Despite being one of the least mentioned and most obscure figures in the Old Testament, Melchizedek, the king-priest of Salem, is foundational for understanding how Jesus occupies the offices of king and priestโa dual honor that finds little to no precedent among Israelite kings.
His name literally means โking of righteousness,โ and he rules over the city of Salem (or, โshalom,โ meaning cosmic, harmonious peace).
The psalm begins by declaring that this future king will be given a greater honor, power, and authority than any human king before him: he sits at Yahwehโs right hand, the place of highest honor as Yahwehโs vice-regent and representative (110:1). As such, he derives his authority from Yahweh and exercises Yahwehโs own royal rule, resulting in the subjection of the kingโs enemies (110:2), as well as protection for the kingโs realm and his people (110:3).
But this messianic figure isnโt only a kingโheโs also a priest in the order of Melchizedek (110:4). In one sense, this is nothing new. Davidic kings undertook โpriestlyโ functions such as leading worship, guiding in corporate prayer, and offering sacrifices on special occasions outside of the Levitical tradition.
( https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jesus-melchizedek/ )