Hebrews 7:6-8 - No descendants

7:6,7 Melchizedek was not a Levite. No ancestry is given, and the Law, and therefore the Levites, had not yet come into being. But the promises had already been given to Abraham, the promises which were the foundation of Israel, and indeed of all believers. Melchizedek received a tenth and he pronounced a blessing on Abraham. All before the Law came, so Melchizedek must be greater than the Levitical priests, just as righteousness by faith has priority over the law. The fact that Melchizedek blessed Abraham demonstrates that he is greater than Abraham, for the greater blesses the lesser. 7:8 The contrast between Melchizedek and Levitical priests continues. The Levites collected tithes, but they were just mortal men and died like anyone else. They were no different from the rest of humanity. Melchizedek, on the other hand, was a priest for ever. “He lives” could mean he is still alive, and this would be consistent with the view that he is a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. However, it could be that the writer is referring to the fact that Psalm 110 declares him to be a priest forever. In matters like this it is hard for us to know how the original writer and hearers would have taken the words. I suspect that the latter view is correct. However, there is always the tendency to favour the view that supports our opinion!