Why is Melchizedek
a Type of Christ?
By Jonathan Mitchell
In Heb. 4:14, we are instructed:
"Continuously having, then, a great Chief Priest having passed through the atmospheres (or: heavens) [note: a figure of the holy place and the holy of holies, in the Tabernacle], thus being arrived, and present, at the objective: the conclusion of His journey [Heb. 9:2-28; 10:7-23] - Jesus, the Son of God..."
Then, Heb. 5:5-6 informs us:
"Thus also, Christ did not glorify Himself (give Himself a reputation or the esteemed position; take for Himself the assumed appearance) to be born (or: to come to be) a Chief Priest, but to the contrary, [it was] the One at one point speaking to Him, Face to Face,'You are (continue existing being) My Son; today I, Myself, have given birth to, and produced, You (or: have conceived, generated, and brought you into existence; = become Your Father) with the result that You are a born One
(or: As for Me, I have brought You into this position, appointed You, and established You, and You now exist thus established in this position)' [Ps. 2:7; cf Lu. 9:35; Jn. 1:18; Rom. 1:4] Just as also in a different place He is saying,'You [are] a Priest on into the midst of the Age [of Messiah], down from (or: in accord and in line with; in the sphere of, and to the degree of) Melchizedek's station (order; lineup; alignment; placement; appointment; succession),'" [Ps. 110:4; cf 1 Cor. 15:23]
Melchizedek is referenced, in the NT, only in the book of Hebrews, and only twice in the OT: Gen. 14:18-20 and Ps. 110:4. We find the quote from Ps. 110:4 repeated in Heb. 5:10, and the correspondence between these two men is again affirmed in 6:20,
"where a Forerunner (Precursor; Herald; Trailblazer), Jesus, suddenly entered, over us (or: at one point entered on our behalf, and over our [situation]), down from (or: in the sphere of; corresponding to; in accord with; in the line of [succession of]) the station (order; placement) of Melchizedek, being born (or: coming to be) a Chief Priest on into the midst of the Age."
The author is emphasizing this interpretation of Melchizedek as a type of Christ. We find this OT individual mentioned six more times, and thus eight times in all, in the presentation of Jesus Christ as the new Chief Priest of the new arrangement (as found in Heb. 5, 6 and 7). Obviously, the writer of Hebrews is building upon the psalmist's understanding of the place of Melchizedek, in Israel's story, and thus we find that the author of Ps. 110 is the apparent originator (or, recorder) of Melchizedek as being a figure for the anticipated Messiah, Who would also be the Chief Priest, but of a priesthood that predated both Israel, and Aaron (the priesthood order, and required pedigree, within Israel's economy).
So why was this individual, who lived in the time of Abraham, chosen to represent an aspect of the Messiah for the new Age? His importance is based upon both what IS said, in Gen. 14:18-20 (just three short verses) - and also about what was NOT said in those verses. We find our author's expanded interpretation of this Genesis account in Heb. 1:1-17.
1. For you see, this Melchizedek, a King of Salem, a Priest of the Most High God (or: from God Most High) - the one meeting with Abraham, [who was] returning from the cutting down (or: smiting) of the kings, and was speaking words of well-being to (or: blessing) him,
2. to whom also Abraham divided, into parts, and distributed a tenth of all - being first, indeed, translated "King of eschatological deliverance and of the Way pointed out" (King of fairness and equity; King of Justice and Righteousness; King of Rightwised Relationships; also: = King of covenant living), and then also (or: afterwards) "King of Salem," which is "King of Peace and of Harmony, from the Joining." [cf Gen. 14:18-20]
Observe the two key terms that are given as the meaning of his name, and of his title: "King of eschatological deliverance and of the Way pointed out," and "King of Peace and of Harmony, from the Joining." [cf Rom. 3:21-22; 4:3-22; 5:17, 21; et al; and Eph. 2:14-16]
3. [His story is recorded] without father, without mother, without a genealogy, [as] having neither a beginning of days nor an end of life, so in this way, having been produced as a likeness, from the Son of God (or: with having been portrayed or pictured as a resemblance of this Son from God), and continuing being as a facsimile thereof, he continuously remains a priest to the whole length (extended or stretched into the unbroken continuance) [of that Age].
Notice that nothing is said of his parentage, his line of descent, his birth, or of how long he lived. The author's conclusion: he is represented in the Genesis account as,
"in this way, having been produced as a likeness, from the Son of God."
And because of there being no record of his death, our author takes this as pre-figuring the continuance of the Messiah,
"continuing being as a facsimile thereof, he continuously remains a priest to the whole length (extended or stretched into the unbroken continuance)."
4. Now you folks continuously be gazing at, so as to perceive, contemplate and carefully consider: How eminent and distinguished [is] this one! - to whom even the patriarch (the first, and originating father; this family head and progenitor), Abraham, gave a tenth out of the topmost part of the heap [= the spoils of the war].
Abraham's behavior is interpreted as signifying the preeminence of Melchizedek over Abraham. We go on to observe, in vss. 5-10, that he was both different from, and superior to, the descendants of Abraham, and the Law, and the Aaronic priesthood.
6. Yet, on the other hand, he (or: that one; this man), not being traced out from their genealogy (or: not being given an account of descent from out of them), had caused Abraham to pay tithes, and then he had spoken goodness and well-being to (or: has blessed) the one holding (or: having; possessing) the Promise, and the blessing (words of goodness) continued in effect.
7. Now without all contradiction (or: apart from every dispute or word spoken against this), the inferior is being blessed by the superior (stronger and better; = more important).
8. And so here (in this place), in the one case, dying-away (withering; rotting; [cf Mat. 23:27; Lu. 11:44]) men keep on taking tithes (seizing, or collecting, tenths); and yet there, in this other case, it continues being given witness and attestation that, "he continues living (or: he is alive; [cf vs. 3, above])"!
9. And thus, even Levi, repeatedly taking tithes, has - if I may say it this way (or: = as it could be said) - been tithed (or: = regarded as part of that tithe, or tenth) through Abraham.
10. For you see, he was still existing (or: he continued yet being) in the loins of the father (or: this forefather) when Melchizedek met with him.
11. If indeed, then, attainment of the goal (or: completion; perfection; maturity; the finished product and destiny) was, and continued being, through the Levitical priesthood - for based upon it the people have been placed under Law [= Torah] and set in a custom - what need [is there] still [for] a different [kind or line of] priest to be raising Himself up, down from (in accord with and in the line of succession of; in the sphere of) the station (order; placement; appointment) of Melchizedek, and not normally said to be down from (in accord with and in the line of succession of; in the sphere of) the station (order) of Aaron?
12. For it follows that with the priesthood being presently completely-place-changed (or: progressively after-placed, transposed and transferred), out of necessity (or: compulsion) even a complete place-change of law [= Torah] is being born (or: also an after-placement transference of custom, and a transposition of the norm is coming into existence).
13. For you see, He, of (or: upon) Whom these things are now being said, has chosen to take hold with and now actively share in (or: has co-possessed and partaken of so as to have joint-participation and membership in) a different tribe, from which no one has attended (given heed to; held [something] toward) to (by; in; for) the altar (= participated in Israel's sacrificial duties).
Next, we are given more details of how our Lord's priesthood differed from Aaron's, and how this brought about a whole new arrangement.
15. And so, it is still superabundantly more clearly visible and thoroughly evident, since (or: if, as is the case,) a different [kind, or, line of] Priest proceeds raising Himself up (or: proceeds in standing back up again; is resurrecting Himself) corresponding to (or: down from; commensurate with the line of; in the sphere of) Melchizedek's likeness,
16. Who has NOT become (or: did not come to exist as) [this Priest] down on the basis of a law, or in accord with custom, or in the sphere of a norm, of a fleshly implanted goal
(or: in line with a standard concerning an impartation of a finished [human] product or inner destiny; or: in correspondence to a norm from a fleshly injunction; following the pattern of a law which is a fleshly directive), but to the contrary, according to, in the sphere of, and founded down on, a power and ability of indissoluble Life
(or: a Life not subject to destruction from being loosed-down or dissolved).
17. For He is continuously witnessing [other MSS: it continues being attested], "You [are] a Priest on into the midst of the Age, according to (down from) the station (order; placement; arranging; succession) of Melchizedek." [Ps. 110:4]
Verses 18-28 develop the above line of thought, and we will highlight the following as an example:
23. Furthermore, indeed, many are the folks having become priests, [in succession] - because of [predecessors], one after another, being cut off (thus: hindered) by death from continuing in abiding near (remaining at the side), and thus, from being present, as such -
24. but He, on account of His continuously remaining on into the Age (or: unto the indefinite life-time [of the Messiah]), constantly holds (continuously possesses) the not-stepped-beside-or-across and not-walked-along (or: not-stepping-aside, and thus, not transient; or: non-transferable and inviolate) Priesthood. [cf Rev. 1:18]
25. Consequently He is also continuously able and powerful to be constantly delivering (continuously setting-free, keeping safe, and restoring to health and making whole;
or: repeatedly saving) - unto the fully effective finishing of all (unto the completed goal of everything; into the midst of the all-perfection; unto the end of all; into the final act and destiny of all) - those folks habitually
(or: one-after-another) approaching God through Him [Who is] always living to be repeatedly effecting encounters over them and to hit the internal target, or, to intervene [in situations] on their behalf.
26. For you see, a Chief Priest such as this One was continuing being fitting, and remains appropriate, proper and suitable, for us: loyal and dedicated, benign (without bad quality; harmless; without bad form; not ugly), unstained (undefiled), having been parted (severed; separated) away from those failing to hit the target (those deviating or making errors; the sinners), even being birthed (coming into an existence) higher than the atmospheres and heavens.
One of the main themes of the book of Hebrews is that the new is better than the old. The author opens his essay by asserting that God is now speaking through one Who is better than the prophets of the old covenant. He is now speaking through a Son, Who is better than the agents and messengers (those folks with the message). Christ is also better than Moses, who was also a type of Christ. There is now better covenant based upon better promises.
As we observe what 7:3, above, discloses, we can see that Melchizedek does not have a genealogy upon which to base his right to be a priest, as was required of a priest for the Levitical system. Tribal lineage is no longer a factor for being a priest. The criterion is being a son of God. In the following verses, we see that both Abraham and the later, Levitical priesthood, were inferior to "the order of Melchizedek." And then, in 7:12, we see another change:
"with the priesthood being presently completely-place-changed (or: progressively after-placed, transposed and transferred), out of necessity (or: compulsion) even a complete place-change of law..."
Also, 7:16 affirms that this new order has a Chief Priest that is:
"according to, in the sphere of, and founded down on, a power and ability of indissoluble Life,"
and vs. 17 recaps the argument.
We should also observe that Melchizedek not only was not a part of Israel, but also that he was not related to Abraham. This would place Christ's priesthood in the line of a Gentile priesthood, which offered food and drink to people (Gen. 14:18), and which blessed people, and which did not involve a sacrificial cultus. We can therefore conclude that Jesus' priesthood was not tied just to Israel, or to the Jews, but that He is a Chief Priest for all nations and peoples. Just as Paul emphasized Abraham's being blessed prior to his being circumcised (Rom. 4:9-10), so also our present author reaches back to a priest who predated the Law, with its priesthood, and presents Christ:
"a different [kind, or, line of] Priest [Who] proceeds raising Himself up (or: proceeds in standing back up again; is resurrecting Himself) corresponding to (or: down from; commensurate with the line of; in the sphere of) Melchizedek's likeness" (7:15).
We conclude that the above reasons are why Melchizedek was a type of Christ. That said, we must also keep in mind that our author outlines how this new and different Chief Priest, Jesus, fulfilled the type and pattern of the old covenant high priest, by performing in the Reality - not in the type and shadow - to which the old covenant Day of Atonement only pointed (cf Heb. 9:1-10:21).
Jonathan
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