John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. Now consider how great this man was , etc..] Melchizedek, of whom so many great and wonderful things are said in the preceding verses: and as follows, unto whom the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils ; of Abraham's giving tithes to him, (see Gill on Hebrews 7:2) and Melchizedek's greatness is aggravated, not only from this act of Abraham's, but from Abraham's being a patriarch, who did it; he was the patriarch of patriarchs, as the sons of Jacob are called, ( Acts 7:8,9) he is the patriarch of the whole Jewish nation, and of many nations, and of all believers, the friend of God, and heir of the world; how great then must Melchizedek be, to whom he paid tithes? and how much greater must Christ, the antitype of Melchizedek, be?
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4-10 - That High Priest who should afterward appear, of whom Melchizedec was type, must be much superior to the Levitical priests. Observe Abraham' great dignity and happiness; that he had the promises. That man is ric and happy indeed, who has the promises, both of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This honour have all those who receiv the Lord Jesus. Let us go forth in our spiritual conflicts, trusting in his word and strength, ascribing our victories to his grace, an desiring to be met and blessed by him in all our ways.
Greek Textus Receptus
θεωρειτε 2334 5719 V-PAI-2P 2334 5720 V-PAM-2P δε 1161 CONJ πηλικος 4080 A-NSM ουτος 3778 D-NSM ω 3739 R-DSM και 2532 CONJ δεκατην 1181 A-ASF αβρααμ 11 N-PRI εδωκεν 1325 5656 V-AAI-3S εκ 1537 PREP των 3588 T-GPN ακροθινιων 205 N-GPN ο 3588 T-NSM πατριαρχης 3966 N-NSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. The superiority of the Melchisedec priesthood to the Levitical. Consider (qewreite). Only here in Hebrews and o P. Except this passage, confined to the Synoptic Gospels, Acts, and Johannine writings. See on Luke x. 18; John i. 18.How great (phlikov). Only here and Gal. vi. 11.
The patriarch (o patriarchv). Only here and in Acts.
The tenth (dekathn). Properly an adjective, but used as a noun for tithe. Only in Hebrews, as is the kindred verb dekatoun to impose or take tithes. jApodekatoin to exact tithes, Heb. vii. 5. Comp. Matt. xxiii. 23; Luke xi. 42.
Of the spoils (ek twn akroqiniwn). The noun N.T.o , from arkon topmost point, and qiv a heap. The top of the pile: the "pick" of the spoil.
