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Melchizedek

Introduction: [Some of the comments and/or answers in this material may be repeated throughout this study for the sake of emphasis, GLF].

 

  • Where in the New Testament is Melchizedek first mentioned and what Old Testament verse is quoted there? ________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________
  • Melchizedek's role as a priest-king predicts the dual role of Jesus Christ as both King and High Priest. Heb 7:1-28, (v 28), “For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, perfected for evermore.” __________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________
  • The ultimate question is: To what extent is one’s salvation dependent on knowing about Melchizedek? _____________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

I.       Most of us as Bible students readily accept Melchizedek as a king-priest from Jerusalem; one to whom Abraham paid tithes, Christ was likened unto him, etc. There are, however, other thoughts and theories that are noteworthy, whether we agree with them or not ~

          A.      “The ancient Targumim (Aramaic interpretive translations) identify Melchizedek as Shem—son of Noah. Shem was one of the links in the chain who transmitted the Godly traditions that originated with Adam. These traditions were carefully handed down from generation to generation, and Shem—who headed an academy—was a key conductor of these teachings. The Midrash tells us that he was so perfect and so spiritually advanced that he was born circumcised.” (Via Bereishith Rabbah 43:6)

          B.     Chazalic literature – specifically  Targum Jonathan, Targum Yerushalmi, and the Babylonian Talmud  – presents his name as a nickname for Shem, (Via Targum to Bereishith 14:18–20). 

          C.      “The lack of genealogical information about Melchizedek in the biblical text has led to various interpretations. Some have speculated that he was a theophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, while others see him as a historical figure whose priesthood was divinely ordained to foreshadow Christ's eternal priesthood.” (Via Bible Hub. See also II, letter “H” below).

          D.      The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered from 1946-1956 in caves near Qumran. They date from the third to first centuries B.C. Found in those scrolls were fragments of a text about Melchizedek. He is seen as a divine being and is referred to as Elohim, usually reserved for God. The text reads that Melchizedek will proclaim the “Day of Atonement.”

          E.      The Qumran Scrolls, also indicate that Melchizedek was used as a name of the Archangel Michael, interpreted as a heavenly priest; Michael as Melchizedek contrasts with Belial, who is given the name of Melchi-resha 'king of wickedness'.  He also will allegedly judge the peoples, (Via Wise, Abegg, Cook, 1996. The Dead Sea Scrolls: a New Translation).

II.      The following is the number of times Melchizedek is mentioned in the Bible. Let’s note some things said about him as to identification and then do a more intensive study of his work and purpose. Make your own notes and comments on lines provided.          

          A.      Gen_14:18  “And Melchizedek king of Salem, [Shalom, Peace], brought forth bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High.” Some say this shows his hospitality. ______________________

          B.      Psa_110:4  “Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.” This emphasizes Messiahship. __________________________________________

          C.      Heb_5:6  “as he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest forever After the order of Melchizedek.” See also Psm. 110:4, _________ ___________________________________________________

          D.      Heb_5:10  “named of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.”  Does this emphasize position and pattern? Explain _______ ___________________________________________________

          E.      Heb_6:20  “whither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”  This focuses on the formula of type-antetype. ________________________

          F.      Heb_7:1  “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him.”  Read also Gen. 14:18-20. ____________________ ___________________________________________________

          G.      Heb_7:10  “for he [Levi] was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.” (Ibid) _______________________________

          H.      Heb_7:11  “Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron?”  Study context of Heb. 7:11-28 with Jesus compared to Melchizedek. __________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

          I.       Heb_7:15  “And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest.” (Ibid) ___ ___________________________________________________

          J.       Heb_7:17 “for it is witnessed of him, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.” (Ibid) ________________________

Discussion:

  1. What was the role of the High Priest in the Old Testament?
  2. He was the supreme religious leader of the Israelites.        
  3. The office was hereditary and was traced from Aaron, the brother of Moses, of the Levite tribe (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 18:7). This made Melchizedek unique in that he had “no father or mother.” _____________ ___________________________________________________
  4. The high priest had to be whole physically (without any physical defects) and holy in his conduct (Leviticus 21:6-8). ________________ ___________________________________________________
  5. He held the leadership position. One of his roles was overseeing the responsibilities of all the lower priests (2 Chronicles 19:11). _________ ___________________________________________________
  6. He could participate in ordinary priestly ministries, only certain functions were given to him.  E.G.,
  7. Only the high priest could wear the Urim and the Thummin (engraved dice-like stones used to determine truth or fallacy). __________ ___________________________________________________
  8. For this reason, the Hebrew people would go to the high priest in order to know the will of God (Numbers 27:21). ______________ ___________________________________________________
  9.        Numbers 27:21
  10. This was when Joshua was commissioned by Eleazar, the high priest, to assume some of Moses’ responsibilities. ____________ ___________________________________________________
  11. In the New Testament, we find a reference to the high priest having the gift of prophecy (John 11:49-52). _________________ ___________________________________________________
  12. The high priest had to offer a sin offering not only for the sins of the whole congregation, but also for himself (Leviticus 4:3-21). ____ ___________________________________________________
  13. When a high priest died, all those confined to the cities of refuge for accidently causing the death of another person were granted freedom (Numbers 35:28). _________________________________
  14. The most important duty of the high priest was to conduct the service on the Day of Atonement, the 10th day of the 7th month of every year (Leviticus 23:27) _________________________________ ___________________________________________________
  15. Only he was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place behind the veil to stand before God. (Leviticus 24:9) ________________ ___________________________________________________
  16. Having made a sacrifice for himself and for the people, he then brought the blood into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled it on the mercy seat, God’s “throne” (Leviticus 16:14-15). [Note a type-antetype reference by Peter. in 1 Pet. 1:2; also Heb. 9:19, 21; Rev. 19:13]. __________________ ___________________________________________________
  17. He did this to make atonement for himself and the people for all their sins committed during the year just ended (Exodus 30:10). ___ ___________________________________________________
  18. It is this particular service that is compared to the ministry of Jesus as our High Priest (Hebrews 9:1-28). _____________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
  19. In understanding the role of the high priest, we can better comprehend the significance of Christ offering Himself for our sins once for all (Hebrews 9:26; 10:10, 12). _______________________________ ___________________________________________________
  20.        Through Christ’s sacrifice for us, we are sanctified and set apart for Him. __________________________________________
  21.       By entering God’s presence on our behalf, Christ has secured for us an “eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12). ______________ ___________________________________________________
  22.        As Paul has written, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). __ ___________________________________________________ 
  1. Genesis 14:18–20 ~
  2. Melchizedek and Abraham first met after Abraham’s defeat of Chedorlaomer and his three allies. Melchizedek presented bread and wine to Abraham and his men, demonstrating friendship. (See Introduction, II A) __________________________________________________
  3. He bestowed a blessing on Abraham in the name of El Elyon (“God Most High”) and praised Jehovah for giving Abraham a victory in battle. _____________________________________________
  4. Abraham presented Melchizedek with a tithe, i.e., a tenth of all the items he had gathered. By this act Abraham indicated that he recognized Melchizedek as a priest who ranked higher spiritually than he. _________________________________________________
  5. In Psalm 110, a Messianic psalm written by David (Matthew 22:43), Melchizedek is presented as a type of Christ. _______________ ___________________________________________________
  6. This theme is repeated in the book of Hebrews, where both Mel-chizedek and Christ are considered “kings of righteousness and peace.” _____________________________________________      
  7. By citing Melchizedek and his unique priesthood as a type, the writer shows that Christ’s new priesthood is superior, (ante-type) to the old Levitical order and the priesthood of Aaron, (Hebrews 7:1– 10; note too v 14 concerning Christ’s priesthood and the tribe of Judah). ______________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________        

III.    Food for Thought: [Refer back to the Introduction at the top of p 1. The following is speculation but worthy of consideration].

  1. Some propose that Melchizedek was actually a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, or a Christophany. This is a possible theory, especially given that Abraham received such a visit later in Genesis 17—18, when Abraham saw and spoke with the Lord (Yahweh) in the form of a man.
  2. Hebrews 6:20 says, “[Jesus] has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
  3. This term “order” would ordinarily indicate a success-sion of priests holding the office.
  4. None are ever mentioned, however, in the long interval from Melchizedek to Christ. Some scholars contend that this is an inconsistency that can be solved by assuming that Melchizedek and Christ are really the same person. _________________________________ ___________________________________________________
  5. Therefore, the “order” is eternally designated in Him and Him alone. What do you think? ____________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  1. Hebrews 7:3says that Melchizedek was “without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.”  
  2. The question is whether the Hebrew author means this actual-ly or figuratively.
  3. If the description in Hebrews is literal, i.e., actual, then it is difficult to see how it could be applied to anyone but the Christ.
  4.        No mere earthly king “remains a priest forever,” and no mere human is “without father or mother.”
  5.       If Genesis 14 describes a theophany, (i.e., the appear-ance of God in man, see Phil. 2:6-8), then God the Son came to give Abraham His blessing (Genesis 14:17–19).
  6.        He appeared as:
  7. The King of Righteousness (Rev. 19:11,16)
  8.                  The King of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)

                                       iii.      The Mediator between God and Man (1 Tim. 2:5). ________________________________________________

  1. If the description of Melchizedek is figurative, i.e., meta-phoric, then the details are viewed differently.
  2. Having no genealogy
  3. No beginning or ending
  4. A ceaseless ministry
  5. All of these are simply statements emphasizing the strange nature of the person who met Abraham. In this case, the silence in the Genesis account concerning these details is determined and better serves to link Melchizedek with Christ.
  6. The conclusion then is dependent on which analysis one takes, literal or figurative:
  7.                  Are Melchizedek and Jesus the same person? _____ ___________________________________________________
  8.       A case can be made either way.
  9. At the very least, Melchizedek is a type of Christ, pre-dicting the Lord’s ministry. _________________________________
  10. Again, in this defense it is also possible, however, that Abraham, after his weary battle, met and gave honor to the Lord Jesus Himself.
  11. What do you think? ______________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

V.      Further studies: We are limited in our knowledge of the physical and material aspects of this man. I.E., the Bible just does not tell us much; but there are some things that we can know:

          A.      On the subject of “After the order of Melchizedek:” The concept of “after the order of” is used elsewhere in Scripture:

                   1.       1 Chron. 25:2, “…of the sons of Asaph…who prophesied after the order of the king.” ________________________________

                   2.      2 Chron. 30:16, “And they stood in their place after their order, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood which they received of the hand of the Levites.”  ___________

                   3.       Ezra 3:10, “And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Jehovah, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise Jehovah, after the order of the king of Israel.” ______________________________________

                   4.      Then of course are the phrases used in direct connection between Melchizedek and Jesus the Christ: Psm. 110:4; Heb. 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:11. ________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

                   5.       Note also the contrast in Heb. 7:17 between “the order of Melchizedek and NOT Aaron.” ______________________________

          B.      Melchizedek is identified as both a king and a priest. These posi-tions were traditionally separate. Being both presents a unique situation. How? _______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

          C.      In the Genesis 14 lesson he “brings out bread and wine.” Some suggest this lends itself to Melchizedek’s hospitality. How so? _________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

          D.      The phrase “after the order” of anything means “a setting in order, an arrangement or disposition.”

                   1.       It may be applied to ranks or grades of soldiers and/or officers. ______________________________________________

                   2.      It may refer to any rank in society, e.g., “climbing the social ladder.” _________________________________________

                   3.       To say that the Messiah was of the same “order” with Melchizedek, was to say that he was of the same “rank” or “station.” He was like him in his designation to the office. ________________________

                   4.      Heb. 7 makes the meaning clearer. Jesus was the “One” in particular who would have a striking resemblance to Melchizedek that He would have with no other priest; in particular, the position of both priest and king. ________________________________________________

                   5.       None of the kings of the Jews were priests; nor were any of the priests ever elevated to the office of king. In Melchizedek, however, these offices were united. This fact represented a striking resemblance between Melchizedek and the Lord.

                   6.      The meaning of “after the order,” is:

  1. Melchizedek was of a special rank or order
  2. He was not numbered with the Levitical priests
  3.        There were important features in his office which differed from theirs.
  4.       In those features or characteristics “the order of” was clearly predicted that the Messiah would resemble him.
  5. Melchizedek blesses Abraham. This is an acknowledgement of God Most High as the source of Abraham’s victory. There is also, subsequently an aligning of Melchizedek’s and Abraham’s faith. How so? ___________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
  6. Abraham gives a tenth, i.e., tithe to Melchizedek. What did this prove or show? _________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  7. Psalms 110:1-7 reveals what things about Melchizedek and the Messiah? Key words are given below, but you may find others:
  8. V. 1 – Kingship _____________________________
  9. V. 2 – City of authority   _______________________
  10. V. 3 – Offering of people _______________________
  11. V. 4 – Priesthood ____________________________
  12. V. 5 – Power over other kings ____________________        6.     V. 6 – Judge _______________________________
  13. V. 7 – Head _______________________________

Conclusion:

I.       Discuss Hebrews 7:1-28 for further studies: _________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

II.      As asked in the Introduction: To what extent is one’s salvation dependent on knowing about Melchizedek? ______________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________         

         

                                                                   --Prepared by Gary L. Fiscus, 2025