WHY MENTION MELCHIZEDEK?

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?

For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a Priest not on the basis of a regulation as to His ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.

For it is declared:

“You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but He became a priest with an oath when God said to Him:

“The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’”

Because of this oath, Jesus has become the Guarantor of a better covenant.

Hebrews 7:1-22

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As we move to the seventh chapter of the letter to the Hebrews, we find a name front and center...and that name isn’t Jesus. Rather, it’s an Old Testament high priest, Melchizedek. We have seen his name also referenced in chapters five and six of this letter but why? Why the fixation on a high priest who is mentioned during the time of Abraham back in the Book of Genesis?

We find the answer in our scripture passage for today and you can go back to Genesis, chapter 14, to find the source information the writer draws from. Look again at the opening 22 verses of Hebrews 7:

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?

For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a Priest not on the basis of a regulation as to His ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.

For it is declared:

“You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but He became a priest with an oath when God said to Him:

“The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’”

Because of this oath, Jesus has become the Guarantor of a better covenant.

So why mention Melchizedek?

It’s important to start answering the question by remembering that establishing the supremacy of Jesus is a main theme in this letter. No matter what had come before Him, everything was subordinate to Him after He came to earth and was given authority over all things in Heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Keep this superiority in mind and how Jesus became the King of all kings.

We also find Jesus referred to as the ultimate High Priest in this letter as the writer uses an Old Testament religious concept to frame Jesus’ place as the chief Intercessor for all people who find salvation by placing their belief in Him, whether they are a Jew or not. Like the one high priest who held the privilege to enter the temple’s Holy of Holies to offer up a sacrifice to atone for the sins of himself and all the Israelite people, Jesus offered Himself up as the final sacrifice needed for the forgiveness of sins. From the time of His coming, anyone who placed their belief in Him was redeemed from the eternal judgment of God and guaranteed eternal life (John 3:16). Jesus became the supreme Justifier of all His followers.

With this, we know Jesus is the Supreme King and High Priest of all mankind. He has no equal or rival.

Now, back to Melchizedek.

Note that he too was a king, the ruler of Salem, and yet a high priest of the God Most High who served the Lord in this capacity well before Moses came along with his brother Aaron, who we know was established by the Law as a priest and all his descendants would follow in that role.

Jesus also wasn’t a descendant of Aaron or the tribe of Levi. He descended from the tribe of Judah and yet became the ultimate High Priest forever.  

Melchizedek was a great high priest, revered so highly by “the patriarch Abraham” that he received a tenth of everything, and yet he wasn’t perfect. Rather, he was a sinner just like everyone else was. This would mean that there could be no terminal atonement ever accomplished through him.

On the other hand, Jesus was perfect - the sinless, unblemished Lamb of God who freely gave Himself up to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). His almighty, eternal Priesthood wasn’t established by law but by an oath by God Himself, the Holy Father that Jesus was one with (John 10:30).

And so as David prophecies in the 110th Psalm, Jesus became a Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek because He was not only a Supreme Priest but a Supreme King as well, the Author and “Guarantor of a better covenant”.

When we read the scriptures, it would be easy to gloss right over the account of Melchizedek but as we find later in the Psalm and then in the New Testament letter to the Hebrews, this king and high priest who reigned and served in Old Testament times would be ever associated and connected to the Savior of the world, Jesus, who still reigns and rules over creation today while also serving as the great High Priest.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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