www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Scripture and Patristic Writings Melchizadek as a Priest of the Order of the Most High God

Dear Friends,

Glory to Jesus Christ!

I am preparing to give a talk to a Catholic group of inmates on Eucharist. In Genesis 14, verse 18 it mentions Melchizadek who brought bread and wine as a Priest of the Order of the Most High God. If Moses was given the law after this, and presumably (to my feeble mind) it is from the law that orders and communities would spring, how was Melchizadek of this order? Ultimately, I may skip this part of my talk on Eucharist.

Rick Cooley

All of Genesis is a pre-history. It is not history as we would expect to read it. It is a cosmogony... written by Moses - best not to be taken as a literal history.

Your best bet is to deal with Melchizadek from the letters of Paul... and then just admit "further than that we just do not know."

That would be my guess.

-ray

As an interesting note:

Melchi Tzeck means "righteous king" in Hebrew and is really a title, not a name.

It is a forshadowing of the True Righteous King offering Bread and Wine to his people.

In Jewish tradition, the Melchi Tzeck here is Noah's son Shem.

Right...

It may be read betters as "king (of) righteousness".

Abraham means "high father" who will have sons more than the stars (high farther of a multitude) rather than 'father of heights', and Noah means 'rest from labor' and Isaac means "God mocks me" - the meaning of the names are usually somewhere very near the first appearance of the name.... and they are verbs.

Isaac receives his name from the fact that Sarah was 84 years old when she gave birth - well past the time. She was not able to suckle - and this makes her a laughing stock among the women. The thought here is that Sarah is thinking that Isaac will be the cause of others to mock her and it is God who has done this to her. The name Isaac means something like "God mocks me" or "God causes me to be mocked". In Arabic it means �glad tidings� or better yet �good news�. Does that remind you of anyone you know who brought glad tidings and was mocked?

And if you do the calculations - in the story about the sacrifice of Isaac, the English tells of Abraham taking a �boy� up the mountain - however Isaac was 33 at the time. His Father lead his only son to the sacrifice on a donkey, laid the wood upon his shoulders , etc�

It is a cosmogony. A text rich in spiritual meaning 'hung' upon a literal story. Where the story seems to make no senses - that is where to begin looking for the spiritual sense.

Dear RayK,

Thanks for turning on the lights, again. Now I can see (understand) Issak!

In Christ,
Andrew

Rick
Do you have an Orthodox Study Bible? if yes, page 523 discusses Melchizedek.

It says:

"A major theme of the Book of Hebrews is the contrast between the earthly, or Levitical, priesthood, and the eternal priesthood of Melchizedek, which is fulfilled in Christ.

The Levitical priesthood, established by Aaron of the tribe of Levi, is limited simply because those who fill it are ordinary human beings. The Levitical priests carry out God's instructions and assist the people in their worship, but they connot ultimately reconcile people to God.

The mysterious figure of Melchizedek, on the other hand, represents an entirely different kind of priesthood. Melchizedek appears in Genesis, long before the establishment of the Levitical priesthood. He is given no geneology, and nothing is said of his death. He receives tithes from Abraham, implying he is superior to Abraham in rank -- and by extension, superior to Abraham's descendants, the Levites. Melchizedek is not only a priest but a king as well. In this dual office he is able to reconcile the justice of God (the business of a king) with His mercy (the business of a priest). His name means "King of Righteousness, and his title "King of Salem" means "King of Peace." He may be a theophany -- a preincarnate appearance of Christ; at the very least he is a type of Christ, as the author of Hebrews explains in detail."

It continues with a contrast between the Levitical priesthood and the priesthood of Melchizedek, here are comments about the priesthood of Melchizedek:

"As Melchizedek was without early genealogy, so is Christ by virtue of His virgin birth. He is God Incarnate, immortal and sinless, and therefore His priesthood is able to transform humanity.

The power given at ordination is strong and effective. The power of Christ's priesthood is perfect and draws us near to God. His sacrifice is offered once for all. The Father Himself ordains the Son.

Since Christ is immortal, the priesthood of Melchizedek needs only one, eternal priest.

The requirement of perfect holiness is met in Christ, the only sinless One. He is more than mere man -- He is the Son of God."

Footnotes in the OSB for Hebrews 7:1-10 states that "Persecuted Christians are encouraged not to apostatize to Judaism because the founding father of Christ's priesthood, Melchizedek, is superior to the OT priesthood of Levi. Note the importance of the tithe: the desire to enter into the ministrations of a priesthood is fulfilled when such a liturgical offering is made. Throughout the OT, Israelites showed their continuing desire for God's priesthood by giving a tenth of all they received. Biblically, the tithe is a crucial element of worship."
denise

For Hebrews 7:11-28:
"Not only is the founder of the New Covenant priesthood superior to that of the Old Covenant, the rules of the New Covenant's priestly order are also superior. Priesthood is so intertwined with a covenant that if the priesthood is changed, so is the covenant."

You have just given me two "coincidential" replies touching on things recent in my daily life.

The good Fr. that we spoke of (private message) and now this.

well...

Someone is whispering in your ear... which means your ears are open. Please remember me in your prayers tonight... simply menation "Please remember Ray" and that would be well.

Here is my own notes on Isaac.
http://www.thegenesisletters.com/Letters/IsaacRootofTempleSacrifice.htm

You have now just given me two "coincidential" replies, unknown to you, touching on two very recent and notable events in my private life. Have you been peeking? See my private message to you and now this 'turning on the lights'.

well...

Your ears are open and Someone is whispering into them. Please remember me in your prayers tonight... a simple "Please remember Ray" and that would be well. I will do the same for you. While in prayer keep the 'lights' off be attentive but without anxiety and relax.

Here are my own, typos included, notes on Isaac.
http://www.thegenesisletters.com/Letters/IsaacRootofTempleSacrifice.htm

Dear Friends,

How fascinating!

Shem is also traditionally linked to the Queen of Sheba herself in a story, although deuterocanonical or apocryphal, that has informed the liturgical tradition with respect to the Passion of Christ.

According to the story, Shem asked St Michael the Archangel to plant a twig from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil on the grave of Adam. Michael refused, but gave him a twig from the Tree of Life.

This was planted on Adam's grave, but sprouted into three different trees from one root, cedar, cypress and pine. I have an icon where St Lot, nephew of Abraham is watering this triple tree, growing from above the grave of Adam.

The Queen of Sheba, when she was visiting King Solomon, saw this tree and had an inspiration about Christ's future crucifixion. She was healed of a foot ailment by touching it at that time and there are stained glass windows throughout Europe celebrating this story.

The Cross of Christ was later made from the three trees that grew from the foot of Adam's grave, the Church continually celebrates Christ on the Cross as being "in the pine, the cedar and the cypress" and the Cross itself was rooted on top of Adam's grave, symbolized in iconography by the skull of Adam at the foot of the Cross.

Anyway, thought you'd like to know . . .

Alex

Dear Friends,

Thanks for all of your responses. They were a great help. The timeliness of all this seem somewhat miraculous as I received a great deal of info at the Retreat in Ligonier, PA last weekend. Bishop Nicholas Samra is truly a gem! And I was able to get a copy of the Orthodox Study Bible at cost. Thanks to all again.

Slava Isuzu Christu!

Rick Cooley

What about the Catholic Study Bible, editor Donald Senior?

[Linked Image]

Amazon.com link: To see this click Here. [amazon.com]

I just bought it and it seems to have a lot of information. As eastern Catholics would you recommend having both the Orthodox Study Bible and the Catholic Study Bible?

I also have the New Testament 12 books of the Navarre Bible Commentary and the available Ignatius Catholic Study Bibles. All these are great.

Cordially in Christ,

BradM

Dear Brad,

It is a good idea to consult more than one study Bible as different scholars offer different insights.

In addition, it is very important to pray during bible study since reading the bible is a form of prayer and THAT involves a two-way conversation!

Alex

Thanks Alex,

I just ordered through Amazon.com the Orthodox Study Bible. So I will have 3 study bibles, the Orthodox Study Bible, the Catholic Study Bible, and the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible(s) along with the Navarre Commentaries and the New Jerome Commentary. I would think this is sufficient correct?

Peace in Christ,

BradM

Dear Brad,

I like the Jerusalem Bible Commentary and the Bible is certainly a book we continue to study throughout our lives.

Bible study is a spring-board that helps us get beyond the scholarly stuff into the truly spiritual understanding and application of the teaching of Christ.

I like to think that when I read the Bible, Christ was thinking of me personally when He taught, that He saw me personally among the crowds that thronged to hear Him.

And I would be right.

Alex