Indestructible: The Priestly Line of Melchizedek

By Jennifer Jolene Deal

At first glance, the brief account of Abraham’s interaction with Melchizedek, King of Salem, may seem inconsequential in Genesis chapter 14 and may even cause the reader to wonder why the author included this encounter in the first place. While it may seem out of place upon first reading, further analysis shows that the Melchizedek encounter is intentionally included by the author to support his narrative intent and it has a profound meaning that will unfold as the reader continues through the entire Bible.

In the Context of Genesis

Biblical analysis views each part in relation to the whole. A verse is considered within the context of the chapter, the chapter within the context of the section, and each section within context of the book (2, p. 69). Narrative analysis requires that the reader interpret each event narrated as being intentionally included by the author within the context of the entire work and effort must be made to consider why each event is included. Also, the way that the event is presented reveals much about the author’s intent (1, p. 155).

In Genesis chapter 14, the author describes a large battle involving many of the cities in the region. Just prior to the account of the battle, the reader learns that Abraham has been given a promise by God. God promises that his descendants will inhabit the land of Canaan, that Abraham’s name would be made great, and that all families on the earth will be blessed through him (Genesis 12:1-7).

The author then narrates the journey of Abraham, who was called Abram at the time. Abram has been called by God out of Ur of the Chaldeans in the East to go to Canaan, the promised land. Abraham travels with his nephew Lot along with their respective households. Their journey south from Haran, takes them through Shechem, Bethel, the Negev, to Egypt, back to the Negev and then finally back to Bethel where they camp between Bethel and Ai. The text says that both households were so great that the land could not support both of them so Abraham and Lot agree to separate. Lot makes the choice and decides to go to the east toward Sodom and Gomorrah in the valley of the Jordan. At this point, the author is careful to make sure the reader knows that “the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against the LORD” (Genesis 13:13). After their separation, Abraham settles in Hebron, by the oaks of Mamre.

Chapter 14 begins by describing a list of kings and their cities that go to battle against each other. The four cities making the offensive attack, Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, and Goiim, seem to be located further east near Assyria and Babylon, perhaps around the region of Ur of the Chaldeans, the area from which Abraham came. The five cities on the defense, Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, Bela (that is, Zoar) were more than likely located in the Jordan valley not far from Abraham’s current location in Hebron to the west. The war takes place somewhere in this valley near the Dead Sea (Genesis 14:3). At this point, the author does a quick overview of the cities that were already conquered by these four kings from the east before the battle takes place. Just as quickly, the author describes the fall of the five king alliance, including Sodom and Gomorrah.

The four kings from the east carry off the plunder from Sodom and Gomorrah and they also take Lot and his family as a prisoners. When Abraham finds out what happened, he immediately musters up a small army from his household of 318 trained men and chases after the invaders all the way to Dan in the north. Then, in just one sentence, the author describes Abraham’s battle, Abraham’s victory and Abraham’s recovery of Lot (Genesis 14:15-16).

The narration of the war that leads up to the interaction with the King of Salem moves quite fast considering the grand scope of the war. Then, the narration transitions from a fast-paced battle summary to a slower scenic presentation with dialogue starting in verse 17 of chapter 14. The setting for this scene is the valley of Shaveh, or the King’s Valley located to the west of the battle and near the present day Jerusalem. It is not explicitly stated, but it seems that this where Abraham planned to meet the King of Sodom after his victory against the four kings in order to return the people that had been recovered and their possessions. It appears that the Melchizedek, the King of Salem, is only in this scene because the meeting took place near his city.

In the King's Valley, Abraham meets the two kings. The first king, the king of Sodom, represents the worst of mankind and the other king, the king of Salem represents something quite different. It seems as if the author has rushed through the previous events in order to set the stage for this scene. The author is now zeroing in on the most important moment. As Abraham is meeting with the King of Sodom, the King of Salem arrives and brings bread (or food) to eat and wine to drink.

Melchizedek is described as “priest of God Most high” (14:18) and then Melchizedek blesses Abraham. It is clear that Abraham recognizes that Melchizedek worships the same LORD. Abraham treats Melchizedek as a true priest of the LORD by giving him a tenth of everything. In The Pentateuch as Narrative, Sailhamer notes that this action is contrasted with Abraham’s response to the gift offered by the King of Sodom in which he refuses to take anything from him (3, p. 147). It is significant to note that the people of Sodom, who were just rescued by Abraham, will soon be completely destroyed by God in chapter 19, save Lot and his two daughters.

In the Context of the Pentateuch

Moses is likely the author of Genesis and Genesis is part of a much larger book written by Moses called Torah or The Law. Therefore, this moment with Melchizedek is better understood within that context. Moses is often associated with the Law which encompasses a grand portion of the Pentateuch, however when one considers the entire scope of his writings, there is a pattern of writing that points to a faith outside of the Mosaic Law.

All throughout the Pentateuch, Moses utilizes a specific narrative strategy. He begins with narration, then a poetic blessing, followed by an epilogue. Whenever one sees these poetic seams, special note ought to be made. The blessing of Melchizedek can be seen as a poetic seam purposefully inserted into the narrative for emphasis and prophetic meaning (3, pp. 35-37).

While it is unclear in the Hebrew text whether Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek or whether the reverse was true due to the ambiguity of the pronouns, we know that in the context of the entire Pentateuch, the audience would have understood the former to be the case. In the Mosaic Law, the tribe of Levi has been specially ordained to serve the LORD, and from the tribe of Levi, the descendants of Aaron, and those descendants alone, are appointed as high priests of God. The other tribes of Israel were to give a tithe (or a tenth) of everything to support the spiritual ministry conducted by the Levites and the Levites gave from that tithe to the priests (Numbers 18:26-32).

It is strange that Moses would include this account of a tithe being given to someone clearly not from Aaron’s line and not even a descendant of Abraham. The only priestly qualification given is the fact that Melchizedek worshiped and had faith in the one true LORD and he acknowledged God’s blessing on Abraham. Also, Abraham, as far as we know, had no written command telling him to give a tenth of all that he had. By highlighting this interaction between these two men, Moses is teaching his reader that obedience to the law is a matter of faith, not merely adhering to the written code, for it is better to have God’s law written on one’s heart (3, p. 148).

In the Context of the Old Testament

The entire Old Testament flows from the Pentateuch and the promises and covenants therein that were given to the people of Israel. In the Pentateuch, we learn that the whole world is under a curse because of sin and God’s plan of redemption for the world finds its beginning in the book of Genesis and it carries on through the Old Testament. After Moses gives the written law to the descendants of Abraham, they fail over and over to obey it. While they have a priesthood, this priesthood is unable to turn the hearts of the people toward God.

Even the prophets of the Old Testament understood that a new and better covenant was to come. The promised salvation could not come by way of the written law, rather God would have to write His law on the hearts of His people.

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

The Old Testament writers saw clearly that Moses emphasized the priesthood of Melchizedek, who was king of Salem, who ruled in the same region of Jerusalem. In these Messianic Psalms we read:

“The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’” (Psalms 110:4)

And the prophets understood Jerusalem to be the location of the throne of God, the eternal king:

“At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.” (Jeremiah 3:17)

For the Old Testament writer, the Messiah to come would not only be the promised King sitting on the throne of David in Jerusalem, he would also be priest of God Most High.

In the Context of the Bible

While the implication of Abraham’s short narrative is somewhat cloudy and difficult to discern in the Old Testament, the true meaning and purpose of the narrative erupts with great clarity in the New Testament. In the book of Hebrews, the author connects the thread started all the way back in Genesis 14 to its denouement in the person of Jesus. Here the author of Hebrews reveals the true meaning and purpose of the writing of Moses:

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:19)

The writer of Hebrews continues his discourse by pulling each thread from the tiny story of Melchizedek to their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The author sees Melchizedek as a man with no record of father or mother, or even a date of death, making it seem as if his priesthood goes on forever. The writer even notes that because Abraham had the tribe of Levi still in his loins, “Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham” (Heb. 7:9). And, just as Moses alluded in his writings, the writer of Hebrews concurs:

“Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?” (Heb. 7:11)

Furthermore, Jesus has become the promised priest in the order of Melchizedek, “not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life” (Heb. 7:16).

Conclusion

By studying the immediate context of the Melchizedek narrative and its context within the grand story-line of the Bible, we see a big idea emerge from the pages of the Old and New Testament. Just like the written code could never be greater than the law of God which is eternally written on the hearts of his people, the Levitical priestly order could never be greater than the work of Jesus Christ as our High Priest. While Melchizedek brought bread and wine to nourish Abraham, Jesus offers us his body and blood as our bread and wine to give us eternal life (John 6:54) and by his blood, His sacrifice made once for all, He enters the Holiest of Holies. His priesthood is eternal and without end. Having conquered death, it is indestructible.

Bibliography

1 Bar-Efrat, S. “Some Observations on the Analysis of Structure in Biblical Narrative.” Vestus Testamentum, Vol. XXX, Fasc. 2. (April 1980).

2 Kimble, Jeremy M. and Spellman, Ched. Invitation to Biblical Theology: Exploring the Shape, Storyline, and Themes of Scripture. Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2020.

3 Sailhamer, John H. The Pentateuch as Narrative: A Biblical-Thelogical Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.