The Role of Melchizedek
Who is Melchizedek, whom Abraham honored with his tithes? Is he God, or is he Jesus in the Old Testament? Many have questioned the origin of this individual because the writer of Hebrews states as follows:
"There is no record of his father or mother or any of his ancestors—no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling the Son of God." Hebrews 7:3 NLT
Because of these descriptions, we assume that he is divine. Yet, when you read the Scriptures carefully, you will notice that Abraham did not worship this individual as he did at other times, such as during the divine visit in Genesis 18, when three individuals—two angels and the Lord—came to him. Why? Here, Abraham bows low to the ground. Usually, when a man bows to an angel in Scripture, the angel immediately rebukes him.
And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, {Genesis 18:2 KJV}
By listing Melchizedek as someone without a record, the author points readers directly to Jesus' priesthood in eternity, because that role originates from a nonhuman lineage leading to an indestructible existence. Furthermore, the author of Hebrews rewrites Psalm 110:4 ("The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek'") as a foundational Messianic prophecy. David wrote this psalm centuries after the Mosaic Law, and the author of Hebrews uses it to show that God always intended to establish a superior, permanent priesthood, which His Son, Jesus, fulfilled.
When Abraham meets Melchizedek, the transaction resembles that between a priest and a parishioner rather than between a divine being and a human. For this conclusion, the writer of Hebrews focuses on this transaction:
{4} Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. {5} And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
{Hebrews 7:4-5 KJV}
Melchizedek's significance lies in his role as an Old Testament prototype that foreshadows the superiority of Jesus' priesthood over the temporary Levitical priesthood. Why! Melchizedek's duties include being King of Salem and a Priest of God Most High. Earlier, the law separated the offices of King and priest because kings came from the tribe of Judah, while priests came from the tribe of Levi. Therefore, Melchizedek embodied both High Priest and King centuries before the Mosaic Law existed, showing that Melchizedek foreshadows a prototype of Jesus, who becomes both our High Priest and our King. God set His plan in motion when He chose Abraham as a catalyst to redeem humanity.
In Genesis 14, Melchizedek met Abraham, brought out bread and wine, blessed him, and received a tithe (a tenth of all spoils) from Abraham. On the principle that the greater person blesses the lesser, Melchizedek's blessing of Abraham demonstrates his higher spiritual authority over the patriarch. For this reason, the author of Hebrews argues that Levi symbolically paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham, showing that Melchizedek's priesthood ranks above the Levitical order. In Hebrews 7, Psalm 110:4 ("The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek'") serves as a foundational Messianic prophecy. David wrote this psalm centuries after the Mosaic Law, and the author of Hebrews uses it to prove that God always intended to establish a superior, permanent priesthood through Jesus.
How does knowing the rationale about Melchizedek relate to believers today? Remember, the Levitical high priests were ordinary, imperfect men. They suffered from human weakness and eventually died. Historians estimate that between Aaron and the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in AD 70, over 80 different high priests had to replace one another because death continually interrupted their ministry. The endless line of dying priests in the earthly sanctuary meant that atonement was always ongoing, always fragile, and always waiting for the next successor to assume the mantle. But under the order of Melchizedek, the Savior steps into the heavenly Holy of Holies as both the sovereign King who reigns and the eternal High Priest who remains. For this reason, humanity needed a permanent solution, and that solution is a prototype of Melchizedek in Jesus, the God-Man.
