Lexical Summary Melchisedek: Melchizedek Original Word: Μελχισεδέκ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Melchizedek. Of Hebrew origin (Malkiy-Tsedeq); Melchisedek (i.e. Malkitsedek), a patriarch -- Melchisedec. see HEBREW Malkiy-Tsedeq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Hebrew origin Malki-tsedeq Definition Melchizedek, O.T. king of Salem NASB Translation Melchizedek (8). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3198: ΜελχισέδεκΜελχισέδεκ (in Josephus, Antiquities 1, 10, 2 Μελχισεδεκης, Μελχισεδεκου), ὁ (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק, king of righteousness), Melchizedek, king of Salem (see under Σαλήμ) and priest of the most high God, who lived in the days of Abraham: Hebrews 5:6, 10; Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 7:1, 10f, 15, 17, 21 (R G L); cf. Genesis 14:18ff; Psalm 109:4 Topical Lexicon Historical BackgroundMelchizedek first appears in Genesis 14:18–20 as “king of Salem” and “priest of God Most High.” He brings out bread and wine, blesses Abram, and receives a tenth of the spoils. The narrative introduces a priest-king who ministers outside the later Levitical system, links priesthood with royal authority, and grounds both in the one true God long before Sinai. Prophetic Anticipation in Psalm 110 Psalm 110 looks forward to a royal figure who would also be an eternal priest: “The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek’” (Psalm 110:4). Written centuries after Genesis 14, this oracle secures the Melchizedekian pattern as the divine ideal and provides the key text the Epistle to the Hebrews uses to explain the priesthood of Christ. Occurrences in Hebrews Hebrews employs Μελχισεδέκ eight times (5:6, 5:10, 6:20, 7:1, 7:10, 7:11, 7:15, 7:17) to argue for the superiority of Jesus’ priesthood: • Hebrews 6:20: “Jesus has entered on our behalf as a forerunner. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” By clustering all eight occurrences in a single sustained argument, the writer presents Melchizedek as the canonical template for a perpetual, royal, and non-Levitical priesthood fulfilled in Christ. Christological Significance 1. Eternality: The silence of Scripture regarding Melchizedek’s birth and death prefigures the endless life of the Son of God (Hebrews 7:3, 16). Contrast with the Levitical Priesthood Hebrews 7 argues that the Levitical order: • Came later and paid tithes “through Abraham” (7:9–10), acknowledging Melchizedek’s superiority. A change in priesthood necessitates a change in law (7:12), grounding the New Covenant in Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice (7:27). Practical Implications for Believers 1. Assurance of Access: Because Jesus is “a high priest forever,” believers have unbroken access to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Reception in Jewish and Christian Tradition Second Temple literature sometimes identified Melchizedek with angelic or exalted figures, while the early Church Fathers uniformly saw him as a type of Christ. Augustine, Chrysostom, and others resisted speculative identifications, emphasizing instead the typological reading taught in Hebrews: Melchizedek prefigures but is not identical with the incarnate Son. Summary Melchizedek occupies a brief yet strategically vital place in Scripture. His appearance establishes an archetype of a righteous, royal, and everlasting priesthood that transcends the Levitical order. The Epistle to the Hebrews uses this pattern to demonstrate the finality and supremacy of Jesus Christ’s priestly ministry, assuring believers of complete salvation and unending fellowship with God. Forms and Transliterations Μελχισεδεκ Μελχισεδέκ Μελχισεδὲκ Μελχισέδεκ Melchisedek Melchisedék MelchisedèkLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Hebrews 5:6 NGRK: τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ NAS: TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK. KJV: after the order of Melchisedec. INT: the order of Melchizadek Hebrews 5:10 N Hebrews 6:20 N Hebrews 7:1 N Hebrews 7:10 N Hebrews 7:11 N Hebrews 7:15 N Hebrews 7:17 N |
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