Click here to be a part of the Live Stream and interact with us in the Chat during this Bible Study.  

Abram and Melchizedek

Genesis 14:19 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; :20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. 

In-depth study of Melchizedek (CEV)

Hebrews 7:2 Then Abraham gave him a tenth of everything he had. The meaning of the name Melchizedek is “King of Justice.” But since Salem means “peace,” he is also “King of Peace.”

Abraham gave a tenth part of the spoils of war to this mysterious king-priest. Again we must wait till verses 4, 6, 8–10 to learn the hidden meaning of Abraham’s tithe.

In the Scriptures, a man’s name stands for what he is. We learn about Melchizedek’s name and his title: his name means “king of righteousness” and his title (king of Salem) means “king of peace.”

It is not without meaning that righteousness is mentioned first, then peace. There cannot be peace unless first there is righteousness.

We see this clearly in the work of Christ. At the cross, “Mercy and truth … met together; righteousness and peace … kissed” (Ps. 85:10). Because the Savior met all the righteous demands of God against our sins, we can have peace with God.

Hebrews 7:3 We are not told that he had a father or mother or ancestors or beginning or end. He is like the Son of God and will be a priest forever. 

The puzzle concerning Melchizedek deepens when we read that he had neither father nor mother, neither genealogy, birth, nor death. If we divorce these statements from their context, we would have to conclude that he was a visitor from heaven or from another planet, or that he was a special creation of God But the key to understanding lies in taking these statements in their context. The subject is priesthood. The writer is distinguishing between the Melchizedekan priesthood and the Aaronic. In order to qualify for the Aaronic priesthood a man had to be born of the tribe of Levi and of the family of Aaron. Genealogy was all-important. Also, his qualification began at birth and ended at death.

Melchizedek’s priesthood was quite different. He did not inherit the priesthood by being born into a priestly family. God simply picked him out and designated him as a priest. As far as his priesthood was concerned, there is no record of his father or mother or genealogy. In his case, this was of no importance, and as far as the record is concerned, no mention is made of his birth or death; therefore his priesthood continues.

We should not conclude that Melchizedek had no parents, that he was never born, and that he never died. That is not the point. The thought is that as far as his priesthood was concerned, there is no record of these vital statistics because his ministry as priest was not dependent on them.

He was not the Son of God, as some have mistakenly thought, but was made like the Son of God in this respect, that his priesthood continued without interruption.

Now the author is going to demonstrate that Melchizedek’s priesthood is superior to Aaron’s. There are three arguments in the proof: the argument concerning the tithes and blessing; the argument concerning a change that has taken place, replacing the Aaronic priesthood; and the argument concerning the perpetuity of the Melchizedekan priesthood.

Hebrews 7:4 Notice how great Melchizedek is! Our famous ancestor Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had taken from his enemies. 

In verses 4–10 we have the first argument. It opens with an unusual interjection, asking the readers to consider the greatness of Melchizedek. Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils of battle. Since Abraham was one of the greatest stars in the Hebrew firmament, it follows that Melchizedek must have been a star of even greater magnitude.

Hebrews 7:5 The Law teaches that even Abraham’s descendants must give a tenth of what they possess. And they are to give this to their own relatives, who are the descendants of Levi and are priests. 

As far as the Levitical priests were concerned, they were authorized by the law to collect tithes from their fellow Hebrews. Both the priests and the people traced their descent from Abraham, the father of the faithful.

Hebrews 7:6 Although Melchizedek wasn’t a descendant of Levi, Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had. Then Melchizedek blessed Abraham, who had been given God’s promise. 

But when Melchizedek received tithes from Abraham, it was an unusual and unconventional transaction. Abraham, called to be the father of the nation from which Messiah would come, was paying deference to one who was not connected with the chosen people. Melchizedek’s priesthood leaped over racial barriers.

Another significant fact is that Melchizedek blessed Abraham. He said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth” (Gen. 14:19, 20).

Hebrews 7:7 Everyone agrees that a person who gives a blessing is greater than the one who receives the blessing. 

When one man blesses another man, it is understood that the superior blesses the inferior. This does not signify any personal or moral inferiority, of course, but simply an inferiority of position.

As we read these arguments based on the OT, we should try to picture the reactions of the Hebrew readers. They had always revered Abraham as one of their greatest national heroes, and rightly so. But now they learn that Abraham acknowledged a “non-Jewish” priest as his superior. Just think! This was in their Bible all the time and they had never noticed it.

Hebrews 7:8 Priests are given a tenth of what people earn. But all priests die, except Melchizedek, and the Scriptures teach that he is alive.

In the Aaronic priesthood tithes were received by men who were subject to death. There was a constant succession of priests, each one serving his own generation, then passing on. In Melchizedek’s case there is no mention of his having died. Therefore he can represent a priesthood which is unique in that it is perpetual.

Hebrews 7:9 Levi’s descendants are now the ones who receive a tenth from people. We could even say that when Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth, Levi also gave him a tenth.

In receiving tithes from Abraham, Melchizedek virtually received them from Levi. Since Levi was the head of the priestly tribe, it amounts to saying that the Aaronic priesthood paid tithes to Melchizedek and thus acknowledged the superiority of the latter.

Hebrews 7:10 This is because Levi was born later into the family of Abraham, who gave a tenth to Melchizedek.

By what chain of reckoning can it be said that Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek? Well, first of all, Abraham was actually the one who paid the tithes. He was the great-grandfather of Levi. Though Levi had not yet been born, he was in the loins of Abraham, that is, he was destined to be descended from the patriarch. Abraham really acted as a representative for all his posterity when he gave a tenth to Melchizedek. Therefore Levi, and the priesthood that sprang from him, took second place to Melchizedek and to his priesthood.

Hebrews 7:11 Even though the Law of Moses says that the priests must be descendants of Levi, those priests cannot make anyone perfect. So there needs to be a priest like Melchizedek, rather than one from the priestly family of Aaron.

In verses 11–20 we find the second argument that shows Melchizedek’s priesthood to be superior to Aaron’s. The argument is that there has been a change in the priesthood. The priesthood of Christ has set aside the Levitical priesthood. This would not have been necessary if the latter had achieved its purpose fully and finally.

The fact is that perfection was not attainable through the Levitical system. Sins were never put away and the worshipers never obtained rest of conscience. The priesthood that was set up under the Law of Moses was not the ultimate one.

The Lord’s Promise to Abram

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” 

The first verse is closely linked with the last part of chapter 14. Because the patriarch refused the rewards of the king of Sodom, Jehovah said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward,” thus making Abram both protected and fabulously wealthy.

Genesis 15:2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

Genesis 15:3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”

Genesis 15:4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”

Genesis 15:5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Romans 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? :2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. :3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Macdonald, Farstad  Grady Scott, Hindson, E. MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006).