Question:
Do you think that Paul, in Hebrews 7:8, was suggesting that Melchisedek’s (King of Righteousness; King of Salem; King of Peace) visit to Abraham was really a visit from Jesus (in angelic form)?
Answer:
First, I do not know that Paul wrote Hebrews, because he said in II Thessalonians 3:17, “The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is THE TOKEN IN EVERY EPISTLE: so I write.” The Book of Hebrews does not contain that salutation he stated that he put in every Book.
The Bible seems clear that Melchisedec was a real man who visited Abraham. Verse 1 of Hebrews 7 states that he was a priest. That same verse states that he was the “king of Salem” (which is short for Jerusalem). Melchisedec was a good “type” of Christ, in that he was a righteous man in a very wicked day, and king over Jerusalem, which means, “peace.”
Verse 3 is where matters could be confused. It states, “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.” To make Melchisedec a clear “type” or “illustration” of Christ, some abnormal things would be done in regard to him. First, there would be no listing of his father in the Scriptures. That is rare. Most of the time in the Old Testament, the person would be stated to be “the son of …” Genesis 11:31 says, “And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son…” There is also no reference to Melchisedec’s mother in the Scriptures. Another notable omission about Melchisedec is that his age is never listed, nor the time when he died. It is very unusual in the Old Testament not to have this information about a man. All of this was purposely omitted to make him a clear “type” or “picture” of the coming Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Melchisedec was a man, but a very godly, special man. Could that be said about us? Are we enough like Christ, where anyone could actually picture what He is like, from our lives?