Genesis 14 · a question people ask
Who was Melchizedek?
Genesis tells us only that he was "king of Salem" and "priest of God Most High", that he brought bread and wine, blessed Abram, and received a tenth (14:18-20). He appears nowhere else in Genesis. Hebrews says he was "made like the Son of God" (7:3). Protestants read him two ways.
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
A real priest-king, and a picture of Christ
A historical king of Salem whom Hebrews uses as a picture: he was "made like the Son of God" (7:3). Hebrews builds its argument on what Genesis leaves out, no parents and no death recorded, to show a priesthood that "remains… continually".
Hebrews 7:3 · Hebrews 7:15-17
An appearance of the Son himself
Some read Hebrews' "without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life" (7:3) as describing the Son of God appearing to Abram before he became man.
Hebrews 7:3 · Genesis 14:18
The verses
“Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High. He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth. Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.”
“For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, “king of righteousness”, and then also “king of Salem”, which means “king of peace”, without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God), remains a priest continually.”