For this Melchisedec, king of Salem
Various have been the opinions of writers concerning Melchizedek;
some have thought him to be more than a man; some, that he was an
angel; others, that he was the Holy Ghost; and others, that he
was a divine person superior to Christ, which needs no
refutation; others have supposed that he was the Son of God
himself: but he is expressly said to be like unto him, and Christ
is said to be of his order; which manifestly distinguish the one
from the other; besides, there is nothing said of Melchizedek
which proves him to be more than a man: accordingly others take
him to have been a mere man; but these are divided; some say that
he was Shem, the son of Noah, which is the constant opinion of
the Jewish writers F26: but it is not true of him, that he
was without father, and without mother, an account of his descent
being given in Scripture; nor is it probable that he should be a
king of a single city in Ham's country, and Abraham be a stranger
there: others say, that he was a Canaanitish king, of the
posterity of Ham; others affirm him to be a perfect sinless man,
and that all that is said of him in Genesis, and in this context,
is literally true of him; but that he should be immediately
created by God, as Adam, and be without sin as he, are things
entirely without any foundation: others take him to be a mere
man, but an extraordinary one, eminently raised up by God to be a
type of the Messiah; and think it most proper not to inquire
curiously who he was, since the Scripture is silent concerning
his genealogy and descent; and that as it should seem on purpose,
that he might be a more full and fit type of Christ; and this
sense appears best and safest. Aben Ezra says, his name signifies
what he was, the king of a righteous place: Salem, of which he
was king, was not Shalem, a city of Shechem, in the land of
Canaan, ( Genesis
33:18 ) afterwards called Salim, near to which John was
baptizing, ( John 3:23 ) where is
shown the palace of Melchizedek in its ruins, which cannot be,
since that city was laid to the ground, and sowed with salt by
Abimelech, ( Judges 9:45 ) but
Jerusalem is the place; which is the constant opinion of the Jews
F1, and is called Salem in ( Psalms 86:2 ) . The
interpretation of this word is given in the next verse; some of
the Jewish writers referred to say, that it was usual for the
kings of Jerusalem to be called Melchizedek and Adonizedek, as in
( Joshua
10:3 ) just as the kings of Egypt were called Pharaoh. This
king was also
priest of the most high God,
as he is said to be, ( Genesis
14:18 ) for he was both king and priest, in which he was an
eminent type of Christ; and his being a king is no objection to
his being a priest, since it was usual for kings to be priests;
and though the Hebrew word "Cohen" sometimes signifies a prince,
it cannot be so understood here, not only because the word is
rendered "priest" by the Septuagint, and by the apostle, but
because he is called the priest of God; and Christ is said to be
of his order: and he is styled the priest of God, because he was
called and invested by him with this office, and was employed in
his service; who is said to be the most high God, from his
dwelling on high, and from his superior power to all others, and
to distinguish him from idol gods; this is a character of great
honour given to Melchizedek;
who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the
kings;
the four kings, whose names are mentioned in ( Genesis 14:1
) whom Abraham slew, and over whom he got an entire victory, with
only three hundred and eighteen men of his own house, after they
had conquered the kings of Sodom, Gomorrha, Admah, Zeboiim, and
Bela: which shows that war is lawful; that enemies may be slain
in war; that kings may fall as well as other men; and that those
who have conquered others, may be conquered themselves: and as he
was returning with his spoils, Melchizedek met him; not alone,
which is not to be supposed of so great a person; nor empty, for
he brought with him bread and wine, not for sacrifice, as the
Papists would have it; but as Jarchi, a Jewish interpreter on the
place observes, they used to do so to such as were fatigued in
war; for this is to be considered as a neighbourly action, done
in point of interest and gratitude, and was a truly Christian
one, and very laudable and commendable; and doubtless had
something in it typical of Christ, who gives to hungry and weary
saints the bread of life, and refreshes them with the wine of
divine love and grace:
and blessed him;
Abraham, and the most high God also: the form of blessing both is
recorded in ( Genesis
14:19 Genesis
14:20 ) . This was not a mere civil salutation, nor only a
congratulation upon his success, nor only a return of thanks for
victory, though these things are included; nor did he do this as
a private person, but as the priest of the most high God, and
blessed him in his name authoritatively, as the high priest among
the Jews afterwards did, ( Numbers
6:23-27 ) and in this he was a type of Christ, who blesses
his people with all spiritual blessings, with redemption,
justification, pardon, peace, and all grace, and with eternal
glory.
(Gill changed his mind on the location of Salam when he later wrote the Old Testament portion of the Expositor. (See Gill on Genesis 14:18). Ed.)
F26 Targum in Jon. & Jerus. Jarchi, Baal Hatturim, Levi ben Gersom & Abendana in Gen. xiv. 18. Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 4. fol. 182. 4. Pirke Eliezer, c. 8. Juchasin, fol. 135. 2. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 16. 2. Shalshelet Hakabala, fol. 1. 2. Peritzol. Itinera Mundi, p. 17.
F1 Targ. Onk. Jon. & Jerus. Levi ben Gersom, Aben Ezra & ben Melec in Gen. xiv. 18. Tosaphot T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 16. 1.