The King of Righteousness

1 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,

priest of the Most High God... The Torah itself (Genesis 14:18-20) speaks of this priest not as being one of many priests of the Most High God but as being the one priest of the Most High God. It is as if it were to say, he was the one priest of the one God. It is in this way that the title, Most High God, is not read as saying that there are many gods and there is one among them that is above the others, but rather is read to say, there is one who is the Most High God is the only true God. That there is one who is his priest says that this is the one who testifies to this truth, that the One who is the Most High God is alone God. It is as if written, God Most High, as in Psalm 57:2 (ESV).Gen. 14:18–20;

But is it not testified that Abraham was the first to teach such monotheism? This testimony about Abraham has not been fully clarified. It is not that Adam, Enoch, and Noah and others before Abraham did not know that God is one, or that they did not proclaim this. Being the first to proclaim this is not the uniqueness of Abraham. The uniqueness of Abraham is the testimony that God himself gave to Abraham whereby Abraham gave the testimony that God revealed himself to be the one and the only God, through the promise and the covenant assuring that promise which he gave to Abraham. Previously, there had been those who had faith in and testified before the world about their faith in the true God. But that was the testimony of people about God. Abraham also had such a testimony, but he also had something much greater. Abraham received and gave to the world God's testimony concerning himself.

Understanding this clearly is essential for understanding the relationship of Melekizedek to Abraham and the transaction that took place between them. And only when these things are clearly understood will the use made of these things by the writer of Hebrews in speaking about Yehoshua as the promised Jewish son, the son of David, be clearly and correctly understood.

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.

An Eternal Priesthood

11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?

12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.

13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.

14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest

16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.

17 For He testifies: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness,

19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there isthe bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

The Eternal Priest

20 And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath

21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn And will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’ ”),

22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.

23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.

24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.

25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives m to make intercession for them.

26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;

27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.