Hebrews 7:1-3:

(1) For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, (2) to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. (3) Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he abides a priest perpetually.

In Love and Light, Brenda

-- Anonymous, January 26, 2001

Answers

In order to get the full meaning of this verse first we have to back to the book of Genisis where the meeting of Abram and the King of Salem first occured. In Gen 14:18-20 it says "And the king of Salem brought forth bread and wine and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed be Abram of the most high God the possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be the most high God which hath delivered enemies into thy hand and he gave him tithes of all"

Hebrews 5:5-6,8-10 Chapter 6:20 "So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest, but he that said unto him, thou art my son today have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. "Though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them obey him, Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisdec." "Whither the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisdec."

Back in the day when God told to get out of your fathers country, also that he is to be the "Father of Many Nations" (Abraham), we see that were many circumstances that came up in between hearing the promise to receiving the promise. Okay, without going into everything, we will focus on the central part to head us to Hebrews. In Gen 14:18-20 we read that the King of Salem (who was also the high priest Melchizdek) recieved all the tithes Abram gave him. Let me go off the point for a second, in the Word of God there are types and shadows of the coming Lord Jesus Christ. We see significant personalities of great Divine attributes, almost like theoistic personifications intervening in the lives of God's people. If we go ahead in Geninis where Jacob wrestled with a "man" (it didnt say it was an angel..we assume that it was an angel) after the wrestling this man of, #1 unknown orgin #2 and he blessed Jacob by giving him a name change (see I can preach on the name change alone) Well go further in other books of the Old Testiment, it was documented when any of God's children were in trouble, (not limiting to this) there will appear a Divine manifestation and they named him "Angel of the LORD" Also if we look in Daniel 3:25, we see that this type and shadow of a man that appeared in the firey furnance with the 3 Hebrew men (they were not "boys") "He answered and said lo I see four men loose,walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." We have always referenced that angels are also called "sons of God" and that Jesus (who appeared in the N.T.)is truly the Son of God (He is God)....okay we have establish this foundation that, couldn't Jesus interceede in the lives of God's people prior His advent of His existance? Though Jesus came through the birth canal of this world, isnt possible that, He came through these Divine personifications that is found in the O.T. to interceede for God's people, as He he is doing for us today as He sits on the right hand of God making intercession for us? In the begining, God. In the begining, Jesus. In the begining, the Holy Ghost. Need I say more??? Okay back to the subject. Now in Hebrews 6:20 it says, "Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizdec" Going back to Gen 14 when Abram met the King of Salem it says that King Salem brought forth bread and wine.....who also brought forth bread and wine in the New Testiment? Come on now!! You see the parallel? WHO is the only one who established to do this sacred act in "remembance of ME" Jesus is the only who has the authority to bring this type of order to the body. It also says in the verses you asked about..."Without father, without mother without desent having neither begining of days, nor end of life but made like unot the SON OF GOD, abibith a priest continually" WHO in the Word, has no begining or ending, no father or mother.....GOD! In the book of John, Jesus told the women at the tomb of Lazarus, "I AM the ressurection" meaning, there is NO end of life. Didnt Jesus also say in Rev 1:8 "I AM THE BEGINING AND THE ENDING ....WHICH IS WHICH WAS AND WHICH IS TO COME" 11 says "I AM THE ALPHA AND OMEGA THE FIRST AND THE LAST" In the Word Jesus is also identified as the "firstborn of the dead" and throughout the book of Hebrews, Jesus is known as the High Priest who makes intercession for us, His blood is on the mercy seat and also, He is the one who establishes order, God's order for the churches and our lives. Brenda did this answer your question??

-- Anonymous, January 28, 2001

This simply means that the Christ is a priest "after the order of Melchizdek" in that he has no mother or father documented in scripture. He walks on the pages of the Bible and off with no reference to how he became a priest. So with Jesus. He did not inherit his priesthood, yet He is our Great High Priest. This may over simply the scripture but makes the meaning clear perhaps. Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, January 28, 2001

Thanks...

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

Dear Sister Brenda: Your question is an intriguing one that needs answered. Sister Crawford took you the long route, but gave you the answer. Brother Paris' reply was more succinct and to the point. I hope you don't have an aversion to Commentaries, for sometimes, they CAN be helpful. I was always taught that in many cases, if not most, the Bible is its own best interpreter. So sometimes you have to "wrestle with the Word" to see what is said elsewhere and how it all applies. The Interpreters One Volume Commentry on the Bible would have given you the insight you needed to help come to your own conclusions about that text. In a spirit of "helpfulness", I was motivated to do some Internet research on your question and I discovered a web site belonging to a strong Evangelical Christian group here in Columbus, Ohio in which the author of a paper entiled MELCHIZEDEK AND THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST, Hebrews 4:14-5:10, authored by Dennis McCallum. I used it in my Bible Class this evening and it was well received, principally because it dealt honestly and intelligently with THE SETTING (Priests), THE PROBLEM, THE AUDIENCE'S BELIEFS (i.e. the audience to whom it was written), and THE ARGUMENT. Then it addressed the question WHO IS MELCHIZEDEK? Thenm the question SO WHAT?. Lastly THE APPLICATION FOR TODAY. This was "good Bible teaching" which I'm sure you will most likely enjoy. The web site, in case you're interested is: http://www.xenos.org/essays/melchi.htm. Any wrong letter will get you a reject. In case you can't pull it up for some reason, send me a Fax number or an address where it can be snail mailed to you and I will comply. Thanks for the opportunity to help one of my fellow colleagues in ministry in our Zion.

Peace, Harold Turner, Pastor Zion AME, Delaware, Ohio

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001