Hebrews 7:1-10: a reflection

1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, “king of righteousness”, and then also “king of Salem”, which means “king of peace”, 3without 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. 4Now consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth out of the best plunder. 5They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham, 6but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has accepted tithes from Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises. 7But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives. 9We can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes, 10for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him.

The writer of Hebrews reaches back to a mysterious figure, Melchizedek, who appears briefly in Genesis: a king of Salem and priest of God Most High, who blessed Abraham. His name means king of righteousness, and Salem means peace, so he is king of righteousness and king of peace. And Scripture records no genealogy for him, no beginning of days or end of life, so that he stands, the writer says, as one who remains a priest continually, made like the Son of God.

Notice why this matters. The whole point is that Melchizedek is a shadow, a foreshadowing, of Christ, our great High Priest. Unlike the Levitical priests, who served for a while and then died, one generation replacing another, Melchizedek pictures a priesthood that does not end. And Jesus is the reality: a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek, whose priesthood never lapses, never passes to a successor, never dies.

There is deep security in having a High Priest who lives forever. The priests of the old order could only serve until death; their intercession stopped when they died. But Christ, our priest, always lives to intercede for us; his work on your behalf never ends, never expires, never has to be handed off. King of righteousness and king of peace, he holds his priesthood permanently. Whatever you face, you have an eternal High Priest who will not cease to represent you before God. Rest in the permanence of the priest who lives forever.

Lord Jesus, you are our great High Priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek, king of righteousness and king of peace. Unlike priests who died, you always live to intercede for me; your work on my behalf never ends. Give me deep security in the permanence of your priesthood, and let me rest in the eternal priest who represents me before God.