Melchizedek is a significant and mysterious figure in both the Old and New Testaments, representing a unique priesthood that foreshadows the eternal priesthood of Christ. He first appears in Genesis 14 (Gen 14:18-20), where he is introduced as both the king of Salem and a priest of “God Most High” (Gen 14:18). After Abraham’s victory in battle, Melchizedek blesses him and receives a tithe of everything Abraham has (Gen 14:19-20), even though Melchizedek’s connection to Abraham’s covenant promises is indirect. His sudden appearance and lack of recorded lineage or death (Gen 14:18-20), which is highlighted in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb 7:1-3), marks him as a figure of theological importance, symbolising an eternal priesthood (Heb 7:3).
In Hebrews 7, the author explains how Melchizedek’s priesthood contrasts with the Levitical priesthood (Heb 7:11). Unlike the Levitical priests who were tied to lineage (Heb 7:5-6), Melchizedek appears without genealogy (Heb 7:3), making him “like the Son of God” (Heb 7:3) in that his priesthood is eternal and not based on hereditary descent. This establishes a typological parallel between Melchizedek and Jesus, with Jesus being the ultimate fulfillment of this eternal priesthood (Heb 7:11-17). The Psalm 110 prophecy (Ps 110:4), cited in Hebrews, further confirms that Christ is a priest “forever in the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 7:17), underscoring that Christ’s priesthood supersedes and fulfills the limitations of the Levitical system (Heb 7:11-12).
Melchizedek’s name, meaning “king of righteousness” (Heb 7:2), and his title as “king of Salem,” meaning “king of peace” (Heb 7:2), prefigure Christ’s dual role as the righteous and peaceful mediator between humanity and God (Heb 7:25). His kingship and priesthood united in one person prefigure Christ’s ultimate role as both king and high priest (Heb 7:24), a role not permitted in the Levitical order (Heb 7:13-14).
The significance of Melchizedek is deepened by Psalm 110, where David, inspired by the Spirit (Matt 22:41-44), prophesies about a coming priest-king who would belong to the order of Melchizedek (Ps 110:4). This passage, the most frequently quoted Old Testament chapter in the New Testament, is used to emphasise that a new priesthood was foretold (Ps 110:1, Heb 7:17), calling into question the sufficiency of the Levitical priesthood (Heb 7:11). The fact that God declares another priesthood outside of the Levites implies that the former priesthood was insufficient and points to the establishment of a better covenant, one based on Christ’s eternal priesthood (Heb 7:18-19).
This theological framework, laid out in Hebrews, highlights the temporal sequence and progression of salvation history. Melchizedek appears before the institution of the Levitical priesthood, signaling that this later priesthood was temporary and not the final means of reconciliation between God and humanity (Heb 7:11-12). The Levitical priesthood was always limited by mortality (Heb 7:23), while Christ’s priesthood is eternal (Heb 7:24-25), established by God’s oath (Heb 7:20-21) and empowered by an indestructible life (Heb 7:16).
By connecting Melchizedek with Christ, the author of Hebrews demonstrates that the Mosaic covenant and its priesthood are not the final revelation of God’s plan but rather a foreshadowing of the better covenant inaugurated by Jesus (Heb 7:22, Jer 31:31-34). Christ, like Melchizedek, serves as both king and priest, embodying the ultimate mediator between God and humanity, offering an eternal sacrifice that the Levitical system could never provide (Heb 7:27-28).
