Melchizedek

References:

• Genesis 14:18 – 20
• Psalm 110:4
• Hebrews 5:5 – 10
• Hebrews 6:19 – 7:28

Conclusions:

• When did Jesus become a High Priest forever?  (7:28, also 7:11)  After the Law.  Melchizedek lived long before the Law.  Therefore, Melchizedek was not Jesus.
• What attributes of Melchizedek were paralleled with Jesus?  (7:2 – 10)  Jesus had a father (Matthew 1:20, Luke 1:35), a mother (Mary), a genealogy (Matthew 1:1 – 16, Luke 3:23 – 38), a beginning of days (His birth), and an end of life (crucifixion).  The parallel derives from the fact that Jesus was resurrected, never to die again.  Melchizedek lives forever by virtue of a lack of information.  So, the important facet of Melchizedek as a High Priest that is compared with Jesus is that he did not derive his position by inheritance.  Melchizedek was considered by Abraham to be greater than himself, therefore greater than the Levitical priesthood.  Therefore, Jesus is greater than the Levitical priesthood.  But, Melchizedek was not Jesus because the many other parallels do not match.