Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham. But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
gave a tenth - "By taking the role of the one who tithed and the one who received the blessing (v 1), Abraham, to whom God gave the promises, doubly acknowledged his inferiority to Melchizedek." (Ryrie)
"The writer now proceeds to show that Melchisedec was better than Abraham, in order that he might show that he was better than Levi, and thus better than Aaron. It follows therefore that if Melchisedec is superior to Aaron, his priesthood must be better than that of Aaron. Since that is the case, Messiah's priesthood, being in the order of the priesthood of Melchisedec, must be better. That makes Messiah better than Aaron and, therefore, the New Testament He instituted, better than the First Testament, which Aaron was instrumental in bringing in. And that is the argument of the Book of Hebrews, namely, that the New Testament in Jesus' blood is superior to and takes the place of the First Testament in animal blood." (Wuest)
"The words" they that are the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood" are in the Greek text "those out of the sons of Levi who receive the office of priest." There should not be a comma after Levi in the Authorized Version. The point is that not all the sons of Levi became priests, but only those who belonged to the family of Aaron. These were given a special injection to take tithes of their brethren, even though the latter, like the, were descended from a common ancestor, Abraham." (Wuest)
v 6 - "The proof that the Melchizedekan priesthood (and Christ's) is superior to the Aaronic, or Levitical, priesthood is that Levi's great-grandfather Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, and that Levi, though unborn, was involved (v 9)." (Ryrie)
"Since Levi had not yet been born of Abraham, and since the Levitical priesthood had not yet been instituted, these verses declare Melchisedec to be great than all of them. Since Christ was not a Levite and because of that would not have qualified to be a priest under a strict construction of the law, a better priesthood was provided Him in that of Melchisedec...Again, it is helpful to remember that Christianity is a faith in one God, not three gods, yet there are three manifestations of that one God. Anthropomorphism and theophanies number into the dozens in our Old Testament; and the suggestion here is that Melchisedec is one of them." (McLean)
In this case - refers to the Levitical priest.
in that case - refers to Melchizedek and his priesthood
he lives on - "Nowhere in the record is it said that Melchizedek lost his priestly office by death, in contrast to the Levitical priest who died generation after generation." (Ryrie)
in the loins - "the ancestor, is seen as containing within himself his descendant, Levi (cf. Adam and the human race, Rom 5:12)." (Ryrie)
"The argument of verses 1-11 is, that if Levi when in the loins of his fore-father Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec then was he inferior to him." (Williams)
gave a tenth - "By taking the role of the one who tithed and the one who received the blessing (v 1), Abraham, to whom God gave the promises, doubly acknowledged his inferiority to Melchizedek." (Ryrie)
"The writer now proceeds to show that Melchisedec was better than Abraham, in order that he might show that he was better than Levi, and thus better than Aaron. It follows therefore that if Melchisedec is superior to Aaron, his priesthood must be better than that of Aaron. Since that is the case, Messiah's priesthood, being in the order of the priesthood of Melchisedec, must be better. That makes Messiah better than Aaron and, therefore, the New Testament He instituted, better than the First Testament, which Aaron was instrumental in bringing in. And that is the argument of the Book of Hebrews, namely, that the New Testament in Jesus' blood is superior to and takes the place of the First Testament in animal blood." (Wuest)
"The words" they that are the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood" are in the Greek text "those out of the sons of Levi who receive the office of priest." There should not be a comma after Levi in the Authorized Version. The point is that not all the sons of Levi became priests, but only those who belonged to the family of Aaron. These were given a special injection to take tithes of their brethren, even though the latter, like the, were descended from a common ancestor, Abraham." (Wuest)
v 6 - "The proof that the Melchizedekan priesthood (and Christ's) is superior to the Aaronic, or Levitical, priesthood is that Levi's great-grandfather Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, and that Levi, though unborn, was involved (v 9)." (Ryrie)
"Since Levi had not yet been born of Abraham, and since the Levitical priesthood had not yet been instituted, these verses declare Melchisedec to be great than all of them. Since Christ was not a Levite and because of that would not have qualified to be a priest under a strict construction of the law, a better priesthood was provided Him in that of Melchisedec...Again, it is helpful to remember that Christianity is a faith in one God, not three gods, yet there are three manifestations of that one God. Anthropomorphism and theophanies number into the dozens in our Old Testament; and the suggestion here is that Melchisedec is one of them." (McLean)
In this case - refers to the Levitical priest.
in that case - refers to Melchizedek and his priesthood
he lives on - "Nowhere in the record is it said that Melchizedek lost his priestly office by death, in contrast to the Levitical priest who died generation after generation." (Ryrie)
in the loins - "the ancestor, is seen as containing within himself his descendant, Levi (cf. Adam and the human race, Rom 5:12)." (Ryrie)
"The argument of verses 1-11 is, that if Levi when in the loins of his fore-father Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec then was he inferior to him." (Williams)
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