Matthew Poole and continuators on Hebrews 7:1

1 FOR this Melchisedeck , king of Salem , priest of the most high God , who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings , and blessed him .

The Spirit now proceedeth to prove, that the Gospel-High Priest is of a far more excellent Order, than that of Aaron's, by his being of the Order of Melchisedec, of whom they had read, and whom they had in great esteem, and after whose Order they were assured by the Prophet David, another Priest was to rise up in the Church, rendring Aaron's Priesthood useless, and continuing the only means of reconciling Sinners, and bringing them to eternal Life, to whom they must cleave: He initiates it with a Description of the State of Melchisedec's Order, from v. 1, to 11. and then proceeds to apply it to Christ from v. 11, to 28. Having asserted, ch. 6.20. That Iesus was made from eternity an High-Priest after the Order of Melchisedec, and declared to be so by his entrance within the Veil in Heaven at his Ascension: He reasoneth it out by shewing what this Melchisedec was. The Person pointed at by this Name, is mentioned only once by Moses, and that in Gen. 14.18, 19, 20. It is certain he was a Man who lived by Bread and Wine as well as Abraham, and received Tithes from him becoming a Man. His place of Residence was Salem, afterwards called Ierusalem, in the Land of Canaan, Josh. 10.1. The Iews conceived him to be Shem the second Son of Noah, which this Scripture denieth, for his Genealogy is well known in it; that he descended from Cham, third Son of Noah, because an Inhabitant in Canaan, and that his Name Melchisedeck was the common Name of the Princes of that Country, whose Metropolis was first called T[illegible: 2 letters]dec, then Salem, then Ierusalem; because the King of it in Ioshua's time was named Adoni-zedec, which is synonimous with this, is all conjectural; this is certain he was.

Indowed with Royal Power, such as the other Kings in Canaan had: The capital Seat in his Kingdom was Salem, the Name likely of both his City and Territory; not that Salem of the Sichemites, Gen. 33.18. afterwards called Schechem, demolished and sown with Salt by Abimelech, Judg. 9.34, 45. In Iohn the Baptist's time raised again and called Salem, John 3.23. But Salem, mentioned Psalm 76.2. more known by its famous Appellation, Ierusalem. This shews him to be a Man, as doth his next Title.

His Authority in matters of Religion, as a prime Minister about holy things between God and Men, and therefore a Man, as ch. 5.1. set up by the most high God for himself, and consecrated in his Order of Priesthood by him, which should most illustriously set out that of his own Son. He managed all as a Priest betwixt his own People and the great God, ruling of them in all matters civil, and teaching and ordering them in all sacred things.

He went from Ierusalem with necessary Refreshings to meet Abraham, the Friend of God, the Father of Believers, a Prince and a Priest himself, and of whose Posterity was to come the Messiah, now returning from his Victory over Kederlaomer and his confederate Kings, with the rescue of his Nephew, and all his, to his Tents at Mamre. As he was passing near Salem, Melchisedec meets him, and entertains him, Gen. 14.13, to 21.

It was an act of his sacerdotal Office, such as God enjoyned on such Officers afterwards in Numb. 6.23, to 27. and not a common Wish and Desire only. The matter of Blessing is laid down, Gen. 14.19. It was in God's Name, by his Commission effectually denounced on Abraham by virtue of his Office and God's Institution, the height of God and all the good in Heaven and in Earth within God's Possession is conveyed to him, Gen. 15.1.