Hebrews 7:2 Commentary and Bible Study

Four kings led by Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, had fourteen years previously made war with and subdued five kings including the king of Sodom. In the thirteenth year of this subjugation the five kings had rebelled and subsequently been punished by a raid led by Chedorlaomer, which resulted in much people and property being taken, among which were Lot and his household. News of what had happened to his nephew reached Abraham, and it is this that resulted in the action which he took to retrieve them. With an army of only 318 servants – not professional soldiers but nevertheless armed to fight – he courageously pursued and overcame the armies of the four kings and he certainly succeeded only with the help of God. He brought back the liberated people together with much spoil, the stuff which the four kings had themselves captured during their raid. But this is where this important encounter with Melchizedek comes in. In recognition that the Lord was with him and had helped what must have been a smaller army to defeat a much larger force, Abraham offered up a tenth part, a tithe, of all the spoil to the Lord. He did not simply give thanks to the Lord, but he gave a tenth part of all the stuff that he had retrieved to Melchisedec, because Melchisedec was priest of the most high God. Melchisedec was possibly already known to Abraham but, in the wisdom of God and to make him a suitable type of Christ as Hebrews will explain, nothing is said about this in the inspired record. Abraham was acknowledging the divine intervention which had given them victory, no doubt accompanied by prayer. This tithe subsequently became a pattern among God’s people of what should be given to the Lord. Who was this Melchisedec? King of righteousness is the interpretation of his name which the writer of Hebrews tells us. ‘This Melchizedek, king of righteousness’, known for his promotion of righteousness, for his example of righteousness as he proclaimed the true God, the most high God. ‘King of Salem’ – possibly though you can't be sure, that was the original Jerusalem, the very site, an ancient town or city which ultimately became Jerusalem – ‘king of Salem.’ It’s the meaning of the word which is important: king of peace. So this mysterious ancient priest is king of righteousness and king of peace. Peace meaning not calm, but reconciliation, oneness. When war comes to an end there is peace, and the nations once more trade and interact and there’s union between them hopefully. That is the peace which is meant here, from the verb ‘to join’. King of righteousness and king of reconciliation. That was his message: reconciliation with God, peace with God. These names and their meanings are not accidental but assigned by the providence of God, and were consistent with and suitable to his being a type of Christ, as the writer will go on to explain.