Hebrews 7:3 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Without father, without mother,— No more is intended by this, in the opinion of most of the great expositors than to observe, that the father and mother of Melchisedec are no where mentioned, nor are they pretended to be known; nor is any hint of his family taken notice of in the scriptures which speak of him. He was indeed king of Salem, that is, king of Jerusalem, as the Jews and ancient fathers commonly understood it. But it is no where said from whom he descended, nor who his parents were; or that he was of any line or family to which priesthood was annexed, as was the case of the Aaronical priests. As we know nothing of his birth or death, his parentage or pedigree (for he is said to be αγενεαλογητος, without genealogy,—not enrolled, among the priests), it is certain that no particular succession was necessary either to constitute him a priest, or to continue him in that office: for had that been at all necessary, something of that sort would have been mentioned. The next clause [having neither beginning of days nor end of life] is expressed for the same reason as the former words, in opposition to the Levitical priests, who were obliged to be of a certain age before they were admitted to minister, and dismissed the service at a certain age again. Numbers 4:3-47. Had this been mentioned with any other view than to shew that succession was unnecessary to one who acted upon the footing that Melchisedec did, the apostle would not have said, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but would have mentioned some period for beginning or ending his ministry; but designing only to shew that succession was not in the priesthood of Melchisedec, he observes, that neither beginning nor end is mentioned at all; and consequently that the Melchisedechian priesthood had this advantage over the Aaronical, as not being liable to change. Lists of genealogies were always kept among the Jews, that it might appear how every one was descended: nor could any one be admitted to act as a priest, unless he could prove his descent not only from the tribe of Levi, but from the family of Aaron: but Melchisedec was a priest of God, like the Son of God in this respect, who had no genealogyfrom which his privilege of acting in the sacerdotal office was derived. Nor is there any mention of any alteration or change of his office by death, nor any successors to him specified; wherefore those that are priests as he was, abide priests for ever. Some would read this last clause, like unto the Son of God, who abideth a priest continually.