---
title: "Hebrews 7 - Study King James Bible with calvins commentary on the bible"
description: "Read Hebrews 7 with calvins commentary on the bible commentary. 1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2 To whom"
image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/calvins-commentary-on-the-bible/hebrews/7"
---

[ Read](/kjv/hebrews/7)[ Commentary](/study/hebrews/7)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/hebrews/7) Audio

 1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

 2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

 3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

 4 Now consider how great this man *was*, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

 5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

 6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

 7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

 8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he *receiveth them*, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

 9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

 10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

 11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need *was there* that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

 13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

 14 For *it is* evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

 15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

 16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

 17 For he testifieth, Thou *art* a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

 18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

 19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope *did*; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

 20 And inasmuch as not without an oath *he was made priest*:

 21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou *art* a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)

 22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

 24 But this *man*, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

 26 For such an high priest became us, *who is* holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, *maketh* the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
 
[Hebrews 6](/study/hebrews/6) [Hebrews 8](/study/hebrews/8)

## Commentary

 To verse 1
 
**1.***For this Melchisedec, etc.* He has hitherto been stimulating the Jews by exhortations, that they might attentively consider the comparison between Christ and Melchisedec. At the end of the last chapter, that he might return from his digression to his subject, he quoted again the passage from the Psalms; and now he enters fully into what he had before slightly referred to; for he enumerates particularly the things connected with Melchisedec, in which he resembled Christ. It is indeed no wonder that he dwells so minutely on this subject. It was doubtless no common thing that in a country abounding in the corruptions of so many superstitions, a man was found who preserved the pure worship of God; for on one side he was nigh to Sodom and Gomorrah, and on the other to the Canaanites, so that he was on every side encompassed by ungodly men. Besides, the whole world was so fallen into impiety, that it is very probable that God was nowhere faithfully worshipped except in the family of Abraham; for his father and his grandfather, who ought to have retained true religion, had long before degenerated into idolatry. It was therefore a memorable fact, that there was still a king who not only retained true religion, but also performed himself the office of a priest. And it was doubtless necessary that in him who was to be a type of the Son of God all things excellent should be found: and that Christ was shadowed forth by this type is evident from the Psalm referred to; for David did not say without reason, “Thou art a priest forever after the order Melchisedec;” no, but on the contrary, by these words a sublime mystery was recommended to the Church. 

Let us now consider each of those particulars in which the Apostle makes Christ like Melchisedec. (110) 

The first likeness is in the name; for it was not without a mystery that he was called *the King of righteousness*. For though this honor is ascribed to kings who rule with moderation and in equity, yet this belongs really to Christ alone, who not only exercises authority justly as others do, but also communicates to us the righteous of God, partly when he makes us to be counted righteous by a gratuitous reconciliation, and partly when he renews us by his Spirit, that we may lead a godly and holy life. He is then called the King of righteousness, because of what he effects in diffusing righteousness on all his people. (111) It hence follows, that out of his kingdom nothing but sin reigns among men. And therefore Zechariah, when he introduces him, as by the solemn decree of God, into the possession of his kingdom, thus extols him, — 

“Rejoice, O daughter of Sion, Behold thy righteous King
cometh to thee,” ([Zechariah 2:10](/kjv/zechariah/2/10);) 

intimating that the righteousness, which is otherwise wanting to us, is brought to us by the coming of Christ. 

The second likeness which the Apostle states is as to the kingdom of *peace.* This peace indeed is the fruit of that righteousness which he has mentioned. It hence follows that wherever Christ’s kingdom extends, there peace ought to be, as we find in [Isaiah 2:1](/kjv/isaiah/2/1), and in other places. But as peace among the Hebrews means also a prosperous and happy state, it may be so taken here: yet I prefer to understand it here of that inward peace which tranquilizes the conscience and renders it confident before God. And the excellency of this blessing cannot be sufficiently estimated, unless you consider on the other hand, how miserable a thing it is to be tormented by constant inquietude; which must necessarily be the case until we have our consciences pacified by being reconciled to God through Christ. 

(110) The passage reads better, and the meaning appears more evident, when we consider *was* as understood in the first verse, as Calvin does. The first part refers to what he did as to Abraham: and the second, to what he was as a type of Christ. 

Now this Melchisedec, king of Salem, was a priest of the most high God; who met Abraham returning from the overthrow of the kings, and blessed him; to whom Abraham also divided the tenth of all: being first indeed, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is, King of Peace; without father, without mother, without decent, having no beginning of days or end of life, but 

By saying that he “blessed” Abraham, we are to render that he prayed God to bless him, as we find it explained in [Genesis 14:19](/kjv/genesis/14/19). 

(111) It is not as a king, but as a priest that Christ is our righteousness. Therefore strictly speaking, as a king, he administers righteousness, or acts righteously. “The king of righteousness,” may be rendered, as Stuart does, a righteous king. See [Psalms 45:7](/kjv/psalms/45/7) — *Ed*.

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