What do We Know About Melchizedek
Genesis 14:1-24
I. The Melchizedek in Genesis (vs. Genesis 14:18-20)
a. Melchizedek (HEB) mal-kee-tse’-dek = my king is sedek (righteousness) was king of what city?
b. The city of Salem (Peace) was later known as what city?
c. What other role is listed for Melchizedek?
d. Melchizedek as a priest to God Most High preceded the Aaronic priesthood (Exodus 29) likely by over 630 years. Why might you think this is important?
e. Which role of Melchizedek was Abram more likely to have been responding to by giving him a tithe, king or priest of God Most High?
II. The Lord Said to My Lord (Psalm 110:1-4)
a. Who is David describing in these verses? (see also Mt 22:44, Mark 12:36, 16:19, Luke 20:42-43, 22:69, Acts 2:34-35, 7:55, Rom 8:34, Eph 1:20-22, Col 3:1, Heb 1:3, 13, 8:1, 10:12-13, 12:2, 1 Pet 3:22)
b. What priesthood does David prophetically ascribe to Christ?
c. For what reasons could Jesus not be a priest after the order of Aaron? (see Exo 2:1-10, 4:14, Gen49:10, 2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-16)
*David reigned about 440 years after the Aaronic priesthood was established and over 1000 years after Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek.
III. Christ Our High Priest After the Order of Melchizedek (Heb 4:14-5:11, 6:17-20, 7:1-28)
a. What characteristics of Melchizedek does the writer present in Heb 7:1-3?
b. Summarize the relation of Melchizedek to the Levitical priesthood?
c. Finally, what comparison does the writer make between the Levitical priesthood and Christ?
Application: Christ holds the positions of Prophet, Priest, and King. From Heb. Ch. 4-7 how does the role of Christ as our High Priest meet our greatest need?
