As a Christian passionate about reading the scripture, I understand the similar attributes
between Melchizedek and Jesus. Though Melchizedek, King of Salem, is mentioned just a little
in the Bible, He is compared to Jesus in so many ways. The Bible tells us that Melchizedek was a
righteous king and the priest of the Highest. As a teacher of God’s word, some people have
come to me with the question, “is Jesus Melchizedek?”
In this article, I will discuss who Melchizedek is in the Bible. Join me in this exploration and find
out whether the book of Hebrew says Jesus is the same as Melchizedek. You will also discover
how Jesus is different from Melchizedek and whether Melchizedek is equal to Jesus. This article
will also explain if Melchizedek is a pre-incarnate of Jesus, why Melchizedek is compared to
Jesus, and if Jesus is a descendant of Melchizedek. Read on to find out why Jesus is of the Order
of Melchizedek.
Who was Melchizedek in the Bible?
Melchizedek was a king of Salem and, as recorded in the Bible. He only mentioned Genesis 14, Psalms 110, and Hebrews 5, 6, and 7. Let’s look at the meaning of His name; It’s a Hebrew name that means my righteous King.
Melchizedek met with Abraham and praised God because Abraham was victorious in His war against the other tribes. This shows His priestly duty as recorded in Genesis 14:18-22 “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand. “Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” The verse implies that even Abraham recognized Melchizedek as the priest of the most high because He gave him a tithe.
Also, Melchizedek being the priest of the highest and the King of Jerusalem, God formed an order through him. The Melchizedek title is eternal, and it was passed down from generation to generation. Psalms 110:4 “The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
Also, some people believe that Melchizedek was a pre-incarnate of Jesus Christ. The possibility of this theory is backed up by the fact that Abraham received a visit from God in the form of a man. It is recorded in Genesis 17, where the Bible records the covenant between Abraham and God.
Does the book of Hebrew say Jesus is the same as Melchizedek?
The book of Hebrews implies that Jesus is not the same as Melchizedek. Although Jesus was a priest in the order of Melchizedek, the same Hebrews create a distinction clear enough to make us suggest that Jesus is not the same as Melchizedek. Jesus is greater than Melchizedek because, in Hebrew 5:6, we can see that in the order of Melchizedek, Jesus was the eternal priest, yet Melchizedek died. They cannot be the same.
How is Jesus different from Melchizedek?
Jesus is different from Melchizedek because there is no order after Him. He is the eternal priest. Also, Melchizedek is likened to God, while Jesus is God’s son. Lastly, Melchizedek was righteous because he repented through sacrifices, while Jesus is righteous because He is flawless.
Is Melchizedek equal to Jesus?
Bible verses suggest that Melchizedek is not equal to Jesus even though He was a righteous King and priest of the most high. First of all, Jesus is eternal, while Melchizedek is not eternal. Jesus, unlike Melchizedek, has held His title even after He died because He resurrected and has not and will not pass the title to anyone else. He was the last priest of the most high who led the perfectly righteous life that not even Melchizedek could lead.
Is Melchizedek a pre-incarnate of Jesus?
The author of the book of Hebrew implies that Melchizedek was a pre-incarnate of Christ. Hebrew 7:3 says that “There is no record of Melchizedek’s father or mother or of any of his ancestors; no record of his birth or of his death. He is like the Son of God; he remains a priest forever.” This verse implies that the Melchizedek recorded in Genesis is the pre-incarnate of Christ because Jesus Christ had no beginning and no end. Most importantly, Melchizedek is directly compared to the son of God, who is Jesus.
As said earlier, Melchizedek means the righteous King. It is possible that Melchizedek was a pre-incarnate of Jesus Christ because when Jesus came to earth, He led a righteous life that no one could ever live.
Furthermore, Melchizedek was the King of Salem, and Salem means peace. If Salem means peace, therefore, Melchizedek was a pre-incarnate of Jesus Christ. Here is the thing, Jesus was the King who brought peace to the world. Prophet Isaiah prophesied and described Him as the prince of peace. When Jesus was sacrificed for the sake of humanity, He brought peace between human beings and God. This implies that all who fell in the order of Melchizedek were mere examples of what Christ would be. However, when Christ came, He was the most superior priest. Hebrews 7:11 says, “It was on the basis of the Levitical priesthood that the Law was given to the people of Israel. Now, if the work of the Levitical priests had been perfect, there would have been no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek, not of Aaron.”
Why is Melchizedek compared to Jesus?
Melchizedek is compared to Christ because he performed more of Christ’s duties and was righteous. As suggested earlier, Melchizedek means my righteous King, and he was a priest too. Although the righteousness of Melchizedek depended on him offering sacrifices to get forgiveness for His flaws, he is still considered a righteous King. Therefore He is compared to Jesus because Jesus led a flawless life meaning He was fully righteous, and this is because He was 100% God, unlike Melchizedek, who was only human.
Also, Melchizedek was the King of Salem, which means peace. It implies that Melchizedek was the King of peace. He is compared to Jesus because Jesus was the eternal King who brought peace between human beings and God.
Also, Melchizedek was the priest of the Highest, and Abraham showed that He recognized that when He gave Him tithe. Looking at Jesus’ life on earth, His ministry proves that He was sort of a priest.
Additionally, Melchizedek had an order that implies that the title is passed down to generations. The title went on up to Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, implying that Jesus received the title too. Therefore the comparison is logical because of the order of Melchizedek.
Is Jesus a descendant of Melchizedek?
There is no evidence that Jesus was a descendant of Melchizedek. Jesus fell in that order because God wanted an eternal priest, not that He was from the bloodline of Melchizedek. The only link Jesus had with Melchizedek was the Priesthood title and not blood relations.
Why Is Jesus “of the Order of Melchizedek”?
Jesus is the order of Melchizedek because His earthly father, Joseph, received the title of Melchizedek. God brought the order of Melchizedek to have a priestly leadership on earth, and it was started by the first man, Adam. Adam was the first order of Melchizedek because God intended for it to exist eternally. The rules are that there can only be one Melchizedek at a time; therefore son inherits from Father after death. Therefore, from Adam, Seth received the title, and He would hand it to His son when he died.
Noah was in the order of Melchizedek because He was the grandson of Methuselah. He bypassed Lamech, His father because He died before Methuselah. Noah became 8th in the order of Melchizedek according to 2nd Peter 2:5, which says, “God did not spare the ancient world, but brought the flood on the world of godless people; the only ones he saved were Noah, who preached righteousness, and seven other people.” From Noah, the title went down to Shem. In Genesis, the Bible records that Shem met with Abraham before He died, and it is possible Abraham took the title of the order of Melchizedek. In that order, from generation to generation, it got to Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus Christ. When Joseph passed on, the title was handed to Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ died and was resurrected, which means the order of Melchizedek remained with Him, and it shall be His title for eternity as God intended for it to be.
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
