Melchizedek in the Bible

Meaning: king of justice

Exact Match

[Now] we have many things to say about Melchizedek, but because of your slowness to grasp things, they are hard to explain.

Verse ConceptsScripture, UnderstandingDullnessRefusing To HearBeing Without UnderstandingHard TasksWorking Hard And Not Being Lazyconnectedness

For certainly enough time has elapsed so that [by now] you ought to be teachers, [but instead] you are in need of having someone teach you again the basic principles of God's message. You have become people who need "milk" and not "solid food." [Note: The fundamental truths of Christianity are here figuratively spoken of as "milk," while the more advanced teaching, such as Christ's priesthood being like Melchizedek's, is called "solid food"].

Verse ConceptsNeedElementsChildishnessSpiritual VitalityTeachersTeachingSpiritual ImmaturityTeaching In The ChurchBeginning To TeachStaying Strong And Not Giving UpEating MeatMaturity

Abraham measured out one tenth of everything he had [taken in battle] and gave it to Melchizedek. (Now "Melchizedek" means, first of all, "King of Righteousness," and then [since he was] King of Salem, it also means "King of Peace").

Verse ConceptsAbraham, Characteristics OfInterpreting LanguageChrist Our RighteousnessTithing For PeopleMen Of PeaceTithes And Offering

with no father or mother, and no record of ancestry: having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made a type of the Son of God--this man Melchizedek remains a priest for ever.

Verse ConceptsJesus Christ, Eternity OfGenealogiesBeginningPreexistence Of ChristBeginning And EndChrist Like Peoplemomsa new beginningMothers And SonsDeath Of A MotherEnd Of Dayspriests

Consider, then the importance of this Melchizedek, to whom even the Patriarch Abraham himself gave a tithe of the choicest spoils.

Verse ConceptsAbraham, Characteristics OfPatriarchsGreat Individuals

But Melchizedek who does not share their ancestry collected a tithe from Abraham and blessed the one who possessed the promise.

Verse ConceptsGod's Promise To AbrahamTithing For PeoplePeople Who Blessed Others

Furthermore, here [in the Levitical priesthood] tithes are received by men who are subject to death; but in that case [concerning Melchizedek], they are received by one of whom it is testified that he lives on [perpetually].

Verse ConceptsHow Death Is InevitableChrist's LifeTithing For PeopleTithes And OfferingWitnessing

Thematic Bible







where Jesus, our forerunner, [already] entered on our behalf, having become a Head Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

And He says in another place [Psa. 110:4], "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." [Note: This is the first mention of this mysterious Old Testament priest who, throughout this book, is represented as a type of Christ].

[So], God declared Him to be a Head Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

For this Melchizedek was king of Salem [Note: This probably refers to Jerusalem], and a priest of the Most High God. He met Abraham returning [from battle] when he defeated the kings [See Gen. 14:1ff] and blessed him. Abraham measured out one tenth of everything he had [taken in battle] and gave it to Melchizedek. (Now "Melchizedek" means, first of all, "King of Righteousness," and then [since he was] King of Salem, it also means "King of Peace"). He was without a father, or mother or a list of ancestors [i.e., there was no record of his family tree] and no [record of his] birth or death. Like the Son of God, he [appeared to] remain a priest perpetually. read more.
Now consider how great this man was, to whom the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of what he had taken [in battle]. For indeed, the descendants of Levi, who are appointed to the priesthood, are commanded by the law of Moses to collect a tenth [of the income] of the Israelites, who are their brothers, even though these brothers are [also] descendants of Abraham. But Melchizedek, whose ancestry is not traced from the Levites, has collected a tenth [of the spoils] from Abraham, and blessed him who had received promises [from God]. Without question [then], the lesser [of these two persons] is blessed by the greater one. And in the one case, men here [on earth, that is, the Levites] who die, collect a tenth [from the rest of the Israelites], but there [i.e., in the case of Melchizedek] it is collected by someone about whom it is declared [by Scripture] that he continues to live. And, so to speak, Levi, who collected a tenth [from the Israelites], paid a tenth through Abraham, for when Melchizedek met him, he was still in Abraham's body [i.e., Levi had not yet been born as a descendant of Abraham]. So, if perfection [i.e., a right relationship with God] could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood, (for under it people had received the law of Moses), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, according to the order of Melchizedek, who was not considered "according to the order of Aaron"? For with the changing of the priesthood, it was necessary for a change to be made in the law also. For the Lord [See next verse], about whom these things are being said, belonged to another tribe, from which no one has [ever] been appointed to serve at the Altar. For it is quite evident that our Lord has descended from Judah, a tribe about which Moses said nothing concerning priests. And this is even clearer if another priest like Melchizedek arises, who was not appointed on the basis of human regulations governing one's physical ancestry, but on the strength of One whose life never ends. For it is declared [about Jesus in the Scriptures, Psa. 110:4], "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." For on one hand, the previous command [i.e., the law of Moses] was set aside because it was weak and useless, (since the law did not make anything [i.e., anyone] perfect), but on the other hand, there is the introduction of a better hope [which did bring perfection through Christ], by which we draw near to God. And this was not done without the taking of an oath [by God], (for [Levitical] priests were appointed without [God] taking [such] an oath, but Christ was appointed with an oath by God when He said to Him [Psa. 110:4], "The Lord made a vow and will not change His mind [when He said], 'You are a priest forever')."





where Jesus, our forerunner, [already] entered on our behalf, having become a Head Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.


And He says in another place [Psa. 110:4], "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." [Note: This is the first mention of this mysterious Old Testament priest who, throughout this book, is represented as a type of Christ].

For this Melchizedek was king of Salem [Note: This probably refers to Jerusalem], and a priest of the Most High God. He met Abraham returning [from battle] when he defeated the kings [See Gen. 14:1ff] and blessed him. Abraham measured out one tenth of everything he had [taken in battle] and gave it to Melchizedek. (Now "Melchizedek" means, first of all, "King of Righteousness," and then [since he was] King of Salem, it also means "King of Peace"). He was without a father, or mother or a list of ancestors [i.e., there was no record of his family tree] and no [record of his] birth or death. Like the Son of God, he [appeared to] remain a priest perpetually. read more.
Now consider how great this man was, to whom the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of what he had taken [in battle]. For indeed, the descendants of Levi, who are appointed to the priesthood, are commanded by the law of Moses to collect a tenth [of the income] of the Israelites, who are their brothers, even though these brothers are [also] descendants of Abraham. But Melchizedek, whose ancestry is not traced from the Levites, has collected a tenth [of the spoils] from Abraham, and blessed him who had received promises [from God]. Without question [then], the lesser [of these two persons] is blessed by the greater one. And in the one case, men here [on earth, that is, the Levites] who die, collect a tenth [from the rest of the Israelites], but there [i.e., in the case of Melchizedek] it is collected by someone about whom it is declared [by Scripture] that he continues to live. And, so to speak, Levi, who collected a tenth [from the Israelites], paid a tenth through Abraham, for when Melchizedek met him, he was still in Abraham's body [i.e., Levi had not yet been born as a descendant of Abraham]. So, if perfection [i.e., a right relationship with God] could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood, (for under it people had received the law of Moses), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, according to the order of Melchizedek, who was not considered "according to the order of Aaron"? For with the changing of the priesthood, it was necessary for a change to be made in the law also. For the Lord [See next verse], about whom these things are being said, belonged to another tribe, from which no one has [ever] been appointed to serve at the Altar. For it is quite evident that our Lord has descended from Judah, a tribe about which Moses said nothing concerning priests. And this is even clearer if another priest like Melchizedek arises, who was not appointed on the basis of human regulations governing one's physical ancestry, but on the strength of One whose life never ends. For it is declared [about Jesus in the Scriptures, Psa. 110:4], "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." For on one hand, the previous command [i.e., the law of Moses] was set aside because it was weak and useless, (since the law did not make anything [i.e., anyone] perfect), but on the other hand, there is the introduction of a better hope [which did bring perfection through Christ], by which we draw near to God. And this was not done without the taking of an oath [by God], (for [Levitical] priests were appointed without [God] taking [such] an oath, but Christ was appointed with an oath by God when He said to Him [Psa. 110:4], "The Lord made a vow and will not change His mind [when He said], 'You are a priest forever')."

[So], God declared Him to be a Head Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. [Now] we have many things to say about Melchizedek, but because of your slowness to grasp things, they are hard to explain.




For this Melchizedek was king of Salem [Note: This probably refers to Jerusalem], and a priest of the Most High God. He met Abraham returning [from battle] when he defeated the kings [See Gen. 14:1ff] and blessed him. Abraham measured out one tenth of everything he had [taken in battle] and gave it to Melchizedek. (Now "Melchizedek" means, first of all, "King of Righteousness," and then [since he was] King of Salem, it also means "King of Peace"). He was without a father, or mother or a list of ancestors [i.e., there was no record of his family tree] and no [record of his] birth or death. Like the Son of God, he [appeared to] remain a priest perpetually. read more.
Now consider how great this man was, to whom the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of what he had taken [in battle]. For indeed, the descendants of Levi, who are appointed to the priesthood, are commanded by the law of Moses to collect a tenth [of the income] of the Israelites, who are their brothers, even though these brothers are [also] descendants of Abraham. But Melchizedek, whose ancestry is not traced from the Levites, has collected a tenth [of the spoils] from Abraham, and blessed him who had received promises [from God]. Without question [then], the lesser [of these two persons] is blessed by the greater one. And in the one case, men here [on earth, that is, the Levites] who die, collect a tenth [from the rest of the Israelites], but there [i.e., in the case of Melchizedek] it is collected by someone about whom it is declared [by Scripture] that he continues to live. And, so to speak, Levi, who collected a tenth [from the Israelites], paid a tenth through Abraham, for when Melchizedek met him, he was still in Abraham's body [i.e., Levi had not yet been born as a descendant of Abraham]. So, if perfection [i.e., a right relationship with God] could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood, (for under it people had received the law of Moses), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, according to the order of Melchizedek, who was not considered "according to the order of Aaron"? For with the changing of the priesthood, it was necessary for a change to be made in the law also. For the Lord [See next verse], about whom these things are being said, belonged to another tribe, from which no one has [ever] been appointed to serve at the Altar. For it is quite evident that our Lord has descended from Judah, a tribe about which Moses said nothing concerning priests. And this is even clearer if another priest like Melchizedek arises, who was not appointed on the basis of human regulations governing one's physical ancestry, but on the strength of One whose life never ends. For it is declared [about Jesus in the Scriptures, Psa. 110:4], "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."



For this Melchizedek was king of Salem [Note: This probably refers to Jerusalem], and a priest of the Most High God. He met Abraham returning [from battle] when he defeated the kings [See Gen. 14:1ff] and blessed him. Abraham measured out one tenth of everything he had [taken in battle] and gave it to Melchizedek. (Now "Melchizedek" means, first of all, "King of Righteousness," and then [since he was] King of Salem, it also means "King of Peace"). He was without a father, or mother or a list of ancestors [i.e., there was no record of his family tree] and no [record of his] birth or death. Like the Son of God, he [appeared to] remain a priest perpetually. read more.
Now consider how great this man was, to whom the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of what he had taken [in battle]. For indeed, the descendants of Levi, who are appointed to the priesthood, are commanded by the law of Moses to collect a tenth [of the income] of the Israelites, who are their brothers, even though these brothers are [also] descendants of Abraham. But Melchizedek, whose ancestry is not traced from the Levites, has collected a tenth [of the spoils] from Abraham, and blessed him who had received promises [from God]. Without question [then], the lesser [of these two persons] is blessed by the greater one. And in the one case, men here [on earth, that is, the Levites] who die, collect a tenth [from the rest of the Israelites], but there [i.e., in the case of Melchizedek] it is collected by someone about whom it is declared [by Scripture] that he continues to live. And, so to speak, Levi, who collected a tenth [from the Israelites], paid a tenth through Abraham, for when Melchizedek met him, he was still in Abraham's body [i.e., Levi had not yet been born as a descendant of Abraham]. So, if perfection [i.e., a right relationship with God] could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood, (for under it people had received the law of Moses), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, according to the order of Melchizedek, who was not considered "according to the order of Aaron"? For with the changing of the priesthood, it was necessary for a change to be made in the law also. For the Lord [See next verse], about whom these things are being said, belonged to another tribe, from which no one has [ever] been appointed to serve at the Altar. For it is quite evident that our Lord has descended from Judah, a tribe about which Moses said nothing concerning priests. And this is even clearer if another priest like Melchizedek arises, who was not appointed on the basis of human regulations governing one's physical ancestry, but on the strength of One whose life never ends. For it is declared [about Jesus in the Scriptures, Psa. 110:4], "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."


References

Hastings

Easton

American

Fausets

Smith

Watsons