Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 7:3

"without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God), abideth a priest continually." — Hebrews 7:3 (ASV)

The terms “without father” and “without mother” were often used for waifs of unknown parentage, for illegitimate children, for people who came from unimportant families, and sometimes for deities who were supposed to take their origin from one sex only. Some scholars hold that Melchizedek is viewed in the last mentioned way and is being pictured as an angelic being. But it seems more likely that the author is assuming that the silences of Scripture are as much due to inspiration as are its statements. When nothing is recorded of the parentage of this man, it need not be assumed that he had no parents but simply that the absence of the record is significant. Melchizedek is also “without genealogy.” Taken together, the three aspects are striking, for in antiquity a priest’s genealogy was considered all-important. After the Exile, certain priests whose genealogy could not be established “were excluded from the priesthood as unclean” (Nehemiah 7:64). Moreover, the priesthood of Melchizedek is without any end. What was true of Melchizedek simply as a matter of record was true of Christ historically, but they also have significant spiritual dimensions in a fuller sense. The writer is, of course, speaking of the Son’s eternal nature, not of his appearance in the Incarnation. He uses the official title of Jesus—“Son of God”—as in 4:14; 6:6; 10:29 (cf. 1:5; 5:5). Since the writer does not use this often, we may sense an emphasis on the high dignity of the Son of God. Moreover, it is the Son of God who is the standard, not the ancient priest-king. The writer says that Melchizedek is “made like” the Son of God, not that the Son of God is like Melchizedek. Thus it is not that Melchizedek sets the pattern and Jesus follows it. Rather, the record about Melchizedek is so arranged that it brings out certain truths that apply far more fully to Jesus than they do to Melchizedek.