he was a real person in the Old Testament who was both King and a Priest, who Abraham gave tithes to. He is also mentioned in a prophecy in Psalms 110 that seems to be about Jesus being a spiritual Melchizedek, and also he is mentioned again in Hebrews chapter 7 a lot, relating that Jesus is like Melchizedek who was a King and Priest.
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Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
Hebrews 7:2 to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is King of peace;
Hebrews 7:3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like [Aphomoioo, likened in model to] the Son of God), remains a priest continually. -- World English Bible translation.
Does this mean that Melchizedek has always existed, that as a "man" he was never conceived and never born, that he has always existed for all eternity past, and that he still exists to this day? Are we to believe that Melchizedek has been living ever since the day of Abraham so as to continue to this day as priest in Salem? Is he still alive today and serving as priest in Salem, now Jerusalem? Certainly, if Melchizedek were literally remain a priest forever, someone in Jerusalem would know about him. Obviously, the author of Hebrews 1:7-3 is speaking figuratively, in that the scriptures do not say anything about Melchizedek's birth, his mother or father, or of his genealogy, or of his death. Melchizedek did not receive his priesthood by lineage (as the Aaronic priesthood), nor was their any record of a lineage of priests as descended from Melchizedek. His priesthood was evidently by the appointment of God, but was to serve in type as the priesthood of Jesus, which priesthood is without an end.
Melchizedek serves as a model for the priesthood of Jesus. We are not think that the Melchizedek in the Old Testament, who met Abraham, was actually the pre-human Jesus, as some have claimed. Thus, in Hebrews 7:15 we read: "This is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest." Here we read of two different priests: (1) Melchizedek, and "another" priest who is "after the likeness of Melchizedek." It should be very obvious that the latter "priest" is not the first priest, as some have claimed. The latter priest, Jesus, is therefore not the former priest, Melchizedek.
Jesus, as a sentient being, is spoken of as begotten/born in three different ways. His original being as a sentient being is described as his being "the firstborn of every creature." (Colossians 1:15) His being "born" at this point would, in all usually usage of the word "born," mean that he came into existence on some plane of existence as a living being. The scriptures tell us that in the beginning of the creation of the world of mankind, the one with the title of "the Logos" was already in existence. Thus, the birth of Jesus in his prehuman condition would have occurred sometime before the creation of the world into which "the Logos" later came, and which world rejected him. (John 1:10) This agrees with Jesus' statement in John 17:5: "Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed." From John 17:5 and its context, we can realize several things, if our minds have not been blinded so as filter what we read there through the tint of human doctrine. (1) Jesus was with the only true God (John 17:1,3) before the "world" was made. (2) Jesus has a glory with the only true God before the world was made. (3) Jesus did not at the time he stated these words have the glory that he had with the only true God before the world was made. (4) Jesus expected to again be with the only true God. (5) Jesus expected again to have the glory that he before the world of made.
The glory that Jesus had with the only true God is described in John 1:1 using the Greek word transliterated as "THEOS." Normally, this word refers to the "only true God," as spoken of in John 17:3, or else it may be used of false gods, as in Acts 7:40. However, by Hebraic tradition, there is another usage that can be applied to the word THEOS when it speaks of another than the only Most High, and that is in the general meaning of the Hebrew words from which THEOS is translated, that is, as "might, strength, power, authority," as describing such might, strength, power or authority as given by Yahweh, the only true God, the only true Might of the universe. Thus, before the Logos became flesh as Jesus, the Logos was was with God, and the Logos was mighty. The Logos, however, was not the only true God whom the Logos was with before the world of mankind was made, as some have assumed from reading John 1:1,2. (John 17:1,3,5) I say "world of mankind" because the Greek word "kosmos" in John 1:10; 17:5 does not refer to spirit world where the angels are, but rather to the human world, the world that did not recognize Jesus. It is this world of mankind that is being spoken of as created through the Logos in John 1:1-3, and of which not one was made that was made except through the Logos. This is the same "world" that Jesus spoke of in John 17; he is not speaking of absolutely everything created in the universe (such as the angels).
http://godandson.reslight.net/john-1.html
Getting back to the glory that Jesus had before he became the man "Jesus," the apostle Paul speaks of two general glories of life, using the word "bodies" as a means to describe these two glories: "There are also celestial bodies, and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial." Jesus, before he became the man Jesus, was a mighty being (theos) with the only true God, having the celestial -- heavenly -- glory of life. When he became the man Jesus, he had the terrestial (earthly) glory of life, as described in Hebrews 2:9. According to his prayer as related in John 17:5, Jesus was requesting again the celestial glory that he had with his Father before the world of mankind was made. Thus, in his resurrection, Jesus was raised with the glory of celestial, not terrestial, life.
However, in all, this results in three different births.
(1) His prehuman birth as the firstborn of every creature. -- Colossians 1:15.
(2) His conception and birth as a human, having the glory a little lower than the angels. -- Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:7,21; Galatian 4:4.
(3) When he was raised, the firstborn from/of the dead. -- Psalm 2:7; Acts 13:33; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 1:5; 5:5; Revelaton 1:5.
Hebrews 5:5 reads, as more accurately rendered by Young:
so also the Christ did not glorify himself to become chief priest, but He who spake unto him: 'My Son thou art, I to-day have begotten thee.' -- Young's Literal Translation.
This speaks of the fulfillment of Psalm 2:7, which prophetically speaks of the day when Messiah would be begotten, or brought forth, from death. This is in reference to his being begotten in the resurrection, not of his being begotten "in eternity" as some have mistakingly misapplied Psalm 2:7.
http://godandson.reslight.net/ps-2-7.html
It is only after the last begettal/birth that Jesus is now eternal and glorified as high priest in the likeness of Melchizedek. Jesus could not be this priest while he had the terrestial glory, as the scripture says, "For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law." -- Hebrews 8:4.
It is only in this glorification that Jesus serves as priest without having had a father or mother from whom he received the lineage of priesthood. Jesus' priesthood is a priesthood without beginning or end of days (as related to days on earth); an eternal priesthood. It is only after his resurrection that Jesus dies no more, and it is only from that standpoint that he could not be considered "eternal" as far as never ceasing to exist again. -- Romans 6:9.
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