Lexical Summary apatór: without father, fatherless Original Word: ἀπάτωρ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance without father. From a (as a negative particle) and pater; fatherless, i.e. Of unrecorded paternity -- without father. see GREEK a see GREEK pater NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom alpha (as a neg. prefix) and patér Definition fatherless NASB Translation without father (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 540: ἀπάτωρἀπάτωρ, ἀπατορος, ὁ, ἡ (πατήρ), a word which has almost the same variety of senses as ἀμήτωρ, which see; (from Sophocles down); (without father i. e.) whose father is not recorded in the genealogies: Hebrews 7:3. Topical Lexicon Root Meaning and Context The term translated “without father” in Hebrews 7:3 underscores the absence of any recorded ancestry for Melchizedek. In biblical thought, lineage usually determines identity, tribal rights, and priestly succession. Here the lack of pedigree is intentional: Scripture offers no father, no mother, and no genealogy for Melchizedek, thereby setting him apart from every other priestly figure in the canon. Occurrence in Scripture Hebrews 7:3 is the sole New Testament occurrence: “Without father, without mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever”. The writer’s deliberate choice of the word serves a single, concentrated purpose—magnifying the uniqueness of both Melchizedek and the priesthood of Jesus Christ. Theological Significance 1. Transcendent Priesthood: By labeling Melchizedek “without father,” Hebrews detaches priestly legitimacy from hereditary descent, anticipating the eternal priesthood of Christ that does not derive from Levi but from divine appointment (Hebrews 7:11–17). Connection to Christology The verse draws a direct parallel: “resembling the Son of God.” The author of Hebrews is not claiming Christ had no earthly parents; rather, he is highlighting Jesus’ divine sonship and eternal nature. The comparison reinforces two Christological truths: Implications for the Doctrine of Priesthood 1. Sufficiency: Because Christ’s priesthood is independent of genealogy, it is not bound by temporal or ceremonial constraints. Pastoral and Devotional Applications • Assurance of Acceptance: The believer’s confidence rests in a priest who needs no ancestral credentials—His ministry cannot be revoked. Historical Interpretations Early Jewish interpreters sometimes speculated that Melchizedek was Shem or an angelic being, precisely because Scripture withholds his genealogy. The Epistle to the Hebrews dismisses speculation, focusing instead on his typological value. Church Fathers such as Chrysostom and Augustine emphasized the mystery as a divinely crafted foreshadowing of Christ’s uniqueness rather than literal parentlessness. Related Terms and Concepts • “Without mother” (amētōr) and “without genealogy” (agenealogētos) in the same verse reinforce the theme of transcendence. In sum, the single appearance of this term in Hebrews 7:3 plays a decisive role in presenting a priesthood that neither begins nor ends with human ancestry, thereby directing all confidence toward the everlasting Mediator, Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations απατωρ απάτωρ ἀπάτωρ apator apatōr apátor apátōrLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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