Melchizedek II

 

          The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb.  The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:1-4)

          This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. (Hebrews 7:1-3)

          While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” (Mark 12:36-37)

                We are back to Melchizedek, and today, you’ll learn why I don’t think the author of Hebrews believed what the ancient commentaries said about Melchizedek being Shem – which is why I think it unlikely. Melchizedek is first mentioned in Genesis 14, when he comes out and feeds and blesses Abram, who then gives him a tenth of everything. He is next mentioned in Psalm 110, written by David (the first passage quoted above.) This is the passage on which both the earlier mention and today’s mention are based. It is also the basis for one of Jesus’ challenges to the Jewish religious establishment of His time on Earth. How can David, the greatest king of Israel ever, call someone else his lord? Certainly, he’s not referring to Saul. One of God’s problems with Saul was that he assumed priesthood. It was never granted to him. And David’s son, Solomon, as magnificent as he was, sacrificed to other gods and died like any other human, so he could not be either a priest of God nor be one forever. Just hyperbole? 
                Jesus didn’t seem to think so. His claim from Mark 12:36-37 was that whoever David was referring to had to be greater than David, be the son of David that God promised would reign forever and be a priest forever. No one could fill those shoes except eternal God living in human form, born of the line of David. 
                The author of Hebrews agrees. He builds the following parallels.

Melchizedek	Jesus
Name means: “King of Righteousness”	“Righteous” (I John 2:1, Acts 3:14, Acts 7:52) Jeremiah 23:5, Isaiah 53:11, II Timothy 4:8, Romans 3:5-23, I Peter 2:22-23)
King of Salem, which means “king of peace”	“King of the Jews” who ruled in and from Jeru-salem, Prince of Peace, Lord
Abram gave him a tenth	The Jews gave a tenth to the priests of the temple
Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God (This is why he could not be Shem. Shem’s parents were Noah and his wife.)	Jesus was known to be illegitimate – his human father was unknown.  He claimed that “before Abraham was, I am.” He died but rose again to eternal life.
Resembling the Son of God	Is the Son of God
No one know when his priesthood began or ended	His priesthood is without end.