And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. (Hebrews 5:9–11)

Some passages in Scripture are difficult to understand. Peter admits this about some of Paul’s writings (2 Peter 3:14-16). One may think of Romans 9-11 as a candidate for this assessment, where the subject matter of election has challenged believers for centuries. In today’s passage, the problem lies in the readers’ limitations. They ought to be able to understand the connection between the Son of God and the seemingly obscure OT person of Melchizedek (Gen 14:17-24). The charge might also apply to us present-day readers, for our initial experience with this issue of Melchizedek can reveal us also to be “dull of hearing” when we ought to be able to understand.

At this juncture in the book of Hebrews, the writer takes an excurses from Hebrews 5:12-6:20 and picks up the subject of Melchizedek in chapter 7. The details require much more space than we have here, but the important thing for our study is that Jesus is likened to a king by that name, to whom Abraham offered a tenth of what he had. Though not a name technically for Jesus, the identification is so close that many scholars conclude Melchizedek was a pre-incarnate appearance of the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God.

The book of Hebrews identifies Jesus Christ as a priest in the Melchizedekian order. But that person is described in an unusual way, “Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually” (Heb 7:3). Jesus was “according to the likeness of Melchizedek” (Heb 7:15). And apparently that likeness included “an indestructible life … a priest forever” (Heb 7:16). If, as the writer of Hebrews points out, the Son’s priesthood is unique— that is, He is the only one and it is perpetual—then He must be one and the same with Melchizedek. So what is the significance of this?

The name Melchizedek, as Hebrews 7:2 points out, means “king of righteousness.” Thus we have in Christ both king and priest. We have absolute and perfect righteousness. As the king-priest, His work on the cross perfectly satisfies the righteous requirements of God. His work of making us right before God is permanent and cannot ever be lost or nullified. He truly is Melchizedek, the King of Righteousness, our High Priest.

Lord, I have no righteousness of my own. But You have made me righteous permanently. Your righteousness is mine forever. I will never stop thanking You!