Hebrews 7:11

If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
If	Εἰ Ei	G1487	if · conditional particle
therefore	μὲν men	G3303	properly · particle
perfection	τελείωσις teleiōsis	G5050	(the act) completion · noun — nominative singular feminine
were	ἦν ēn	G2258	I (thou
by	διὰ dia	G1223	through (in very wide applications · preposition
Levitical	Λευιτικῆς Leuitikēs	G3020	Levitic · adjective — genitive singular feminine, a people name
priesthood	ἱερωσύνης hi'erōsunēs	G2420	sacredness · noun — genitive singular feminine
for	γὰρ gar	G1063	properly · conjunction
under	ἐπ᾽ ep᾽	G1909	properly · preposition
it	αὐτῆς autēs	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular feminine
people	λαὸς laos	G2992	a people (in general · noun — nominative singular masculine
law	νενομοθέτηται, nenomothetētai	G3549	to legislate · verb — perfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular
what	τίς tis	G5101	an interrogative pronoun · interrogative pronoun — nominative singular feminine
further	ἔτι eti	G2089	"yet · adverb
need	χρεία chreia	G5532	employment · noun — nominative singular feminine
that	ἀνίστασθαι anistasthai	G450	to stand up (literal or figurative · verb — present middle infinitive
another	ἕτερον heteron	G2087	(an- · adjective — accusative singular masculine
priest	ἱερέα hi'erea	G2409	a priest (literally or figuratively) · noun — accusative singular masculine
rise	ἀνίστημι anístēmi	G450	to stand up (literal or figurative
after	κατὰ kata	G2596	(prepositionally) down (in place or time) · preposition
order	τάξιν taxin	G5010	regular arrangement · noun — accusative singular feminine
Melchisedec	Μελχισέδεκ Melchisedek	G3198	Melchisedek (i.e. Malkitsedek) · noun — genitive singular masculine, a proper name
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
not	οὐ ou	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative
called	λέγεσθαι; legesthai	G3004	properly · verb — present passive infinitive
after	κατὰ kata	G2596	(prepositionally) down (in place or time) · preposition
order	τάξιν taxin	G5010	regular arrangement · noun — accusative singular feminine
Aaron	Ἀαρὼν Aarōn	G2	Aaron · noun — genitive singular masculine, a proper name

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Hebrews 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire…
Hebrews 7:17-19 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 5:6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Hebrews 7:21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art…
Hebrews 8:10-13 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Hebrews 7:11–end

Observe the necessity there was of raising up another priest, after the order of Melchisedec and not after the order of Aaron, by whom that perfection should come which could not come by the Levitical priesthood, which therefore must be changed, and the whole economy with it, Heb 7:11, Heb 7:12, etc. Here, I. It is asserted that perfection could not come by the Levitical priesthood and the law. They could not put those who came to them into the perfect enjoyment of the good things they pointed out to them; they could only show them the way. II. That therefore another priest must be raised up, after the order of Melchisedec, by whom, and his law of faith, perfection might come to all who obey…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Hebrews 7:11

perfection--absolute: "the bringing of man to his highest state, namely, that of salvation and sanctification." under it--The reading in the oldest manuscripts is, "Upon it (that is, on the ground of it as the basis, the priest having to administer the law, Mal 2:7 : it being presupposed) the people (Heb 9:19, 'all the people') have received the law (the Greek is perfect, not aorist tense; implying the people were still observing the law)." what further need-- (Heb 8:7). For God does nothing needless. another--rather as Greek, "that a different priest (one of a different order) should arise (anew, Heb 7:15). not be called--Greek, "not be said (to be) after the order of Aaron," that i…

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Adam Clarke on Hebrews 7:11

If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood - The word τελειωσις, as we have before seen, signifies the completing or finishing of any thing, so as to leave nothing imperfect, and nothing wanting. Applied here to the Levitical priesthood, it signifies the accomplishment of that for which a priesthood is established, viz.: giving the Deity an acceptable service, enlightening and instructing the people, pardoning all offenses, purging the conscience from guilt, purifying the soul and preparing it for heaven, and regulating the conduct of the people according to the precepts of the moral law. This perfection never came, and never could come, by the Levitical law; it was the shadow…

The Church Fathers

The mystery of the divine plan is worthy of admiration: as Christ the Lord, eternal king as he is, was styled our high priest, so the tribe of Judah, which was formerly kingly, attained the priesthood through the Lord.
— Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 7

"For under it the people have received the Law [or have been legislated for]." What is "under it"? Ordereth itself by it; through it does all things. You cannot say that it was given to others, "the people under it have received the law," that is, have used it, and did use it. You cannot say indeed that it was perfect, it did not govern the people; "they have been legislated for upon it," that is, they used it.
— John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 13

If the priesthood according to the law contained perfection, he is saying, on the grounds that through it everything according to the law was fulfilled, why is the giving of another one intended? Why on earth is the promise made to give it not according to the order of Aaron but according to the order of Melchizedek? Actually, all the law's requirements were fulfilled in the former one: it offered sacrifices, it gave purification from defilement, through it the commandments about festivals were fulfilled, the text says, "for under it the people received the law."After thus demonstrating the change of priesthood, he shows also the cessation of the law. The law was liked to the priesthood; so with priesthood coming to an end, the law also suffered the same fate.
— Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 7

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Law — A rule of action. (1.) The Law of Nature is the will of God as to human conduct, founded on the moral difference of things, and discoverable by natural light (Rom. 1:20; 2:14, 15). This law binds all…
Christ, The High Priest · Superior to Aaron and the Levitical priests — Superior to Aaron and the Levitical priests
High Priest, The · Inferior to Christ in: Being of the order of Aaron — Inferior to Christ in: Being of the order of Aaron
Melchizedek · A priest and type of Christ — A priest and type of Christ
Priest · .Melchize — .Melchize
Priests · Services of, ineffectual for removing sin — Services of, ineffectual for removing sin
Succession · Of priests, irregularity in — Of priests, irregularity in
Types Of Christ · Melchizedek — Melchizedek

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Hebrews 7:11

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Hebrews 7:11–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Hebrews 7:11

Adam Clarke on Hebrews 7:11

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Hebrews 7:11

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Hebrews 7:11–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Hebrews 7:11

Adam Clarke on Hebrews 7:11

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on Hebrews 7:11

John Calvin on Hebrews 7:11-14

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Hebrews 7:11-28