Who Exactly Was Melchizedek?

Melchizedek is one of the most fascinating characters in the Bible and reveals who Jesus is in remarkable ways.

Admittedly, he’s a somewhat obscure figure in the book of Genesis, appearing in a brief narrative of only eight verses. He shows up again in Psalm 110, where David sees Melchizedek as a prototype of the coming Messiah. The only other time he appears in scripture is the book of Hebrews, where the author makes a theological point about the eternal priesthood of Jesus based on the mysterious priesthood of Melchizedek.

The significance of Melchizedek’s story in Genesis 14 might escape modern readers, but ancient readers more readily recognized how unusual he was. Melchizedek appears in a meeting with Abraham, who had just defeated an alliance of kings in battle, one of whom had captured his nephew, Lot.

Lot had been living in Sodom at the time (yes, the same one later destroyed by God), and even though Abraham’s main objective was rescuing his kinsman, his victory also benefited Sodom. The king of Sodom tried to bribe Abraham’s loyalty and protection with gifts, as did some of the other kings who had similarly benefitted from Abraham’s victory. But Abraham refused them all. He could not be bought.

But another king showed up to this meeting of kings, namely Melchizedek. Melchizedek didn’t offer Abraham money, as the other kings did. In a strange plot twist, Abraham paid him tribute. Why? Because Abraham was acknowledging that Melchizedek was greater than he was.

King David recognized the significance of Melchizedek in Psalm 110, which prophetically declares that the Messiah will be a “priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (v4).” It all seems rather strange, until the author of Hebrews connects the theological dots in Hebrews 7.

Key Data Points About Melchizedek

One sentence in Genesis 14 is action packed with wonderful details about this enigmatic figure: “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)”. There are several observations we can make from this sentence. 

1. Melchizedek was a “king of righteousness.” 

The first part of his name is related to the hebrew word for king, “melek.” The second part of his name is related to the Hebrew word for righteousness, “tsedekah,” pronounced “zed-eh-KAH.” Thus, when combined, Melchizedek is translated, “king of righteousness” (cf. Heb 7:2).

2. Melchizedek was a king of peace. 

His city was called “Salem,” which is related to the Hebrew word “shalom,” meaning “peace.” This is a typical greeting among Jewish people to this day.

3. Salem was an earlier version of Jerusalem.

In Psalm 110, the Messiah is said to reign with a “mighty scepter” from “Zion.” Zion is another word for Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel under David. 

4. Melchizedek was a “priest of God Most High.”

Melchizedek was a priest long before the Levitical priesthood was established by Moses who appointed his brother Aaron and his descendants as priests. In other words, Melchizedek was not ordained into the Levitical priesthood. He predates it by several centuries. He was a "priest forever,” having been (somehow) ordained into the priesthood by God himself.

5. Melchizedek was, therefore, a priest-king.

Scholars have argued that Adam in the garden was a priest-king. Under Mosaic law, however, this was prohibited. Kings always came from the tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10), and priests always came from the tribe of Levi (Numbers 3:10). Thus, you could never have one man who functioned as both king and priest. 

In our day, we refer to this concept as the “separation of powers.” In a fallen world, being head of church and state is too much power for any one man to hold. 

Except Melchizedek! How could he be both priest and king? 

The answer is that he was not a Levitical priest, he was a Melchizedekian priest, which was a higher order of priesthood. That’s why David says the Messiah would be a priest “forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

The only qualification for the Melchizedekian priesthood was you had to be God. Melchizedek may not have been actually divine (though it’s possible), but the author of Hebrews, building on Psalm 110’s “priest forever” comment, argues that Melchizedek’s lack of genealogical record makes him appear eternal.

“He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever” (Hebrews 7:3).

6. Melchizedek prepared a table of bread and wine in the midst of his enemies.

I wouldn’t press this point too hard, but the messianic symbolism of a priest-king preparing a table consisting of bread and wine in the midst of his enemies is impossible to ignore (cf. Psalm 23:5, Ps 110:2).

Why This Matters

Why does Melchizedek matter? 

Because he is a “type” of Christ, showing us, from the biblical record, the plan of God to save his people in the earliest moments of recorded history. 

Jesus is a greater priest than Melchizedek. His priesthood surpasses the Levitical priesthood, in which priests sacrificed bulls and goats, which could not take away sins (Hebrews 10:4), and in which the priests offered sacrifices continually (Hebrews 10:11), and in which the priests themselves died and were replaced by their descendants (Hebrews 7:23). Jesus is our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), who in his human nature sympathizes with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15), yet in his divine nature offered up himself as an atoning sacrifice, once for all (Hebrews 7:27, 10:10), where he abides as a priest forever, as he always lives to make intercession for his people (Hebrews 7:25).

Furthermore, Jesus is a greater king than David. Jesus physically descended from David (Judah), qualifying his Messianic lineage for the royal throne. Jesus is the long awaited Messianic king, the divine Son of God who conquers all his enemies (Psalm 110:1), vanquishing them from Zion, the city of David, the city of kings (Psalm 110:2), leading his people in holy conquest (Psalm 110:3), with ultimate victory being utterly assured (Psalm 110:5-7).

Therefore, Christians, rejoice in our Messiah, Jesus Christ!