As the writer to the Hebrews takes us through the theme of the new exodus that we have seen emerging in his work, he keeps our focus on Christ himself. All the people, events and goals typified by the first exodus of Israel are fulfilled in Jesus, the Son of God. He is the new Moses, leading his flock out from the bondage of Satan (who was the real power behind Pharaoh's throne!), by himself becoming the new releasing and redeeming sacrifice. He leads his people to worship in the true Tabernacle over which he presides as the Great High Priest, so that they may fully and finally enter the resting place which Israel could not enter.

In chapter five the writer introduces for the first time the person of Melchizedek. Melchizedek is mentioned in Genesis 14:17-24 and again in Psalm 110. He is a curious and puzzling figure, who is given great prominence in the plan of salvation, despite only two Old Testament references to him. The two references are deeply significant because (a) Abraham paid tithes to him, recognizing him to be a priest of God Most High and (b) his priestly role was inherent in his kingly status, thus indicating (a la Psalm 110) that the Messiah, as David's descendant, would be both king and priest.

The writer to the Hebrews is going to make much of Melchizedek in the coming chapters. These chapters will not only discuss his importance for understanding the work of the Messiah, Jesus, but also lay the foundation for the main point of his discourse, that the New Covenant has now been fully and finally established in and through Jesus' King-Priestly action. Moreover Jesus still holds this royal and holy status, and this is the guarantee of his effective intercession on our behalf, leading the worship of the people of God in the new, spiritual Tabernacle.

In the early part of Hebrews 5, the writer indicates that Jesus' priesthood shares the important characteristics of the Aaronic priesthood which was appointed to serve over the old Tabernacle and Temple. Jesus is one with his brothers, appointed by God (rather than taking the role to himself), and one who by virtue of sharing our flesh and blood has learned obedience to God through his sufferings. Of course, he is without sin, so there was no disobedience that had to be overcome in him. Rather, the sufferings spell out the full nature and dimensions of the obedience he rendered as a man for the race. Through his trials and tribulations, testings and temptations he was truly ‘fitted for the task' of being a merciful and faithful High Priest.

However, it is clear that Jesus natural lineage ruled out his priesthood being of Aaron's line. He was and is the Priest of a different order. Melchizedek was an earthly prefigurement or type of the True Priesthood of Christ. It is not so much that Christ is like Melchizedek, but that Melchizedek is like Christ! Jesus King-Priestly function is represented in history by Melchizedek, and thus it can be said that he is of his ‘order', but this does not mean that he is of his ‘line'. What is clear is that the priesthood of Jesus is of a different and transcendent order to that of Aaron and his line.

Melchizedek was the king of Salem (the original name of the site later called Jerusalem). Both the place over which he ruled and the name he himself had are significant. Salem (from shalom, peace) and zedek (from tsadiq, righteousness) are descriptive of the sort of reign he has, while the Hebrew word for king (melek) is preserved in the first part of his name, indicating his royal status. The writer to the Hebrews indicates that the solid food of mature believer is the ‘word of righteousness' by which we may have our senses trained (gymnazo the verb from which the noun gymnasium is formed) by reason of use (i.e. habit of mind) to differentiate between good and evil. In other words, the discernment needed for true Christian living is found in the word of righteousness, and in our constant habituation in that word. To this word the Hebrews had become ‘dull of hearing' (Heb. 5:11), and so they could not understand what needed to be said about Christ as the Heavenly Melchizedek, i.e. the one though whom righteousness is granted and peace is obtained.