Did Melchizedek
Eternally
Exist?
What does it mean in Hebrews 7:3 where we read that
Melchizedek was “without father or mother . . . without
Beginning of days or end of life”? Did Melchizedek
Eternally exist? Who was he, anyway? An angel? The
One who became Christ? If He was Christ, does this
Prove that Christ eternally existed?
William F. Dankenbring
Not too long ago I received a letter from a reader who read the special issue of Prophecy Flash dealing with the origin of the Logos, the Son of God, and the question of whether or not Jesus Christ pre-existed His human birth, and whether or not He was “God,” and His true origin. In that issue I demonstrated from Biblical, Jewish and historical sources that Jesus Christ the Nazarene – Yeshua Ha Moshiiach Ha’Notzri – was the Logos, a member of the God Family, who came down to earth, partook of human flesh, and died for the sins of all mankind (John 3:16). However, I also showed that He was not always God and did not eternally exist, but the Father created Him --- or, procreated Him – from His own essence, as His Companion, who became the second member of the Godhead.
The
letter from the reader said: “The
arguments used to prove Jesus was a created being are quite good. Many verses in the New Testament become much
clearer with that understanding.
However, I am having trouble with Hebrews 7:3 – ‘without father or
mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the
Son of God.’ It is the ‘without
beginning of days’ that troubles me.
Would you please give me your understanding of this verse?”
Who was Melchizedek? Was Melchizedek without beginning of days?
You will read in Hebrews 6:19-20 that Jesus Christ, after His resurrection, is High Priest “after the order of Melchizedek.” The plainer English of the Moffatt translation words it: “. . . with the rank of” that is, equal status with “Melchizedek.”
First, notice from both Old and New Testaments that the man of mystery, Melchizedek, was a priest of the Most High God. In Genesis 14, we read that during the war between a number of ancient city-states in Canaan and Mesopotamia, Abraham’s nephew Lot was captured. He and his family and goods were taken into slavery and held prisoner by invaders.
One of their number escaped and brought the news to Abraham, who armed 318 of his own servants and chased to the north. Abraham rescued Lot and his family and the other captives, and all the goods, and returned them safely to the Canaanite cities. This battle was no doubt a great miracle, for Abraham was greatly outnumbered.
When Abraham returned, a man of great mystery appears upon the scene. A man named “Melchizedek.”
Here is the account: “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. And he [Melchizedek] blessed him [Abraham] and said, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ And Abram gave him [Melchizedek] a tenth of everything” -- that is, a tithe of all the goods, for a tithe literally means a tenth (Genesis 14:18-20, RSV).
Notice that Melchizedek was king of Salem. “Salem” comes from the Hebrew word meaning “peace.” Salem was the city of “Jerusalem” – the city of “peace.” The Hebrew word “Melek” means “King” or “Ruler.” Therefore, that would make Melchizedek the Ruler or King of Peace (Heb. 7:2). The word “Zedek” in Hebrew means “righteousness.” The Hebrew name Melchizedek itself literally means “King of righteousness” (Heb. 7:2).
This same individual is mentioned also in Psalm 110:4, where David stated: “The Eternal hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” This verse is quoted again in Hebrews 5:6,10, and is a prophetic reference to the coming of Christ.
Who was this man of mystery and intrigue?
Rabbis have thought it was Shem, the son of Noah. But Shem obviously had a genealogy! He had parents!
New light on the mystery of Melchizedek is provided by a text found among the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran, appropriately labeled 11Qmelchizedek. In the Qumran text, “Melchizedek is presented as an angelic being who raises up God’s holy ones for deeds of judgment and who takes divine judgment on evil. Here Melchizedek has superhuman status, which clearly involved living eternally, just as he has in Hebrews” (James Vanderkam, “The Dead Sea Scrolls and Early Christianity,” Bible Review, December 1991, p.46).
Another Qumran text which appears to mention Melchizedek has also been published – the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice. Says Bible Review, “Although the relevant fragments are poorly preserved, here Melchizedek seems to officiate as the heavenly high priest, just as Jesus does in Hebrews” (ibid.).
No one really knew who Melchizedek was until the apostle Paul identified him as the One who became Jesus Christ. Who was he, really?
Let’s turn to Hebrews for the identification of Melchizedek, remember that this mystery figure is a mystery only to us. Abraham and the King of wicked Sodom knew exactly who he was. They must have seen him before. He could not have been a Canaanite, for they were steeped in pagan customs. And furthermore Canaan was a descendant of Ham, whereas God basically chose the descendants of Shem to accomplish His work.
Then who is the mystery man Melchizedek? One other hint before we proceed. The land of Canaan from ancient time, before the days of Moses, was known among the Gentiles as “the divine land” the “Holy land” -- the land of the place of worship! Why? Was there someone in the Holy Land who was divine, holy, worthy of worship?
The Mystery Clears
Coming to Hebrews 7, we find Melchizedek identified: “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace” (Heb. 7:1-2).
Since God names individuals what they are, that, then is what this man is “King of righteousess.” Think of it! Jesus Himself said: “There is none good but one, that is, God” (Matt.19:17). Human self-righteousness is, before God, as filthy rags. None can be righteous but God -- or one made righteous by God’s power -- Christ in a person! And certainly none but One of the Godhead the divine Kingdom of God -- could literally be King of Righteousness. Such an expression, applied to any but God, would be blasphemous.
Why?
Righteousness is obedience to God’s Law. Since God made all laws (James 4:12), He is Supreme Ruler or King. He determines what righteousness is. “All thy commandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119:172). When speaking of one of the points of that Law, Jesus placed Himself superior to it. He is Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28). No man is Lord or King over God’s Law. Only God could be! All human beings have sinned and broken that Law of righteousness (Romans 3:23).
Notice, also, that this person was the “King of peace.” “Salem” comes from the Hebrew word shalom which is “peace.” Jerusalem itself means “the habitation of peace” or “the city of peace.” The prophet Isaiah called the Messiah, “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
No human being could be the King of Peace. Men know not the way of peace (Romans 3:10 and 17). Paul writes, “ “There is none righteous, no, not one.” And, he added, “the way of peace have they not known.” No human being could be the “King of Peace.”
Observe further: Melchizedek was “without mother, without father, without descent,” or as the Phillips translation renders it: “He had no father or mother and no family tree.” He was not born as human beings are. He was without father and mother. This does not mean that Melchizedek’s records of birth were lost. Without such records human priests could not serve (Ezra 2:62). But Melchizedek had no genealogy. He must not have been an ordinary mortal. He had no descent or pedigree from another human being – therefore He must have been more than just a human being!
Notice Paul’s own inspired interpretation of this fact: “Having neither beginning of days, nor end of life” (Heb. 7:3). Therefore He came into being BEFORE “DAYS” WERE CREATED! And He will live FOREVER!
Yet Melchizedek cannot be God the Father. He was the “priest of that Most High God.” Scripture says no man has ever seen the Father (John 1:18, 5:37), but Abraham saw Melchizedek. He cannot be God the Father, but rather, as Paul wrote, He was “made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually” (Heb. 7:3).
There is the answer! In the days of Abraham, He was not the Son of God, yet, for He had not yet been born of the virgin Mary -- but He was made like unto the Son of God in His manifestation to Abraham and the ancients to whom He revealed Himself and interacted.
Notice again: Melchizedek, this scripture reveals, abides that is, remains permanently, continually, a priest. God the Father is not the Priest of God, but Christ the Son is! Yet, in the days when the Apostle Paul lived and wrote, shortly after Jesus ascended to heaven as High Priest, the scripture states that even then Melchizedek “abideth” -- which means does now abide – “a priest continually.” The Moffatt translation states it: “continues to be priest permanently” -- even while Jesus Christ is High Priest!
Let’s understand this! There cannot be TWO HIGH PRIESTS, at the same time, both serving as THE HIGH PRIEST!
The conclusion is inescapable. Contrary to many cherished man-thought-out ideas, Melchizedek and Christ are one and the same! Some people have stumbled on the statement that Melchizedek has no “end of life.” They contend that since Christ died, He had an end of life! If that be true then Christ is still dead! But Christ is not dead. He is alive. It was not possible for Christ to be held by death (Acts 2:24). Melchizedek would never have fulfilled His office of High Priest if He had not died for the sins of the people and risen again. It is the function of the High Priest to lead the way to salvation.
Indeed, Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our salvation (Heb. 5:9; 12:2). He is “called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedec” (Heb. 5:10). And no wonder, because the One who was Melchizedek and Jesus Christ are one and the same Person!
Melchizedek as a human being had no father or mother, as he was the Logos appearing in human form -- the pre-incarnate Christ. There was no record of his earthly genealogy because he had none. As Paul says, he was “without father, without mother, without descent, having either beginning of days, or end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” There cannot be two high priests of the Melchizedek line. Christ IS Melchizedek. He was not born as a human being at the time he appeared to Abraham, but simply manifested Himself as such, in human form.
Why, then, do we read that He had “NO BEGINNING OF DAYS”? Does this prove that Jesus ALWAYS existed?
Actually, it
does not. It simply proves that He
existed PRIOR to the creation of “days”!
Jesus Himself says that He had a beginning. He said, “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, THE BEGINNING OF the creation of God” (Rev..3:14).
The apostle Paul said the same thing. He wrote, speaking of Christ, “Who is the IMAGE of the invisible God, the FIRST-BORN of all creation” (Col.1:15). Once the Father created Him, and brought Him into existence, then He – as the Logos or “Word” of God – jointly created everything else, the whole Universe – “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible” (Col.1:16).
Jesus Christ was the Logos of the Old Testament, the Angel of the Lord, the One in the Presence of the Father, who communicated with the patriarchs and fathers, and the prophets of old. “Melchizedek” was one of His many names or titles!
The Logos, or “Melchizedek” indeed had a beginning, but He was created long before “days” were created. In fact, He and the Father together CREATED “DAYS”!
“Days” are a result of “time,” and time is relative. We measure “days” by the revolution of the earth on its axis in reference to the sun. But the Logos was created as the FIRST of all God’s creation (Rev.3:18), long before the physical universe, earth, sun, moon, or stars were created (Job 38:7). Therefore, He pre-existed DAYS and everything else created of the material Universe!
For more information on this amazing subject, write for our special Prophecy Flash issue on “The Nature of God,” and the articles “Was Christ Created?”, “Who or What was Jesus Christ Before His Human Birth?”, “The One True God,” “The Genesis Factor – Is God Reproducing Himself?”, “The Mystery of God.” They will make the truth plain and clear, so a child could understand!