Hebrews 7:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Up to this point he unfolded the type. Now he confidently presents Christ as surpassing everything that was real among the Jews.

If the type of Christ is such, and if he is so much higher not only than the priests but even than the forefather of the priests, what shall be said of the Truth? Do you see with what force he proves His superiority?

See, he says, how great he is, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tithe from the best of his chosen spoils. The spoils are called chosen.

It cannot be said that Abraham gave it to him as a participant in the war. For it says: he met Abraham and blessed him, returning from the slaughter of the kings. Clearly Melchizedek had remained at home, and Abraham gave him the firstfruits of what he himself had acquired.

After adapting the type to the truth, or what belongs to Melchizedek to Christ, he finally shows with confidence that the type, Melchizedek, is more glorious than the actual Jewish priests themselves. He is more glorious not only than them, but even than the forefather himself.

If the type surpasses them, then the true High Priest, Christ, will surpass them much more. Therefore, see, he says, how great he is. That is, see how much he excels, to whom gifts were brought not by an ordinary man, but by Abraham, so great a patriarch.

He did not add the word patriarch without purpose, but to magnify the person. And from the best of the spoils means from the most excellent and valuable spoil.

The Jews opposed the preaching about Christ and dared almost to mock the apostolic labors, setting forth two objections. The first was that it was impossible to leave unfulfilled the commandment given to the fathers through wise Moses, and to reject the law by unexpectedly introducing other rules of life, unknown to any of the ancients.

The second was that, as they maintained, the glory of the priesthood must not pass beyond the chosen tribe, that is, Levi. Everywhere God removes from service in the temple those who are not from this tribe, and plainly assigns them the severest punishment for daring to approach this ministry.

For Abraham himself received the blessing from Melchizedek only after bringing the firstfruits and the best to the priest of God. By the best and firstfruits of the spoils are meant the soul itself and the mind itself.

Therefore we are commanded not to be petty when we offer praises and prayers to God. We must not bring the Master something random, but dedicate to Him the best part of our soul, or rather the whole soul.

We should do this with all love and all zeal. Thus, always nourished by the grace of the Spirit and strengthened by the power of Christ, we may easily run the course of salvation.

Our praises and prayers to God make the struggle for righteousness light and pleasant. God Himself helps us in our zeal for labors, accomplishing through us the works of righteousness.

Moreover, the Apostle magnifies the priesthood of the Gentiles above the Jewish priesthood when he says: See how great this man is, to whom even our patriarch gave a tenth of everything.

Now consider how great this man is, to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth from the spoils. The Apostle did not mention Abraham's dignity without purpose. He wished to show that the very root of the priests, the foundation of blessings, through whom all nations become partakers of the blessing, offered to Melchizedek a tenth of the spoils.

Having joined the type to the truth, he then openly indicates Melchizedek's superiority over the Hebrew priests. If the type of the truth is higher than they, much more is the truth itself higher. Consider, he says, that is, reflect how great Melchizedek was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth from his spoils. He gave him the tenth part as to one higher than himself, though Melchizedek had not taken part in the war.

See how great this man is. The tithe was given to elders, kings, and priests. Melchizedek, who apparently had no relation to Abraham the victor, receives a tithe from him. For the Apostle this serves as proof of his greatness.

How does the holy Apostle Paul reason about the tithe received by Melchizedek from Abraham? According to the Apostle, the history of this tithe reveals four superior features of Melchizedek in comparison with Abraham, the ancestor of the Levites.

Namely: See how great he is, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tithe from the chosen spoils (Heb 7:4). With these words the holy Apostle first sets before us the very fact that a tithe from Abraham's best spoils was presented to Melchizedek.

Abraham was the free and independent owner of his vast riches. He was in no way subject to Melchizedek. He had just become famous through victory over five Canaanite kings, and he himself had received great promises from God.

The Apostle then derives the high significance of this typological priest from two facts mentioned in Genesis: Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe, and Melchizedek blessed him.

Let us grant, such is the Apostle's thought, that the priests belonging to the tribe of Levi also had great significance. Regarding their support, there existed in the law a definite commandment granting them a tenth part of the property of the whole people.

Still more, they took the tithe not from some conquered nations, but from their own brothers. Because of this, they appeared as first among equals.