The author is continuing his discussion regarding Melchizedek, but we have concluded our speculation as to this priest's identity. Today the author uses the interaction between Abraham and the priest to show us that, no matter how much we may love and honor Christ, He blesses us more than we could ever bless Him. Abraham gave a tithe to the priest Melchizedek, but Melchizedek pronounced a blessing on him. The blessing was greater than the tithe because Melchizedek had greater authority than Abraham.
In regard to the authority of the priest Melchizedek, the writer says: "Just think how great he was! Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!" (Hebrews 7:4) In Genesis 14 a coalition of kings went out together and conquered several territories, including Sodom where Abraham's nephew Lot lived. These kings took the goods of the people they conquered and they carried some of the people away captive, including Abraham's nephew Lot. Abraham and his servants mounted an attack on Lot's captors. They rescued Lot and all the other captives and took back everything the kings had plundered. Following Abraham's victory over the kings, the king of Sodom and the priest known as Melchizedek met Abraham in the Valley of Shaveh. The king of Sodom was there to thank Abraham and to retrieve his people. Melchizedek came out to pronounce a blessing on Abraham. Abraham had done nothing, as far as we know, for the people of Melchizedek's city. I think Melchizedek came out to bless Abraham because God told him to. In this same way, Christ came to bless us, not because we had done anything for Him, but because He was obeying the Father and because He was willing to perform His role in God's plan of salvation. We weren't worthy of blessing, but Christ loved us anyway. We were of no use to Christ, but He gave Himself for us anyway. "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were sill sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
Abraham lived before the law was given and he was not required to give a tithe. After Melchizedek pronounced a blessing on him by authority of the Lord, Abraham presented him with a tenth of everything he had taken from the wicked kings. Abraham obeyed the spirit of a law that had not yet been given. He gave the tithe voluntarily, not by commandment, and because this was a gift from the heart it was far more valuable than if he were merely obeying a rule. It's possible to obey rules and to go through the motions of worship without feeling anything in the heart. Abraham was grateful to the Lord for being with him in battle. He was overjoyed that the Lord helped him rescue Lot and all the other captives. The tithe he gives to the priest is a heartfelt gift. He wants this money and these goods to be used for the Lord's work. The Lord has done great things for Abraham, so Abraham wants to give back to the Lord whatever he can.
"Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people---that is, from their fellow Israelites---even though they also are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises." (Hebrews 7:5-6) The chosen high priest of God was greater in authority than Father Abraham. Because Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, symbolically the entire nation of Israel (which did not yet exist) paid tithes to Melchizedek. As we've discussed previously, there is no reason for the Jewish Christians to reject the idea that Christ, who is descended from Judah, is their great high priest. Abraham respected and submitted to the authority of a priest who was not of the tribe of Levi, so Abraham set a precedent for respecting and submitting to the authority of Christ as the great high priest.
"And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater." (Hebrews 7:7) The interaction between Abraham and Melchizedek clearly displays which of them has the greater authority. The priest bestows a blessing on Abraham on the authority of the Most High God. The only thing Abraham can give is an offering of material things. The blessing bestowed upon us by Christ is greater than anything we can give back to Him. This doesn't mean we shouldn't contribute what we can; Abraham plainly sets an example for us by contributing what he could. But we will never be able to give back to Christ anything equal to what He has given us. And that's how it should be, for if we could match blessing with blessing, we would not honor Him the way He should be honored. He is far greater than we are, and we must regard Him as greater.
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