When interpreting Scripture we must remember a few essentials. We must understand the context and the content that the author is using. We must understand the audience that it was written to, and we must interpret the Scripture using other Scripture as the basis of interpretation. This letter was written around 64 AD to Jewish believers in Christ. Therefore, the temple, which was destroyed in 70 AD was still present along with the Levitical priesthood and the system of animal sacrifices. The writer of Hebrews was addressing the real danger that the persecuted Jewish believers would revert back to Judaism and deny their Messiah. We read in the book of Leviticus, the law, in 17:11, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul." God has always required blood as the payment of sin in order for atonement to be accomplished. This is why the majority of individuals who state they are heaven-bound and forgiven based on their good works have no ground to stand on. Without the temple, Jewish people have no method of remission of sins by the shedding of blood. They now rely on the oral law to replace the written law to create a system where their good works must outweigh their bad works, but nowhere was this allowed before the falling of the temple. Interestingly, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), Leviticus 16, according to the Talmud (the written commentaries on the oral law), a crimson strap would be placed on the door of the temple and around the neck of the scapegoat who carried away the sins of the people on Yom Kippur. Prior to the death of Jesus (40 years before the temple was destroyed) the strap would miraculously turn white showing that God had accepted their sacrifice and their sins were atoned for. But after Jesus made payment on the cross, the strap no longer changed color for the final 40 years, showing that their sacrifice was no longer accepted. Their former ways were not just inferior to what our Savior accomplished, missing their Messiah, their sacrifice was no longer accepted.

As we read this section, you might be thinking, "Why so much about this seemingly insignificant character in the Bible, named Melchizidek?" Understand, to the Jewish people one obstacle was to be a priest according to the law, you had to be from the tribe of Levi, but Jesus, our High Priest, was from the tribe of Judah. To be king you had to be from the line of Judah. But Melchizidek who is only mentioned in the Old Testament in Genesis 14:18-20 and again in Psalm 110:4 predated the Mosaic Law. We simply know that he blessed the patriarch, Abraham, after Abraham returned from his successful attack on the kings who had taken his nephew, Lot, captive, and that Abraham in response gave him a tenth or a tithe of all he had taken. In Psalm 110, which is a prophetic Messianic Psalm, we read in 110:4, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizidek." We also know that this man was both priest and king, the king of Salem. His name means both King of Righteousness, which is addressed prophetically in the book of Jeremiah 23:5-6, where concerning the future Messiah, we read, "Behold the days are coming," says the Lord, "That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: The Lord our Rightoeusness" This, in Hebrew, is titled, "YAHWEH Tsidenku, in other words this future Messiah carried the name of God, and was God. The name and title of Melchizidek also means "king of peace". In Isaiah 9:6, the future Messiah is called, "Mighty God,...Prince of Peace." Whether Melchizidek was a type of Christ or an actual Christophany (being Jesus, Himself) is debated. But either way, Jesus who is both our King and our Priest, fulfills the qualifications as outlined by the order of Melchizidek.

You might be asking, "Why is this so important?", or "What does this have to do with me?" The answer, in short, is everything. Many would like to argue that we, Christians, have changed the narrative or the story of redemption. But in reality, our story flows perfectly and beautifully all the way from Genesis to Revelation. No other narrative does. The Jewish system had to change once their temple was destroyed. Judaism as practiced now, must out of necessity ignore large portions of the law. But Christianity was never based on law, but grace. Our sacrifice was never temporary and imperfect, performed by priests, who themselves were imperfect. No, our entire system hinges on one Man, one God, who paid the ultimate and perfect sacrifice allowing us, to come to Him, atoned for our sins based on what He accomplished. Being a student of the entirety of Scripture can only bring one to the conclusion that our story of redemption, based on our perfect Savior, is seamless and available to any who will repent of their sins, and be atoned for by the one perfect sacrifice offered by our King and our High Priest, Jesus.