Melchize-who?

Good (early) morning! I would have posted my thoughts regarding last night's bible study but I locked myself out of my house and had to sleep in my truck. The locksmith finally made it out and I'm in. Just kidding, well at least about sleeping in my truck. I did lock myself out of my house last night but thankfully some friends of mine had a spare key and brought it over (thanks Sarah and Bryan!).

Last night we recapped week two of our study which was a continuation of the overview we started on the entire book of Hebrews the week prior. While describing the priesthood of Jesus in chapter five, an individual named Melchizedek is introduced in verse 10. The following attributes of his are listed in 7:3:

• Without father or mother
• Having no geneaology
• He did not have a "beginning of days" or "end of life"
• He is made like the Son of God
• He will remain a priest perpetually

I am so curious about him--chapter seven even says that after returning from battle, Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils, a practice reserved for the priests. That wouldn't be that interesting if we also didn't know that he WASN'T from the tribe of Levi, the tribe that had been chosen to care for the temple and have priests selected from.

Here are some questions that I have regarding Melchizedek that I hope to pursue the answers to during the course of the study. Feel free to leave a comment with questions of your own regarding this interesting character.

1. Who is he and where did he come from? (6:20)
2. How can an individual have no mother/father/genealogy? (7:3)
3. When was the Levitical priesthood established?
4. How did the Israelites view Melchizedek then since the Levitical priesthood had not been established at that time when Abraham gave him a tenth of all spoils? (7:2)