Melchizedek, King and Priest

Ecumenical Review, The, July, 2000 by T.K. Thomas

In a sense the writer puts all priests in their place -- all Jewish priests and, proleptically, all their Christian successors: popes, cardinals, archbishops, metropolitans, bishops and priests high and low, all who celebrate sacraments, preach the word, mediate, intercede and perform a variety of pastoral functions. All except two, Melchizedek and Christ, though the writer changes the order: it is now Christ and Melchizedek. The author is at pains to prove that the last has become the first. He goes behind the Levitical tradition to Melchizedek in order to identify the basis for a christological priesthood in Jewish scriptures. The permanent priesthood of Jesus "in the order of Melchizedek" involves the abrogation of the old law, guaranteeing, as it does, a better covenant. And it means that Christ is able, through his unending priesthood, "to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them" (Heb. 5:24, NIV).

The chapter concludes thus:

   Such a high priest meets our need -- one who is holy, blameless, pure, set
   apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high
   priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his
   own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins
   once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests
   men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the
   Son, who has been made perfect forever (vv.26-28, NIV).

Melchizedek -- after Jesus the Messiah

"When the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away," says Paul in a different context (1 Cor. 13:10, RSV). Has Melchizedek passed away? Was he used, and then discarded?

Not certainly in the early centuries of the Christian era. Melchizedek's memory had been kept alive in the Jewish tradition, and rabbinic writings speculated on his role and nature. The Maccabean royal priesthood demonstrates the impact of the story of Melchizedek in Jewish history. Closer in time to the coming of Christ, the Qumran community thought of him as a heavenly judge. In the Qumran text, though it is fragmentary, Melchizedek is "associated with the deliverance of divine judgment, with a day of atonement, and with a year of jubilee, and with a role that exalts him high over the assembly of heavenly beings".(5) In Palestinian Judaism he was identified with the Anointed King or King Messiah. Following such Jewish beliefs, many early Christians thought of him as a heavenly being, an angel, even as Michael the prince of angels.

According to church fathers Melchizedek's priesthood was more inclusive than that of Jewish priests because he was priest of the uncircumcision. It stood above and beyond law. Following the interpretation in Hebrews, they believed that the priesthood of Jesus replaced the Levitical priesthood, appropriating and exemplifying the Melchizedekan priesthood.

Patristic writings contain quite a few Melchizedekan heresies. Thus Melchizedek was identified with the Spirit of God that was moving over the face of the waters (Gen. 1) -- which NRSV renders, a little inconveniently in this context, as "a word of God sweeping over the face of the waters". He was identified also as the Word who "was in the beginning with God" (John 1:2). He was even taken as a manifestation of God the Father. A more imaginative, if less daring, appellation was "the shadow of God".