The Hebrew writer establishes Christ as High Priest by using a Type/Antitype analogy. Remember, this writer is inspired of God. The man Melchizedek is revealed in scripture precisely to establish God’s intent in raising Jesus up as our great high priest!
The text he uses is the only text where Melchizedek in mentioned in the Old Testament, Genesis 14:18-20. After Abraham’s battle to rescue his nephew Lot who had been taken during a battle between 9 different kings in the valley of Siddim, Melchizedek met him.
Melchizedek (“king of righteousness”) was both a king (of Salem, the ancient name of Jerusalem), and a “priest of the Most High God.” When he and Abraham met, Abraham gave tithes to the king/priest, and the king/priest blessed Abraham.
Note: We know nothing more about Melchizedek. As the writer notes, he was “without father, without mother, without geneaology.” Like the Son of God, he “remains a priest continually.” More on this next week.
