Series: Characters

I. MELCHIZEDEK – THE MAN

A. His family and name.

1. His name means “justice” or “righteousness.” a. His name actually means “king of righteousness” (Heb. 7:1-2). b. “Salem” means “peace.” c. He is called “king of righteousness and peace.” 2. He has no recorded family background (Heb. 7:3). This however, does not mean he did not have parents. 3. Interesting to note – the Arabic Catena gives this genealogy for him. a. The son of Heraclim, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber. b. Mother's name was Salathiel, the daughter of Gomer, the son of Japheth, the son of .

B. Common explanations.

1. The Jewish Orthodox writers feel that he is Shem, the son of Noah. a. Problem – Shem‟s lineage is well known. b. Problem – How did Shem get to Canaan? 1) Shem‟s land was in Mesopotamia. 2) Ham‟s land was Canaan. 3) Why would Shem be that far away from his own land? c. Problem – Why was his name changed? 2. Others feel that he is a christophany (preincarnate appearance of Christ). a. Problem – Hebrews 7:3, “...but made like unto the Son of God.” b. Problem – Hebrews 7:3, 15 tells us “that Christ‟s priesthood is „after the similitude of Melchizedek,‟ which could not be said if Melchizedek were Christ Himself.”1 3. The most common opinion is that he was a Canaanitish prince, a king of Salem, which is early .

II. MELCHIZEDEK – THE MESSAGE

A. He is a type or shadow of Christ (Hebrews 7:1-10).

1 Arthur Pink, Arthur Pink Collection: AGES Library, LLC (Rio, WI: USA) p. 163.

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1. In his name (v. 1). a. As already mentioned, he is from Salem and is the “king of peace” and is the “Prince of Peace.” b. His name means “king of righteousness” and Christ is certainly God‟s Righteous King. 2. In his history (v. 3). a. He has no mention of a father and mother. Christ as man had no earthly father, and as God no mother. b. He was without descent, no beginning nor ending. This means he had no recorded genealogy. Not recording his genealogy makes him a better fit of Christ. Also, Melchizedek‟s priesthood did not descend from another nor did he pass the priesthood on to a descendent of his. His priesthood came directly from God, the same as Christ. “He was made like unto the Son of God; [and] abideth a priest continually.” c. He bore the image of God in his piety and authority. d. He is recorded as a priest immortal, as the ancient type of Christ who is the eternal and only begotten of the Father and remains our Great High Priest forever. 3. In his actions (v. 4). a. As king, Melchizedek gave bread and wine (Gen. 14:18) to refresh Quest. 3. Christ gave bread and wine at the last supper to show His death. Did not Christ promise to take care of our needs (Mat. 6:33). b. As priest, he received a tithe from Abraham. 1) The fact that Abraham tithed shows that the tithe was established well before the OT law. 2) Abraham gave a tenth of all the spoils for several reasons. The GK word for “spoils” means “top of the heap.” After a battle, the Greeks would throw the spoils in a pile and before distributing them they would take a portion of the top to give to their gods. Likewise, the harvest would be placed in a pile and before any distribution was made, a top portion would be taken to give as a thank offering to God. The word then became known as the “first-fruits.” Matthew Henry states that Abraham gave a tithe... c. “As an expression of his gratitude for what Melchizedek had done for him d. As a testimony of his homage and subjection to him as a king. e. As an offering vowed and dedicated to God, to be presented by his priest.

So are we obliged to make all possible returns of love and gratitude to the Lord Jesus for all the rich and royal favors we receive from him, to pay our homage and subjection to him as our King, and to put all our offerings into his hands, to be presented by him to the Father in the incense of his own sacrifice.”2

2 Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary; Vol. VI(McLean, VA: McDonald Publishing Company) p. 917.

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B. His priesthood is above that of and the Levites.

1. Through Abraham, the great patriarch of the Jewish people, and the entire Levitical priesthood came from Abraham, and received tithes. Yet they paid tithes to Melchizedek and his priesthood as a descendent of Abraham (vv. 9-10). 2. Abraham received the covenant and his descendent received the law. Abraham was the receiver, not the bestower of the blessing, thus Melchizedek is his better (vv. 4-10). Yet, Melchizedek was made in the likeness of Christ. He was completed in Christ, therefore, Christ is his better.

C. The priesthood of Aaron and the Levites is inferior to Christ’s priesthood (7:11-28).

1. Christ is better because the Levitical priesthood could not produce perfection. If it could, why would there be need of another? (v. 11). a. The passing of the priesthood required the removal of the Mosaic law, the two are linked together because Moses and Aaron were chosen by God before the law was given. b. The law was given to provide the procedures and ordinances for the functioning of the priesthood. So when the priesthood was abolished, so then was the law (v. 12). c. The law however was not destroyed, only removed from the life of the believer because it cannot save nor sanctify. The unsaved person is still under its conviction. (1 Timothy 1:8-10) “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;” 2. Christ‟s priesthood is superior because it provides a better hope and is unchangeable. Our salvation is complete in His one-time sacrifice. His priesthood never changes, as the Levitical priesthood did, He is “the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Because of that our salvation never ends nor is it unchanging. (John 10:28-30) “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.”

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