sign in sign up
<<
Home , Second Temple Judaism

CHAPTER FOUR

MELCHIZEDEK TRADITIONS IN

As discussed in the exegetical survey in chapter one, the figure of plays a very important role in Hebrews’ discussion of as priest. Jesus’ status as priest is legitimated by his relationship to the mysterious figure. Jesus is said to be ‘in the order of Melchiz- edek,’ and on several occasions Jesus is said to be like Melchizedek. Conversely, once the opposite is asserted, as Melchizedek is compared to the ‘Son of God.’ Melchizedek’s reception of tithes from and pronouncement of blessing on are key parts of Hebrews’ argument that Jesus holds a priestly status greater than that of the Levitical priests. As noted above, scholars continue to investigate the possibility that further understanding of Melchizedek in biblical and subsequent traditions might shed light on understanding the motif of Jesus as priest in Hebrews. Some attention has already been given in chapter 1 to Hebrews’ interpretation of Gen 14:18-20 and Ps 110:4, with brief comments also made there about Melchizedek traditions in other literature from the . Much more can be said in this chapter about these challenging biblical passages, their use in Second Temple Jewish literature, and potential connections between these Jewish portraits of Melchizedek and Hebrews’ discussion of Jesus as priest.

1. MELCHIZEDEK IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES AND THE

Melchizedek is discussed in only two passages in the , Gen 14:18-20 and Ps 110:4. These passages are of very different natures. The former claims to recount a historical encounter between Melchizedek, a local priest-king, and Abram after the patriarch’s MELCHIZEDEK TRADITIONS IN SECOND TEMPLE JUDAISM 139 military victory over Chedorlaomer and his allies.1 The latter appears to be part of a divine oath to a Davidic king in a royal psalm. The precise relationship between the Melchizedek traditions in these two passages is difficult to evaluate.

1.1. Genesis 14:18-20

In order to understand the critical problems surrounding this passage, it is important first to examine it in its context of Gen 14:17- 24, with vv. 18-20 in italics. The following translation (NJPS) reflects the MT; differences present in the LXX are discussed below: 17 When he returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh, which is the Valley of the King. 18 And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. 19 He blessed him, saying, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your foes into your hand!” And [Abram] gave him a tenth of everything. 21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the possessions for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I swear to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth: 23 I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap of what is yours; you shall not say, ‘It is I who made Abram rich.’ 24 For me, nothing but what my servants have used up; as for the share of the men who went with me—Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre—let them take their share.” (Gen 14:17-24 NJPS) As noted above, several aspects of the passage differ in the MT and LXX. Joseph Fitzmyer notes five such differences:2 a. Whereas the MT of Gen 14:18 mentions Melchizedek’s offering of ‘bread and wine’ (}iyfyfw {exel) in the singular, in the LXX the ‘bread’ is plural (a)/rtouj kai\ oi}non). This may have given rise to inter-

——— 1 Though the patriarch is still named Abram in Gen 14 and does not become Abraham until Gen 17:5, the author of Hebrews always refers to him as Abraham, as do most Second Temple Jewish writers who retell this encounter. 2 Joseph A. Fitzmyer, “Melchizedek in the MT, LXX, and the NT,” Bib 81 (2000): 63-69, esp. 67. I have rearranged Fitzmyer’s points and added additional comments.