This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest
of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and
blessed him, and
Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king
of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy,
without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains
a priest forever. Hebrews 7:1-3
In
Genesis 14, Abraham defeated a number of kings and their nations who kidnapped
his nephew Lot. A mysterious priest met
Abraham named Melchizedek (translated “king of righteousness”), the king of
Salem (which is the word “shalom” or “peace”), a city later known as Jerusalem.
Abraham
gave him a tenth of what he received from his battles and Melchizedek gave
Abraham bread and wine.
Melchizedek
was introduced with no genealogy, no beginning or end. We don’t know where he came from.
Jesus
is our ultimate high priest, who sacrificed himself in Jerusalem for the
forgiveness of all our sins. He served
his disciples communion (bread and wine) and is worthy of our tithes (a tenth
of our income). While Jesus has an
earthly genealogy, as God he has no beginning or end. He’s eternal.
Jesus
is our righteousness, making us right with God and bringing us peace with God.
All
these parallels between Jesus and Melchizedek are curious and amazing, making
one wonder who was that Melchizedek who showed up to Abraham in Genesis 14? Was it Jesus himself?