Who is Melchizedek?

[Wash.]

Have you ever tried reading through the Bible and then get to Genesis 14:18 about this random guy showing up to blessing Abram. Then Abram gives him a tenth of all he owns. Ever wonder who that is and how random the event is? Well, I did, and I'm still up writing a paper about it! I'll toss up a poll for fun with the options i've come up with (well, other people have, i've just researcehd it)

[one2dredd]

I remember being taught as a child it was a manifestation on Christ so I am very interested on what people have to say :).

[Bro_Hart]

I believe that he is Christ. Whole and actual.

Here is all the verses the referance Him. Ge 14:18; Ps 110:4; Heb 5:6; 6:20; 7:1

Melchizedek has no begining or end spelled out in the Bible. He is before the Law of Mosses is given. So he is not a preist after Levi. I think it is hard for him not to be Jesus.

That is the short version. It is too late for me to think hard.

[sdenotter]

He was a priest of God before the time of the Mosaic law.... so seems to be the most reasonable description... although he fascinates me because... where did he start? people usually have a start date... hats off to you for doing a paper on him... brave!

[[toj.cc]WildBillKickoff]

Rev. John Hagee (who I don't necessarily agree with on many things, but he has a good theory here) believes that Salem, which cannot be found today, is probably the city that became Jerusalem. Salem means peace (precursor to both the Hebrew word "shalom" and the Arabic word "salaam"), so Jerusalem would then mean "the city of peace".

So, Melchizedek would then be the king of peace, or perhaps more accurately, the "Prince of Peace". Under this interpretation, Melchizedek would have to be a manifestation of Jesus.

[astrod00d]

I honestly and embarrassingly have never heard of Melchizedek. I'm going to have to read up on this one. :o

[Baron Squirrel]

ditto....

[Wash.]

WildBillKickoff;217326'] Melchizedek would then be the king of peace, or perhaps more accurately, the "Prince of Peace". Under this interpretation, Melchizedek would have to be a manifestation of Jesus.

I disagree. Within the context of the Scripture, every other King and his Land was identified. Therefore, to call him Melchizedek, King of Salem, Salem could merely be a historical land. In fact, it would make sense that Salem was pre-Hebrew Jerusalem.

[Stc95]

if Melchizedek was Jesus or God or, whatever, i would think that they would make a bigger deal out of it. If my Saviour came down in the manifestation of a rich King i would make a huge deal about it.. but then again, the Lord does work in mysterious ways.


and as the lollipop commerical says "The world may never know"

[ChickenSoup]

I'm not going to lose sleep over this issue because I really don't care. Sorry.

[Stc95]

I'm not going to lose sleep over this issue because I really don't care. Sorry.

lol, thats why i stayed out of it for so long..

[Dauntless]

lol, thats why i stayed out of it for so long..

Agreed. This has no weight on the fact that Christ died for our sins and therefore does not concern me in the least. If we were supposed to know who he is, God would have left more concrete information somewhere within scripture.

[Wash.]

Guys, this is a secondary theology thing. It's NOT relevant to the faith, its just a little point of discussion, like discussing who Barnabas was, if he was the rich young ruler or some other guy...
Anyways, its not that big of a deal ;)

[Stc95]

Guys, this is a secondary theology thing. It's NOT relevant to the faith, its just a little point of discussion, like discussing who Barnabas was, if he was the rich young ruler or some other guy...
Anyways, its not that big of a deal ;)

ya theres nothing wrong about that. i enjoyed reading it. i think the small things make life more fun. i know during my little league my coach told me to watch out for the little things in Baseball and my skill improved greatly, i applyed that to my life and it has been much better. why i went off on that tangent, idk..

[ChickenSoup]

COUGH I found this during my devos last night.

Hebrews 7

Melchizedek the Priest

1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace." 3Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever. 4Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, their brothers—even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. 6This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. 8In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
Jesus Like Melchizedek

11If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. 13He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17For it is declared:
"You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek."[a (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%207&version=31#fen-NIV-30066a)] 18The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
20And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:
"The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
'You are a priest forever.' "[b (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%207&version=31#fen-NIV-30070b)] 22Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
23Now 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 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%207&version=31#fen-NIV-30074c)] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
26Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.



He was a priest, I believe.

[Legandary Spartan]

wow...little thing like this get to me...need awnser's! I feel stupid for not looking at this earler. Because i want awnsers i have more reason to study the bible (something my life has been lacking...:( )

[Score...!!! Now i will be wanting to study (not just read and understand) the O.T.!]

Thanks guys!

[ChickenSoup]

I sort of posted the answer

[Legandary Spartan]

i got ADHD, sum it up please (no, i read it). i was just saying that was cool and there are probaly other really really wickedly crazy sweet (chain slang adjectives:D) little things i probaly missed the first time around. I know the verse about tresures if you look, and seek and you shall find. I got to keep in mind that God puts what we need to know in the bible, and what we don't need to know, God keeps out.

[ChickenSoup]

Actually, now that I read it closely I'm even more confused. Hmm. We're on the same boat, man.

[Zanthox]

Kinda late... but... why where there question when the verses around it clearly say he was king/priest and thus man?

[Bread and Circus]

Hebrews 6:19-20; 7:1-3, 12-20

We have this [hope]—like a sure and firm anchor of the soul—that enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because He has become a "high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. "For this Melchizedek—

King of Salem, priest of the Most High God,
who met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings,
and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything;
first, his name means "king of righteousness,"
then also, "king of Salem," meaning "king of peace";
without father, mother, or genealogy,
having neither beginning of days nor end of life,
but resembling the Son of God—
remains a priest forever.

If, then, perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise in the order of Melchizedek, and not to be described as being in the order of Aaron? For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. For the One about whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has served at the altar. Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and about that tribe Moses said nothing concerning priests.

And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek arises, who doesn't become a [priest] based on a legal command concerning physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. For it has been testified:
You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

So the previous commandment is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

None of this [happened] without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, but He with an oath made by the One who said to Him:

The Lord has sworn, and He will not change His mind,
You are a priest forever.
So Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

Really an interesting passage, I think the Holman Christian Standard Bible translates the passage much better. It seems to me that Melchizedek is portrayed as a sort of precursor to Jesus. Melchizedek was the eternal priest who was replaced by Jesus, and with him "a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God." Really cool stuff, shamed I have never heard about this before.

[Bread and Circus]

Since it says he was "priest of the Most High God", and only "resembling the Son of God" but he "remains a priest forever". So he is not God, he is not Jesus, but he is "without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life" he is a eternal being. So my vote is other, assuming the translators got it all right (the words in brackets are what the translators put in as the words they think belongs there). Seems to me this Melchizedek guy is pretty important.