Jesus: A Priest After the Order of Melchizedek

Fifty-four years ago, when Noël and I were in Germany studying, I was teaching a Sunday school class at the U.S. military base in Munich. I recall one Sunday, as we were working our way through Galatians, it was an unusually difficult text (perhaps the one where Hagar and Sarah are compared to two covenants). And a woman came up to me after class quite angry and said something like, “Why do you have to make everything so complicated? I think the Bible should be simple enough for a child to understand.”

I don’t remember what I said to her. But I hope I said, “I understand your frustration, but I’m just trying to understand the parts of the Bible that really are complicated. There are parts of the Bible that are like a peaceful shoreline where children can wade and splash, and there are parts of the Bible that are like the bottomless deeps where the giant Leviathan can sport.”

I don’t say this simply because I find it to be so. I say it because the Bible tells me it is so. The Bible says that it gives understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130). The Bible tells us to teach God’s word to our children (Deuteronomy 6:6–7). And the Bible tells us that there are things in it that are “hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16). And, amazingly, the Bible says that this text about Melchizedek is one of them.

Complex and Crucial

Turn back with me to Hebrews 5:9–12:

And being made perfect, he [Jesus] became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

About this [this order of Melchizedek] we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food.

If I were as smart as Jared Compton, I might’ve said to that lady in Germany, “There are a lot of things in the Bible that a second grader can understand. But there’s something wrong if you want to stay in the second grade for the rest of your life.” Second Peter 3:18 says, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

“The writer to the Hebrews is not dealing with Melchizedek because it’s intriguing. He’s trying to save our lives.”

So, how long does the author of Hebrews wait until his readers — or at least some of them — are out of second grade? He waits for two chapters. In chapter 7 we open the high school history textbook. So, welcome to graduation from the second grade. If you want to stay in second grade, you can just doze off now.

Before you do, let me remind you — remind all of us — that the writer of this book is not playing Bible trivia. He is trying to help you and me endure the greatest hardships to the end of our lives so that we don’t make shipwreck of our faith and destroy our souls. Listen to Hebrews 12:3–4:

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

No, but they’re close. Here’s Hebrews 10:32–34:

You endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.

It has come to that. And it might come to blood. He’s not dealing with Melchizedek because it’s intriguing. He couldn’t care less about spotting clever literary connections in the Old Testament. He’s trying to save our lives. So, I hope you won’t doze off. And I hope you won’t stay in the second grade. These 10 verses (Hebrews 7:1–10) are difficult, but if you’re willing, you will understand them. And you will be stronger for it: more durable, more stable.

Who Was Melchizedek?

Let’s get the Old Testament setting before us. The name Melchizedek occurs only two times in the entire Old Testament. The first is in Genesis 14.

Five kings formed an alliance and fought against Chedorlaomer and three other kings, five against four. The four kings defeated the five. Genesis 14:11–12 says,

[They] took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.

That was a mistake. Don’t mess with Abram. He lives under the blessing of God (Genesis 12:3)! Abram found out about his nephew and gathered his 318 picked men of war and divided them into two groups and snuck up on the four kings at night and defeated them (Genesis 14:14–15). Now starting at verse 16:

Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.

After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek [out of the blue, so to speak] king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him [Abram] and said,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
     Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
     who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:16–20)

Then, one thousand years later, like another lightning bolt out of the blue, there is one more mention of Melchizedek in the Old Testament. David mentions Melchizedek in Psalm 110, which is the most-quoted psalm in the New Testament because it so clearly predicts the Messiah. Jesus himself takes Psalm 110 to refer to himself as the Messiah in Matthew 22:44. In Psalm 110:4, David describes his Lord, the coming Messiah:

The Lord [Yahweh] has sworn
     and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
     after the order of Melchizedek.”

So, the writer of the book of Hebrews sees the reference to Melchizedek in Genesis 14 (where Abraham pays tithes to and is blessed by Melchizedek, who seems to come out of nowhere), and he sees the reference to Melchizedek in Psalm 110 (where the Messiah will be a priest forever in the priestly line of Melchizedek, who is one of a kind), and he ponders. Wouldn’t you? He ponders those two inspired references to Melchizedek under the guidance of God’s Spirit, and here’s the big picture of what he sees. We’ll get this big picture, then look at the details.

Melchizedek the Pointer

One of the main points of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus Christ is the final, decisive, great high priest who offered himself as the final, decisive sacrifice and thus brought sacrifices and priesthood to an end.

• Hebrews 9:26: “He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
• Hebrews 10:12: “When Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.”

The sacrifices are over. The priesthood is over. Jesus is alive forever, and he intercedes for us on the basis of what he did on the cross once for all. We trust him, we treasure him, all our sins are forgiven, and we have confident, happy access to God, the Creator of the universe, forever. What a great salvation!

But these are Hebrews. They are Jews. They have a great heritage. And some of them are saying, “Wait a minute. Jesus wasn’t even in the priestly line. He wasn’t from the tribe of Levi; he was from the tribe of Judah. He’s not qualified to be a priest. You Christians are just making this up and trying to foist it on our Jewish religion. Abraham had a son named Isaac. Isaac had a son named Jacob. Jacob had twelve sons, who became the twelve tribes of our great nation Israel. Four hundred years later, at Mount Sinai, God prescribed that priests would come only from the tribe of Levi. Aaron was the first high priest, and he was a Levite, and all the priests after him for a thousand years were sons of Aaron. It is a Christian fabrication to try to turn Jesus into the fulfillment of the Old Testament priesthood. It won’t work. You’re making it up. Jesus was not a descendant of Levi; he was not a son of Aaron. And all you Hebrew Christians should come back to the fold of Judaism.”

What is the answer that the writer of this letter gives to that objection? His answer is Melchizedek. If you ever wondered, “Why does he even bring this up, this Melchizedek?” this is why.

God planned that there would be this mysterious figure who would appear and disappear like a flash of lightning in Genesis 14, and he would be called the “priest of the Most High God” (Hebrews 7:1). So, there was a priest, two generations before Levi existed. Then God inspired David, one thousand years later, to say in Psalm 110:4 that the Messiah — the Jewish Messiah — would be a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, not the order of Levi or Aaron. In other words, no! No! We Christians are not making this up. Your own Bible says that when the Messiah comes, he would be not of the order of Levi, but of the order of Melchizedek.

That’s why the writer to the Hebrews takes an entire chapter (Hebrews 7) to deal with this strange figure mentioned only twice in the Old Testament. Melchizedek is the Old Testament, Jewish justification for treating the priesthood of Jesus as unique and final — so amazing as to set the church singing for two thousand years.

Melchizedek’s Portrait

Now we’re ready to look at some of the details. There are at least ten aspects of Melchizedek’s portrait in Hebrews 7:1–10 that point to the greatness of Jesus. (See verse 4: “See how great this man [Melchizedek] was!”)

First, verse 1, he is a king. “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem . . .” Verse 2: “He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness.” No Old Testament king was a priest, and no priest was a king. But here in Melchizedek, king and priest are in one person. So it was with Jesus. The Jewish kingship culminates in Jesus. The Jewish priesthood culminates in Jesus. The word of God culminates in Jesus.

“Jesus is alive forever, and he intercedes for us on the basis of what he did on the cross once for all.”

Second, he is a peacemaker. Still in verse 1, Melchizedek was “king of Salem,” which in the last part of verse 2 means king of peace: “He is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.” That’s what king-priests do: They use their authority to make peace between man and God. We are sinful. God is holy. We need a go-between, an intercessor. We need a priest to reconcile us, to make peace. That’s what Jesus did, “making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20).

Third, still in Hebrews 7:1, Melchizedek is “priest of the Most High God.” And Abraham knew that this was the true God, Yahweh, the God of Israel (Genesis 14:22). He is not some random, pagan, idolatrous priest present in almost every religion. He is a true priest of the one and true God. How can that be outside the elect line of Israel? Where in the world did he come from? We have no idea. And that’s the point. The order of Melchizedek had no other members in it. He just appears and points and disappears.

Fourth, still in verse 1, Melchizedek “met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him.” And in verse 7 the writer says, “It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.” So, Melchizedek is superior to Abraham. The second half of verse 6 makes it even stronger: “[Melchizedek] blessed him who had the promises.” The entire plan of redemption is deposited by promises in Abraham. And here’s this outsider who, because of his priesthood and his kingship, is superior to Abraham. The picture of Jesus gets clearer.

Fifth, verse 2, “And to [Melchizedek] Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything.” Abraham tithed to Melchizedek. Almost all of verses 4–10 deal with this remarkable fact.

Melchizedek’s Tribute

Hebrews 7:5 reminds us that the Mosaic commandment gives Levites the right to collect tithes from other descendants of Abraham. “Those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham.” But verse 6 points out that “this man [Melchizedek] who does not have his descent from them [from Levites] received tithes from Abraham.” So, what right does a non-Levite have to receive tithes from the father of Israel? He’s a portrait. He’s a pointer.

Then in verses 8–10 the writer draws out two more touches of this tithing picture. First, in verse 8 he says, “In the one case [the case of the Levites receiving tithes] tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case [the case of Melchizedek receiving tithes, tithes are received], by one of whom it is testified that he lives.” In the middle of verse 3, which we will look at in just a minute, it says, “[Melchizedek] having neither beginning of days nor end of life.” He’s not saying that the historical Melchizedek was the eternal Son of God. The very next phrase in verse 3 says “resembling the Son of God.” So, no “end of life” means Melchizedek’s life resembles eternal life. The Levites are mortal. And Melchizedek is a picture of the immortal: the ever-living priest, Jesus Christ.

Then, for the second touch of this tithing picture, in verses 9–10 he starts with the words, “One might even say” — like our phrase, “so to speak.” In other words, don’t take me literally; this is a picture. “One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.” Abraham would pass his seed to Isaac. Isaac would pass his seed to Jacob. Jacob would pass his seed to Levi. And four hundred years later the tribe of Levi would be made the priests of Israel and start receiving tithes. That seed of Levi was in Abraham when he paid tithes to Melchizedek. So, “one might even say” Levi, the authorized tithe-receiver, paid tithes to Melchizedek — so to speak. It’s a picture, a pointer. Melchizedek, the portrait of Jesus, was worthy of tribute from the father of Israel and the priests of Israel.

Melchizedek’s Likeness

We have seen five of the ten aspects of Melchizedek’s portrait. He is a king. He is a peacemaker. He is a priest of the Most High God. He is a blessing-giver. And he is a tithe-receiver. The last five aspects of his portrait can be mentioned briefly from Hebrews 7:2–3.

Sixth, he is righteous. The middle of verse 2: “He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness.” Melchi — king of. Zedek — righteousness. This is why Jesus can make peace between the all-righteous God and us sinners.

Then verse 3 contains the seventh, eighth, and ninth aspects of Melchizedek’s portrait: no beginning, no ending, and resembling the Son of God. The point, as we saw already, is not that he is eternal or that he is the Son of God. The point is this: He’s a picture, a portrait, a resemblance. There’s no narrative of an origin; no narrative of an end. So, he resembles the Son of God. He resembles Jesus, who really does have his own priesthood “by the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16). Melchizedek was like the Son of God. Jesus is the Son of God.

And therefore, finally, the tenth aspect of Melchizedek’s portrait (verse 3, at the end), “He continues a priest forever.” That is, he portrays and points to the one who lives forever, the one of whom David said, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4).

True King of True Peace

The sum of the matter is this. To those who say Jesus has no right to claim to be the consummation of the Old Testament priesthood because he’s not from the tribe of Levi, he’s not in the right priestly order, the answer is this: No, the Old Testament itself — the Jewish Bible, in Genesis 14 and Psalm 110 — has given us a portrait and a pointer to Jesus.

There is one coming who has no beginning and will have no ending. He will be the Son of God. He will be an utterly unique priest. He will be unimpeachably righteous, without sin. He will make peace between God and man for all who trust him. He will be an all-governing King, receiving tribute from the great and giving blessing to the humble. And he will do this for his people forever and ever.