| | Did Abraham meet
Jesus as Melchizedek?Q. Genesis states that Abraham (Abram) met a special priest of God right after the King of Sodom had congratulated him on his victory over four kings. Who is he? (Submitted by: Sandy) A. There isn't much in the Old Testament about this person, who is quite mysterious to many. He suddenly appears during Abram's (Abraham's) life and then, as far as the Old Testament Biblical account is concerned, disappears except for a brief mention in Psalm 110. That may seem odd, but God has His reasons and uses wisdom for what he does and allows. Interestingly, this person whom Abraham met is the first person in the Bible called a PRIEST. Abraham is the first person the Bible calls a PROPHET, a title God himself revealed to King Abimelech (Genesis 20:7)! The person who Abraham met is easily identifiable, however, when we put together the related Scriptures of Old AND New Testament. The book of Hebrews does actually give a more detailed account than Genesis. He is first mentioned in chapter 14 of Genesis, verses 18 to 20. The Biblical account here informs us that this illustrious personage was the King of Salem (Jerusalem), Priest of God Most High (God the Father): "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.' And he (Abraham) gave him a tithe of all." (Genesis 14:18-20, NKJV and emphasis throughout)
The bringing out of "bread and wine" by the FIRST person called a priest of God is undoubtedly a foreshadowing or type of a later ordinance which became part of Jesus' memorial ceremony at Passover. Roughly one thousand years after Abraham meets this priest we find out some more information about this person in Psalm 110. This Scripture was quoted by Jesus, (another one thousand years later) to the consternation of the Jewish audience who was baffled and speechless. This has to do with the duality of the Godhead, contrary to the belief of Judaism, that maintains that God is only one person. |
|
|
| | | | | | Verse 1 of Psalm 110 says: "The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool'. " (Psalm 110:1) King David was saying that the Lord, (God the Father) said to MY LORD, (the Word that later became Jesus), "sit at My right hand till I make Your enemies Your footstool ", which is a prophecy about Christ, the Messiah to be fulfilled in the future. It continues with verse 4 identifying who this "my Lord" is: " . . . 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.'" (Psalm 110:4)
In the New Testament the apostle Paul elaborates further on him in the book of Hebrews, chapters 5, 6, 7. Hebrews 5:6 is a quotation of Psalm 110:4. In Hebrews 6:20 apostle Paul links this priest to CHRIST. Chapter 7 of the book of Hebrews offers more detailed information about the identity of this person: " . . . without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually." (Hebrews 7:3) | |  Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedec
Oil on panel by Dieric the Elder Bouts
(1464-67 A.D.) | | |
| Clearly, the priest Abraham met and tithed to could NOT have been a human being like you and I, since all of us have come into existence through the process of procreation. Christ ONLY is the Son of God and a priest continually. The Bible labels Jesus our High Priest (Hebrews 6:20). There can be no doubt that this priest named in the Old Testament is "the word" (John 1:1) spoken of in the New Testament that became Jesus Christ: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS GOD. He was in the beginning with God. ALL THINGS were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. "He was in the world, and the world was made THROUGH HIM, and the world did not know Him. . . . "And the Word BECAME FLESH and dwelt among us . . . " (John 1:1-3, 10, 14, NKJV, emphasis provided)
This person's true identity leads to many more questions such as: When did Jesus begin to be him on this earth? When did He end? The Bible doesn't clearly say. Hopefully, this information will aid in your continued studies into God's word. | | Written by: Adriano Borean
edits and additions by BibleStudy.org |
|
|