13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
7:13
For He [the Messiah] of whom these things are spoken
David spoke of the new order of priesthood in Psalm 110:4.
belongs to another [different kind] tribe,
Jesus belonged to a different tribe (Judah) than Levitical priests. The law prescribed that all priests come from the tribe of Levi.
from which no man has officiated at the altar.
No one from the tribe of Judah has ever served as priest. Judah was the royal tribe from which kings came. Jesus became a King-Priest.
7:14
For it is evident [clear] that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
The tribe of Judah had no priests or any authority to operate in the Levitical priesthood (Mt 1:3; Lu 3:33). However, it was “evident,” or very clear, that Jesus the Messiah-King would come from the tribe of Judah.
PRINCIPLE:
The type of Christ could only predict but not fulfill what Christ did.
APPLICATION:
A type of Christ could never bring anyone to God (He 7:19); it was only an illustration of the One who could (He 10:1–2). Jesus did not merely picture one who would pay for our sin, He actually did it. His work on the cross pre-empted any need for further sacrifice. Sacrifices under the law were never intended to complete what Christ finished on Calvary. What the law could not do, Christ did (Ro 10:4). Those who trust Christ’s death now have free access to God.
