The Abraham Saga– Part Four

Last updated on: January 12, 2025 at 1:03 am by Ben Witherington

The Abraham Saga– Part Four 2025-01-04T16:37:49-05:00 Ben Witherington

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

On the surface, Gen. 14 seems to be a hodge-podge of several sources, with Abram having to undertake a Seal Team 6 rescue mission when Lot and his lot are taken captive by rulers trying to take over the territory that involved Sodom and Gomorrah among other areas. Abram is able to get some of his new friends in Hebron to help him in this mission, which seems to have a surprise ending, with the mysterious figure of Melchizedek, whose name means righteous king, and whose reign is in Salem, (probably Jerusalem cf. Ps. 76.2). This latter story, which was likely independent from the traditions in the earlier part of the chapter clearly fascinated later Jewish scholars of the Hebrew Bible, including of course the author of Hebrews (see below). What is important to say is that while we cannot track down the other named kings, nevertheless, both Philo and Josephus, as well as the author of Hebrews take him to be a real historical figure. This stands in striking contrast to 11QMelch where he is seen as an angelic or heavenly savior figure doing battle with the sons of Belial (i.e. Satan). There are various signs that these stories were independent traditions not the least of which is that Abram is introduced as Abram the ‘Hebrew’ at one point, as if we didn’t know who he was before Gen. 14. In part this story is support for the old adage that ‘a man can be known by the company he keeps’, in this case Lot hanging out with the King of Sodom and his morally suspect folk, whereas Abram is depict as a pious man building altars and sacrificing to God, not a city dweller but a nomad, and not interested in fighting to take over land. As Bill Arnold says “Melchizedek’s name itself ‘King of Righteousness’ signals a figure of outstanding personal character, a worthy ally for Abram, in contradistinction to the literary names Bera and Birsha, kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, which denote ‘evil’ and ‘wickedness’ respectively. Melchizedek presented himself before Abram, acknowledge the latter’s superior status, offering bread and wine, and blessing Abram. That Melchizedek blesses Abram is perhaps the first fulfillment of the ancestral promises of 12.3. Melchizedek himself will be the recipient of blessing, and three occurrences of the verb ‘bless’ (brk) in vsss. 19-20 invite the reader to reflect on ways in which the families of the earth are already finding blessing through Abram.” (p. 148). In addition Melchizedek is a priest of ‘God most High’ (el elyon) and he blesses Abram in the name of that God, who gets credit with delivering the enemy into Abram’s hands. The phrase ‘most high’ was often used in polytheistic settings in the ANE to refer to the top god in the pantheon of deities. BUT, Melchizedek is said to worship this God as the maker of heaven and earth. Abram does not object, and offers a tithe of war plunder to Melchizedek. Later, Abram equates this god that Melchizedek speaks of with the Biblical God. He even uses Melchizedek’s own words “I have sworn to the Lord [Yahweh] God most High maker of heaven and earth” This seems to legitimize the cult in Salem, as a precursor to the national cult of David and Solomon. This could be said to make Melchizedek the precursor to those two kings (see Ps. 110.1-4).

In a master stroke, the author of Hebrews take’s this story and Ps. 110.1-4 as an indication that Christ’s priesthood is not the Levitical priesthood, but an earlier and higher one— he is ‘a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. What we are dealing with here in the case of Hebrews is typology, not identification. Melchizedek is a precursor of Christ, Christ is not a pre-incarnation appearance of Christ on earth. Latter Jewish tradition pondered why we hear absolutely nothing of Melchizedek’s genealogy or his progeny, and in a remark suggestion it is concluded he seems to be a person without origins or offspring…. rather like Christ. In any case, this story serves to present Abram in a positive light unlike his nephew, and as such it prepares us for the sequel.

Education and Religion

History and Religion

Uncategorized

a priest after the order of Melchizedek

Previous Post

January 10, 2025

Coeur Incurvatus in Se-- a Poem for the New Year

Next Post

January 14, 2025 The Abraham Saga-- Part Five

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz