33
Levitical order was imperfect, and that a change in the
priesthood was necessary (Heb. 7:9-11).
(4) This change necessitated the transfer of the Melchisedec
priesthood from earth to heaven:
`For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah' (Heb. 7:12-14).
`For if He were on earth, He should not be a priest' (Heb. 8:4).
As we have already remarked, these features may not have
been obvious to us, but to the apostle they were `without
contradiction'. He could, therefore, speak of the heavenly
calling and the heavenly priesthood without going beyond that
which was revealed in the Old Testament, even though these
things were not expressed in so many words by the Old
Testament writers. Those who would object to the apostle's
claim must, to be consistent, criticise also the statement of
Matthew 2:17,18 that the massacre of the innocents `fulfilled'
the prophecy of Jeremiah 31:15, and the further statement of
Matthew 2:23, `He shall be called a Nazarene' - for this actual
expression is not to be found in the Law and the Prophets. Who
would have dreamed that the language of Deuteronomy
30:12,13 could possibly have referred to the gospel, or to the
ascended Christ, and His death and burial? And yet the apostle
makes no apology for using the passage in this way. The same
argument applies to the statement that some will be living at the
Coming of the Lord and will not `prevent' those that sleep. Such
a statement does not go beyond the testimony of Moses and the
prophets.
If Paul had uttered one word that associated any believing Jew
or Gentile with the seated Christ at the right hand of God, in the
holiest of all, he would most certainly have gone beyond the