Hebrews 7:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Lest they say, Why do you turn to ancient times? What relation does Abraham's tithe have to our priests? Speak of what concerns us. For this reason the Apostle continues: And, so to speak. He speaks beautifully, not expressing his thought openly, so as not to shock his hearers. Levi himself, who receives tithes, gave a tithe in the person of Abraham. How? For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

So that the priests of the law could not say, What has it to do with us if Abraham gave a tithe? he says that through the mediation of Abraham, Levi also, the ancestor of our priesthood, who receives tithes, gave a tithe. Thus, is Melchizedek not higher than Levi also, since he plainly received a tithe from him through Abraham? The expression so to speak means either to speak briefly or I will say it this way. Since it seemed too bold to say that Levi, not yet born, gave tithes to Melchizedek, he softened the statement by this turn of phrase.

The patriarch had not yet become the father of Isaac when he received the blessing from Melchizedek. Therefore he still had within himself the principles of begetting children. From Isaac came Jacob, and from Jacob, Levi. Therefore, says the Apostle, Levi was in Abraham when Abraham offered the tithe and received the blessing. Therefore it was also necessary for Levi to give the tithe and receive the blessing. Then the Apostle again sets forth the discourse in another way. Boldly relying on the indisputability of what he says, he proves that the Levitical priesthood ceases and that the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek is introduced in its place. At the same time, he also sows beforehand the doctrine of the New Covenant.

And to speak briefly, for the word on this is brief: through Abraham, Levi also, who receives tithes, himself in turn gave a tithe to Melchizedek. Listen how this is so.

Through Abraham, Levi also gave tithes. It was not enough to show Melchizedek's superiority over Abraham, who was neither priest nor king. The Apostle wishes to make it understood in fact that Melchizedek is also higher than Levi, from whom the present priests come.

Above, the Apostle indicated three superior features of Melchizedek in comparison with Abraham. First was the general and formal feature of Melchizedek's lordship and Abraham's subordination. By virtue of this, Abraham presented the tithe, and Melchizedek received it as something due and fitting.

Second was the feature that Melchizedek belonged to another tribe than Abraham. In this case, Abraham could be disposed and moved to give Melchizedek a tithe only by his own awareness of dependence and subordination, and of Melchizedek's superiority over him.

This superiority was, of course, witnessed and sealed by God Himself in some way. Third was the feature of Melchizedek's spiritual and priestly superiority over Abraham.

Then Melchizedek is higher than the Levitical priests also because Levi himself, in the person of the forefather Abraham, paid him a tithe and therefore acknowledged him as higher than himself.

By virtue of the divine promise, Levi already existed, so to speak, before his birth, in Abraham. Abraham was a certain steward of the destinies of his descendants, having made the covenant with God on behalf of those descendants.

Thus already in Abraham it was preindicated concerning the Levitical priesthood that it would occupy a subordinate position in relation to Melchizedek.