John Calvin Commentary 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 7:1 (ASV)

For this Melchisedec, etc. He has until now been stimulating the Jews by exhortations, so that they would attentively consider the comparison between Christ and Melchisedec. At the end of the last chapter, so that he might return from his digression to his subject, he quoted again the passage from the Psalms; and now he enters fully into what he had previously referred to only slightly, for he particularly enumerates the things connected with Melchisedec in which he resembled Christ.

It is indeed no wonder that he dwells so minutely on this subject. It was undoubtedly no common thing that in a country abounding in the corruptions of so many superstitions, a man was found who preserved the pure worship of God. For on one side he was near Sodom and Gomorrah, and on the other to the Canaanites, so that he was on every side surrounded by ungodly people.

Besides, the whole world had so fallen into impiety that it is very probable God was faithfully worshipped nowhere except in the family of Abraham. For his father and his grandfather, who ought to have retained true religion, had long before degenerated into idolatry. It was therefore a memorable fact that there was still a king who not only retained true religion but also himself performed the office of a priest.

And it was undoubtedly necessary that in him who was to be a type of the Son of God all excellent things should be found. That Christ was foreshadowed by this type is evident from the Psalm referred to, for David did not say without reason, “Thou art a priest forever after the order Melchisedec;” indeed, on the contrary, by these words a sublime mystery was commended to the Church.

Let us now consider each of those particulars in which the Apostle makes Christ like Melchisedec.

The first likeness is in the name, for it was not without a mystery that he was called the King of righteousness. For though this honor is ascribed to kings who rule with moderation and equity, yet this truly belongs to Christ alone. He not only exercises authority justly, as others do, but also communicates to us the righteousness of God—partly when He makes us to be counted righteous by a gracious reconciliation, and partly when He renews us by His Spirit, so that we may lead a godly and holy life.

He is then called the King of righteousness because of what He accomplishes in diffusing righteousness on all His people. From this it follows that outside His kingdom, nothing but sin reigns among humanity. And therefore Zechariah, when he introduces Him, as by the solemn decree of God, into the possession of His kingdom, thus extols Him—

“Rejoice, O daughter of Sion, Behold thy righteous King
cometh to thee,” (Zechariah 2:10).

The second likeness which the Apostle states is related to the kingdom of peace. This peace indeed is the fruit of that righteousness which he has mentioned. From this it follows that wherever Christ’s kingdom extends, peace ought to be there, as we find in Isaiah 2, Isaiah 9, and in other places.

But since peace among the Hebrews also means a prosperous and happy state, it may be understood that way here. Yet I prefer to understand it in this context as that inward peace which calms the conscience and makes it confident before God. The excellence of this blessing cannot be fully appreciated unless you consider, on the other hand, how miserable it is to be tormented by constant restlessness; this must necessarily be the case until our consciences are pacified by being reconciled to God through Christ.