Who is Melchizedek?
In a few weeks from now, in our Hebrew bible study, we will be coming to a few chapters that talk about a priest named Melchizedek. The author of the Hebrews assumes that their audience knows who this is, but we today have less of in idea. So who is this priest and what does he have to do with Christian worship?
Melchizedek appears briefly in Genesis 14:18–20, Psalm 110:4, and Hebrews 5–7. His name means "King of Righteousness," and he is introduced in the narrative of Genesis as a priest-king who blesses Abram (later Abraham) after a victorious battle. This figure holds significant theological importance, especially in Christian worship, due to his portrayal as a precursor or type of Christ, blending the roles of king and priest.
Melchizedek first appears in Genesis 14:18–20, where he is described as the king of Salem (commonly identified with Jerusalem) and a priest of "God Most High." In this passage, Melchizedek brings out bread and wine to Abram and blesses him, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth; and praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Abram responds by giving Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had, marking an early instance of the concept of tithing.
In Psalm 110:4, Melchizedek is referenced again in a messianic context: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.’" This psalm became significant for later Christian theology, where it is interpreted as referring to Jesus Christ.
The New Testament book of Hebrews delves into Melchizedek's significance in greater depth. In chapters 5 through 7, the writer of Hebrews draws a direct comparison between Jesus and Melchizedek, emphasizing that Jesus is a high priest "in the order of Melchizedek." The author stresses that Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, a dual role that is not typical in the Israelite tradition, where kings came from the tribe of Judah and priests from the tribe of Levi. By associating Jesus with Melchizedek, the writer of Hebrews demonstrates that Jesus' priesthood is superior to the Levitical priesthood because it precedes it and transcends it in terms of its eternal nature.
Melchizedek plays an important role in Christian worship, particularly in relation to how Christians understand Jesus Christ as both king and priest. Melchizedek’s offering of bread and wine to Abram is seen by many Christian theologians as a prefiguration of the Eucharist, the sacrament in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed in remembrance of Jesus’ Last Supper and his sacrificial death. This connection adds a mystical and ancient dimension to the practice of the Eucharist, linking it to the priestly ministry of Jesus and his eternal priesthood.
Furthermore, the order of Melchizedek, as described in Psalm 110, points to the eternal nature of Christ’s priesthood. While the Levitical priests served for a limited time, Jesus, like Melchizedek, holds an eternal priesthood that grants him the ability to intercede for humanity perpetually. This understanding of Jesus as an eternal high priest shapes much of Christian worship and doctrine, particularly in prayers and hymns that emphasize Christ’s mediating role between humanity and God.
In the context of liturgy, the invocation of Jesus as "priest forever" in the order of Melchizedek serves to deepen the understanding of Christ’s unique role in salvation. It underscores that Jesus, like Melchizedek, is both ruler and mediator, blending the temporal authority of a king with the spiritual authority of a priest.
Melchizedek’s brief yet profound appearance in the Bible offers a theological bridge between the Old and New Testaments. For Christians, he is a symbolic figure representing the ultimate priesthood fulfilled in Christ. His importance lies not only in his mysterious nature but also in how he prefigures key aspects of Christian worship, especially the Eucharist and the understanding of Jesus as the eternal high priest who mediates between God and humanity.