When Abram returned from his defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were allied with him, the king of Sodom went out to greet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High. 19 He blessed Abram with these words: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Chedorlaomer and his allied kings had attacked Sodom and Gomorrah, taking Lot, Abram’s nephew, captive along with many others (Gen. 14:12-16). Abram gathered 318 trained men from his household, defeated them, and rescued Lot, along with the other captives and their possessions.
Melchizedek, the king of Salem, appears in this passage as a mysterious priest-king who blesses Abram after his victory over the coalition of kings. He offers bread and wine, which many see as a foreshadowing of Christ’s offering at the Last Supper (cf. Luke 22:19-20), and blesses Abram in the name of “God Most High” (El Elyon), identifying this God as the one who delivered Abram’s enemies into his hands. Abram, in turn, offers Melchizedek a tenth of everything, establishing a precedent for the tithe (cf. Num. 18:21).
Melchizedek held a dual role as king and priest, an unusual combination in the Old Testament but later fulfilled in Christ, the eternal priest and king (cf. Ps. 110:4). He is described as “without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life,” symbolizing a priesthood that transcends human lineage (Heb. 7:1-3). Unlike the Levitical priesthood, which was based on genealogy (cf. Num. 3:5-10), Melchizedek’s priesthood is eternal, foreshadowing Christ, who is a priest “not according to a legal requirement concerning physical descent but by the power of an indestructible life” (Heb. 7:16). Christ, like Melchizedek, is both king and priest, mediating a new and better covenant (Heb. 8:6).
The connection to God’s plan of salvation is profound. Melchizedek’s priesthood points forward to the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (Heb. 10:10-12). The blessing Melchizedek bestows on Abram signifies God's favor on his chosen people, culminating in the covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15:1-6) and ultimately fulfilled in Christ, the true descendant of Abraham (Gal. 3:16).
Melchizedek’s significance extends beyond Genesis, as Psalm 110:4 prophesies a priest “according to the order of Melchizedek”, which the New Testament applies to Christ (Heb. 5:6, 10). Melchizedek serves as a mysterious, yet profound figure, prefiguring Christ’s eternal priesthood, His sacrificial offering, and the new covenant, all of which fulfill God’s plan of salvation.
Lord God Most High, You blessed Abram through Your priest Melchizedek, foreshadowing the eternal priesthood of Christ. As Christ now reigns as our true King and Priest, may we trust in His perfect sacrifice and follow Him in faith. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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