Hebrews 7:11 Meaning and Explanation
“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?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →If the Levitical priesthood could have brought perfection, there would have been no need for a different priest in the order of Melchizedek.
What Does Hebrews 7:11 Mean?
The writer now turns from Melchizedek's greatness to its meaning. The Levitical priesthood was bound up with the giving of the law; the two stood or fell together. Yet God Himself had spoken of another priest to come, after the order of Melchizedek, not of Aaron.
The very promise of a new priest is the proof that the old one could not finish the work. If the law and its priests had brought people to completion, no successor of a different order would have been needed. The longing for what the old system could not give was written into Scripture itself, a longing answered only in Christ, who brings to perfection what the law could begin but never complete.
Hebrews 7:11 in the Original Language
teleiosis (τελείωσις), 'perfection' -- bringing a thing to its appointed completion or goal.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hebrews 7:11
What does Hebrews 7:11 mean?
If the Levitical priesthood could have brought perfection, there would have been no need for a different priest in the order of Melchizedek.