MELCHIZEDEK
1.
Who was Melchizedek?
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| The meeting of Abraham with Melchizedek |
Who
Melchizedek was is not made clear. All that is
known historically of Melchizedek is contained in the Bible, in Genesis 4: 18;
Psalms 110 and Hebrews 5: 6,7. Melchizedek was
the king of Salem and priest of Most High God (el elyon).[1]
Melchizedek is an old Canaanite name meaning “My King Is [the god] Sedek” or “My
King Is Righteousness” (the meaning of the similar Hebrew cognate).[2]
Philo
and others commonly interpreted Old Testament names allegorically. Jews like
Philo and Josephus also interpreted Melchizedek’s name as the writer of Hebrews
does (as melek, “king,” plus tsedeq, “righteousness”).[3] The incident which connects him with history is the story of
how Abraham, returning to his own country with the spoils captured from
Chedorlaomer who was battling Lot, his sons and tribe and whom, Abraham sought
to rescue, gave tithes to this superior functionary, Melchizedek, high priest
of righteousness and king of Salem, city of peace. It relates how this
distinguished priest of the Most High God refreshed Abraham with bread and wine
and bestowed upon him his blessing, making him a priest of his own order.[4]
2.
What does the Old Testament say about
Melchizedek?
2.1. The Canaanite Priest King:
Here are the author summarizes Genesis 14:17-24, in which the
Canaanite priest king of the city that later became Jerusalem blessed Abram. Psalm 76:2 refers to Salem in a way that implies
that it is synonymous with Jerusalem. Salem – Jerusalem, i.e., seeing
peace; others make Salem distinct, and to be that mentioned. (Gen.
33:18)
2.2. The Most High God – called
also “Prossessor of heaven and earth” (Gen. 14:19, 22). The titles of God,
“the Most High,” handed down by tradition from the primitive revelation,
appears in the Phoenician god “Elion,” i.e., Most High. It is used to imply that the God whom Melchisedec served
is THE TRUE GOD, and not one of the gods of the nations around.[5]
2.3. Royal Priest: Melchizedek brought bread and wine for the exhausted
warriors and
bestowed his blessing upon Abraham. In return the patriarch gave to the royal priest a tenth
of all the booty taken from the enemy (Gen. 14:17–20).[6]
bestowed his blessing upon Abraham. In return the patriarch gave to the royal priest a tenth
of all the booty taken from the enemy (Gen. 14:17–20).[6]
2.4. Messiah: Melchizedek is mentioned in
Ps. 110:4, where it is foretold that the Messiah would be “a priest forever according to the order
of Melchizedek,”[7]
3.
Importance of Melchizedek
(a) Melchizedek’s name and dignity point to the
messianic gifts of righteousness of peace.[8]
(b) His mysterious appearance indicates the eternity
of Christ.[9]
(c) The fact that Abraham pays him tithes show his
superiority to Levi.[10]
(d) Melchizedek united the royalty with the priesthood, like the
kings of the ancient Near East, he became the prototype for the priestly rulers
of the Hasmonean dynasty (Ps. 110:4)
(e) He is a Gentile servant of the true God whose priesthood is
recognized by Abraham, a fact that calls for a mindset of humility among Jews
and Christians who consider themselves the chosen bearers of a unique
revelation.[11]
(f) The awe-inspiring rolling of priestly and kingly powers into one
supreme leader foreshadows the coming of the Messiah, who is described as
“Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of
Melchizedek”.
4.
Priesthood of Melchizedek
Melchizedek is regarded
as an ideal priest-king and, in the Dead Sea Scrolls, as a heavenly judge. In
the Letter to the Hebrews, Melchizedek is a supernatural figure whose
miraculous origin and indestructible life foreshadow the eternity of the Son of
God (Heb. 5:6, 10; 6:20-7:22).[12]
Melchisedec
was without father and mother, having neither beginning of days nor end of
life. His genealogy is not recorded; when he was born and when he died, is
unknown. His priesthood, therefore, may be considered as perpetual. In these
respects he was like to Jesus Christ, who, as to his Godhead, had neither father nor mother, beginning of time nor end
of days; and has an everlasting priesthood.[13]“Without
father,” etc. (Heb. 7:3), refers to priestly genealogies.
Melchizedek is not found on the register of the only line of legitimate
priests; his father’s name is not recorded, nor his mother’s; no
evidence points out his line of descent from Aaron. It is not affirmed
that he had no father or that he was not born at any time or died
on
any day; but these facts were nowhere found on the register of the Levitical
priesthood. Melchizedek offers an expressive type of Christ, the
King-Priest, especially of the Messiah’s work in resurrection, inasmuch as
the ancient character offers bread and wine, memorials of sacrifice.
The writer to the Hebrews beautifully describes the everlasting continuance and
kingly
authority of Christ’s high priesthood by the phrase “according to the order of
Melchizedek”
(6:20; cf. 7:23–24). The priesthood, as handed down through the line of Aaron,
was
often set aside by death. The Melchizedek aspect of Christ’s priesthood
portrays Christ in the perpetuity of His priestly office.
Although the Aaronic priesthood could typify Christ’s priestly work, it was limited in
portraying the full scope of His priestly ministry. The Melchizedek type supplements the
Aaronic type. As “king of righteousness” and “king of peace” (Heb. 7:2; cf. Isa. 11:4–9),
Christ will in the coming Kingdom age assume both offices in His Person. The prophet
Zechariah graphically sets this forth in the symbolic crowning of Joshua (Zech. 6:9–15). This
significant event foreshadowed the millennial period when Messiah the Branch will “sit and
rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be
between the two offices” (v. 13); that is, both kingship and priesthood will be united in one
Person.[14]
Although the Aaronic priesthood could typify Christ’s priestly work, it was limited in
portraying the full scope of His priestly ministry. The Melchizedek type supplements the
Aaronic type. As “king of righteousness” and “king of peace” (Heb. 7:2; cf. Isa. 11:4–9),
Christ will in the coming Kingdom age assume both offices in His Person. The prophet
Zechariah graphically sets this forth in the symbolic crowning of Joshua (Zech. 6:9–15). This
significant event foreshadowed the millennial period when Messiah the Branch will “sit and
rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be
between the two offices” (v. 13); that is, both kingship and priesthood will be united in one
Person.[14]
5.
Was
this thing physically true of Jesus?
In order to answer this question I would like to point out
the relation between Melchizedek and Jesus Christ; [15] The
relation between Melchizedek
and Christ as type and antitype is made in the epistle to the Hebrews to
consist in
the following particular: each was a priest
(1)
Who is not of the Levitical tribe.
(2)
Who is 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.
Their
status are too similar, therefore Jesus might be Melchizedek.
CONCLUSION
In order to conclude my studies regarding Melchizedek, since most
of the commentary which I prefer has pointed out the similarities between Jesus
and Melchizedek. Similarly I accept their stand point that the appearance of Melchizedek could be Theophany. The final Melchizedek Scripture references are in Hebrews. It is
vital to understand the context of Hebrews under consideration offers
arguments for Jesus’ eternal priesthood and its superiority to the order of
Levi. From Hebrews 7, scholars have concluded Melchizedek was an early
appearance of Christ. Put another way, they maintain that the man speaking to
Abram (or Abraham) in Genesis 14 was really Jesus. It may seem like that
is true.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Achtemier,
Paul J. Harper Collins Bible Dictionary. New
York: HaperCollins Publishers, 1979.
Bromiley,
Geoffrey W. Theological Dictionary of the
New Testament. Michigan: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 2000.
Clarke,
Adam. Clarke’s Commentary. New York:
Abingdon Press, 1824.
Grumbine,J.C. Melchizedek or the Secret Doctrine of the
Bible.np.1919.
Henry,
Matthew. Commentary on the Whole Bible. England:
Christian Miracle Foundation Press, 2011.
Keener,
Craig S. The IVP Bible Background
Commentary. USA: InterVarsity Press, 2014.
Larsson,Tony.
The Priest King Melchizedek.
Jerusalem: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2003.
New Bible Dictionary,
‘Melchizedek’ (Illinios: Tyndale
House Publishers, 1987),759.
Unger,
Merill F. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary.
Chicago: Moody Press, 1966.
WEBLIOGRAPHY
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Melchizedek (accessed on
9th Sept., 2019)
[1] New
Bible Dictionary 2nd Edition (Illinios: Tyndale House Publishers,
1987),759.
[3] Adam
Clarke, Clarke’s Commentary (New
York: Abingdon Press, 1824), 733.
[4] J.C. Grumbine, Melchizedek
or the Secret Doctrine of the Bible (nd: 1919), 4.
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