Melchizedek (Melkisedek, Melchisedec, Melch-Zadok)

A king and priest in the Old Testament, who in angel lore is associated with angels. Melchizedek means “the god Zedek is my king,” and he is described in the New Testament as the “king of righteousness” and the “king of peace.” There are only two references to Melchizedek in the Old Testament. In Genesis 14:18–20, Melchizedek is identified as the king of Salem (Jerusalem)—the priest of EL ELYON —who blesses Abram (see ABRAHAM ) after a battle. Abram then tithes to the king. Psalm 110:4 declares, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” These words are echoed in the New Tes- tament book of Hebrews (5:6–10), in which Jesus is declared the high priest successor, “Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek” for offering the sacrifice of his life. Hebrews 7:1 says that Melchizedek has not father or mother or genealogy, “and has neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.” According to 2 ENOCH , Melchizedek is the super- natural son of the priest Nir, brother of NOAH . When Methuselah, the grandfather of Nir and Noah, is near death he appoints Nir as the leader of his people. For 202 years there is peace and order, and then the people turn away from the ways of the Lord. Nir is distressed for this turbulence has been prophesied. Nir’s elderly wife Sopanim becomes pregnant, despite being sterile and having had no sexual relations with Nir for many years. Ashamed, she hides herself away, even from Nir. Toward the end of her pregnancy,Nir summons her to him, and when he sees that she is pregnant he is ashamed and angry. Sopanim tries to explain that she does not understand how she became pregnant, but he does not believe her. He sends her away. Sopanim dies. Nir and Noah decide to bury her secretly to hide the scandal of her pregnancy. They wrap her body in black garments and go out to dig a grave in secret. When they return they find that a child has issued from her corpse. He has been born fully formed and about the size of a three-year-old child. He is sitting on the bed beside his dead mother. He speaks and blesses the Lord. Nir and Noah are terrified. Then they see that he wears a glorious badge of priesthood on his chest. They believe that God is renewing the priesthood from their bloodline. They name him Melchizedek. They wash the boy, dress him in the garments of a priest, and give him holy bread to eat. Nir and Noah take the black clothing off the body of Sopanim, wash her, reclothe her in a bright garment, and build a shrine for her. They bury her publicly. Noah tells Nir to look after Melchizedek in secret because the people who have turned away from God will put him to death. Nir prays to the Lord to ask what is the destiny of his son. God appears to him in a DREAM and tells him that he will send the angel Michael to take the boy away to Eden where he will be safe from the destruc- tion and punishment planned for the sinners. Melchizedek will be the priest to all holy priests and he will be the head of the priests of the future. Melchizedek will be the head of the 13 priests who existed before. In the last generation there will be another Melchizedek, the first of 12 priests. The last will be the head of all, a great archpriest, the Word and Power of God, who will perform great and glorious miracles. After 40 days, Michael appears to Nir in a dream and announces he will take Melchizedek. When Nir arises in the morning he finds the boy gone. He grieves for Melchizedek is his only son. Nir passes away and after him there is no priest among the people. A great confusion exists on the earth, to be followed by the Flood. Midrashim identify Melchizedek as a son of Noah, and the feeder of the beasts aboard the Ark. Phoenician mythology identifies him as the father of the seven ANGELS OF THE PRESENCE . Early Greek writers called him a VIRTUE and PRINCE OF PEACE . In a QUMRAN TEXT , 11QMelch, Melchizedek is not a mortal but an angel. He is an exalted being over all other angels who presides over the heavenly court and meets out punishment from Belial and his DEMONS on the Day of Judgment. In this respect, Melchizedek is like Metatron, who also had an earthly life prior to his translation into HEAVEN as the highest of all angels. Melchizedek was regarded as an angel by some groups in early Christianity, although St. Jerome rejected this idea. ORIGEN considered Melchizedek an angel. Melchizedek also is associated with the ANGEL OF THE LORD.