Melchizedek appears once in Genesis: a priest-king of Salem who brings bread and wine to Abraham, blesses him, and receives a tenth of everything. He vanishes for a thousand years until Psalm 110 swears that the coming king will be a priest forever in his order, and Hebrews shows that this is the priesthood Jesus holds.
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
1
He is a priest-king, and his names preach
Melchizedek is king of Salem and priest of God Most High, and he arrives with bread and wine to bless Abram. Hebrews unpacks the names: first, king of righteousness, and then king of Salem, which is king of peace. Before Israel had a priesthood at all, a Gentile king was already serving the true God under both titles the Messiah would later bear.
Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth:And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace;For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
He appears without genealogy, and the silence is doing work
Hebrews says he is without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, and so he remains a priest continually. Scripture gives him no family line, no birth, and no death. The silence is the point: he is a pattern of a priesthood that does not begin or end with a body in a grave.
without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God), remains a priest continually.Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Abraham bowed to him, and Levi was still in Abraham
The lesser is blessed by the greater, and the one who receives the tithe stands above the one who pays it. Hebrews presses further: Levi, the ancestor of every Israelite priest, was still in the body of his father when Melchizedek met Abraham, so in a sense Levi paid tithes to him. The whole Levitical system therefore acknowledged a priesthood older and higher than itself.
He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
We can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes, for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him.And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
If perfection had come through the Levitical priesthood, Hebrews argues, why would God promise another priest in another order? The change of priesthood forces a change of law, and Jesus becomes the guarantee of a better covenant. Because He lives forever, 'he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him', since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Yahweh has sworn, and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Now if there were perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also in the law.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? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them.Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Yahweh has sworn, and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God), remains a priest continually.Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them.Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.