Melchizedek (biblical figure)
Melchizedek is a significant biblical figure described as both a priest and king of ancient Jerusalem, specifically known as Salem. He appears in the Hebrew Bible, notably in the Book of Genesis, where he meets Abram (later Abraham) after a battle, blessing him and offering bread and wine, which some interpret as an early form of communion. This interaction is seen as the foundation of tithing, where Abram gives Melchizedek a tenth of his spoils, establishing a practice in various religious traditions. Melchizedek is also referenced in the Book of Psalms, where he is portrayed as a priest forever, suggesting a higher priesthood than that of the Levitical priests.
In Christianity, particularly in the New Testament's Letter to the Hebrews, Melchizedek is connected to Jesus Christ, who is described as a high priest in the order of Melchizedek, elevating his status above traditional temple priests. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) holds a unique view, believing that Melchizedek's priesthood was lost and later restored in the 19th century. LDS teachings elaborate on Melchizedek's role and outline a structured priesthood based on his example, emphasizing moral worthiness for ordination. Melchizedek remains a complex and revered figure across various religious traditions, symbolizing the intertwining of priestly authority and kingship.
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Melchizedek (biblical figure)
Melchizedek was a priest and king in ancient Jerusalem. Biblical references to him imply that he was the greatest of the priestly order and a standard for others to follow. In the Hebrew Bible, he meets with Abram, who later becomes Abraham, a founding father in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Melchizedek is also mentioned in Psalms and is referenced several times in the Christian New Testament, which calls Jesus Christ a priest after the order of Melchizedek. People who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that the priesthood of Melchizedek was lost during ancient times but was restored to earth in the nineteenth century.
Background
The only time Melchizedek appears as an active participant in the Bible is in chapter fourteen of the Book of Genesis of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. In four short verses beginning with verse eighteen, Melchizedek is introduced as a king of Salem. He rewards Abram after an important victory in battle.
According to the biblical account, four eastern kings are at war with five Canaanite kings. Canaan included the area now known as Israel. During the battle, the eastern kings capture a number of people, including Abram's nephew, Lot, as well as many of the goods owned by Lot and his people. Abram takes a small force of more than three hundred men in pursuit of the eastern kings and is able to defeat the much larger force, including the king, Chedorlaomer. After he recovers Lot and the others and their goods, Abram returns home.
He is greeted by several kings, including Melchizedek. In addition to being identified as king of Salem, which is another name for Jerusalem, Melchizedek is called a priest of El-Elyon, or the Most High God. He brings bread and wine to Abram, and he offers a prayer that asks God's blessing on Abram and gives praise to God for the victory. In return, Abram gives one-tenth of all he had won in the battle to Melchizedek. This is a reference to what scholars say was an accepted practice of giving one-tenth of any increase a person receives to the priests so they can continue God's work. It is often cited as the origin of the religious practice of tithing, or giving one-tenth of one's income to the church to help fund its ministry.
Melchizedek is also referenced in the Book of Psalms. In a psalm attributed to King David, the psalmist writes, "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek" (Ps. 110:4). Scholars say this implies Melchizedek held a different, higher priesthood than the one held by Aaron and the other Levitical priests who were said to be descended from him (Exodus 40:15).
No historical documentation of the battle of the four eastern kings against the five Canaanite kings has been found. Melchizedek is mentioned in the works of several other ancient historians, including Philo and Flavius Josephus. However, these texts mostly repeat what is known from the biblical account. He is also included in an Aramaic version of Genesis known as Genesis Apocryphon, which was one of the first Dead Sea Scrolls found in Qumran in 1947. This text also largely repeats the biblical account.
Another Dead Sea Scroll known as 11Q Melchizedek found in Qumran in 1956 likens Melchizedek to an archangel, specifically Michael. In the biblical and religious context, archangels are considered to be the highest-ranking angels in heaven and those who are often sent by God to do specific important missions. The small fragments of scroll identify Melchizedek as the one responsible for several tasks mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, including proclaiming the release of captives in the year of Jubilee (Isaiah 61:1), proclaiming good news (Isaiah 52:7), and possibly being the "anointed one" mentioned by Daniel (Daniel 9:25). Melchizedek is also mentioned in several other Dead Sea Scrolls, including those known as The War Scrolls and Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice¸ both of which mention priestly angels.
In Christianity and Mormonism
Christian writings point to Melchizedek as the ideal priest and, in several instances, point out Jesus Christ as a priest of the order of Melchizedek. This is particularly a factor in the Letter to the Hebrews, a New Testament biblical text that draws on the mentions of Melchizedek in Genesis and Psalms, with which the original audience of the letter would have been familiar, and draws connections to Jesus.
The fifth chapter of Hebrews specifically mentions Jesus as a high priest of the order of Melchizedek, emphasizing his position as being higher than that of the temple priests, who were Levites descended from Aaron. Scholars have interpreted the entirety of the letter of Hebrews as establishing that Jesus Christ met the requirements set out by the psalmist and is therefore king, priest, and the messiah predicted by the prophets of the Hebrew Bible.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), often referred to as Mormons after the extra-biblical text the Book of Mormon on which many of their teachings are based, put great emphasis on the priesthood of Melchizedek. The Book of Mormon expands on the short biblical narrative of Melchizedek. It says his priesthood was first known to God's earliest human creations, Adam and Eve, but it was taken away because of man's sinfulness and replaced with the lesser priesthood of Aaron and the Levites. The Book of Mormon says Melchizedek's priesthood was restored by Christ but lost again because of apostasy, or turning away from the true teachings and principles of the faith.
LDS teachings hold that the priesthood was restored once again to Earth in 1829 when the apostles Peter, James, and John appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, two principal founders of the LDS church. The Mormons believe that all males eighteen and older who meet certain requirements for moral worthiness can be ordained as priests of the order of Melchizedek after serving for at least a year as a priest of the order of Aaron. The president of the LDS church is also president of the order of Melchizedek, which has five offices: elder, high priest, patriarch, seventy, and apostle.
Bibliography
Collins, John J. A Short Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Fortress Press, 2007.
"Jesus as High Priest According to the Order of Melchizedek." Crandall University, 23 June 2014, www.mycrandall.ca/courses/NTIntro/Melch8.htm. Accessed 27 Oct. 2016.
Judd, Frank F. "Melchizedek: Seeking after the Zion of Enoch." Religious Studies Center, rsc.byu.edu/pt-pt/archived/sperry-symposium-classics-old-testament/melchizedek-seeking-after-zion-enoch. Accessed 27 Oct. 2016.
MacCulloch, Diarmaid. Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years. Penguin, 2009.
"Melchizedek Priesthood." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/melchizedek-priesthood?lang=eng. Accessed 27 Oct. 2016.
Rainbow, Paul. "Melchizedek as a Messiah at Qumran." Bulletin for Biblical Research, vol. 7, 1997, pp. 179–194. www.ibr-bbr.org/files/bbr/BBR‗1997‗11‗Rainbow‗MelchizedekQumran.pdf. Accessed 27 Oct. 2016.
Reid, Stephen. "Thinking about Zion's History in the Psalms." Christian Scriptures, 6 June 2011, blogs.baylor.edu/christianscriptures1and2/category/melchizedek/. Accessed 27 Oct. 2016.
Wall, Rob. "Why 'Melchizedek' for Heaven's Sake? Hebrews 7:1–28." Seattle Pacific University, blog.spu.edu/lectio/why-melchizedek-for-heavens-sake/. Accessed 27 Oct. 2016.