Melchizedek appears only briefly in Genesis 14. He was king of Salem and priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abraham. His name means king of righteousness, and Salem means peace. The Bible tells nothing about his family line, so Hebrews says he is like the Son of God, who remains a priest continually.

Under the law, priests came from Levi’s family. But the law made nothing perfect. So God brought in a better hope, through which people draw near to God. Jesus is a priest not by family rules but by the power of an endless life. God even made an oath: You are a priest forever. By so much, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

Other priests died and had to be replaced. But Jesus lives forever, so his priesthood never changes. He saves to the uttermost those who come to God through him, and he lives forever to make intercession for them. Jesus is holy and without sin. Unlike other priests, he did not need to offer sacrifices daily. He did this once for all, when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 7 explains Psalm 110:4, You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. Genesis 14 says Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, blessed Abraham, and Abraham gave him a tenth. Hebrews draws out the meaning. His name means king of righteousness, and his city means peace. Scripture records no parents or genealogy for him, so he serves as a picture of a priest whose priesthood has no end. Since the lesser is blessed by the greater, Melchizedek ranks above Abraham, and in a sense above Levi, who was still in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Verses 11 to 19 ask a question. If the Levitical priesthood made people perfect, why would God promise a different priest from another order? The answer is that the priesthood changed, so the law changed too. Jesus came from Judah, a tribe with no priests. He became a priest not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life. The law made nothing perfect, and God brought in a better hope, through which people draw near to God.

Verses 20 to 28 add two more contrasts. Levitical priests served without an oath, but God swore an oath about this priest. Many priests served because death kept stopping them, but he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable. Therefore he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he lives forever to intercede. Holy, guiltless, and undefiled, he offered himself once for all.