Gen.14, Ps.110, Heb.7
The name Melchizedek means king of righteousness consisting of two words, Melek-King , Zedek-Righteousness which are a interpretation of his name. This person was also known as the King of Salem meaning king of peace. Little is known about this person who suddenly appears on the scene in Abraham’s day. Abraham either recognized this priest as one who worshipped the most high God or heard of him from others, because he freely offered a tenth of his spoils from his battle, so it does seem to imply some previous contact and knowledge (Gen.14:18).
Abraham receives the meal and blessing from this priest after his victory in battle, perhaps as a validation to Abraham’s conquest and ownership of the region as promised by God, and this priest vanishes from any recorded history after his brief encounter recorded in Genesis. This is typology of the priest mediating the Passover giving a future reference to the Son who would also do this by his own body. (Mt. 26:26-28)
Melchizedek had no parents that are mentioned in Scripture. His position as priest did not depend on his parents or his genealogy (unlike the Levitical priests). His priesthood was a different kind, a different order. Similarly, Scripture says nothing about his birth or death (unlike the patriarchs, who are carefully chronicled). He did not create a dynasty of priests, each dying and passing the priesthood to a son.
We might say today that he came out of nowhere, and then disappeared. Nevertheless, he remains known as a priest even today. “He remains a priest forever … is declared to be living” (vv. 3, 8). (A similar thought may be in Luke 20:37-38—the patriarchs are among “the living.”) This mysterious Melchizedek is the prototype of Jesus Christ.
Psalm 110 predicted that the Lord would be a priest in the same way: not according to genealogy, but by special appointment. This order of priests was significant in several ways: 1) it was more important than the Levitical priesthood, 2) it implied that the Levitical priesthood was temporary and 3) the new order was permanent.
Now the author observes that “if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?” (Heb 7: 11). Jesus was appointed as priest not by a law that focused on genealogy, but because he lives forever at God’s right hand. From this fact alone, we can see that the Law of Moses is no longer in force.
These details and much more would be aptly considered and broadened in the Senior Pastor’s latest teaching of “The Priesthood of Melchizedek.”
