The Bible says concerning Melchizedek:

“For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.” (Hebrews 7:1–4)

Some understand Melchizedek to have been an ordinary human figure, but such an interpretation does not easily harmonize with the expressions used in this passage. Scripture describes Melchizedek as being without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life. These descriptions point to an eternity that belongs to God alone.

Some understand Melchizedek to be a being distinct from God because he is called “the priest of the most high God.” Yet when we consider that Jesus became both the sacrifice for our sins and our High Priest, it is not necessarily strange to consider God Himself in relation to the priestly work of redemption.

The earthly sanctuary was a pattern and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary. Therefore, the earthly high priest foreshadowed the true High Priest of the heavenly sanctuary. Under the Old Testament law, only Aaron and his descendants could serve as high priests. In the same way, if Jesus the Son became the eternal High Priest, we may also consider how God the Father worked as the source of this redemptive work represented in the priesthood.

Just as the high priest under the Old Testament placed the sins of Israel upon the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement, God laid all our sins upon Jesus, who became the sacrifice for our sins. Scripture says:

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

Scripture also says:

“Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” (Isaiah 38:17)

God laid all our sins upon Jesus, and Jesus bore those sins and shed His blood on the cross, accomplishing eternal redemption. Afterward, God made this oath concerning Jesus:

“The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4)

Jesus not only accomplished eternal redemption by becoming the sacrifice for our sins, but He also became the eternal High Priest after the order of Melchizedek and entered once for all into the heavenly sanctuary. Even now, He is our Advocate before the Father. Scripture says:

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1–2)