Hebrews 7:1-10 NKJV – “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 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. 4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6 but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8 Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.”
V1 “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him…” What does the writer say about Melchizedek? He is 1) King of Salem, 2) Priest of the Most High God, 3) met Abraham after his rescue of Lot and others, 4) received a tenth part, 5) without father, mother, genealogy, 6) no beginning or end, and 7) a priest continually. Salem is an abbreviation of Jerusalem. Priest of the one and only God = he serves Yahweh. His meeting with Abraham is recorded in Genesis 14. He received 10% of all that Abraham had recovered in the war. There are no records of his mother, father, or genealogy; thus, he has no recorded beginning or end. Some believe this is Shem, who would still have been alive and had relocated to Jerusalem or a Christophany of the Lord Jesus. As we will see, the Aaronic line of High Priests are just priests, but Jesus as an Melchizedekian priest is both king and priest. Thus, Jesus is superior. Melchizedek is greater in honor than Abraham, the ancestor of Israelis). Jesus is greater than Melchizedek.
V2 “…to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,”… The tithe of Mosaic Law is between 20-23% depending on the year. On the 3rd and 6th year the tithe was 23% and on the 7th year, it was 0%, because the land stayed fallow. See https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tithing/ But Abraham gave only 10% to Melchizedek. According to the plain, normal sense of Scripture, we understand that the interpretations of his name meant the “king of righteousness” and “king of peace.” Both are rather unusual titles for priests. Finis Dake (beware) has a list comparing the Lord Jesus with Melchizedek:
Dake Annotated Reference Bible Topics – Christ Better Than Melchizedek
Under Note – Heb 7:4
Christ Better Than Melchizedek
-
- Christ will be the future eternal king of Jerusalem (Ezek 43:7; 48:35; Zech. 14; Rev. 20); Melchizedek was the past temporary king (Heb 7:1).
-
- Christ is an eternal priest (Heb 6:20; Heb 7:17); Melchizedek was temporary (Heb 7:1).
-
- Christ is God (Heb 1:8; John 1:1-2; 1:14); Melchizedek was a man (Heb 7:4).
-
- Christ is the eternal King of Righteousness (Jer 23:6); Melchizedek was temporary (Heb 7:2).
-
- Christ is the eternal King of Peace (Isa 9:6); Melchizedek was temporary (Heb 7:2).
-
- Christ is an eternal being (Heb 1:8; John 1:1-2; Micah 5:2; Isa 9:6); Melchizedek was not (Heb 7:3; 7:6, notes).
-
- Christ as an eternal being has no father, mother, beginning of days, or end of life (Micah 5:2); Melchizedek had all these but they were not recorded (Heb 7:3; 7:6, notes).
-
- Christ was the antitype; Melchizedek the type of an eternal priesthood (Heb 6:20; Heb 7:17).
V3 “…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.” Nothing is recorded except what is in the Scriptures. This doesn’t mean he absolutely did not have any, but that it is not recorded.
V4 “Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.” Melchizedek is greater, superior, to Abraham and Aaron, for he is already a king and priest of the Most High God.
V5 “And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham…” Now showing the superiority of the Melchizedek priesthood, the writer compares the two. Abraham was living long before Aaron, whom God chose as High Priest. Only the Levitical priesthood receives the tithes.
V6 “…but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.” Long before the Levitical priesthood, Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek. In a sense even the Levitical priesthood paid tithes to Melchizedek.
V7 “Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better.” Since Melchizedek received the tithes from Abraham, Melchizedek was superior. Abraham was superior to Levi. The Levitical priesthood is less superior to Melchizedek and Abraham.
V8 “Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.” In the Mosaic Law mortal men (men who could die) receive tithes. But, Melchizedek has no recorded beginning, ending, or genealogy and is endless in that sense.
V9 “Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak…”
V10 “…for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.”