Hebrews 7:1-10 — Melchizedek the Priest
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So who is Melchizedek? He appears on the scene in Genesis 14 just after Abram’s military task force of 318 select commandos retrieve Lot and his family, then disappears from the text, only referred to in Psalm 110 and Hebrews. Melchizedek is a priest before there were priests and a king not involved in the battles of Genesis 14 who was apparently gracious to Abram. After the battle, Melchizedek, King of Salem “blessed Abram, saying, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered you enemies into your hand.'” (Genesis 14:19-20) Recall that this is just a few chapters after The Flood (though hundreds of years have passed), following the first recorded battle of kings and just the beginning of Abram’s legacy that began in Genesis 12.
It’s important to keep a perspective on this writing: the writer of Hebrews is building a case for Christ as the High Priest, he is drawing on history and knowledge common to the people of that day, focusing his microscope on details that give us a look into the past to understand more of our present.
Melchizedek is considered “as a prefiguration of Christ” (NIV Study Bible notes), one who is “without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever” (Hebrews 7:3). He does not come from the line of Levi (7:6) and is not bound by their numerous laws, indeed, he always existed as one who honors the Father. So Melchizedek was great in their history, but Jesus Christ is even better. We’ll pick this up tomorrow.