By Alan John Meister
Heb. 7:1-3 This “Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High,” “met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings” and “blessed him.” And Abraham apportioned to him “a tenth of everything.” His name first means righteous king, and he was also “King of Salem,” that is, king of peace. Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble [literally “looks like”] the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
Here, the Epistle for the third time mentions Melchizedek. In total his name is mentioned eight times, five of which contain the quote from Psalm 110, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Psa. 110:4).” Now, the Epistle reviews the life of Melchizedek in order to draw out its application to Christ, and to show that Christ is the intercessor and mediator of humanity before God the Father. The Epistle has stated that Christ is to be seen as the high priest forever (Psa. 110), and his priesthood is “according to the order of Melchizedek” (Psa. 110). Of course, the OT is centered upon the coming of the Messiah, so the Epistle now relates this interesting OT account of Melchizedek, which it shows, has a clear messianic application in that Melchizedek prefigured Christ.
The Epistle begins with account of Melchizedek by quoting from the Book of Genesis 14:18, “Melchizedek, king of Salem . . . priest of God Most High . . .” According to the OT narrative in the Genesis 14 account, the following is given:
It is interesting the way the OT account of Melchizedek is related in Genesis 14.Chedorlaomer, an Elamite King, with three allied rulers, raided the Transjordan and the Negeb, and defeated the city-states there, i.e., Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors. They seized all their possession and supplies and took many captives, including Lot, Abram’s nephew, and went back north. When the news of this came to Abram, he mustered his own men and set off in pursuit of the invaders. Abram overtook them north of Damascus and launched a surprise attack at night, defeated and routed them, while recovering all the possessions and the captives, as well as his kinsman Lot.
On his way home, Abram was met by the King of Sodom and Melchizedek, the King of Salem, who brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram and told him God the Most High had delivered his foes into his hands. So, Abram gave him one tenth of everything.
- It does not say the Elamite King attacked the King of Salem (Salem=Jerusalem). Salem was between the Elamites (Persia, modern day Iran) and the five cities of the plain, which included Sodom and Gomorrah – all of these were south of Jerusalem as well as the Valley of Siddim, which was located between Salem and Sodom.
- The OT describes Melchizedek as both a king and priest, was such a thing possible? There is no OT precedent for a king to be a priest before the Babylonian exile.
- Interesting even is the lack of existence of “priests” at the time of Abraham. Genesis 14:18 is the first mention of any priests in the OT, where did this “priest” Melchizedek come from and how was he anointed?
- It does not state that any of the other kings knew or had met Melchizedek, just Abraham.
- Interesting is the meaning of the names of Melchizedek and Salem – king of righteousness and king of peace (unity), respectively – only God himself is righteous, being without sin.
- Interesting, is the abbreviation of Jerusalem’s name Salem. Its psalmic citation is Zion, and it was prophesied the Messiah was to come from Zion.
The obvious question is was Melchizedek Christ? The translation states Melchizedek was “made to resemble the Son of God.” Yet literally, the Greek states that he “looks like” the Son of God. The Greek word used “resembles” (looks like) is in the past perfect. The perfect tense in Greek shows an action that has been completed, i.e., resultant state. The idea that is expressed is that Melchizedek looks like (is identified) as the Son of God. Interestingly, Daniel uses the same words “resembles” in his identification of the Son of God: King Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Assuredly, O king,” they answered. “But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like [resembles] a son of God.” (Dan. 3:24-26)
The passage specifically mentions that Melchizedek is without father, mother, or ancestry, and adds he is without beginning of days or end of life. Assuredly, these aspects fit Christ as well for he was “begotten” i.e., pre-existed his birth. In Genesis, there is no mention of Melchizedek’s lineage for it is silent on the matter. Still, he appears as a living man to Abraham. Moreover, after Abraham gave the tithes to Melchizedek, he talks with the King of Sodom who seems of have no knowledge of Melchizedek nor Abraham’s conversation with him, “The king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the people; the goods you may keep (Gen 14:21).’” Abraham replies to the king as if Melchizedek was the Lord and refuses to keep any booty:
But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the LORD, God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth, that I would not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap from anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I made Abram rich.’” (Gen. 14:22-23)
Clearly, it was the Lord High God that made Melchizedek rich by his blessing, and also by delivering his foes into his hands. The Epistle to the Hebrews uses this account to show that Christ is THE high priest who according to the order of Melchizedek is THE one mediator of humanity before God. Using the account of Melchizedek, this mediation of Christ is supported in two stages. First in vv. 7:1-10, it proves that Melchizedek’s priesthood was superior to the Levites. Second in vv. 7:11-25, it proves Christ’s priesthood is superior to the Levitical Aaronic priesthood. The important aspects of the OT account (and Hebrews) are the following:
- Melchizedek existed long before the Mosaic times, around 2000 B.C., and before God’s promises to Abram, whose name he changed to Abraham.
- Melchizedek did not descend from the Levites. He existed before his grandson Jacob and before the twelve tribes (sons). This means Melchizedek was independent of the Mosaic law, ca 1200 B.C.
- He is without father or mother or ancestry, without beginning or end.
- Melchizedek was the King of Salem (an abbreviation for Jerusalem). Melchizedek means “king of righteousness” and King of Salem means “king of peace.”
- He had knowledge of God Most High.
- He gave Abram bread and wine.
- He blessed Abram in the name of God Most High.
- He was given tithes of one-tenth of Abraham’s booty, after blessing him.
- Melchizedek was a priest, Psalm 110 indicates the Messiah also will be a priest.
1. He existed before the beginning of creation, ever present.
In the beginning was the Word . . . and the Word was God.
(John 1:1)
2. He descended from the tribe of Judah.
Judah became the father . . . Jesus who is called the Messiah.
(Matt. 1:13-16)
3. He is without human father or mother or ancestry, without
beginning or end.
It is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived.(Matt. 1:20)
4. He is “King of Righteousness” and the “King of Peace.” The OT
prophesies say that from Jerusalem (Zion) the Messiah King
would come, and his blessings were to be bestowed upon the
world (Psa. 14:7, 53:6, 128:5, 134:3, 135:21). Clearly, the
Messiah/Christ is the mystical King of Jerusalem and of Peace. You say I am a king . . . for this I came into the world.
(John 18:37)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. (John 14:27)(John 18:37)
5. He knew the God the Father being his Son.
The Father knows me and I know the Father (John 10:15)
6. Christ gives humanity the eternal bread and wine of himself
in the Eucharist.
This my body . . . this is my blood . . (Matt. 26:26-28)7. Christ blessed humanity by his life, death, and resurrection.
Blessed are your eyes . . . and your ears, because they hear.
(Matt. 13:16)
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me. (Luke 7:23)
8. In return, humanity is to give love and honor to Christ.
Repay . . . to God what belongs to God. (Matt. 22:21)9. He, the Messiah, is the eternal high priest. This is the aspect the
Epistle is used to demonstrate Christ as mediator. As such, its
the only aspect not specifically in the Gospels
(Psa. 110 and Heb. Only).
Like Melchizedek you are a priest forever. (Psa. 110:4)Certainly then to say Christ was indeed Melchizedek (not just a representation) is an easy jump. This was not the first time that the Lord as true man had appeared to Abraham (see below). Lets look at a later scene before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18:
The LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. Looking up, he saw three men standing nearby . . . Now that you have come this close to your servant, let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves . . . “Very well,” they replied . . . One of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son . . . [afterwards]. . . The men set out from there and looked down toward Sodom; Abraham was walking with them . . . The LORD reflected: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do” . . . While the two men walked on farther toward Sodom, the LORD remained standing before Abraham. Then Abraham drew nearer to him and said: “Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty?” . . . The LORD departed as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home. (Gen. 18:1-33)
And this appearance of the Lord is confirmed by the following passage, “Early the next morning Abraham went to the place where he had stood in the LORD’S presence (Gen. 19:27).” Moreover, they are other times the OT text mentions the Lord’s appearance to Abraham. These four other events are described in Genesis (12:1-7; 17:1-27; 22:1-2; 22:11-15). Clearly as the Epistle noted at its beginning, there are many messianic OT texts that went unseen, and were veiled so that they would not be recognized before the time of Christ:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets. (Heb. 1:1).
Truly with you God is hidden, the God of Israel, the savior! (Isa. 45:15)
Even in the Gospel of John, Jesus relates Abraham seeing him, “Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad (John 8:56).” In the Gospel of Luke, we see Jesus relating these various texts along the way to Emmaus, “He interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures (Luke 24:27).” And St. Justin Martyr noted some of the various appearances of Jesus as man within the OT, among these other appearances are the following:
1. At the call of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-7)
2. Upon giving the promises to Abraham (Gen. 17:1-27)1. At the call of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-7)
3. To Abraham before the destruction of Sodom and
Gomorrah (Gen. 18)
4. To Abraham to stop him from killing Isaac (angel = Christ)
(Gen. 22:11-15)
5. To Moses from the burning bush (angel = Christ)
(Exod. 3:1-5)
6. To Jacob in Genesis 32
For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. (Isa. 9:6)
Announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, “Your God is King!” (Isa. 52:7)
You are righteous, LORD, and just are your edicts. (Psa. 119:137)
