The mystery of Melchizedek

I have not, but I heard of the Harbinger. Interesting.

huh

there are a lot of weird theories out there about Melchizedek

some people think he is an angel or that he is the Word of God before the Incarnation

the New Age movement has him as a "transcendent Master"

if you look at this with an eye to Catholic theology, it is not that hard
he was an ancient Priest-King, as was common in Middle East in antiquity, he was a righteous king who worshiped God, he was also a "type" of Christ, a foreshadowing of what Jesus would be (as was Adam, Able, Noah, Moses, David and many other figures in the Old Testament in their own way)

Melchizedek did not descend from Jewish stock, so he is listed as having "no mother and no father" his ancestry was unknown to the writers of the Bible

so some think Melchizedek is Shem the son of Noah?

huh, never heard that before

Michie said:

I've always wondered about him. More so since becoming Catholic since priests are in said to be in the order of Melchizedek. Being a priest forever. I don't quite understand how the RCC makes this connection other than Melchizedek being a priest.

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Genesis 14:18
But Melchisedech the king of Salem, bringing forth bread and wine, for he was the priest of the most high God, [19] Blessed him, and said: Blessed be Abram by the most high God, who created heaven and earth. [20] And blessed be the most high God, by whose protection the enemies are in thy hands. And he gave him the tithes of all.

Hebrew meaning "King of righteousness."

In the Epistle to the Hebrews the typical character of Melchisedech and its Messianic import are fully explained. Christ is "a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedech" (Hebrews 7:6; Psalm 109:4); "a high priest forever", etc

(Hebrews 6:20), i.e. order or manner (Gesenius), not after the manner of Aaron. The Apostle develops his teaching in Hebrews 7: Melchisedech was a type by reason of his twofold dignity as priest and king,

........by reason of his name, "king of justice",
by reason of the city over which he ruled, "King of Salem, that is, king of peace", and also
because he "without father without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but likened unto the Son of God, continueth a priest forever."

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Melchisedech




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Sometime before 457 AD

CHURCH FATHERS: Dialogue 2 (Theodoret)

Orth.— For any one willing to consider it with attention it will not be hard to attain perception of the meaning of the words. After saying without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, the divine Apostle adds made like the Son of God, abides a priest continually. Here he plainly teaches us that the Lord Christ is archetype of Melchisedec in things concerning the human nature. And he speaks of Melchisedec as made like the Son of God. Now let us examine the point in this manner—do you say that the Lord had a father according to the flesh?

Eran.— Certainly not.

Orth.— Why?

Eran.— He was born of the holy Virgin alone.

Orth.— He is therefore properly styled without father?

Eran.— True.

Orth.— Do you say that according to the divine Nature He had a mother?
Eran.— Certainly not.

Orth.— For He was begotten of the Father alone before the ages?

Eran.— Agreed.

Orth.— And yet, as the generation He has of the Father is ineffable, He is spoken of as without descent. Who says the prophet shall declare His generation?
Eran.— You are right.

Orth.— Thus it becomes Him to have neither beginning of days nor end of life; for He is without beginning, indestructible, and, in a word, eternal, and coeternal with the Father.

Eran.— This is my view too. But we must now consider how this fits the admirable Melchisedec.

Orth.— As an image and type. The image, as we have just observed, has not all the properties of the archetype. Thus to the Saviour these qualities are proper both by nature and in reality; but the story of the origin of the race has attributed them to Melchisedec. For after telling us of the father of the patriarch Abraham, and of the father and mother of Isaac, and in like manner of Jacob and of his sons, and exhibiting the pedigree of our first forefathers, of Melchisedec it records neither the father nor the mother, nor does it teach that he traced his descent from any one of Noah's sons, to the end that he may be a type of Him who is in reality without father, and without mother. And this is what the divine Apostle would have us understand, for in this very passage he says further, But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Eran.— Then, since Holy Scripture has not mentioned his parents, can he be called without father and without mother?

Orth.— If he had really been without father and without mother, he would not have been an image, but a reality. But since these are his qualities not by nature, but according to the dispensation of the Divine Scripture, he exhibits the type of the reality.

Eran.— The type must have the character of the archetype.

Orth.— Is man called an image of God?

Eran.— Man is not an image of God, but was made in the image of God.
Orth.— Listen then to the Apostle. He says: For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God.
Eran.— Granted, then, that he is an image of God.

Orth.— According to your argument then he must needs have plainly preserved the characters of the archetype, and have been uncreate, uncompounded, and infinite. He ought in like manner to have been able to create out of the non existent, he ought to have fashioned all things by his word and without labour, in addition to this to have been free from sickness, sorrow, anger, and sin, to have been immortal and incorruptible and to possess all the qualities of the archetype.

...


Orth.— The holy Moses when writing the ancient genealogy tells us how Adam being so many years old begot Seth, and when he had lived so many years he ended his life. So too he writes of Seth, of Enoch, and of the rest, but of Melchisedec he mentions neither beginning of existence nor end of life. Thus as far as the story goes he has neither beginning of days nor end of life, but in truth and reality the only begotten Son of God never began to exist and shall never have an end.

Eran.— Agreed.

Orth.— Then, so far as what belongs to God and is really divine is concerned, Melchisedec is a type of the Lord Christ; but as far as the priesthood is concerned, which belongs rather to man than to God, the Lord Christ was made a priest after the order of Melchisedec. For Melchisedec was a high priest of the people, and the Lord Christ for all men has made the right holy offering of salvation.

Michie said:

I've always wondered about him. More so since becoming Catholic since priests are in said to be in the order of Melchizedek. Being a priest forever. I don't quite understand how the RCC makes this connection other than Melchizedek being a priest.

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I guess that the connection is more widely explained in the letter of Saint Paul to the Hebrews.

Hebrews 7

[Hebrews 7] ​

​

​

​

things. {7:5} And indeed, those who are from the sons of

Levi, having received the priesthood, hold a commandment
to take tithes from the people in accord with the law, that is,
from their brothers, even though they also went forth from
the loins of Abraham. {7:6} But this man, whose lineage is
not enumerated with them, received tithes from Abraham,
and he blessed even the one who held the promises. {7:7} Yet
this is without any contradiction, for what is less should be
blessed by what is better. {7:8} And certainly, here, men who
receive tithes still die; but there, he bears witness that he lives.
{7:9} And so it may be said that even Levi, who received
tithes, was himself a tithe through Abraham. {7:10} For he
was still in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.
{7:11} Therefore, if consummation had occurred through the
Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law),
then what further need would there be for another Priest to
rise up according to the order of Melchizedek, one who was
not called according to the order of Aaron? {7:12} For since
the priesthood has been transferred, it is necessary that the
law also be transferred. {7:13} For he about whom these
things have been spoken is from another tribe, in which no
one attends before the altar. {7:14} For it is evident that our
Lord arose out of Judah, a tribe about which Moses said
nothing concerning priests. {7:15} And yet it is far more
evident that, according to the likeness of Melchizedek, there
rises up another priest, {7:16} who was made, not according
to the law of a carnal commandment, but according to the
virtue of an indissoluble life. {7:17} For he testifies: “You are
a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”
{7:18} Certainly, there is a setting aside of the former
commandment, because of its weakness and lack of
usefulness. {7:19} For the law led no one to perfection, yet
truly it introduced a better hope, through which we draw near
to God. {7:20} Moreover, it is not without an oath. For
certainly, the others were made priests without an oath.
{7:21} But this man was made a priest with an oath, by the
One who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and he will not
repent. You are a priest forever.” {7:22} By so much, Jesus
has been made the sponsor of a better testament. {7:23} And
certainly, so many of the others became priests because, due
to death, they were prohibited from continuing. {7:24} But
this man, because he continues forever, has an everlasting
priesthood. {7:25} And for this reason, he is able,
continuously, to save those who approach God through him,
since he is ever alive to make intercession on our behalf.
{7:26} For it was fitting that we should have such a High
Priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and
exalted higher than the heavens. {7:27} And he has no need,
daily, in the manner of other priests, to offer sacrifices, first
for his own sins, and then for those of the people. For he has
done this once, by offering himself. {7:28} For the law
appoints men as priests, though they have infirmities. But, by
the word of the oath that is after the law, the Son has been​

perfected for eternity.

WarriorAngel said:

Genesis 14:18
But Melchisedech the king of Salem, bringing forth bread and wine, for he was the priest of the most high God, [19] Blessed him, and said: Blessed be Abram by the most high God, who created heaven and earth. [20] And blessed be the most high God, by whose protection the enemies are in thy hands. And he gave him the tithes of all.

Hebrew meaning "King of righteousness."

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Peace, not righteousness. Righteousness would be tzedek.

Jerusalem is, somewhat ironically today, city of peace, not city of righteousness.

The name Malek Zadeq means “King of Righteousness”

WarriorAngel said:

The name Malek Zadeq means “King of Righteousness”

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Ah, you were going for the name, not "king of Salem" that you highlighted.

It could also mean "my king is righteousness", but that depends on who's translating it.

As for Salem - i think it eventually turned into Shalom.

WarriorAngel said:

As for Salem - i think it eventually turned into Shalom.

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It has more to do with the roots of words as opposed to it turning into anything. It isn't something we really have in English.

The key to that deduction lies in the Akkadian language. Old Canaanite vs proto-semetic.

Doesn't Rushalimum mean peace? As well as Salem?

The key to that deduction lies in the Akkadian language. Old Canaanite vs proto-semetic.

Doesn't Rushalimum mean peace? As well as Salem?

WarriorAngel said:

Doesn't Rushalimum mean peace? As well as Salem?

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I believe Rusalimum is what the Egyptians referred to Jerusalem as.