Hebrews 7:1

This Melchizedek (outo o Melcisedek). The one already mentioned several times with whose priesthood that of Christ is compared and which is older and of a higher type than that of Aaron. See Genesis 14:18-20 ; Psalms 110:1 for the only account of Melchizedek in the Old Testament. It is a daring thing to put Melchizedek above Aaron, but the author does it. Moffatt calls verses Psalms 1-3 "a little sermon" on Psalms 6:20 . It is "for ever" (ei ton aiwna) that he explains. Melchizedek is the only one in his line and stands alone in the record in Genesis. The interpretation is rabbinical in method, but well adapted to Jewish readers. The description is taken verbatim from Genesis except that "who met" (o sunanthsa) is here applied to Melchizedek from Genesis 14:17 instead of to the King of Sodom. They both met Abraham as a matter of fact. For this verb (first aorist active participle of sunantaw) see Luke 9:37 . Slaughter (koph). Old word for cutting (koptw, to cut), here only in N.T. These kings were Amraphel, Arioch, Chedorlaomer, Tidal. Amraphel is usually taken to be Khammurabi. Priest of God Most High (iereu tou qeou tou upsistou). He is called "priest" and note tou upsistou applied to God as the Canaanites, Phoenicians, Hebrews did. It is used also of Zeus and the Maccabean priest-kings. The demons apply it to God ( Mark 5:7 ; Luke 8:28 ).