who nonetheless is counted as less honor than Christ even as a servant is counted of less honor than a Son.

• Chapters three and four contain a solemn call to enter into the rest provided by Jesus (the true and better Sabbath), and chapter four ends by beginning a larger argument that will last through the end of the book. 

It's toward the beginning of this broad argument that the writer/preacher brings up the name Melchizedek, who stands above all Old Testament figures as a mystery man among men.

Melchizedek had been introduced in Genesis 14, just after Abram had returned from whipping up on some kings. Melchizedek is introduced as the king of Salem (which means peace) and as the Priest of the Most High God.

As the writer/preacher of Hebrews points out at the beginning of chapter seven, Melchizedek had basically come out of nowhere to bless Abram and collect 10 percent of the spoils from war. No genealogy, no father or mother, "no beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues as priest forever."

And this Melchizedek, having mysteriously entered and exited the human scene, has only one true successor to his priesthood. Who might that be? You guessed it, Jesus.

Jesus, as eternal and unique Son and Image of the Invisible God--that is, as God himself, is the fulfillment of this mystery-shrouded Melchizedek character. And this priesthood--not the Levitical priesthood of the Old testament--has always been ultimate in God's plan.

The Levitical priesthood, even at its best, was always going to be temporary. It was a shadow, and this mysterious priesthood, began in Melchizedek and completed in Christ, has always been and always will be the substance.

And the writer/preacher will go on to explain that not only was Christ the true successor to the priesthood of mysterious Melchizedek, it was Christ himself who was the one-time sacrifice that would stand permanently for his people.

Alright, I know what you're thinking (if you're still reading). You're thinking, "So What?"

Good question, because as exciting as comparisons to the Old Testament and the Levitical priesthood may be, we need to come away from our time in the Word with something that applies to our everyday lives.

To frame it another way, "How does Jesus being the true and better Melchizedek motivate me to love my neighbors, or submit to my boss, or lead my family?"

Well, I'm not exactly sure it works that way. But I do know that we are to worship Jesus, and that will change everything--all of who we are and all of how we interact with the world.

As people who belong to Christ, we are in the process of being shaped into the image of Christ, and that only comes about by beholding Christ, as 2 Corinthians 3:18 makes clear. Beholding is becoming.

So, take a minute and let's behold five truths about Christ in this text:

• Jesus is our everlasting "in" to the inner place beyond the veil, and he can get us beyond the curtain with him. (6:19-20)

• The power of an indestructible life--not tribal lineage--is what makes Jesus the true successor of Melchizedek. (7:16)

• Jesus' replacement of the Levitical priesthood ushers in a "better hope, through which we draw near to God." (7:19)

• Jesus is the guarantor of a better covenant. (7:22)

• Jesus' eternal nature and present on-going prayer for those who draw near to God through him means that he's able to save them (us!) to the uttermost (i.e. completely). (7:25)

If all of this is true, if it's true that Jesus is--right now, even as we speak--interceding for us before the Father, having offered himself up for us once and for all, then we can trust him, worship him and obey him.

If he's the guarantor of a better covenant, then we Christians can have faith to boldly proclaim the gospel as ambassadors of the King and heralds of good news.

If he's a priest based on the fact that he has indestructible life (think resurrection), then we know that nothing can separate us from his love.

Yes, as impractical as it may sound, worshiping this "Incomparable Christ" will change all of who we are.