Hebrews 7:2
King James Version
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all;
first being by interpretation King of righteousness,
and after that also King of Salem,
which is, King of peace;
The first time Melchisedec was mentioned, was in Genesis 14:
Genesis 14:18
King James Version
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem
brought forth bread and wine:
and he was the priest of the most high God.
Wherein, he blessed Abram:
Genesis 14:19-20
King James Version
19 And he blessed him,
and said,
Blessed be Abram of the most high God,
possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God,
which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.
And he gave him tithes of all.
Apostle Paul speaks more about this king on Hebrews 7:
Hebrews 7:1-10
King James Version
7 For this Melchisedec,
king of Salem,
priest of the most high God,
who met Abraham returning
from the slaughter of the kings,
and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all;
first being by interpretation King of righteousness,
and after that also King of Salem,
which is, King of peace;
3 Without father,
without mother,
without descent,
having neither beginning of days,
nor end of life;
but made like unto the Son of God;
abideth a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this man was,
unto whom even the patriarch Abraham
gave the tenth of the spoils.
5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi,
who receive the office of the priesthood,
have a commandment to take tithes of the people
according to the law,
that is,
of their brethren,
though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them
received tithes of Abraham,
and blessed him that had the promises.
7 And without all contradiction
the less is blessed of the better.
8 And here men that die receive tithes;
but there he receiveth them,
of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9 And as I may so say,
Levi also,
who receiveth tithes,
payed tithes in Abraham.
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father,
when Melchisedec met him.
Now, we know that Melchisedec met with Abraham, before Levi was born.
We also know that the sons of Levi officiated as priests.
Why was there a need to have a priest from the tribe of Juda, "of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood" (Hebrews 7:14)?
That's for the next post.
