Melchizedek

Genesis 14:18: And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

What or who was Melchizedek? Mentioned only three times in Scripture – each reference 1,000 years apart (which, by the way, speaks to the unity of Scripture despite its disparate authorship timeline) – a debate has raged about the nature of this figure and, based upon that nature, the significance of his mention. This proves to be one of the thorniest points of inquiry given both about what we know and what we don’t know. Was this a real person?  Was he part of the Levitical priesthood? What about His ties to the Canaanites? Why is Abraham’s reaction to Melchizedek so important to us today? For the Scriptural answer, we examine:

• Historical Context: Written between 1440 and 1400 B.C. by Moses, the Book of Genesis has sometimes been called the “seed-plot” of the entire Bible. Most of the major doctrines in the Bible are introduced in “seed” form in the Book of Genesis. Along with the fall of man, God’s promise of salvation is recorded (Genesis 3:15). The doctrines of creation, imputation of sin, justification, atonement, depravity, wrath, grace, sovereignty, responsibility, and many more are all addressed in this book of origins called Genesis.  It is no accident that someone on the order of Melchizedek would be included within Genesis as He proves the “first” or “King” with respect to righteousness. 

• Grammatical Usage:  The term “Melchizedek“ is a transliteration of two Hebrew words: melek and tsedeq. The Hebrew melek means kiing and tsedeq means righteousness. Therefore, the term “melchizedek” means literally, “king of righteousness.”; “Salem” is “Shalem” in Hebrew referring to Jerusalem as well as peace; “priest” or “Kohen” refers to the “chief ruler” which, in context, means both Chief Priest and King; “God” is “Jehovah” or “the existing One”.

• Literal Application: And the King of Righteousness, King of Jerusalem, offered both bread and wine as the Chief Priest of the only existing and one true God.
   
• Contextual Interpretation: Melchizedek is not so much a name as it is a title or designation.  It is a position or office that has to be filled by a worthy candidate. Because a king is always preeminent in his jurisdiction, Melchizedek had to be preeminent in righteousness. He had to be the “king” of righteousness.  In fact, 4 specific references to Jesus include:

• Righteous Branch: Jeremiah 23:5
  • Righteous Judge: 2 Timothy 4:8
  • Righteous Servant: Isaiah 53:11
  • Righteousness: 1 Corinthians 1:30

• Scriptural Comparison: The debate as to the true identity of Melchizedek comes down to was it a “Christophany” or a typology?  Was this person actually the 2^nd member of the Trinity or merely a type or forerunner of the Christ analogues to John the Baptist?

The Point of Righteousness

Continuing this critical reference to righteousness, God described three men – Noah, Daniel, and Job as being righteous. But, God said that their righteousness could not be extended or imputed to others (Ezekiel 14:14-16). Not one of the three was a source of righteousness for others, and God never referred to any one of the three as being the King of Righteousness.  Since “Melchizedek” was the epitome of righteousness, and no human including Noah, Daniel, and Job is inherently righteous, it is evident that the King of Righteousness could not have been human. Had He been human, Melchizedek would have been the same as Aaron or anyone else, i.e. a sinner.  He is described as “king of righteousness, and “king of Salem,” the ancient name for Jerusalem which was also attributed “King of Peace” in Hebrews 7:2. 

Malachi said that the Sun of Righteousness would arise with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2). Malachi was precluded from using the word “son” because that would have implied that the One who became Jesus was someone other than Melchizedek. The term “Son” would have suggested that Jesus was in some way a son or a descendant of Melchizedek. Linguistically then, the prophetic Sun of Righteousness and the King of Righteousness proves the same person, Jesus Christ.

The Point of Genealogy

In Hebrews 7:3, Paul says that Melchizedek was without father or mother, i.e. He had no parents. Paul’s statement should be taken literally because he was, in fact, emphasizing the deity of Melchizedek. 

Every human, including Adam, has had a father (Luke 3:38). All the angels have the same father as Adam, and they are referred to many times in Scripture as sons of God. The One who became Jesus Christ is the father of all life except for one human life, His own. The Most High God is the Father of Jesus (Luke 1:32). But, God WAS NOT the father of Melchizedek. Paul is clearly saying that Melchizedek, like the Most High God, was without parents. Neither of them had beginning of days nor end of life. The two of them had always lived and there had never been a time that each of them had not lived. Melchizedek had always possessed life inherent.

Michah said:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2, NKJV).

However, Melchizedek was willing to relinquish His immortality (John 10:18) so that He could become not only the King of Righteousness, but also the Lamb of God. Jesus succinctly put it this way,

“Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM’ ” (John 8:58, NKJV).

In order to serve as God’s Priest, Melchizedek presented Himself in a form similar to what would later be His human form (Hebrews 7:3). Before His birth, however, He was not the Son of God. He looked like the Son of God would later look, but He was not the Son of God until He became human.

Jesus’ human conception was the fulfillment of prophecy (Psalm 2:7, Hebrews 1:5). Because the Son promoted God’s righteousness and hated iniquity, God said to Him:

“‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter (symbol) of Your kingdom.’ ” (Hebrews 1:8-9, NKJV).  Melchizedek, who had been the King of Righteousness, became the Son of God fulfilling of the scepter promise of Genesis 49:10.

He is also said to be “without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually” (Heb. 7:3). 

On this point, some commentators advance the argument that Melchizedek’s existence shows that there were people other than Abraham and his family who served the one true God.  This would mean Melchizedek was a Canaanite.  The question arises, however, given the Canaanites were involved in bestiality, incest, molestation, homosexuality, prostitution — and if that’s not enough, they even sacrificed their children to idols, could this forerunner of a holy priesthood be associated with such?  It’s clear from history that God gave them ample time to repent, but they refused ( Gen. 15:16; Deut. 7:22). And as a consequence, God used Israel to bring judgement upon them. And lest anyone accuse God of being unfair, there is ample Biblical evidence that if there were any righteous in the land, God would have spared them just like He spared Rahab when Jericho was destroyed (Josh. 6:25; Gen. 182; Num. 31:35).  Clearly, they did not repent (continuing in their cultural ways) which indicates that, just as clearly, none were forthcoming as a Rahab which negates the argument of a righteous Canaanite faction.  

The Point of Priesthood

In fact, in Hebrews 7:1-28 the author points out the superiority of his priesthood to that of Aaron and the Levites in these respects:

1. Even Abraham paid him tithes
2. He blessed Abraham
3. He is the type of a Priest who lives for ever
4. Levi, yet unborn, paid him tithes in the person of Abraham
5. The permanence of his priesthood in Christ foreshadowed the Levitical system
6. He was a priest without an oath
7. His priesthood can neither be transmitted nor interrupted by death: “Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; ²⁴but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. ²⁵Therefore he is able to save completely^[c] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:23, 24)

As we have already reviewed, the Bible not only designates Melchizedek as “king of righteousness,” and “king of peace,” but overtly tells us that he is without father or mother, he is without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, and that like the Son of God he remains a priest forever. So though he did not trace his descent from Levi, yet the Bible tells us that Melchizedek collected a tenth from Abraham, and then blessed Abraham who had the promises (Heb. 7:2, 4); without a doubt the lesser person—Abraham—is blessed by the greater person—Melchizedek. In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die and in the other case by him who is declared to be the living, so note that in contrast to men, who die, Melchizedek is declared to be the living (Heb. 7:5-10).    

The Point of Firsts

Interestingly, when Abraham and Melchizedek met it was a meeting of Biblical “firsts”:

1. Melchizedek is the first person in the Bible called a PRIEST.

• Abraham is the first person the Bible calls a PROPHET, a title God himself revealed to King Abimelech (Genesis 20:7).

• Melchizedek (also spelled Melchizedec) is first mentioned in chapter 14 of Genesis, verses 18 to 20 surrendering the first tithe to a priest demonstrating honor (Proverbs 3:9). The Biblical account here informs us that this illustrious personage was the King of Salem (Jerusalem), Priest of God Most High (God the Father):

“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.  And he blessed him and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.  And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’  And he (Abraham) gave him a tithe of all.” (Genesis 14:18-20, NKJV and emphasis throughout)

• The bringing out of “bread and wine” by the FIRST person called a priest of God is undoubtedly a foreshadowing or type of a later ordinance which became part of Jesus’ memorial ceremony at Passover.

The Point of the Timeline

Roughly one thousand years after Abraham meets with Melchizedek we find out some more information about this person in Psalm 110. This Scripture was quoted by Jesus, (another one thousand years later) to the consternation of the Jewish audience who was baffled and speechless. This has to do with the triune nature of God, contrary to the belief of Judaism, that maintains that God is only one person.  Verse 1 of Psalm 110 says:

“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool’. ” (Psalm 110:1)

King David was saying that the Lord, (God the Father) said to MY LORD, (the Word that later became Jesus), “sit at My right hand till I make Your enemies Your footstool “, which is a prophecy about Christ, the Messiah to be fulfilled in the future. It continues with verse 4 identifying who this “my Lord” is:

” . . . ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” (Psalm 110:4)

In the New Testament the Apostle Paul elaborates further on Melchizedek in the book of Hebrews, chapters 5, 6, 7. Hebrews 5:6 is a quotation of Psalm 110:4. In Hebrews 6:20 the Apostle Paul links Melchizedek to CHRIST. Chapter 7 of the book of Hebrews offers more detailed information about the identity of Melchizedek who was:

“ . . . without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.” (Hebrews 7:3)

Clearly, Melchizedek could NOT have been a human being like you and I, since all of us have come into existence through the process of procreation. Christ ONLY is the Son of God and a priest continually. The Bible labels Jesus our High Priest (Hebrews 6:20). There can be no doubt that the Melchizedek of the Old Testament is “the word” (John 1:1) spoken of in the New Testament that became Jesus Christ:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS GOD.  He was in the beginning with God.  ALL THINGS were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

“He was in the world, and the world was made THROUGH HIM, and the world did not know Him. . . .

“And the Word BECAME FLESH and dwelt among us . . . ” (John 1:1-3, 10, 14, NKJV, emphasis provided)

There’s little doubt in my mind in reading Hebrews 7, the great coronation Psalm 110 in which Melchizedek is also mentioned, and then the Genesis passage where Melchizedek appears to Abraham that this is a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. It’s a Christophany very much like the Angel of the Lord appearing in the Old Testament.

The Point of Grammar

Despite of all the evidence, of course, over the years one word caused many to question Melchizedek as a Christophany or a preincarnate appearance of Christ. That word found in Hebrews 7:3 is “like.”

“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.”

Many insist this an analogy for Christ or a type of Christ. But upon linguistic review, I think not. That particular Greek word, “Aphomoioo” which means, “to cause a model, to pass off, to express itself” is only used once in the entirety of the New Testament. (I’m not saying “like” in English, but the Greek Word that was translated “like” in this particular context.) Therefore, I think it is unwise to be dogmatic about the definition of that word as translated into the English language.

This definition coupled with the language of the Dead Sea Scrolls, where the Melchizedek Scroll is a classic case in point where you find Melchizedek and the Almighty as words that are interchanged by the Essenes, demonstrates a Christophany. So as they studied the Old Testament, they viewed Melchizedek very clearly as the Almighty.

If “like” is properly translated it doesn’t negate the notion of Melchizedek as a Christophany. All you have to do is look at the words of Daniel, where Daniel says, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence” (Dan. 7:13).  And then contemplate the reality that despite the word “like” in that passage, Jesus combined this very passage with Psalm 110, which is that great coronation psalm, in evidence of the fact that He was in fact divine. And He used that argument before Caiaphas and the court that was condemning Him to death. So, again, the fact that the word “like” is there, shouldn’t cloud our understanding of the passage.

Interpreting Scripture in light of Scripture, I think that it is very clear that Melchizedek is in fact a Christophany. He is in fact a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ.

• Conclusion: There are eight critical points regarding Melchizedek which, taken as whole, indicate His essence as the 2^nd member of the Trinity:
• King of Righteousness
• King of Peace
• Eternal in nature
• Gives blessing
• Receives submission & sacrifice
• Provides bread and wine
• Jesus is from Judah: qualified to be King
• Jesus is Melchizedek: qualified to be High Priest

Coming as He did in the life of Abraham and then in His incarnation provides a perfect picture of how Jesus comes to our aid and rescue when we need Him.  Jesus is our sympathetic High Priest in a unique order; there is no one like Him.

The work of Christ as our great high priest is fulfilled in two major aspects: first, His work in His sacrifice on the cross; and, second, His work of intercession which includes His ministry as our Advocate. In His sacrifice, Christ is both the sacrificer and the sacrifice as He is both the Lamb and the Priest. As all of His priestly work depended upon His sacrifice, it is most important that this be carefully examined and the nature of His offering be fully realized.