Q: Melchizedek … A Type of Christ or not?
Q: Dr. Mike, I’ve been studying Melchizedek, and found very little about him. Can you share, whether or not he was an appearance of Christ? Thanks, your friend, Ron.
A: From the heart, thanks Ron for your question, about, who is this “Bible mystery man” called Melchizedek that’s found in the Old Testament in Genesis (14), and in the New Testament in The Epistle to the Hebrews (7).
I called him the “Bible mystery man,” because sacred Scripture indicates to us that he was a priest, and yet, he was not of the Levitical priesthood, like Moses and his brother Aaron were, because they were members of the Tribe of Levi.
He just appears in Scripture from ‘nowhere’, and yet, he has the titles of “Priest of the most High God” and “King of Righteousness and King of Salem,” (which is the name for ancient Jerusalem).
Since the Bible tells us nothing about his parents’ names, therefore, we know nothing about Melchizedek’s genealogy – no record of his birth nor death – like you stated to me in your original text message [Ron], he just appears and then disappears off the scene!
Of course, there are two schools of thought about whether or not Melchizedek was a ‘Christophany,’ which is an Old Testament appearance of Christ. Without writing a dissertation on this biblical issue, I will simply tell you that I fall into the category of theologians and scholars that believe Melchizedek is NOT representative of the preincarnate Christ, but nevertheless, similar to our Messiah, whom also, was not of the priestly Tribe of Levi, but was the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Melchizedek, like Christ, had an independent righteousness, that was of royal quality, and a unique priesthood.