Who Is Melchizedek? | Madison Pierce on Hebrews 7

Melchizedek is likely one of the most mysterious figures within the Bible, with solely two extremely transient mentions within the Previous Testomony. But in Hebrews 7, the writer makes the astounding argument that this fleeting character from Genesis anticipates the top of the Levitical system and the institution of Christ’s everlasting priesthood.

Be a part of Kirk E. Miller and Dr. Madison Pierce on What within the Phrase? as they unravel this difficult passage and discover how its complicated theological argument supplies a sensible anchor for our souls and a greater hope for believers.

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Episode visitor: Madison Pierce

Madison Pierce (PhD, Durham) is lecturer in New Testomony and early Christianity on the College of St. Andrews. Her analysis pursuits are the Epistle to the Hebrews in addition to the interpretation and reception of traditions in early Christian literature. Her present analysis focuses on the writer of Hebrews’s messiah language and analogies utilizing Jewish rituals. She is ordained within the Reformed Church in America as a minister of Phrase and sacrament. She can also be a New Testomony editor at Evaluations of Biblical and Early Christian Research and a co-host of The Two Cities podcast.

Episode synopsis

Hebrews makes the startling declare that Melchizedek helps reply why Jesus’s priesthood surpasses the Levitical system established below the regulation. However how does Melchizedek, an obscure character who seems solely briefly in Genesis and Psalms, serve the significance of explaining Jesus’s priesthood?

What makes Hebrews 7 tough?

One motive Hebrew’s use of Melchizedek proves difficult is his obscurity. Previous to Hebrews 7, he solely exhibits up briefly in Genesis 14 and Psalm 110. But Hebrews seizes on him as a key determine for understanding Jesus. This may really feel initially shocking, since we’d not count on a seemingly minor character to hold such theological weight.

Hebrews 7 additionally raises questions concerning the relationship of Christ’s priesthood to the regulation: The regulation prescribes a Levitical priesthood, but Christ just isn’t from the tribe of Levi. The passage gives, not an odd exegetical detour, however a central theological declare on the middle of the e book’s argument concerning the identification and work of Christ. So it’s not solely tough, however notably load-bearing, elevating the stakes of its difficulties.

Lastly, Hebrews 7 is wealthy with intertextuality, the place Scripture makes use of different components of Scripture to make its case. The New Testomony’s use of the Previous Testomony, as an illustration, can usually really feel fairly perplexing, with Hebrews 7 being a living proof.

Use Logos’s New Testomony Use of the Previous Testomony interactive to discover intertextuality in Scripture. Begin a free trial.

The context of Hebrews 7: its function within the argument of Hebrews

The primary main part of Hebrews is anxious with the theme of God’s family (Heb 1:1–4:13). God is offered as Father, Jesus as his Son and our brother, and believers as youngsters in God’s family. This theme ultimately leads right into a comparability between Moses’s and Jesus’s roles in God’s “home,” a phrase that may evoke each household and tabernacle or temple.

From Hebrews 4:14 onward, the writer’s focus shifts extra on to the tabernacle and the priesthood. Specifically, Jesus is our nice excessive priest. The writer argues that Jesus matches the sample of a legit excessive priest. In Hebrews 6, the writer injects a warning, involved that his viewers will fail to just accept the sacrifice of Christ on their behalf. Then in Hebrews 7, the writer returns to addressing Christ’s priesthood, additional creating the argument begun in Hebrews 4:14–5:10 and reintroduced on the finish of Hebrews 6 (see Heb 6:19–20).

Apparently, on the finish of Hebrews 6, the writer introduces the function of oaths to point out that God’s guarantees are unchangeable and unbreakable (Heb 6:16–17). This enchantment to oaths will reappear in Hebrews 7 within the writer’s use of Psalm 110 (Heb 7:20–21, 28).

All of this—the argument for Christ’s priesthood, the strict warning, and the reassurance present in God’s oath-making—is supposed to bolster believers’ hope and confidence in order that they could persevere, a key theme all through (see Heb 4:14–16; 6:11–12, 18–20; 7:19). This dialogue of Melchizedek, then, just isn’t a mere summary dialogue for our writer however one with profound sensible ramifications.

4 predominant views of Melchizedek’s identification

In making the argument of Hebrews 7:1–10, the writer references the account of Melchizedek in Genesis 14.

Dr. Madison Pierce surveys the principle views on Melchizedek’s identification:

1. Melchizedek is Christ himself, a Christophany, a pre-incarnate look of God the Son.
2. Melchizedek is a kind of Christ, a historic determine whose options and performance foreshadow and anticipate Jesus.
3. Melchizedek is an angel. Melchizedek is an elevated heavenly or angelic being.
4. Melchizedek is a literary foil. The writer of Hebrews is utilizing this character from Genesis as an instance a theological level.

Madison guidelines out the primary view for 2 predominant causes: First, as a theological dedication, she believes the incarnation is a novel occasion revealing the Second Particular person of the Trinity. Thus, we don’t have one thing like Christophanies previous to the incarnation.

Second, the textual content of Hebrews doesn’t help this view. The writer says Melchizedek resembles the Son of God (Heb 7:3), not that he is the Son of God. Hebrews presents Melchizedek as somebody like Christ, not Christ himself. Additional, opposite to the writer’s description of Melchizedek (Heb 7:3), Jesus has a Father, and Hebrews makes a lot of this truth. Jesus additionally has a mom. He has a human family tree coming from the road of Judah, as Hebrews factors out (Heb 7:14).

Madison notes how Jewish traditions, particularly materials from Qumran, developed highly-elevated reflections on Melchizedek. He involves be described as a heavenly or angelic determine related to eschatological deliverance, divine judgment, and priestly service within the heavenly realm. Thus, by the point Hebrews is written, Melchizedek has grow to be greater than only a minor king from Genesis within the Jewish creativeness. He had grow to be a determine round whom essential priestly and heavenly themes cluster.

Based on Madison, Hebrews appears to function in that interpretive ambiance. The writer of Hebrews might pay attention to these views, even when he doesn’t absolutely establish Melchizedek as an angelic being. But this broader Jewish custom might assist clarify why Melchizedek could be such a wealthy determine for Hebrews to make use of.

How Melchizedek resembles Jesus in Genesis 14

The writer supplies an in depth studying of Genesis 14 in Hebrews 7:1–3:

• He highlights the which means of Melchizedek’s title (etymologically צַדִּיק/צֶדֶק + מֶלֶךְ), which implies “king of righteousness.”
• He observes that Melchizedek is “king of Salem.” The phrase “Salem” (שָׁלֵם) pertains to שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”), making Melchizedek “king of peace.”
• Importantly, Salem is that very same metropolis that may ultimately be renamed Jeru-salem.
• But not solely is Melchizedek a king, he’s additionally a “priest of the Most Excessive God.”

Melchizedek shares many essential similarities with Christ. Whereas the Mosaic regulation separated priest and king, Melchizedek embodies each roles, exemplifying an order of priest that’s concurrently royalty. On this means, Melchizedek resembles and anticipates Jesus who, in distinction from the Levitical priesthood, is each priest and king. Not solely that, however Melchizedek is the king of Jerusalem, which importantly is the town the place David reigned, from whom Christ descends.

Lastly, Hebrews describes Melchizedek as being “with out father or mom or family tree, having neither starting of days nor finish of life, however … continues [as] a priest without end” (Heb 7:3). One rationalization is that as a result of the narrative of Genesis doesn’t point out Melchizedek’s ancestry, delivery, or dying, the writer of Hebrews is ready to deal with this stuff as in the event that they don’t exist. He’s described as if he has no starting or finish, so resembling Christ. One other risk is that Hebrews is drawing on Psalm 110’s declaration that this priesthood is “without end,” taking “without end” to confer with each instructions: not merely perpetually into the long run however eternally from the previous.

Given all of those particulars, the determine of Melchizedek supplies clues to understanding Jesus’s identification as priest. He’s of various and superior order than the Levitical priesthood; particularly, his priesthood is of the order of Melchizedek.

Why is Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek so vital?

The writer of Hebrews highlights (1) that Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of his spoils and (2) that Melchizedek blessed Abraham (Heb 7:1–2). Our writer develops the importance of this stuff in Hebrews 7:4–10: Melchizedek’s interplay with Abraham in Genesis 14 exhibits how nice he’s.

First, the Mosaic regulation would ultimately assign tithes to the Levites. They obtained a tenth from Israel due to their priestly service (Num 18:21, 26; 2 Chron 31:4, 5). So when Abraham provides a tenth to Melchizedek, the writer of Hebrews sees extra on this than a mere act of generosity. He sees a priestly relationship at work. Melchizedek seems to be receiving what the regulation will later affiliate with clergymen. And since Levi is descended from Abraham, Hebrews makes the putting declare that Levi, within the sense that he descends from Abraham (he was “within the loins” of Abraham; Heb 7:10), paid tithes to Melchizedek by way of Abraham. In different phrases, even earlier than the existence of the Levitical priesthood, its priestly order is proven to be subordinate to Melchizedek’s. Likewise, if Christ’s priesthood is of the order of Melchizedek, he’s a superior priest to the Levitical one.

Madison factors out how the writer of Hebrews permits the Mosaic regulation, particularly its regulation of tithing, to shed mild backward on Genesis. The regulation didn’t but exist in Abraham’s day, however curiously Hebrews reads Genesis 14 in mild the regulation and treats this as a legit interpretive transfer.

Second, Melchizedek’s blessing of Abraham reinforces this identical level. Hebrews maintains that the lesser is blessed by the higher. Thus, if Melchizedek blesses Abraham, then Melchizedek is the superior in that encounter. On high of this, Abraham is not any insignificant determine: He’s the patriarch, the one who obtained God’s guarantees. If Melchizedek stands above Abraham of all individuals, that suggests that Melchizedek should be terribly nice—and so too Jesus whose priesthood finds its rationalization in Melchizedek’s.

How Jesus’s priesthood is superior to the Levitical priesthood

In Hebrews 7:11–28, the writer connects all of this to Jesus’s priesthood.

If “perfection” might have come by way of the Levitical priesthood, there would have been no want for one more priest to come up based on the order of Melchizedek (Heb 7:11). However Psalm 110 proclaims such a priest (Ps 110:4; quoted in Heb 5:6; 7:17, 20; cf. Heb 1:13). In talking of one other priesthood, the psalm in precept anticipates the top of the Levitical one (see the comparable logic in Heb 8:13). The Levitical priesthood was by no means the ultimate actuality.

Madison argues that “perfection” right here (Heb 7:11, 19, 28) refers to not ethical flawlessness, however to the transformation Jesus undergoes in his resurrection. Jesus is “made excellent,” not as a result of he moved from sinfulness to holiness, however as a result of his humanity handed by way of dying into resurrection-life. So Hebrews explains that Jesus’s priesthood was established by his “indestructible life” (Heb 7:16). His resurrection qualifies him for an everlasting priesthood.

In distinction to this “perfection,” the levitical clergymen had been “weak” (Heb 7:18, 28), which means their ministry was ultimately prevented by dying (Heb 7:23). Jesus’s priestly ministry is superior to theirs as a result of it continues “without end” (Heb 7:17, 21, quoting Ps 110:4; see additionally Heb 7:3). So, our writer concludes, Jesus “holds his priesthood completely” (Heb 7:24), “in a position to save to the uttermost” as a result of he “all the time lives to make intercession” (Heb 7:25).

Jesus turns into the guarantor of a greater covenant (Heb 7:22), not as a result of the previous covenant was nugatory, however as a result of it couldn’t accomplish the ultimate transformation and enduring entry to God that Christ now supplies (Heb 7:23–28).

If Jesus just isn’t from the tribe of Levi, how can he function a priest?

But the Mosaic regulation established its priesthood primarily based on ancestry, particularly descent from Levi and Aaron. Moses stated nothing about clergymen coming from the tribe of Judah, to which Jesus belongs. So if Jesus actually is a priest, his priesthood should be based on a unique order not based on that of the Mosaic regulation, and this modification in priesthood entails a change within the regulation (Heb 7:12–14, 18, 28). Genesis 14 and Psalm 110 provide the wanted class: The resurrected Jesus is a priest without endbased on the order of Melchizedek.

Right here we return to the function of oaths within the writer’s argument. In contrast to the Levitical clergymen, who had been established primarily based on ancestry (“on the premise of a authorized requirement regarding bodily descent”; Heb 7:16), Jesus turns into priest by way of a divine oath. To again this up, the writer quotes Psalm 110:4 wherein “The Lord has sworn” regarding Jesus: “You’re a priest without end.” This entails that God won’t “change his thoughts” (Heb 7:20–21, 28).

Madison observes: In Hebrews 6:13–18, our writer has already careworn that God’s oath-making ensures the understanding of his guarantees. So likewise right here in Hebrews 7, by interesting to God’s oath, the writer exhibits not solely that Jesus has grow to be a priest, however that his priestly ministry is unchangeable, everlasting, and safe. God has sworn it. Jesus’s priesthood can’t be changed or revised. The sooner priesthood belonged to an order marked by mortality and repetition. Christ’s priesthood belongs to a everlasting order established by God’s personal sworn phrase.

Why this passage issues for believers

All of this stated, Hebrews 7 just isn’t supposed for mere theological reflection. It goal is to advertise hope for persevering within the religion. The purpose is to not depart readers fascinated by Melchizedek however to depart them enamored with the prevalence of Christ and his priestly ministry.

As Madison factors out, that is the primary time the e book identifies what Jesus gives as priest: himself (Heb 7:27). Jesus is each priest and sacrifice! Humanity was the issue, however by way of the incarnate Son the humanity of Christ turns into the means by which its answer is completed. The Son turns into actually human, passes by way of dying, is perfected by way of resurrection, and now extends the advantages of that perfected life to his individuals.

Hebrews 7 provides believers confidence that their entry to God doesn’t rely upon a brief priesthood, repeated sacrifices, or human weak spot. It rests on the dwelling Christ, whose priesthood won’t ever finish.

Recommendation for preaching or instructing Hebrews 7

Madison’s predominant counsel for instructing Hebrews 7 is to keep away from getting entangled in speculative questions on Melchizedek’s precise identification. These questions could also be attention-grabbing and should illuminate the passage’s background, however they aren’t the ultimate goal of the passage. This passage just isn’t making an attempt to unravel the riddle of Melchizedek. It’s utilizing Melchizedek to disclose the greatness of Christ. Thus, when working by way of Hebrews 7, one’s activity is to point out what Melchizedek teaches us about Jesus.

Preachers ought to hint the argument of the textual content for his or her hearers. Kirk advises serving to your listeners perceive the logic of the textual content, significantly its use of the Previous Testomony, to unlock its which means for them.

The outcome? A passage that originally feels difficult and sealed off will grow to be one stuffed with consolation. Jesus just isn’t a brief helper inside an inherently restricted system. He’s the climactic excessive priest to whom the entire system was all the time pointing.

As a result of he lives without end, his priesthood is everlasting.

As a result of he supplied himself, his sacrifice is enough.

As a result of God swore an oath, his ministry is safe.

And due to all this, Christians have a greater hope by which they draw close to to God.

Logos values considerate and interesting discussions on essential biblical matters. Nonetheless, the views and interpretations offered on this episode are these of the people talking and don’t essentially mirror the official place of Logos. We acknowledge that Christians might maintain totally different views on this passage, and we welcome various engagement and respectful dialogue.

Tell us what you assume

How does Melchizedek anticipate Christ’s everlasting priesthood? Be a part of us within the Phrase by Phrase group to share your ideas.

Madison Pierce’s beneficial assets

• Eric F. Mason, You Are a Priest Eternally
• David M. Moffitt, Atonement and the Logic of the Resurrection
• Madison N. Pierce, Divine Discourse within the Epistle to the Hebrews

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