Hebrews 7.1.3
"Melchizedek king of Salem, priest of the Most High GOD," Quite amazing things have been written about this man.
In verse 3 Paul stated, "Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of GOD, he (Melchizedek's) abides a priest perpetually."
About whom Paul talking here? About ordinary mortal man, or about Someone who is not mortal man? About angel, or about Son of GOD Jesus Christ? If we assume that Melchizedek was a mortal man, this profile certainly does not fit to him. If Melchizedek is not mortal man but the angel of GOD, this would quite fit to description of him by Paul.
But here again, we have some words that required explanation. "made like the Son of GOD." (3). "Made like." Is this means he is next to the Son of GOD Jesus Christ, or it written in the figure of speech to describe his high status next to the Son of GOD? In the Scripture GOD also called Solomon as His son (2Samuel 7.12-14) (1Chronicles 17.11-15) (1Chronicles 22.8-10) (Acts 2.30). And we can find some other similar statements in the Bible in which other people called in the same way.
~ *The sons of GOD, The sons of Most High, The children of GOD: (Deuteronomy 14.1) (Psalm of Asaph 82.1.6-7) (Luke 20.36) (Romans 8.14-17.19-23, 9.4.25-26) (2Corinthians 6.18) (Galatians 4.5-7) (Ephesians 1.5).
So, he is not Son of GOD himself, but made and appointed on duty similar to the Son of GOD. So, according to this description Melchizedek is the angel of GOD. But at the end of the verse 3 Paul wrote about him, "abides a priest perpetually." See also verse 8. Jesus Christ is also perpetual Priest.
If Melchizedek is a mortal man, how he can "abides a priest perpetually"? Only GOD Father and His Son Jesus Christ abide perpetually. If They give life to other creatures to abide perpetually, they will also abide perpetually. So, in this case, the Melchizedek, if he is a physical man or even an angel, in both cases he will have Eternal Life (abide perpetually) on Earth and in Heaven., if he appointed by GOD as perpetual priest.
Paul also talk about Melchizedek as a king of Salem and a priest but not calling him as a High Priest. Jesus on the other hand also the King, but He is not just a priest but the High Priest, means that Jesus is much higher in status than Melchizedek.
Now in verse 13 Paul wrote, "The one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe." So far, up to this point, Paul only spoke about Melchizedek and Abraham, and stated that Melchizedek, "made like the Son of GOD." But in verse 13, Paul certainly talks about Jesus Christ, because Melchizedek does not belong to any of the tribes of Israel, because at the time of Abraham they do not exist yet.
At the beginning of this chapter it looks like that Melchizedek could be the Jesus Christ, but other verses proved that while the Melchizedek is also immortal and "made like the Son of GOD" (3), he is not Jesus Christ.
Concerning place called Salem (1), certain comments have been made about this city, and most scholars agreed that it was the city of future Jerusalem.
~ 1. *Salem. (Hebrew. Shalem. peace). The name of the city of which Melchizedek was king (Genesis 14.18) (Hebrews 7.1-2). Josephus says that Jewish writers generally regarded it as a synonym of Jerusalem. It is apparently so regarded in Psalm 76.2.
The New International Dictionary of the Bible. J. D. Douglas, Merrill C. Tenney.
~ 1. *Salem. An earlier, or poetic, designation for Jerusalem.
The Pentateuch and Haftorahs. Edited by Dr. J. H. Hertz, C.H.
~ 1. *Salem. Named after the Canaanite god Shalem, it is identified along with Zion (Psalm 76.2) as the location of the Temple.
Etz Hayim. Torah and Commentary.
~ 1. *Salem is usually identified with ancient Jerusalem, or Jebus, the Jebusite city captured by David and turned into capital city of the nation of Judah (1Chronicles 11.4-9).
Nelson's Compact Bible Dictionary. Ronald F. Youngblood, F.F. Bruce, R.K. Harrison.
"Melchizedek king of Salem, priest of the Most High GOD," Quite amazing things have been written about this man.
In verse 3 Paul stated, "Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of GOD, he (Melchizedek's) abides a priest perpetually."
About whom Paul talking here? About ordinary mortal man, or about Someone who is not mortal man? About angel, or about Son of GOD Jesus Christ? If we assume that Melchizedek was a mortal man, this profile certainly does not fit to him. If Melchizedek is not mortal man but the angel of GOD, this would quite fit to description of him by Paul.
But here again, we have some words that required explanation. "made like the Son of GOD." (3). "Made like." Is this means he is next to the Son of GOD Jesus Christ, or it written in the figure of speech to describe his high status next to the Son of GOD? In the Scripture GOD also called Solomon as His son (2Samuel 7.12-14) (1Chronicles 17.11-15) (1Chronicles 22.8-10) (Acts 2.30). And we can find some other similar statements in the Bible in which other people called in the same way.
~ *The sons of GOD, The sons of Most High, The children of GOD: (Deuteronomy 14.1) (Psalm of Asaph 82.1.6-7) (Luke 20.36) (Romans 8.14-17.19-23, 9.4.25-26) (2Corinthians 6.18) (Galatians 4.5-7) (Ephesians 1.5).
So, he is not Son of GOD himself, but made and appointed on duty similar to the Son of GOD. So, according to this description Melchizedek is the angel of GOD. But at the end of the verse 3 Paul wrote about him, "abides a priest perpetually." See also verse 8. Jesus Christ is also perpetual Priest.
If Melchizedek is a mortal man, how he can "abides a priest perpetually"? Only GOD Father and His Son Jesus Christ abide perpetually. If They give life to other creatures to abide perpetually, they will also abide perpetually. So, in this case, the Melchizedek, if he is a physical man or even an angel, in both cases he will have Eternal Life (abide perpetually) on Earth and in Heaven., if he appointed by GOD as perpetual priest.
Paul also talk about Melchizedek as a king of Salem and a priest but not calling him as a High Priest. Jesus on the other hand also the King, but He is not just a priest but the High Priest, means that Jesus is much higher in status than Melchizedek.
Now in verse 13 Paul wrote, "The one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe." So far, up to this point, Paul only spoke about Melchizedek and Abraham, and stated that Melchizedek, "made like the Son of GOD." But in verse 13, Paul certainly talks about Jesus Christ, because Melchizedek does not belong to any of the tribes of Israel, because at the time of Abraham they do not exist yet.
At the beginning of this chapter it looks like that Melchizedek could be the Jesus Christ, but other verses proved that while the Melchizedek is also immortal and "made like the Son of GOD" (3), he is not Jesus Christ.
Concerning place called Salem (1), certain comments have been made about this city, and most scholars agreed that it was the city of future Jerusalem.
~ 1. *Salem. (Hebrew. Shalem. peace). The name of the city of which Melchizedek was king (Genesis 14.18) (Hebrews 7.1-2). Josephus says that Jewish writers generally regarded it as a synonym of Jerusalem. It is apparently so regarded in Psalm 76.2.
The New International Dictionary of the Bible. J. D. Douglas, Merrill C. Tenney.
~ 1. *Salem. An earlier, or poetic, designation for Jerusalem.
The Pentateuch and Haftorahs. Edited by Dr. J. H. Hertz, C.H.
~ 1. *Salem. Named after the Canaanite god Shalem, it is identified along with Zion (Psalm 76.2) as the location of the Temple.
Etz Hayim. Torah and Commentary.
~ 1. *Salem is usually identified with ancient Jerusalem, or Jebus, the Jebusite city captured by David and turned into capital city of the nation of Judah (1Chronicles 11.4-9).
Nelson's Compact Bible Dictionary. Ronald F. Youngblood, F.F. Bruce, R.K. Harrison.
