Who was Melchizedek?
by Ed Nelson
To many Bible readers, the priest Melchizedek remains a curious and mysterious figure. Speculation abounds (cf. Genesis 14:18; Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 5-7). Often suggested is that Melchizedek was a theophany, a divine appearance of the Messiah before his time. The biblical Hebraic worldview does not support this view.
Who, then, was Melchizedek according to the ancient biblical Hebraic worldview?
Working backwards from Hebrews 5-7. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews identifies Melchizedek as the ancient “king of Salem” and “priest of the Most High.” Thus, Melchizedek was a historical figure of human flesh and blood and not a mystical avatar to which the Greeks and Romans were fond. He was a real person.
Further, the writer’s words flourish in his identification of the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) with Melchizedek, citing two significant comparisons:
1. Yeshua (Jesus) is a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:11, 17).
2. Yeshua (Jesus) is in the likeness of Melchizedek (7:15).
The descriptive key words are order and likeness for the comparison.
The king-priest order. “The order of Melchizedek” is a king-priest order, significantly contrasted to the order of the Levitical priesthood which is only an order of priests. No Levites may be royal priests in Israel. They serve Yahweh without royal lineage or aspirations.
With the establishment of the Levitical priesthood, an uncrossable line of disparagement was drawn between Israel’s kings and priests. At times, it became a sore problem for Israel, particularly for kings who would be priests (e.g., see stories of King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:1-28 and of King Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26:18).
Melchizedek’s order, in contrast, is that of king-priest, not priest only nor king only. His order encompasses both—a royal priesthood. In this order, the king is the high priest.
The order of a kingdom of priests is traceable to the first man, Adam, in the pre-Flood world order. He and his wife were to have dominion of the earth, to rule the sea, air and land (Genesis 1:28). He was king and priest. Likewise, Noah was a king-priest in the order of Adam.
Israel was offered the king-priest order of Melchizedek before the Levitical priesthood was set in order. The occasion was during the exodus from Egypt when the young nation arrived at Mt. Sinai in the desert. Yahweh instructed Moses to tell his chosen people, “You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). A declarative statement was made and an offer given.
Tragically, Yahweh’s offer to the nation be of the king-priest order was refused. Instead, the people of Israel rejected Yahweh, rebelling against Him at the foot of the mountain by building a golden calf and worshiping it instead (cf. Exodus 20:18-19; 32:1-35). Only the tribe of Levites remained faithful. Thus, to them, the priesthood was offered, less the royalty.
Why was only the priesthood offered to the tribe of Levites, and not the kingdom too? The king-priest order was reserved only for the whole nation, a nation in total submission and obedience, and not just to one of its tribes who obeyed Yahweh.
Because Yahweh sought to dwell among his people anyway, the Levitical priesthood was inaugurated. As long as the Levitical priesthood existed, the nation would have a sense of the presence of God dwelling among them.
Tragically, when the Levitical priesthood became corrupt and in rebellion against Yahweh, worshiping idols, the presence of Yahweh was driven out (cf. Ezekiel 9:3; 10:4, 18-19; 11:23). The nation suffered the loss of Yahweh’s abiding presence. He would never return until the coming of Messiah, his Son, who, likewise, was rejected and killed like prophets before.
But, thanks be to God, this was not the end of the story for Israel. The Messiah was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven to his Father’s right hand where He presides in lovingkindness and faithfulness for his people, both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Him. He became our high priest after the order of Melchizedek as king and priest over Israel and the nations.
He announced to us who believe in Him, as the apostle Peter wrote:
And you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the
praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
The royal priesthood is a kingdom of priests after the order of Melchizedek.
In the likeness of Melchizedek. The writer of Hebrews further identified Melchizedek in a most unique way, setting him apart from other human beings. He described him:
Without father, without mother, without a traceable genealogy
[yachis], having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but
made like [domah – “resemblance, analogous to”] the Son
of God, he remains a priest perpetually. (Hebrews 7:3)
The Aramaic text, known as the Peshitta, translates into English this way:
Of whom neither his father nor his mother are written in the
genealogies, without beginning of his days and end of his life.
But, after the likeness [demuth – “resemblance, image,” especially
after divine image in man in Genesis 1:26] of the Son of God, his
priesthood abides for ever.
Observe that Yeshua (Jesus) is after the likeness of Melchizedek, distinguishing Him as separate from Melchizedek. Then, notice that Melchizedek is after the likeness of the Son of God, distinguishing him as separate from the Son of God. Just as Adam was made in the likeness of God, he was not God (cf. Genesis 1:26).
Important to understand is that the Hebrew phrase rendered as “after the likeness of” does not mean “exact image of” The Hebrew word for “likeness of” is domah and the Aramaic demuth. Both mean essentially the same thing—“analogous to,” “resemblance of.” A Hebraic overtone carries a further analogy to or resemblance of the original man, Adam, who was made in the image (selem) of God.
Often a Gentile reader does not know how to understand the passage of Hebrews 7:3. Without understanding the biblical Hebraic worldview, a mistaken conclusion may easily be drawn. A false understanding would be that Melchizedek is not only like the Son of God, he is the Son God. If he is the Son of God, then how can he be after the image of the Son of God? This is highly problematic. Such error may conclude that there is God, then the Son of God (Messiah Yeshua), then a Holy Other divinity (Melchizedek) after the likeness of the Son of God. This can’t be.
Some try to solve the problem by suggesting that Melchizedek is a preincarnate visitation (theophany) of the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). This, too, is seriously problematic because Melchizedek is incarnate. He was a historical person with flesh and blood like Adam.
Without parentage, genealogy, beginning and end. So what are we to make of the passage that Melchizedek was “without father, without mother, without a traceable genealogy [yachis], having neither beginning of days nor end of life…”?
How can this be true of any historical person?
Even the New Testament writers did not make this claim of Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth. They acknowledged that He had a mother (cf. Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-20), that He was born of woman in flesh (cf. Galatians 4:4). Matthew and Luke labored to show that He had a traceable human genealogy connected by adoption to his step-father Joseph (cf. Matthew 1:1-17) and naturally to his mother, Mary (cf. Luke 3:23-38).
Seeking a Hebraic answer.So why would Melchizedek not have a father and mother, nor have a traceable genealogy? The question begs a Hebraic answer, not a Gentile one. Once we know the answer, Hebrews 7:3 begins to make common sense.
Ancient Hebrew teachings are conclusive about the historical identity of Melchizedek. He was not a divine figure at all, as some suppose. He was fully human. True, he was called Melchizedek, but this description one of his titles and not his given name.
Melchizedek is Hebrew for the title “king [melchi] of righteousness [tzedek].”
He had another title in Hebrew: Melchi-shalem (“king of Salem”; cf. Genesis 14:18). This title is partially translated. Salem means “peaceful.”
Another descriptor was Kohen Eleyon (“Priest of the Most High”; cf. Genesis 14:18). This title is fully translated into English.
Our English Bible translators over the centuries chose to translate the last two Hebrew titles, at least in part, but left the first title untranslated as Melchizedek.
The point being made is that Melchizedek is a human being with a real name other than his titles.
So who is he? What is his name?
The Identity of Melchizedek. A survey of Jewish literature preserved through the centuries offers a consistent answer to the question of who Melchizedek was and what was his name.
The ancient Jerusalem Targum comments on Genesis 14:18, stating that Melchizedek was Shem, middle son of Noah. In the Jewish Midrash on Psalm 37:1 (126b), Shem is referred to as Melchizedek who “came forth safely from the ark.”
In the Talmud, Nedarim 32b, we find the distillation of this Hebrew teaching: “The Holy One, blessed be He, intended to bring forth the priesthood from Shem, as it is written, “And he [sc. Melchizedek] was the priest of the Most High God.”
This is the only view found in ancient Hebrew literature and tradition. As such, among the Jewish people of the first century A.D., it was the prevailing view.
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews, of course, was Jewish. The title of his letter clearly shows that he wrote specifically to Jews who believed in the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). They all understood the teachings of their ancestors about Melchizedek being Shem, son of Noah. He did not have to write what they already understood.
Only after Gentile interpretations came into vogue were alternate interpretations given to the identity of Melchizedek. The burden of proof for an alternative interpretation lies with those who take a later view than contemporary with the New Testament era.
About Shem. Shem, whose name means “Name,” was the second son of Noah. His brothers were Japheth, the oldest, and Ham, the youngest. Along with Noah’s wife and the wives of Noah’s three sons, eight in all, the ark lifted and carried them atop the Flood to a new beginning of earth. The old earth passed away. A new beginning came.
He knew the ancient people living before the Flood like his great grandfather Methuselah, and, of course, his grandfather Lamech. Through his grandfather, he learned about Adam. Methuselah knew Adam personally. By way of his knowledge gained directly from Methuselah about Adam, he was able to teach this knowledge to several generations that followed him.
Shem lived to be 598 years old. He was 98 at the time of the Flood. His father Noah began to build the ark two years before he was born. He lived 500 years after the Flood.
When Abraham was born, Shem was 390 years old. When Isaac was born, he was 490 years old (about 1712 B.C.). When Jacob was born, he was 550 years old. Shem died when Jacob was 48 years old. Jacob’s name was Israel. Amazingly, the human link from Adam to Israel was Shem!
A Hebraic view of Shem’s unusual life. Because of the Flood, Shem had no father or mother with a traceable genealogy to the former world. The old world was completely gone. From the perspective of the new world, it was if he had never been born. He was simply there. For sure, since he was not born in the new world, his genealogy was not part of it.
He, along with his parents and brothers were born in an age utterly destroyed without traceable birth records. He had no traceable genealogy to his birth in the former world. Thus, he was “without father, without mother, without a traceable genealogy [yachis], having neither beginning of days nor end of life” (Hebrews 7:3).
“No end of life”? What do we make of this? Again, the answer lies in a Hebraic understanding of the text.
Shem came from a former world where people lived, as it seemed, without “end of life.” All those who had long life, though, perished in the Flood at one time. Not Shem and his family. They passed through this catastrophe of human fatality alive. He, with his family, had “no end of life” from the former world.
To those born after the Flood, life was shortened to 120 years, at least for the first several generations. Later the age of mortality was lowered to seventy. Shem lived through several generations. To the descendants of generation to generation he not only didn’t have a traceable genealogy with a birth recorded in the new world, he had “no end of life” in relation to the rest of humanity, so it seemed, in the new world.
The saying recorded in Hebrews 7:1 of Shem, the eldest patriarch of Jacob, was ancient Hebrew tradition. “He has no father, he has no mother, he has no traceable genealogy. He has no beginning, and he has no end.”
Shem, in mission to Gentiles and the Hebrew people. Shem was known as the great teacher of righteousness. His footsteps from Mt. Ararat are traceable to Shechem in Canaan where he taught at length to the Gentiles of that vicinity while he awaited the settlement of Abraham and, eventually, Israel in the land. He is also identified with Moriah, “the place of the teacher.” His instruction was called Torah, from the verb, “to teach.”
You see this first alluded to in Genesis 12:6 after God makes a covenant with Abram and calls him to Canaan. Upon arrival, Abram traveled through the land. Notice his destination. He traveled “as far as the site of the great tree [‘alon] of Moreh at Shechem” where Yahweh appeared to him, saying, “To your seed I will give this land” (12:7). So Abram built an altar there to Yahweh at the site of the great tree of Moreh.
What is the significance of this site “of the great tree of Moreh” that was Abram’s destination?
Great trees like at Shechem often were prominent among Gentiles for idolatry. But among the people of God they served as a place to teach the Word of God and to offer sacrifice. In the earliest of times they were the school sites for teaching Torah and the place of the altars to worship Yahweh.
Shem, the oldest of the people of God, was not only the king of righteousness (“Melchizedek”), he was the teacher of righteousness. He instructed from beneath huge, over-arching trees that gave shade from the heat by day and shelter from the storms. Such was the great tree of Moreh. It stands out to Abraham as his first destination point for settling the land, though it is in the midst of the Canaanites. “At that time there were Canaanites in the land” (Gen. 12:6).
Abram knew of the fame of the teacher under the great tree in Shechem. Because of the teacher, he knew it was in sharp contrast to the pagan Canaanites living around it, offering sacrifices beneath their trees to pagan deities. So his destination into Canaan, first, was to go to the great tree of Moreh.
Shem is “the Moreh.” What does moreh mean? The word is Hebrew, not Canaanite. It means “teacher.” The proper nouns Moreh (Teacher), Moriah(Place of the Teacher) and Torah (Instruction) all come from the same Hebrew root word, “to instruct.” Shem gave identity and meaning to all three words.
The great tree of Moreh simply is the site of the great teacher of righteousness—Shem. Talmudic tradition confirms this in several tractates and in the Midrash.
Shem and the mountains of Moriah. Shem’s teaching gave the mountain range in Jerusalem its name—Moriah, the Place of the Teacher. Before Messiah taught here, Shem did. Moriah was the location where Shem was king, priest and, as the priest, a teacher. The name of the city was Salem and, later, became known as Jerusalem.
From the mountain range of Moriah, Shem anticipated the Torah Teacher of teachers—the Messiah.
When Moses summoned Israel to prepare them to follow Joshua into Canaan, he mentions Shem indirectly. In Deuteronomy 11:30 we read Moses’ words: “As you know, these mountains are across the Jordan, west of the road, toward the setting sun, near the great trees of Moreh [Teacher], in the territory of those Canaanites living in the Arabah in the vicinity of Gilgal.”
The stark presence and abiding influence of the holy teacher, Shem, remained in Canaan as a witness to them of Yahweh God until his death during Jacob’s lifetime. He was the greatest teacher of the Word of God, knowing it as the Spoken Word before it was written on tablets of stone. He gave himself to the Canaanites to tell them of the one true God and to call them back to Him while he awaited Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to settle there.
Other sayings about Shem. Several legends surround Shem in ancient Jewish literature, but they are incapable of proof. One was that he wore the same garments that God had made for Adam and Eve (cf. Genesis 3:21). Allegedly, these garments were passed down from generation to generation. The custodian of the garments was the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) of his time (see Bamidbar Rabbah 4:8).
Another legend surrounding Shem was that he was the Supreme Judge of Salem where he oversaw the Beth Din (“House of Judgment” or the judicial court house) (Mak. 23b).
Summary. According to Hebrew tradition, Shem was Melchizedek, the king of righteousness, the king of Salem (peaceful), the teacher of righteousness. He was unique to humanity, and particularly to Israel, the Shemites (Semites). He anticipated and prefigured the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) as King and High Priest.
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