Melchizedek The Great

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Opening Prayer

Eternal and Expansive One, open before me unimagined paths of truth and opportunity as I read Your Word.

Read Hebrews 7:1–10

^[1] 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, ^[2] 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.” ^[3] Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. ^[4] Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! ^[5] 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. ^[6] This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. ^[7] And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. ^[8] 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. ^[9] One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, ^[10] because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

Meditate

God desires that we should be hopeful, joyful, confident people, through faith rooted deep in Christ’s eternal priesthood.

Think Further

To appreciate Jesus fully, we must first consider the Old Testament priesthood. A priest functioned as an intermediary between sinful people and their holy God. Only the high priest, a Levite, was permitted to enter God’s presence. He had to bring with him unblemished animal sacrifices to atone for his own sins and the sins of the people he represented (Heb. 5:1–4). If the original Jewish readers of Hebrews were to accept Jesus (of the tribe of Judah) as their mediator, they must first be convinced that the Levitical order was not the only order of priesthood, nor even the best or most effective. The author does this by introducing Melchizedek, the founder of a superior order of priests (Heb. 5:6).

The argument in chapter 7 is based on the account of Melchizedek’s blessing Abraham and receiving tithes from him and, by extension, from Levi (Gen. 14:17–20). The conclusion is that one who blesses and receives tithes must necessarily be greater than one who is blessed and gives tithes. Further, Melchizedek’s name “king of righteousness” and title “king of Salem” (2) mean he was simultaneously both king and “priest of God Most High” (Gen. 14:18), a dual role which was not true of any Levitical priest. (Salem, meaning “peace,” was a Canaanite city, probably later renamed Jerusalem.)

So Melchizedek was undoubtedly a great priest-king (4). Nonetheless, verse 3 gives us a hint that even he is not to be regarded as the greatest-ever priest-king. The fact that there is no record of his birth, death or ancestry is taken to indicate that his chief role in Scripture is to be a living prophecy, a pointer to the perfect priest-king, the eternal Son of God. Jesus Christ is that perfect priest and perfect king of righteousness and peace. He offers to mediate and intercede with God for all who trust in him.

Apply

How does Jesus act as my Priest and King?

Closing prayer

I praise You, Lord Jesus, for You are my merciful and faithful high priest. I thank You for accomplishing my salvation.

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