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If then we consider the hope itself, we find it a sure and stedfast anchor; or the anchor
ground, we find it to be grounded in "that within the veil"; or the encouragement of
example, we find it in Christ the Forerunner and "first ripe Fruit" of the harvest of many
sons He is leading "to glory".
We have now reached that stage in the unfolding of truth that necessitated the fuller
mention of the Melchisedec priesthood of Christ. To this the writer now proceeds, and
by a series of statements sets forth the superiority of the Priesthood of Christ to that of
Aaron, bringing this established fact to bear once more upon the great theme of the
epistle, "perfection" (7: 11, 19). If we keep this before us, we shall be less likely to be
overwhelmed with the mass of detail that meets us in this section. Omitting the
parenthetical details, the proposition of Heb. 7: 1-3 reads:
"For this Melchisedec . . . . . abideth a priest continually."
The intervening details supply the necessary information to establish this proposition.
Melchisedec was first of all KING OF SALEM. Jerome maintains, in his epistle to
Evagrius, that this Salem is a city near Shechem, mentioned in Gen. 33: 18 and
John 3: 23. Salem, however, is used to indicate Jerusalem in Psa. 76: 2:
"In Salem also is His (God's) tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion."
There are some who think that after the Jebusites took possession of the place it was
called Jebus-Salem, which became transformed to Jerusalem. We find in Josh. 10: 1-4
that the king of Jerusalem was called Adonizedec, which has much the same significance
as that of Melchisedec.
Not only was Melchisedec king, but he was "PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD".
This title El Elyon, "The Most High God" is used for the first time in Scripture in
connection with this incident (Gen. 14: 18). The various titles of God are used with
precision and with special regard to the relationship intended in each particular passage.
For instance, Genesis 1: 1 to 2: 3 treats of creation, and the title used through the record
is Elohim, "God".
Immediately we commence "the generations", in verse 4, the title changes to "the
Lord God". Coming to Abraham's time we have not only the title "The Most High God"
but in Gen. 17: 1:
"I am El Shaddai; walk before Me, and be thou perfect",
and again in Exod. 6: 3 we read:
"I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of El Shaddai, but
by My name Jehovah was I not known to them."