Melchizedek as a Picture of Christ

“…we need to know all we can know about Melchizedek.” 

 —J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible, vol. 5, on Hebrews 7:1.

Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth (Gen. 14:18-19), was a contemporary of Abraham and is an Old Testament picture of Jesus Christ. 

Melchizedek is seen to be a type of Christ first in his position as king. His name translated means “king of righteousness,” emphasizing the redemptive work of Christ. Melchizedek’s title “king of Salem” literally means “king of peace”. Thus his name and title foreshadow Christ’s attributes of righteousness and peace (Psa. 85:10; Isa. 9:6-7; Rom. 3:25-26, 5:1). We also observe that just as Melchizedek ministered in Salem (Jerusalem), Christ will one day set up His earthly kingdom and rule from Jerusalem during the Millennial age. 

Melchizedek is also a type of Christ in his role as priest. “Priest of God Most High” (Gen. 14:18) emphasizes the universal nature of Melchizedek’s priesthood as opposed to the inferior Aaronic priesthood, which ministered only to Israel. This foreshadows the universal nature of the priestly work of Christ in that "He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation [Acts 16:31; 2 Thess. 1:8-10], being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek" (Heb. 5:9-10).

Melchizedek’s priesthood was superior to Abraham like the priesthood of Christ is superior to Abraham (Heb. 7:1-28). Firstly, Melchizedek pronounced a blessing upon Abraham (Heb. 7:6-7; Gen. 14:19). Hebrews 7:7 tells us that “the less is blessed of the better”. Secondly, Abraham (and Aaron thru Abraham) paid tithes to Melchizedek (Heb. 7:4-5, 7:9-10). Therefore, the priesthood after the order of Melchizedek is superior to the Levitical priesthood. 

Melchizedek, like Christ, became priest by divine appointment (Heb. 5:1-6). Christ entered into the fulfillment of this appointment at His resurrection (Psa. 2:7, 110:4; Acts 13:33; Heb. 5:5-6, 6:20, 7:15-16, 7:22). 

Like Christ’s priestly ministry, Melchizedek’s priesthood was permanent. Hebrews 7:3 (NIV) refers to Melchizedek, “like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.” This is not saying that Melchizedek never died but rather that his priesthood is perpetual and uninterrupted. Melchizedek belonged to an order in which there was no end to the priesthood of those engaged in it. Hebrews 7:8 declared Melchizedek (referring to his priesthood) to be still living. This is a picture of Christ, our great High Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25). 

We can see that Melchizedek is a type of Christ in that he united the two offices of king and priest in one person. No other Old Testament individual does so. Christ will hold these two offices during His Millennial reign, when He sits on David’s throne as King/Priest. 

The last point that I would like to make is somewhat similar to the others, in that the facts have previously been given. But I will put a different slant on the facts with the hope of drawing more parallels between Melchizedek and Christ. Melchizedek typifies Christ in His “eternal” person. I do not wish to imply that Melchizedek as a person is eternal, but only that Melchizedek as a picture of Christ is eternal. Let me explain this before I go on to show the facts. Notice that in the book of Hebrews the author is not making a comparison between the person of Melchizedek and the person of Christ. Instead, “he is comparing the biblical representation of Melchizedek in his role as a priest/king as given in Genesis 14 with the Priest/King office of Christ.” (Dwight Pentecost, A Faith That Endures, p. 120.) 

Usually, the Bible unfolds a character’s life like a video, where we can look at the whole or zoom in on a certain part. But we are only given a brief snapshot into the life of Melchizedek. Everything we know about him must be gleaned from this one snapshot — and he is never known apart from this snapshot. So we can see that the similarity isn’t between Melchizedek as a person and Christ, but between Melchizedek as he is presented in Genesis 14 and Christ. 

Now, how is Melchizedek pictured as being eternal? He has no recorded parentage or genealogy (Heb. 7:3). His birth and death are never specified (Heb. 7:3). Why are these details intentionally omitted? Simply because they are not relevant to Melchizedek’s priestly office being “like unto the Son of God” (Heb. 7:3). 

Lastly, I will set out to prove, or show beyond a reasonable doubt, that Melchizedek was not a Christophany. If Melchizedek was a Christophany (a preincarnate appearance of the eternal Son of God) he could not at the same time be a type of Christ. In other words, Melchizedek couldn’t be a type of Christ, as well as Christ Himself, at the same time. He had to be either one or the other. 

I will set forth three evidences against Melchizedek being a Christophany. First, every time a Christophany is seen in the Old Testament, He fulfills the purpose of bringing a message from God to men. However, this is not the case in Genesis 14. Secondly, the details of the story, giving actual names and places, argue against Melchizedek being a Christophany. Dwight Pentecost says in his book A Faith That Endures, “Melchizedek could hardly be called ‘King of Salem’ unless he exercised legal authority there over an extended period of time”. Dr. Pentecost is saying that Melchizedek was a real person who ruled over an actual city (Salem) in Old Testament times. Josephus says that Jewish writers of his time regarded Salem as being synonymous with Jerusalem. This seems to be the case in Psalms 76:2, where Salem refers to Jerusalem. Thirdly, some argue that Hebrews 7:3 “made like the Son of God” is an evidence for a Christophany. But the author of Hebrews is simply saying that the only facts recorded about Melchizedek were those things that foreshadowed Christ’s priestly office. 

Clearly, the Genesis account of Melchizedek pictures Christ and His superior priestly ministry as it is set forth in the book of Hebrews. We have seen that Melchizedek’s main purpose in Scripture is to point toward Jesus Christ as the believers’ King and Priest.