Hebrews 7:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He whose descent is not from them received a tithe from Abraham. And he did not simply say this, but added: and he blessed the one who had the promises. Since this was always considered important among the Jews, he proves the superiority of the one over the other according to the common judgment of all: Without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.

From this, Melchizedek, who received a tithe from Abraham, and was not of his race but a foreigner, is shown to be more excellent and higher than he. For why would Abraham have given a tithe to a foreigner unless great honor belonged to him? If Melchizedek, the type, surpasses even Abraham himself, then much more does the true High Priest surpass the priests of the law. And he blessed the one who had the promises. Since Abraham was exalted in every way by receiving promises from God, the Apostle now adds that the type of Christ blessed one so great, one counted worthy of converse with God and having God as his debtor.

We do not place Melchizedek's superiority in his nature, but in the form of his priesthood. Our forefather Abraham did not reject this, but rather seemed to ascribe superiority to him by honoring him and offering tithes. Those descended from the tribe of Levi receive tithes from the people, though from brothers. Meanwhile one not reckoned by genealogy among them, that is, Melchizedek, for he was not from the tribe of Levi, tithed Abraham and blessed him. In this consists the type; see Heb 7:14.

To this same Melchizedek, who is not inscribed in the Levitical genealogy, Abraham gave a tithe, though to Abraham the promise of the priesthood had been given, and it was promised that in him all nations would be blessed.

The priests under the law demand tithes for themselves from their fellow tribesmen. But Melchizedek, being a foreigner, received tithes from the patriarch himself, and repaid the one who had received God's promises with a blessing. The Apostle also interpreted this: without genealogy. For he said that Melchizedek is not reckoned among them by descent. Therefore it is clear that he is without genealogy not in reality, but as a type.

See how great the privilege of the priesthood is. It has the right to take a tithe even from brothers, although they are of the same race and have one and the same ancestor.

Indeed, the priests from the sons of Levi have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, although the people are of one race with them (Num 18:21).

But Melchizedek, although he did not come from their race and was not counted among their race, received a tithe from their ancestor Abraham. He did so as one who surpassed him by the privilege of the priesthood.

Thus Melchizedek is higher than Abraham, and Abraham is higher than Levi and all those who came from him.

Here the Apostle sets before us another circumstance that exalts Melchizedek above Abraham, namely, his belonging to another tribe than Abraham.

The Apostle's reasoning is this: the priests from the tribe of Levi not only enjoyed by law the right to receive tithes from all the remaining tribes (Num 18:21ff.). They also enjoyed this right by tribal unity with them.

All the remaining eleven tribes of Israel came from one tribal root with the Levites and from one ancestor, Abraham. By this tribal kinship they were to some extent obliged to support their priestly brothers and give them a tithe.

But Melchizedek is higher than they because, without any basis for this in the law, he received the tithe not from Abraham's descendants, but from Abraham himself. Moreover, this happened when the patriarch himself had already become a man near to God and had received promises from Him. Therefore, according to ordinary reasoning, Melchizedek was higher than Abraham and nearer to God than he was.