Hi Lorine,
The Smith's Bible dictionary has a bit of information on Jewish tradition of Melchizedek.
The "order of Melchizedek," in Psa_110:4, is explained to mean "manner" = likeness in official dignity = a king and priest. The relation between Melchizedek and Christ as type and antitype, is made in the Epistle to the Hebrews to consist in the following particulars: Each was a priest, (1) not of the Levitical tribe; (2) superior to Abraham; (3) whose beginning and end are unknown; (4) who is not only a priest, but also a king of righteousness and peace.--------------------------------------------------------------
Heb 7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
v. 2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
v. 3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
v. 11
If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
v. 15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest,
v. 16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
v. 17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Melchizedek is foreshadowing Christ, and as a preview of Jesus’ priesthood he is used to show that there is another line of priests which is greater than the Levitical priesthood. So this shows the superiority of Jesus as the High Priest over the Levitical priests and uses Melchizedek to substantiate this point.
So in Hebrews Paul presented Melchizedek as like Christ in that he is without father, without mother, without genealogy, "having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God" (verse 3). Now I don't believe this is saying that Melchizedek literally did not have father or mother, but his background was mysterious and this was not known about him.
There is a few mentions of Melchizedek in Ray's tithing paper. Here are the excerpts where he is mentioned.
http://www.bible-truths.com/tithing.html ------------------------------
Gen. 14:20, "And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he [Abram] gave him [Melchizedek king of Salem, the priest of the most high God, Ver. 18] TITHES of all [all the goods of war, Ver. 16]."
v
v
In this, the first mention of tithing in the Bible, Abram gives to Melchizedek (a priest of God who was also the king of the city of Salem) a tithe of the best of the booty taken in war. Notice that this was not wheat, corn, wine, oil, or cattle from Abram’s personal possessions, but rather booty taken from conquered nations.
v
v
There is nothing stated here that would cause us to conclude that Abram (later changed to Abraham) ever tithed on a regular basis on his own person possessions. Although Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe of the booty of war, he told the king of Sodom that he would take none of it for himself.
In this same account recorded in the seventh chapter of Hebrews, we learn that the priests of Levi, from the family of Aaron (although far inferior to the priestly order of Melchizedek) also receive tithes from the people according to the law.
v
v
Now in order to be a priest one not only had to be of the tribe of Levi, but he also had to be of the family of Aaron. In fact, if one could not trace his genealogy back to the family of Aaron, he could not be a priest of God. This is the whole point of Hebrews seven. Jesus Christ is a priest for the eons of the rank of Melchizedek because Melchizedek predated the law which stated that only sons of Aaron could be priests. Therefore Melchizedek’s genealogy is not given in the Scriptures, and Christ, who according to the flesh is of the line of Judah, can and will be God’s High Priest in the Kingdom of God.
------------------------------------------------------------
hope this is of some help.
mercy, peace and love
Kat