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Few in homo history could exist called priest in addition to king. Melchizedek — pronounced "mel-keys-uh-deck" — may be the primeval recorded example of that king. The Jewish people, Christians and those who do Islam all admit the story of Melchizedek in some way other some other, simply like many other figures in the Bible, the interpretations tin vary and get a fiddling extreme.

The story of Melchizedek in the Bible itself is a rather brief one. Yet, like other instances in the Bible, the variants in the means this story is interpreted stretch across the lath. With very limited data about Melchizedek — non even a birthday in the Jewish calendar — interpretations of the story of Melchizedek range from an explanation of why we practice certain rituals inside Mass/the church to a The Davinci Code level of cult-like behaviors that might surprise you. One function explanatory history and other parts conspiracy, the story of Melchizedek is a lesser-worn gem.

The Story of Melchizedek: Background and Nuts

Who? Looking at his proper name, Melchizedek is kind of a mouthful, isn't it? This name is a chemical compound of a few Semitic words. The offset of the name comes from "melek(h)," which translates to "male monarch." The second half, "ṣedeq," can mean either "righteousness" or serve as a name — Zedek. More on "Zedek" later, but for now, the mouthful of a name is much easier to say when you think you're addressing the King of Righteousness, the priest that's a rex.

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When? Melchizedek was friends with the Abraham. At that place are 14 generations in betwixt the lives of Abraham and Adam. When nosotros say "Adam," we hateful THE Adam. Eve's Adam. So, when it comes to this interpretation of history, this represents a very, very early biblical history of man. This is before the Israelites, earlier Moses and Passover, before the Maccabees and the story of Hanukkah, but subsequently Noah and Noah's Ark. Part of what makes this tale so mysterious is its placement in the Volume of Genesis, which tells stories from the Bible's an earliest times. Most characters in Genesis are connected familially — it'due south always, "son of _____," like in The Lord of the Rings. But Melchizedek has no relatives. At least, he doesn't have whatsoever that are listed in any of the holy texts.

Where? The story of Melchizedek takes place in the desert surrounding the Dead Sea. Melchizedek is the male monarch of Salam, which somewhen becomes known equally Jerusalem. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah also brand a brief appearance. They're believed to be a part of what we know today as Israel, near the Expressionless Ocean. Speaking of which, the Dead Sea Scrolls take added to the mythos of Melchizedek, making his tale even more alluring.

To understand the story of Melchizedek, it helps to know the story of Abraham, at least somewhat. Abraham is a patriarch beyond holy texts. Famous biblical figures like King David (the one who slayed Goliath) and Jesus himself are descendants of Abraham. In Islam, Abraham is regarded as a prophet, putting him at a status similar to Muhammad's.

Many of Abraham's adventures entail the patriarch accomplishing goals and helping people with hopes of earning his birthright from God. This finally happens when Abraham is very sometime, so he had time for quite a few adventures. It's kind of the How I Met Your Mother of the Bible. If a biopic for Abraham was to be released, the story of Mechizedek would happen towards the beginning or appear entirely in the prequel. That'south how long it took for Abraham to earn his birthright.

Ever wonder why a Christian Mass has seemingly curious rituals like kneeling, eating breadstuff and joining hands, amid others? A few of those arose from Melchizedek's story in the Sometime Testament. To hone in on what the Bible actually says: The story of Melchizedek starts out with Abraham and his nephew, Lot.

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Both Abraham and Lot were shepherds, and Lot kept his sheep well-nigh the kingdom of Sodom. In a style that seemed a bit sudden, four kings pillaged and captured Lot and others in that area. When Abraham heard this, he sent his 300+ servants, who happened to be trained for battle, on a surprise attack to think Lot and restore order.

Abraham proved victorious and returned home to Salam (Jerusalem). Face to face with Melchizedek, Abraham, with treasure in tow, was congratulated past Melchizedek, who gave Abraham and his companions vino and breadstuff. Abraham so paid Melchizedek a tithe. "Tithe" translates to "a tenth," or a minor sharing/taxation of sorts. This is when the two leading men start to "bro out" a bit.

Melchizedek and Abraham went dorsum and along in explaining that they couldn't accept anything from each other. You can almost picture them punching each other'due south shoulders, proverb "You keep it" and "No, y'all keep it!" Eventually, Abraham merely took the food that he and his servants ate while off on their journeying.

This is very much an Sometime Testament take on Beowulf or The Odyssey. There are soldiers, kings and quests, merely Melchizedek's story helps justify two of import parts of Mass and the churchgoing experience equally a whole.

When Melchizedek gives Abraham bread and wine, this is the get-go time that Bible-readers are shown a ritual like to that of the Eucharist. For those who didn't accept Catechism or Dominicus school, the Eucharist is the ritual in which the priest holds upwards breadstuff and vino and information technology becomes the (in many cases "literal") body and blood of Jesus Christ. It's then shared with all of those at Mass who accept already received their First Communion.

The Eucharist is a Sacrament — the one where the priest blesses a wafer, says "the body of Christ," and churchgoers eat it — but Melchizedek's offering was more of a precursor to that. The breadstuff and wine weren't continuing in for annihilation, but his action did normalize the reception of breadstuff and vino from a loftier priest.

Another Melchizedek-adjacent ritual seen in a traditional Mass is the tithe, which paves the manner for people to give back some of their earnings to the church building. The relationship is almost transactional: Melchizedek gave breadstuff and wine, and Abraham paid a tithe. With weekly collections usually preceding the commemoration of the Eucharist, this tradition may be one of the longest-running of them all. The story of Melchizedek is similar a well-built building from Hellenic republic or Rome that's still in use today.

The Order of Melchizedek and Other Conspiracies

The only other place where Melchizedek is actually mentioned in the Bible is in Psalm 110. The psalms are a department of poems and songs that are as well prayers that teach key principles. Psalm 110 is ane of the most quoted sections of the New Testament. Composers such as Mozart, Handel, Vivaldi and others set the psalm to music, so information technology'south noteworthy in the music community in addition to theology.

Melchizedek is referred to in one line in the psalm. In the King James version, it goes as follows: "The LORD hath sworn, and will non repent, Thou art a priest for ever subsequently the guild of Melchizedek."

By order of Melchizedek, it is believed that God is referring to the priesthood, but that's open to interpretation. This mention of Melchizedek amongst the psalm's other references that make proclamations about the Messiah causes some folks to associate Melchizedek with Jesus, or whoever the Messiah is, depending on which text you lot're using. In terms of symbols, this could exist plumbing fixtures because Jesus comes from a royal lineage (King David) and is also a priest. Jesus held the final supper, which also involved a priest-king giving bread and vino to his friends.

The similarities are at that place — and so much so that there are people who see Melchizedek as a second Messiah effigy or perchance some other heavenly presence of importance who lived on Globe. This is where the Expressionless Body of water Scrolls, one of the well-nigh beloved and regarded mysteries of our fourth dimension, comes into play.

The Dead Ocean Scrolls are a serial of ii,000-year-one-time Hebrew and Aramaic texts that were discovered in caves virtually (fittingly) the Dead Sea. Writing was relatively new during the time when these manuscripts were drafted, and then anything written that historians and theologists could get their easily on would have the potential to reveal groundbreaking information.

One of the Dead Bounding main Scrolls references Melchizedek in detail. Curl 11Q13, nicknamed the Melchizedek scroll, depicts Melchizedek at war, leading God's angels in boxing. Historically, just Michael the Archangel has been known to command an ground forces of angels; he famously did so against Lucifer, the fallen angel who became the devil. This can mean that at that place'south an interpretation of the Bible in which Melchizedek leads the charge against Lucifer, or maybe it means that Melchizedek volition be in a position of control during an apocalyptic time to come.

Melchizedek may have lived a long time agone, but he'southward a historical figure about whom nosotros stand up to acquire more than as archaeologists continue to dig. Every bit we discover additional details about Melchizedek, it'southward important to also think about what we can acquire from Melchizedek. In the story of Melchizedek, a king shows kindness and hospitality to Abraham and his people. No matter what time yous're in, a footling kindness tin go a long manner. In Melchizedek'south example, he was rewarded with a tithe — but the fact that he was willing to go without information technology goes to show that kindness itself is often the best advantage.