Melchizedek and the Priesthood of Christ
The letter to the Hebrews gives us the clearest picture of the priesthood of Christ in the New Testament. Although the role of priesthood may not seem important to us, it was certainly important to the Jewish people, since their entire religious system and access to God was based on temple worship and the intercessory role of the priesthood. That Jesus took on the role of priesthood was problematic to the Jews chiefly because it was understood to be the sole responsibility of the Levitical priesthood through the lineage of Aaron, from the tribe of Levi, whereas Jesus came from the tribe of Judah. However, there were other challenges. The author of Hebrews must also prove, using only the Old Testament that:
- Jesus was appointed by God to be our high priest.
- Jesus' priesthood supersedes and is superior to the Levitical priesthood.
- Jesus is now our only high priest.
- Jesus is now our high priest for all time.
The author of Hebrews attempts to clarify all of this in chapters 5 through 7. And it is done by way of one of the most important Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament, found in Psalm 110, authored by King David. In this prophecy, the priesthood "after the order of Melchizedek" is introduced, and it is by way of this mysterious Melchizedek order of priesthood that Jesus' priesthood is validated.
Melchizedek. Hebrew malkī-ṣeḏeq, from melek "king" and sedeq "righteousness." The first element "malki" means "king of", so that the name literally translates to "king of righteousness" and is the more accepted meaning. Also, this is the meaning that the author of Hebrews gives it:
Hebrews 7:2b: He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.
Occurrences. Melchizedek is mentioned twice in the Old Testament as follows:
- Genesis 14:18-20: And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
- Psalm 110:4: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
In the New Testament, Melchizedek is mentioned several times in the letter to the Hebrews, from chapters 5 through 7 (i.e. Hebrews 5:6; 5:10; 6:20; 7:1; 7:10-11; 7:15; and 7:17).
Note that these passages are separated by approximately 1,000 years each—Abram at around 2,000 B.C., David around 1,000 B.C., and Hebrews in the first century A.D.
Righteousness and peace. Melchizedek was both "king of righteouness" by virtue of his name and "king of peace" by virtue of his domain (i.e. king of Salem, where "Salem" means "Shalom" or peace). In typological language, Jesus is like Melchizedek in that he offers us both the righteousness of God and peace with God in his own person, as the Bible tells us:
- Romans 3:21-22: But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
- Romans 4:13: For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
- Romans 5:1: Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Romans 5:10-11: For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
- John 16:33: I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
Priest-king. Melchizedek was both a priest and a king. This is also true of Jesus, whom God appointed both to be our high priest and king.
- Hebrews 5:10: [Jesus] being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
- Hebrews 1:13: And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
- Psalm 110:1-2 (AMP): The LORD (Father) says to my Lord (the Messiah, His Son), “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet [subjugating them into complete submission].” 2 The LORD [Father] will send the scepter of Your strength from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
The concept of the Messiah taking on this dual role as both priest and king is also found in Zechariah, where the Messiah is referred to as "the Branch."
Zechariah 6:12-13: And say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of Yahweh. 13 It is he who shall build the temple of the Yahweh and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And he shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.’
Priest to God Most High. Melchizedek was "priest of God Most High" (Genesis 14:18). In the Hebrew, God Most High is "El Elyon Elyon." The double "Elyon" is read as "Most High." It is clear from Abraham's statement to the king of Sodom (in Genesis 14:22) that "God Most High" is another name for Yahweh. Elyon is also identified with Yahweh in 2 Samuel 22:14 and Psalm 97:9.
- Genesis 14:22 (LEB): And Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth
- 2 Samuel 22:14 (LEB): Yahweh thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice.
- Psalm 97:9 (LEB): For you, O Yahweh, are most high over all the earth. You are highly exalted above all gods.
The Bible gives the sense that "El Elyon" was not just the God of the Jews but of all people.
"Every instance where the name Elyon is used for God, universal, sovereign rule is in view." —Marv Rosenthal, EL ELYON: The Most High God.
Priesthood of Christ
Chosen of God. The high priesthood was chosen and appointed by God. This was true for both the Aaronic priesthood and the priesthood of Christ.
- Hebrews 5:1, 4: For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed ... And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
- Hebrews 5:5: So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him [i.e. God]
In the Levitical system, only the descendants of Aaron, who were from the tribe of Levi, could become priests (Exodus 28:1). The rest of the Levites had subordinate responsibilities in the service of the tabernacle. All the other Israelite tribes were forbidden from serving in the tabernacle. There were serious consequences for attempting to take on the priestly role as seen in the lives of three individuals in the Old Testament: Korah, King Saul and King Uzziah. In the case of Korah and his sympathizers, the earth swallowed them alive (Numbers 16:8-10, 32-35). In the case of King Saul, he lost his kingdom (1 Samuel 13:8-10, 14). And, in the case of King Uzziah, he became leprous (2 Chronicles 26:16-19).
Jesus' priesthood began at his baptism. The age a Levite entered the priesthood was from 30 years old up to 50 years old (Numbers 4:3, 30). As per instructions in Leviticus chapter 8, Moses was to inaugurate Aaron and his sons into the priesthood, he was to wash them with water, clothe them with symbolic clothing, anoint them with oil, offer up three different types of animal sacrifices (i.e. sin, burnt and ordination offerings) followed by a bread offering, then have them eat a meal consisting of boiled flesh and bread from the ordination offerings. They were then to remain "outside the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days" (Leviticus 8:33) to complete the process.
Jesus was 30 years old when he began his ministry (Luke 3:23). In Luke 3:24ff, Jesus' lineage is listed which follows the tradition that a priest must prove his Levitical lineage before he could qualify to be a priest. Jesus' lineage, however, is not in the Levitical line as discussed earlier in this article. When Jesus came to the Jordan to be baptized, John was hesitant to baptize him as we read in Matthew.
Matthew 3:13-15: Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.
To "fulfill all righteousness" is commonly interpreted as Jesus needing to be our example in the requirement of baptism for the forgiveness of sins. However, this is not the meaning in its entirety. It was understood by the Church Fathers that it also involved the inauguration into the priesthood.
"The Church Fathers Tertullian, Ambrose, and Augustine all claimed that baptism inducts the baptized person into membership in the royal priesthood of the church, and Thomas Aquinas said that baptism, by imprinting an indelible “character” on the soul, confers a share in the priesthood of Christ. This was even worked into some ancient baptismal liturgies; the actual water baptism was followed by an anointing with oil, and this was explained by reference to the anointing of priests and kings in the Old Testament." —Peter Leithart, Jesus' Baptism Into Priesthood (archived in PDF).
For Jesus, to "fulfill all righteousness" meant to also satisfy the inaugural typology concerning the priesthood of the Old Testament. This occurred when he was both "washed" (or purification) by water baptism and anointed with the Spirit of God (Matthew 3:16). Note that the one performing this inaugural, baptismal ceremony was John the Baptist, a Levite and a prophet. He was a Levite in the Aaronic lineage, as his father was a priest, and he was a prophet as Jesus himself proclaimed him to be (Luke 7:26-28). John the Baptist then fulfilled the role of Moses—both a Levite and a prophet.
Jesus continued his ministry on earth, fulfilling his priestly role, by becoming the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), offering up himself (John 15:13; Hebrews 7:27) and dying on the cross. After he was raised from the dead, on his return to heaven, Jesus was to continue his priestly ministry before the Father (Hebrews 2:17).
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