Comparing the Melchizedek and Levitical Priesthoods

Did you know that there are two priesthoods in the Bible? Maybe it's something that you sort of know, without having ever stopped to really consider what that means. It's time to make the distinction between Melchizedek and Levi, because not doing so is a huge hindrance to accurately understanding Scripture. And it's not just about getting a few verses right either; on a whole you are going to end up with incorrect beliefs if you don't learn to distinguish between these somewhat similar, but ultimately very different priesthoods. Distinctions matter in Scripture!

The Levitical Priesthood - Members of the tribe of Levi were commissioned as priests following the sin of the golden calf. These are the priests who sacrificed animals to cover the sins of the people of Israel. They did this in the wilderness, the Tent of Meeting, and later in the Temple or Beit Hamikdash. Much of Leviticus details instructions for this priesthood. Only men from Levi were permitted to serve as priests and be part of Temple services.

The Melchizedek Priesthood - This is the order that the Messiah is high priest of. Melchizedek is not mentioned by name a lot in Scripture, but the writer of Hebrews had "much to say" about this priesthood. In Psalm 110:4, YHWH is talking to the Messiah and says, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." This is actually the most quoted verse of the Old Testament in the New Testament, so we know it's important! The Melchizedek priesthood was in operation during the time of Abraham (Genesis 14:18). Since Melchizedek means 'King of Righteousness', we can see that Peter was imploring us to be part of the royal or King priesthood in 1 Peter 2:19.

Key Differences Between the Melchizedek and Levitical Priesthoods:

-Perfection is found in the Melchizedek priesthood, but not in the priesthood of Levi. (Hebrews 7:11)

-Scripture considers Melchizedek greater than Levi. (Hebrews 7:7)

-The Melchizedek priesthood needs only the blood of the Messiah, and does not require animal sacrifice. (Hebrews 10:11-12)

-The Messiah did not sin and therefore did not need to atone for himself, whereas priests of Levi would first have to sacrifice sin offerings for themselves, before they could do so for the people. (Hebrews 7:27)

-Melchizedek is forever but the Levitical priesthood was only for a time. (Hebrews 9:10)

-The Levitical priesthood system is a copy and shadow of the heavenly Melchizedek priesthood. (Hebrews 8:5)

-It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats (the operation of the Levitical priesthood) to take away sin, but the Messiah saves completely through his priesthood. (Hebrews 10:4, 7:25)

-Levitical sacrifices had to be offered up day by day, but the Messiah's offering of his blood under the Melchizedek priesthood was once and for all. (Hebrews 7:27)

It's important to note that many English translations of Scripture fail to make this distinction, and will often use the same terms for both. Many translations of New Testament passages use "law" when it is actually talking about the Levitical priesthood Temple system. Which has caused much confusion about the value of YHWH's instructions for our lives. Learning to discern what the author of Scripture actually means when you see words like priesthood, law, or even Torah is key to correctly understanding the word!

Four Distinctions We Need To Make To Understand Scripture

"Study to show yourself approved before YHWH, a workman that needs to not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - 2 Timothy 2:15

Rightly divide the word of truth. This little verse has enormous ramifications. If you can rightly divide that means you can also wrongly divide. And since you have to study that means most of Scripture isn't readily understood in a cursory reading. And if you don't divide Scripture correctly you have good reason to be ashamed.

These distinctions I'm sharing with you today are just that: distinctions. They are different from the way most read Scripture. If we don't make these distinctions we will be left with huge passages of Scripture that are baffling and contradictory. But we know that YHWH's word is true and when we learn to divide correctly we find more of the treasures he has concealed for us in his word (Proverbs 25:2).

Israel vs. Judah

While the twelve tribes were united through King Solomon they split into two separate kingdoms under the reign of his son Rehoboam in 1 Kings 12. Ephraim was the strongest of the ten northern tribes and had been given the birthright to the name of Israel (see Genesis 48 when Jacob/Israel blesses Joseph's sons), so the Northern Kingdom was called Israel and the southern tribes banned together under their strongest tribe, Judah.

The Kingdom of Israel strayed from YHWH having only evil rulers that led the people into idolatry. The Kingdom of Judah did somewhat better at serving YHWH. Both Kingdoms eventually were exiled as punishment form YHWH; Judah was captive 70 years in Babylon before returning. The House of Israel has still not been regathered, its people scattered amongst every nation on earth (Micah 5:8).

Hebrews 8:8 - The day comes, says the Master YHWH, when I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah.

Restoring the two Houses of Israel and Judah back into one is a foundational theme of Scripture, and something all believers should long and pray for. But if we don't make the distinction of the split it is impossible to see.

Book of the Covenant vs. Book of the Law
The Book of the Covenant contains the instructions on feast days, the Sabbath, clean eating, and other instructions on how to live, while the Book of the Law is mostly instructions for the sacrificial system under the Levitical priesthood. Most translations of the Bible lump these together under the word "law" creating much confusion.

Galatians 2:16 - We are declared righteous by faith in Messiah and not by works of the law.

This verse is stating that the Levitical sacrificial system is inferior to the Messiah's sacrifice and cannot make people righteous. It is not saying that we are not to honor YHWH's instructions in the Book of the Covenant for how we live. If we don't treat these books as different, we get Covenant and priesthood very mixed up with terrible consequences of sin against YHWH.

Melchizedek Priesthood vs. Levitical Priesthood
Under the Levitical system only Aaron's descendants were allowed to serve as priests. No special exception was made for our high priest Yahusha. Psalm 110 says that his priesthood is of the Melchizedek order. This is not a carbon copy of the Levitical system with a new high priest. While the Levites needed the blood of bulls and goats, the Melchizedek priesthood's sacrifice is the Messiah.

1 Peter 2:9 - You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a set apart nation.

Melchizedek means 'King of Righteousness' so when Peter penned, "a royal priesthood," he wrote "a Melchi priesthood." He was talking about the Melchizedek priesthood, which is not limited to the tribe of Levi. YHWH calls all believers to participate in the priesthood under Yahusha.

Unclean vs. In Sin
A major theme of the book of Leviticus is clean and unclean. These are the world's oldest instructions on hygiene. A house could become unclean if there was a certain type of mold in it. A woman on her period was considered unclean. Cooking pots were unclean if a forbidden animal fell in. Touch a dead body made a person unclean. But please note, it was not a sin to be in an unclean state!

Matthew 8:3 - Yahusha touched him and said, "I am willing; be clean." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

The Messiah became unclean to heal this man with leprosy, but that was not sin. Yahusha did not sin or bend the rules of the Torah to heal this man. While you certainly can choose to sin in an unclean state, being unclean doesn't make you to sin. YHWH was not creating worthless hoops to jump through, but giving instructions on healthy living for his people. The Messiah upheld Biblical law regarding cleanness (see Luke 17, when he sent the ten former lepers to be pronounced clean by the priest, as Scripture instructs), just as he upheld the rest of the Bible.

Learning the differences in these concepts will give you a much better understanding of Scripture. It really amazes me how much more sense the Bible makes as I learn more of these truths.

Related posts:

Commandments or Traditions - Understanding the New Testament
The Three Types of Law in Scripture
Comparing the Melchizedek and Levitical Priesthoods