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Melchizedek
All scripture is from the King James Version unless otherwise noted. Before beginning this study, I suggest you pray and ask God to guide you through this study. I also suggest that you do you own study of this material in order to ensure its accuracy.
Who was Melchizedek? The Bible has only a few words to say about him. We will study each occurrence of his name in the Bible, and discover who he really was and why he is important.
(Gen 14:18) And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
This is the first appearance of the Priest of the Most High God (Hebrew: Kohen El Elyon--Priest of God Most High). Abram's nephew Lot had gone to live in Sodom. The King of Sodom (Bera) had been a vassal of Chedorlaomer (khehd awr-lay' oh muhr), the king of Elam. Bera rebelled and Chedorlaomer attacked and defeated him. Chedorlaomer looted Sodom, and carried off the men and women including Lot and his household. Abram chased and defeated Chedorlaomer and returned with Lot and all the plunder of Sodom. He was greeted and blessed by Melchizedek. Abram gave a tithe of the plunder to Melchizedek. The entire narrative is given in Genesis Chapter 14.
There are several things to note about this verse. First is the word Melchizedek. It is the compilation of three words, melek, iy (a combining form--melek means king; meleky or melchi means king of), and tsedeq. Melek (Strong's 4427) means king (or prince), and tsedeq (Strong's 6664) means right or righteous or just. So Melchizedek means King of Righteousness.
Salem, shelam or shalom (Strong's 8001) means peace. So the King of Righteousness is also the King of Peace. Jer 23:5 calls the Messiah a Righteous Branch and a King. Jesus is called righteous (I John 2:1, 29) Jesus is called a King (Mat 2:2, 27:11, John 1:49, etc.). Isaiah 9:6 calls the Messiah the Prince of Peace.
The Messiah is a king, he is righteous, and he has peace (John 14:27). Melchizedek is called by the same names as the Messiah. The Messiah is a King of Righteousness and a King of Peace.
Melchizedek brought bread and wine with him. They are the elements of Holy Communion. Bread is the Body of Christ and wine is the Blood of Christ. Christ is our Passover Who was sacrificed for us (1 Cor 5:7) and we celebrate the Passover with Holy Communion.
(Psa 110:1-5) A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. {2} The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. {3} Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. {4} The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. {5} The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
This psalm is messianic; that is, it refers to the Messiah, the Lord's anointed. Of course, earthly kings are anointed. When Samuel anointed David the Hebrew word used was mashach (Strong's 4886), which means to anoint. But that word does not refer to the Messiah. Messiah is mashiyach (Strong's 4899). It comes from the root mashach. Mashiyach refers to The Anointed or The Messiah.
The Septuagint translation shows that this psalm is messianic. The Septuagint is the translation of the scriptures from the Hebrew to the Greek. The translation was made around 200 BC by seventy (Septuagint means seventy) Hebrew scholars.
The Talmudim, Midrashim, and Targums, which are rabbinical commentaries on the scriptures, confirm that this Psalm is messianic. The Talmud and Midrash were written beginning in 100 AD. The Targums are dated from the second century BC. Fragments from the Dead Sea Scrolls confirm that this is messianic (e.g. 4Q521), and many of the Talmudic writings and Midrashim from 100 AD - 200 AD also confirm this. And, more importantly, the Epistle to the Hebrews confirms this (Heb 5).
So when the LORD (Yehovah), said to my Lord (Adonai), "Sit at My right hand," He was talking to His Messiah. David, quoting Yehovah, goes on to say that the Messiah is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. So there is a messianic connection to Melchizedek.
The writer of Hebrews, whom I believe to be Paul, has much to say on the subject.
(Heb 5:1) For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
The human high priest is ordained by God to offer sacrifices for men.
(Heb 5:2) Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
Because the high priest is human and subject to human weakness, he can have compassion on men who are also subject to human weakness.
(Heb 5:3) And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
Because he is weak, he must also offer sacrifices for his own weakness.
(Heb 5:4) And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
A human high priest is called of God; he cannot call himself.
(Heb 5:5) So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
Even Jesus Christ did not call himself; he was called by God, the Father. Paul is quoting Psalm 2:7.
(Heb 5:6) As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec [Greek spelling].
This is a quote from Psalm 110:4, above.
Jesus is a priest forever, which is like Melchizedek (Hebrew spelling).
(Heb 5:7) Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
See Luke 22:41-44. Jesus is the subject of this verse. He prayed to God and was heard because of His fear of or submission to God.
(Heb 5:8) Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Jesus obeyed God unto His death (Luke 22:42).
(Heb 5:9) And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
John 3:16.
(Heb 5:10) Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
The subject changes a little in the next few verses, but they are important.
(Heb 5:11) Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Paul is now talking to those who do not seem to be able to take meat because they are stuck on spiritual milk. It seems that many Christians sitting in church pews are in this mode.
(Heb 5:12-13) For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. {13} For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Paul is telling those who should know the scriptures that they ought to be able to teach about Christ, yet they are still in need of teachers themselves. They must be taught again and again the fundamentals of Christianity.
(Heb 5:14) But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Age here refers to spiritual maturity, not physical age.
(Heb 6:1-2) Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, {2} Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Paul says that by teaching again and again the elementary teachings about Christ, we are not going on to maturity. Paul enumerates those elementary teachings we should not teach over and over again. They are: salvation and repentance, faith, baptisms, laying on of hands, going to heaven, and the judgment.
I have found that many churches preach ONLY those elementary teachings. In fact they usually only teach salvation and repentance, baptism, and heaven and hell, never getting on to spiritual maturity. It is just as important to lead Christians to spiritual maturity as it is to get them saved.
(Heb 6:3) And this will we do, if God permit.
"This" is going "on unto perfection" Paul would teach spiritual meat and not spiritual milk if God permitted. God did permit Paul to do much teaching. Paul continues with the subject of spiritual maturity through verse 16.
We pick up the teaching about Melchizedek again in verse 17:
(Heb 6:17-19) Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: {18} That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: {19} Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Because God wanted us to clearly understand His promise, he confirmed it with an oath. These, His promise and His oath, are two things about which God cannot lie. They are immutable, that is, they cannot be changed.
Our hope is Jesus Christ who is an anchor to the soul and who is able to enter within the veil. Behind the veil is the Most Holy Place where the very presence of God is found.
(Heb 6:20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Jesus has already entered the Most Holy Place and is a high priest like Melchizedek. Paul reintroduced the subject of Melchizedek here.
(Heb 7:1) For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
The subject of the next few verses is Melchizedek, who blessed Abraham after he had defeated Chedorlaomer.
(Heb 7:2) 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;
It is important to know that Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe; we will come to that later. The Bible is now explaining Melchizedek's name. It means King of Righteousness and he was also the King of Salem or the King of Peace (see above).
(Heb 7:3) 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.
Don't forget who the subject is: Melchizedek. Here the scripture tells us that Melchizedek was without mother, father, birth or death. Melchizedek was made like the Son of God! Melchizedek, like the Son of God, was a priest in perpetuity!
(Heb 7:4-5) Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. {5} And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
Melchizedek was so great that he was able to collect a tithe from Abraham. By law, the Levites were to collect the tithe from their brethren, the descendants of Abraham.
(Heb 7:6) But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Melchizedek was not one of the Levites nor were the children of Abraham his brethren, but he collected the tithe from Abraham.
(Heb 7:7) And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
Of Abraham and Melchizedek, Melchizedek was the better. Melchizedek was also better than the Levitical priesthood (see verse 10).
(Heb 7:8) And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
Keep in mind that Melchizedek is the subject of this discourse in verses 1- 13. If Melchizedek is the subject, then it is Melchizedek who is being spoken of. So let us supply the proper noun in place of the pronoun: "And here men that die [the priesthood] receive tithes; but there Melchizedek received them, of whom it is witnessed that Melchizedek lives."
To make sure we are really getting the full impact of what is being said here, let's look at a few other translations.
The literal from Green's Interlinear:
"And here indeed tithes dying men receive, there but being witnessed that he lives."
And from the left column of Green's Interlinear:
"And here dying men indeed receive tithes, but there it having been witnessed that he lives."
Darby's
"And here dying men receive tithes; but there [one] of whom the witness is that he lives."
American Standard:
"And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth."
New Revised Standard Version:
"In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives."
The Living Bible (not a translation but a paraphrase):
"The Jewish priests, though mortal, received tithes; but we are told that Melchizedek lives on."
Young's Literal Translation:
"and here, indeed, men who die do receive tithes, and there [he], who is testified to that he was living,"
Moffat:
"Again, it is mortal men in the one case who receive tithes, while in the other it is one of whom the witness is that 'he lives.'"
Last, The Amplified Bible:
"Furthermore here [in the Levitical Priesthood] tithes are received by men who are subject to death; while there [in the case of Melchizedek] they are received by one of whom it is testified that he lives [perpetually]." The bracketed text is included in the Amplified Bible.
Since I am about to make a statement that contradicts most traditional teaching on this subject, I wanted you to see this verse as others have seen it and translated it into English.
Traditional teaching is that the author is comparing Melchizedek to Christ and that Melchizedek is a type of Christ. I think you can sense that in the Moffat translation. This teaching assumes that the author is talking of Christ when he says "he lives".
The problem with this teaching is that it does not follow the same pattern of teaching in other scripture. That is that there is a subject to each passage, and that subject can be known and that the subject remains the same until changed. The key to good Bible understanding is keeping up with the subject.
The subject of this entire discourse is absolutely Melchizedek. That subject does not change until verse 13. There the subject changes to Jesus Christ. Today's English Version follows this thinking. Observe:
Heb 7:1-12 (TEV) This Melchizedek was king of Salem and a priest of the Most High God. As Abraham was coming back from the battle in which he defeated the four kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him one tenth of all he had taken. (The first meaning of Melchizedek's name is "King of Righteousness"; and because he was king of Salem, his name also means "King of Peace.") 3 There is no record of Melchizedek's father or mother or of any of his ancestors; no record of his birth or of his death. He is like the Son of God; he remains a priest forever. 4 You see, then, how great he was. Abraham, our famous ancestor, gave him one tenth of all he got in the battle. 5 And those descendants of Levi who are priests are commanded by the Law to collect one tenth from the people of Israel, that is, from their own people, even though they are also descendants of Abraham. 6 Melchizedek was not descended from Levi, but he collected one tenth from Abraham and blessed him, the man who received God's promises. 7 There is no doubt that the one who blesses is greater than the one who is blessed. 8 In the case of the priests the tenth is collected by men who die; but as for Melchizedek the tenth was collected by one who lives, as the scripture says. 9 And, so to speak, when Abraham paid the tenth, Levi (whose descendants collect the tenth) also paid it. 10 For Levi had not yet been born, but was, so to speak, in the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him. 11 It was on the basis of the levitical priesthood that the Law was given to the people of Israel. Now, if the work of the levitical priests had been perfect, there would have been no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek, not of Aaron. 12 For when the priesthood is changed, there also has to be a change in the law.
NOTE
: We have seen several translations of the Bible here. The preceding passage is from Today's English Version, which is not one of the better translations available. It is used here to show how others understand this passage. Though we have viewed several translations, I still believe that the KJV is the most faithful to the original languages of all versions. The KJV is based on the Textus Receptus, which, in my opinion, consists of the best texts. So I recommend the King James Version as the best.I am stating here, for the record, that I believe that the author of Hebrews is not showing Melchizedek to be a type of Christ, but to be one and the same as Christ. That Melchizedek was an appearance of Christ in the time of Abraham. While on the subject of appearances of Jesus in the Old Testament, let us go to another appearance.
(Josh 5:13-15) And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? {14} And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? {15} And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
The word "captain" is sar in the Hebrew which means "one who has dominion." (The words Caesar, Tsar, and Tzar all originate with the Hebrew sar). Therefore, It can mean captain, prince, or king. If we use it that way (one with dominion), then verse 15, above would read, "And the One who has dominion over the LORD'S host said unto Joshua,". There is One who has been given power and dominion over everything including the host of the LORD--Jesus Christ (Eph 1:21, 1 Pet 4:11, 1 Pet 5:11, Jud 8 & 25, Rev 1:6).
Some might say this is Michael, but not even an archangel makes the ground he treads holy. And Michael, an angel, would not allow Joshua to worship him just as no other angel would allow a man to worship him. (See Revelation 19:10). The Captain of the LORD's host allowed Joshua to worship Him. We do not worship angels, only God. Only God would make the ground holy. See Exodus 3:3 & 4. Jesus is God, the Son, and He would make the ground holy.
(Heb 7:9-10) And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. {10} For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
Levi is the progenitor of the Levites who were the priests of the tabernacle and temple. Of course, when Abraham was living, there was no Levi and no priesthood. But the author is here stating that Levi, whose posterity was the Levitical priesthood and collected tithes from their brethren, gave a tithe to Melchizedek by proxy through his grandfather Abraham. So Melchizedek was greater than the Levitical priesthood (see verse 7).
(Heb 7:11) 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 Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
"Another priest" is a reference to Christ. The phrase "after the order of" is expressed in Greek kata ten taxin (kata ten tacin), which can literally mean "down the succession of" or "according to the order of". In the Greek the word "order" is taxis, which means regular arrangement or fixed succession. So Jesus Christ succeeds Melchizedek. How can Christ, Who is King of kings and Lord of lords and sovereign over everything succeed a mere man? How can he succeed anyone? He is eternal, from everlasting to everlasting and he has no predecessor. He was there before creation (John 1:1). Before Abraham was He is (John 8:58).
How could Deity come after the order of humanity? Yes, Jesus was a man, but he was also God, He was the God-Man. Jesus Christ is the One and Only, the Alpha and Omega; He has no beginning and no end (like Melchizedek; v.3). There is no predecessor to Christ; therefore He could not come after the order of Melchizedek if Melchizedek was just a man. In fact if Melchizedek was any other but Christ, he could not be succeeded by Christ because Christ is preceded by no one.
(Heb 7:12) For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
This is a transition from the subject of Melchizedek to the subject of Jesus Christ. The priesthood changed from the Levites to the Priesthood of Christ and the law and ordinances changed. Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial laws. He also gave us refuge from the law. The law condemns and Christ redeems.
(Heb 7:13-14) For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. {14} For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Jesus was a Judahite or Jew. He was from the tribe of Judah by lineage (through Mary) and by law (through Joseph). Judah was not a priest and no priest sprang from him. Judah's progeny were the tribe of kings; his was the scepter. So Jesus sprang from another line that was not the priest line. Aaron began the priest line and Levi, a son of Israel, is the ancestor of the tribe of priests. No man of Judah gave attendance at the altar in the Tabernacle or the Temple.
(Heb 7:15) And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
The phrase "after the similitude of" is kata ten homoioteta or "according to the likeness of" Melchizedek. The other priest is Jesus Christ who is according to the likeness of Melchizedek. Does that mean that Jesus is similar to Melchizedek? Yes, but it goes even deeper than just similitude.
I want to show you two verses using this word, homoios, which means likeness:
(Rom 8:3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
(Phil 2:7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Jesus came in the flesh, as a man to provide for men's salvation. In both verses, Paul uses the word likeness. Does he mean that Jesus came not as a man but just similar to man or does he mean that Jesus came as a man? It is obvious. Paul is telling us that Jesus was a man, not just similar to a man.
Does it not then hold true that in Hebrews 7:15 Jesus did not come similar to Melchizedek; He came as Melchizedek. And that Jesus was Melchizedek before the Christian Era and that He still is Melchizedek, which means the King Of Righteousness. Jesus is the King of Righteousness and the Hebrew word for the King of Righteousness is malkiy-tsedeq or Melchizedek. So calling Jesus the Christ by the name Melchizedek offers no contradiction.
(Heb 7:16) Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
Jesus was not a priest in the flesh, but an eternal priest, in fact, our High Priest (Heb 4:14 & 15).
(Heb 7:17) For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec
Who is he that "testifieth"? Literally, the verse reads, "for it is testified: 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.' " We know who it is that testifies this. Refer again to Psalm 110:4, "The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." It is Yehovah Who "testifieth."
What does Yehovah testify to? That Jesus and Melchizedek are one in the same. Melchizedek is a pre-Christian era manifestation or appearance of God the Son, Jesus the Christ. And why should it not be so? After all, Jesus is before Abraham was.
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