V. 1 – He is going to tell these believers who Melchizedek was. Now this is really interesting because we only find him mentioned in three books in the Bible. Genesis, Psalms (110 -Messianic Psalm), and Hebrews. It isn’t really clear what 1st century believers would have thought of him. They certainly would know who he was, but he was not necessarily one of those figures who loomed large, unlike Moses or Abraham. It is very possible that Gentile believers would not have been very familiar with him at all.

Still, the author here is going to talk a lot about this man. So, what do we know about him? He is the king of Salem – literally meaning the king of peace and a priest. Some have said he was the king of Jerusalem. However, geographically, this Shechem might be more likely near Mt. Gerizim.

 

This is the first mention of a priest of the Most High God in all of Scripture. This is before the Aaronic line was established as the only authorized priesthood. Still, all the way back in Ps. 110, the promise was there that David’s son would be a priest after the order of Melchizedek which must have seemed incredibly strange at the time. Melchizedek was apparently called specifically by God for the purpose of service and advocacy. We aren’t really told about a sacrificial system that may or may not have been in place, but in the minimum sense, a priest was someone that was the intermediary between men and God and apparently Melchizedek filled that role.

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We find this account with Abraham in Genesis 14:17-24. Melchizedek brings our refreshment for Abraham and his men after they have returned from battle.

In v. 18 we are introduced to this character, he brought out bread and wine and pronounced a blessing. Now, Melchizedek wasn’t saying anything that Abraham didn’t already know. However, it is really interesting because this king, who was apparently a peer to the other kings who had been rescued, is pronouncing this blessing and praise. It wasn’t just Abraham, a guy who lived in a tent that was worshipping this Most High God – it was also a king.

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I have always thought that God putting this man in history is wild and not something that is expected, but as I prepared to teach this I thought about it some more. Consider – this was a Canaanite king. These were horribly wicked nations – and yet in one generation, this man is called the priest of the Most High God. The anomaly level here is off the charts when you think about him in historical and geographical context. Think about the evil of Sodom and what we know about the nations we find in in the next several books of the Bible. If this is not encouraging to know that the heart of the king is in God’s hand and that he appoints the leaders he wants I don’t know what is.

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Also, notice that he is the king of righteousness – the king of Salem. There was righteousness first, so there could be peace. This is a very Paul philosophy. He would always greet the churches or bid farewell with the prayer for grace and peace – never peace and grace. There had to be grace and righteousness before God's peace could be experienced.

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Too, the notion of a peaceful king at this time would have been quite strange. They were sometimes more like warring landlords than kings. Eventually, kings as we think of them traditionally emerged. However, they were often rulers of specific cities at this point unless it was a more advanced civilization (i.e., Egypt had a Pharoh that ruled over the entire country). Peace would not have necessarily considered a good attribute for a king, but this man embodied these characteristics that would have made him so incredibly strange in the culture in which he lived. 

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V. 3 – Now, clearly, he had a father and mother. From what we know, he was a real historical figure, not a Christophany. Some scholars have tried to argue that this is literally Jesus. However, every time he is mentioned in Scripture, it is that Jesus is like him or resembles him or is of the order of. There are plenty of opportunities where the author could have identified him as Christ and does not. I think we can confidently say Melchizedek was a real man. However, we do not have anything recorded about Melchizedek’s origin. We don’t know where he came from in the sense of his genealogy.  In that way, he is like Jesus because we have no record of his death or the termination of his priesthood. The other thing the author is doing here is establishing that both Melchizedek and Jesus' claim to priesthood is not based on genealogy. God appointed them as a priest – and that trumped everything else.

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V. 4-5 – He tithed – Many years later, God would institute the law that 10% of everything belonged to God (Lev. 27:30) and he authorized the Priests to collect offerings in multiple places (Deut. 14:22-29). Tithe literally means a tenth. This is the first time that a 10th is associated with giving. People definitely made offerings/sacrifices, but the specific principal that God would go on to codify, started here. Now this idea is great – when he says he gave of the spoils – this literally has the idea of from the top of the heap. This is of the best. We see this pictured in the sacrifice/giving of the first fruits later in the Old Testament. This is not just communicating that Abraham tithed, but it is establishing an order. If Melchizedek’s priesthood pre-dates Aaron, founded principles such as tithing, and was established by God’s calling – not just based on family origin, then he was superior and any priests that fell under his order would be superior.

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V. 6-7 – Other tribes were not running around collecting taxes. If Benjamin randomly decided they wanted to impose a tithe requirement, Dan (or you pick a tribe) would have revolted 😊 This was a role that God gave the priestly tribe. Often, in Scripture, if money needed to be raised or funds gathered, the Levites were responsible for gathering the money. They were supposed to be respected and trustworthy because they were the advocates of men to God. Yet Abraham tithed to Melchizedek – voluntarily. He established a precedent that would be followed for thousands of years.

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 The Blessing - This is just the notion that you have to be in a position to offer a blessing. Parents pray blessings over their children, pastors over parishioners, etc. Abraham had received a covenant from God and many promises. Eventually, all nations would be blessed through his descendants. However, he is blessed by Melchizedek first, establishing the order of superiority. This is part of why it is important to understand Melchizedek is the one blessing Abraham in Genesis – not the ungodly kings as some have said.

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V. 8 – So think about this, temporal men who are going to die collect specific percentages of temporal money to carry out God’s will in a world that will one day end. However, this priest established an order that will never die, that carries out the business of an eternal God and the offering was given not out of requirement or law – but from the heart. From what we know, Melchizedek did not need the money. He was a king, just as God does not need our money, but he does want our surrender in every aspect of our lives.

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V. 9-10 – So Levi himself did not receive tithes. We are talking about several hundred years down the road. However, the tribe became the priestly tribe and certain divisions of the tribe were qualified/charged with collecting tithes for God’s work and their sustenance.

 

v. 11-12 – Why was there a need for a new priesthood? Well, the most obvious is the prophecy was that Jesus would come from the line of Judah and they were not the priestly tribe. So, if Judah couldn’t be anointed a priest and Levi couldn’t be anointed King…then there had to be a third option. One that could be both a King and a Priest. Too, it is an argument that if Melchizedek is superior to Abraham, then his priesthood is better than the Levitical priesthood. If the old covenant and priesthood (that these people were wanting to go back to) had been sufficient then why would we need a new covenant? However, as the author is getting ready to argue, the Law and Levitical Priesthood were not sufficient, so we needed something else.

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The Levitical priesthood, tied to the Law. was insufficient to grant or produce righteousness. There had to be a new, superior priesthood to accompany the new and superior covenant of grace. Even in the Old Testament, Jeremiah promised a new heart, new law, new covenant. Israel had, theoretically, been waiting for what Jesus would bring. They missed him, they actually killed him. However, the law and priesthood were intertwined. They were established at the same time in Exodus 20-29 (even though Aaron was making a golden calf – ch.32). If one was going to be replaced the enforcers/facilitators would also need to be changed.

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V. 13-14 – We also see a picture of this in Zechariah 6:9-15. Notice that it says, there shall be a priest on his throne – whose throne? The Branch – the one who will not only being a king. Notice it is not the throne of Levi – rather one who is a priest will sit on the Lord’s throne. They all knew the prophecies. David was the only one who was promised an eternal throne with an eternal heir – there had to be someone along the way who would be anointed as a priest from the tribe of Judah, and that had never happened. Severe judgment always followed for those who tried to serve at the altar and sit on the throne simultaneously. However, Jesus serves as both because it is not tied to his genealogy, it is tied to his appointment by God to serve in a specific role – as an advocate, as a mediator, and as the one who both offered the sacrifice and was the sacrifice.

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I do want to just highlight one other thing here that is really neat – the word, "descended" can mean literally his genealogy comes from Judah. However, it can also mean that he rose – like the sun or that he sprung up like a plant sprouts from the ground. This picture of the Branch that would come from David (Judah) is echoed here.

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V. 15-17 – He isn’t going to claim the priesthood by tracing his genealogy. After all, he is a king by birthright. However, he is going to claim the priesthood because he is the only eternal one who can serve as the perfect advocate between God and man – he is the all-sufficient and only sufficient sacrifice. His work is complete, and no one can kill him. Indestructible life – what an amazing promise!

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V. 18-19 – When the superior covenant is offered and accepted – then the New Covenant takes over and is so much more superior to the Law. Now, the Bible tells us the Law had and has a purpose – absolutely! However, it could not save and it cannot perfect or sanctify. We have a better hope because we have a Savior that is alive who serves as our advocate to and with the Father.

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Jesus offers a better hope, a better priesthood, a better covenant. Why would they accept anything less? Why would we accept anything less?