“For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.” (vv.1-3)
Here in our text, Jesus the high priest is likened to Melchizedek, whom we first meet in Genesis 14, when Abraham offered him tithes after defeating some foreign kings. Chapter 7 now mentions two very intriguing things about Melchizedek: first, he doesn’t have human genealogy, and second, he remains a priest forever.
While there is much debate about this mysterious figure’s identity and nature, I believe this Melchizedek to be in reality, what is called a Christophanies, an appearance of Jesus in the Old Testament, and in this case, to Abraham. Meaning, it was actually Jesus who came out to meet Abraham, who received tithes from him, and who blessed him. He also introduced himself as the priest El Elyown, the Most High God. It is also interesting that Melchizedek (Jesus) gave to Abraham bread and wine, the symbols of communion, the body and blood of our Lord (Genesis 14:18).
While we do not know much about this mysterious priest, his origin, his genealogy, his parents, what happened to him after he met with Abraham. What we do know is that this event was 400 years before Moses and the law. And that the writer refers to him as, “A priest forever.” Meaning coming from a higher order than that of Arron, who’s beginning was long before Arron existed, an order that continually abides, our great high priest, now and forever, Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!
The Truth: And he (Melchizedek) blessed Abram and said: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:19-20)
