‘You are a priest forever according to the manner of Melchizedek.’”

Being now an incorruptible Son, he could be made a “priest forever” who needed no successor, and thus he would be a priest “according to the manner of Melchizedek!”​—Acts 13:33-37; Psalm 110:4.

16. Who was this Melchizedek, and, according to the book of Genesis, how did he come onto the scene of history?

¹⁶ That mysterious historic figure Melchizedek​—who was he? He was not a Hebrew. He was not an Israelite. He was not a Levite. He was not a Jew. Suddenly, somewhere between the years 1943 and 1933 B.C.E., he appears on the scene in the neighborhood of where Jerusalem is today. “Abram the Hebrew” met him there while on his way back from warfare to near where Hebron is today. Here is all that the Hebrew Scriptures tell us about this encounter: “Then the king of Sodom went out to meet him after he returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, to the Low Plain of Shaveh, that is, the king’s Low Plain. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine, and he was priest of the Most High God. Then he blessed him and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, Producer of heaven and earth; and blessed be the Most High God, Who has delivered your oppressors into your hand!’ At that Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”​—Genesis 14:17-20.

17. In what respects did Melchizedek foreshadow Jesus Christ as High Priest, and was Jesus the successor of Melchizedek?

¹⁷ This does not say who the human father of Melchizedek was, so that we could say that Melchizedek inherited his priesthood from this father. Neither does it tell us when Melchizedek died, so that we can say that his priesthood ended then. So his priesthood extended to an indefinite time. In agreement with this, no successor is reported for Melchizedek. In these respects he could be used to foreshadow the High Priest Jesus Christ. Or, Jesus Christ could be said to be a “priest forever according to the manner of Melchizedek.” Jesus Christ did not get his priesthood from Melchizedek; he was not a priestly successor of Melchizedek. He was only in “manner” like that king-priest of Salem.

18. According to the name Melchizedek, what kind of priesthood will that of Jesus Christ be, and how does Hebrews 6:20 through 7:3 explain matters about Melchizedek?

¹⁸ Since the name Melchizedek means “King of Righteousness” and since Jesus Christ is in “manner” like him, this ensures that the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ for a thousand years will be a righteous priesthood without scheming, intriguing priestcraft. This is nicely explained for us in Hebrews 6:20 through 7:3, where we read: “Jesus who has become a high priest according to the manner of Melchizedek forever. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him and to whom Abraham apportioned a tenth from all things, is first of all, by translation, ‘King of Righteousness,’ and is then also king of Salem, that is, ‘King of Peace.’ In being fatherless, motherless, without genealogy, having neither a beginning of days nor an end of life, but having been made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.”

19. How was Melchizedek “made like the Son of God” in the matter of priesthood, and so on what did Jesus’ priesthood depend?

¹⁹ How was Melchizedek “made like the Son of God” or used as an illustration of Jesus Christ the Son of God? In that Jehovah God used Melchizedek as a pattern when speaking about an oath that He was going to make in behalf of his Son Jesus Christ.