...Who was Melchizedek? Genesis 14:18 The question of “who was Melchizedek?” is a mystery which has never fully been answered or solved. We do know that Genesis 14:18 says that “Melchizedek was king of Salem” and “was the priest of God Most High.” Does this verse give enough information to determine just who he was; after all there is no genealogy for him. Various theories suggest who Melchizedek may have been, and all accounts are relatively similar. We will concentrate on three different commentaries to obtain a better understanding of the person of Melchizedek. Matthew Henry’s Commentary starts like most of the other descriptions, making reference to Genesis 14:18, “He was king of Salem and priest of the most high God”. Henry’s commentary lists some of the traditional beliefs of who Melchizedek may have been. He says the rabbinical writers conclude that Melchizedek was Shem the son of Noah. He asks the question, if this is actually Shem, why should his name be changed? And how came he to settle in Canaan? It is not hard to believe that God would change the name of a person, because we see this happening quite often in Scripture e.g., Abram to Abraham; Jacob to Israel. Henry goes on to write, “Many Christian writers have thought that this was an appearance of the Son of God himself,” “appearing to him as a righteous king, owning a righteous cause, and giving peace.” The third belief is what Henry describes as “The most commonly received opinion” about him: “Melchizedek...
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...Melchizedek Melchizedek- Who was he? Today there is a question that remains unanswered along with the debate about the identity of Melchizedek, who was he? Many who study the bible believed that he could have been a real man and a few who believed that he could be a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. Melchizedek may have been a title which means King of Righteousness or Just King. According to old ancient literature Zedek (just) is a title that was used by other Jebusite kings. Melchizedek is acknowledged many times after his one appearance in (Gen. 14:18-20). Around 2000 BC he served as both priest and king of Salem. When Abraham saw Melchizedek he recognized a spiritual connection with him as one who worships God the same as he does (Gen. 14:22-23). This man credit God with Abraham victory battle and he also declares God’s sovereignty over heaven and earth. Heb. 7:3 approaches with an uncertainty about the identity of Melchizedek it reads: he is “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. Since there was no beginning or ending for him many may have taken on to identify him as God, this text was probably considered as a problem text. The general purpose may be that Melchizedek may have been a human being sent by God to deliver (messenger) and test the faith of those who considered themselves as Christians. Mystery of Melchizedek Melchizedek is known...
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...- Othniel Margalith - "The Riddle of Genesis 14 and Melchizedek." Othniel Margalith offers a simplistic answer to the identity of Melchizedek. He states that Melchizedek was possibly a local priest of a local deity who welcomed a returning hero. However, he was “not a king, and not of Jerusalem, contrary to this widely accepted identification.” Margalith argues that name Melchizedek is a name constructed from Ugaritic divinities Melech and Zedek. He states that Melchizedek was no more important than the other figures in the story, but has grown into great speculation because of the difficulty of designating him a locality and function. Margalith argues that the entire chapter is in the “nature of a hero-story or legend” that is “a...
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...Both Old Testament texts that reference Melchizedek have contexts which are crucial to understanding why the author of Hebrews would use them like he does. The first text the Hebrews’ author uses is found in Genesis 14, though he does not quote from this chapter (Beale 967). The appearance of Melchizedek in that chapter is precipitated by a war between a powerful confederacy of four eastern kings and a rebellious group of five kings led by Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 14:1-4). War broke out because the latter refused to pay annual tribute to the eastern kings (Gen. 14:4; Mathews 142). When the two armies met in battle, the four eastern kings put the five to flight (Gen. 14:8-10). The greedy eastern kings plundered all the cities of the defeated rebels, taking Abram’s nephew, Lot, with them (Gen. 14:11-12). Ironically, the abduction of Lot led to the undoing of this confederacy (Mathews 145)....
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...finds his treasure in the end. In the novel The Alchemist, Coelho conveys the importance of not only having dreams, but also actually pursuing them. Santiago’s trust in his mentors gives him the knowledge and ability to chase after his aspirations and fulfill his Personal Legend. King Melchizedek tells Santiago that the world’s greatest lie is “that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate” (18). Santiago could have disagreed with the king and believed in the ideas of his book, but instead he trusts King Melchizedek. By doing so, Santiago learns that he must struggle to meet his goals instead of sitting back and allowing fate to control his life. He realizes that he can’t stay in his comfort zone of books and sheep, and must go out and explore the world. When the stranger in Tangier asks him if he has enough money to cross the Sahara desert, Santiago thinks that this is a strange question, but “he trusted in [King Melchizedek], who had said that, when you really want something, the universe always conspires in your favor” (36). Despite the fact that he lost all his money to the thief, Santiago’s trust in King Melchizedek taught him to be smarter and to view the world in terms of what actually happens, not what he would like to see happen. After this minor setback, Santiago becomes even more focused on fulfilling his Personal Legend, because he trusts that the universe will not allow him to fail. Similarly...
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...1. Main Characters: Santiago the shepherd (is the protagonist and demonstrates the seeker and dreamer in everyone), Melchizedek, the king of Salem (the person that explained a personal legend to Santiago and tells him to follow his own legend), the crystal merchant (hires Santiago to work for him and talks about how he could never make a pilgrimage to Mecca and is a character who characterizes another by contrast), the Englishman (hopes to become an alchemist and he stands for the limits of knowledge from books), camel driver (represents living in the moment and obtaining wisdom from unlikely sources), the alchemist ( assists Santiago get to the pyramids), and Fatima (represents true love, selflessness and unconditional.) 2. In the novel the...
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...the pyramids in Egypt. Early into his journey, he meets an old king, whose name was Melchizedek, who tells him to sell his sheep to travel to Egypt and introduces the idea of a Personal Legend (which is always capitalized in the book). Your Personal Legend "is what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is."[3] He adds that "when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." This is the core theme of the book. Along the way, Santiago meets an Englishman who has come in search of an Alchemist and continues his travels with him. They travel through the Sahara desert and during his journey, Santiago meets and falls in love with a beautiful Arabian woman named Fatima, who resides with her clan near around the desert Oasis. He asks Fatima to marry him, but she says she will only marry him after he completes his journey and finds his treasures. He is perplexed by this, but later learns that true love will not stop nor plead to sacrifice one's Personal Legend, and if it does, it is not true love. Santiago then encounters a lone alchemist who also teaches him about Personal Legends. He says that people want to find only the treasure of their Personal Legends but not the Personal Legend itself. Santiago feels unsure about himself as he listens to the alchemist's teachings. The alchemist states, "Those who don't understand their Personal Legends will fail to comprehend their teachings." It...
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...manner so straightforward that he finds it suspect and disappointing. Melchizedek/King of Salem An anonymous old man who is in fact a powerful figure from the Old Testament, he explains to Santiago what a Personal Legend is and urges the shepherd boy to follow his dream. Aside from Santiago himself, Melchizedek is the most important character in The Alchemist. Crystal Merchant A middle-aged resident of Tangier, he hires Santiago to work in his shop. The crystal merchant's Personal Legend is to make a pilgrimage (or haj) to Mecca, but he knows he will never fulfill this dream. He is Santiago's foil, a character who characterizes another by contrast. Englishman A bookish pedant obsessed with alchemy who hopes to learn the fabled craft from a famous alchemist rumored to live at the Al-Fayoum oasis that lies between Tangier and the pyramids. In The Alchemist, the Englishman stands for the limits of book learning. Camel Herder Once a prosperous farmer, his valuable orchards were wiped out by a flood, forcing him into a new line of work. He teaches Santiago the importance of living in the moment. He also represents the possibility of receiving wisdom from unlikely sources. Alchemist The novel's title character. An inordinately learned man, he lives at the oasis and can turn any metal into gold. The alchemist helps Santiago make the journey from the oasis to the Egyptian pyramids. Fatima A beautiful Arab girl who lives at the oasis. Santiago discovers Fatima filling her water...
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...First of all, The Alchemist starts off with a young adventurous boy. Who name is Santiago. Santiago is a shepherd and lives in a little city called Andalusia. As Santiago lies under a sycamore tree that grows by a church, he has this dream every time he goes to sleep. During that dream, a boy tells Santiago to go look for a treasure on the Egyptian Pyramids. As Santiago goes on an adventure to Egypt, he meets an old man name Melchizedek. The strange thing is that Melchizedek claims to be a magical king or The King of Salem. Melchizedek tells Santiago to go head to Tangier to sell his flock. Santiago gets into Tangier. A thief robs Santiago’s flock. The thief convinces Santiago to go find work with a crystal merchant. The merchant teaches Santiago...
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...an abandoned church, Santiago, a shepherd boy, has a recurring dream about a child who tells him that he will find a hidden treasure if he travels to the Egyptian pyramids. An old woman tells Santiago that this dream is prophetic and that he must follow its instructions. Santiago is uncertain, however, since he enjoys the life of a shepherd. Next Santiago meets a mysterious old man who seems able to read his mind. This man introduces himself as Melchizedek, or the King of Salem. He tells Santiago about good and bad omens and says that it is the shepherd boy's duty to pursue his Personal Legend. Melchizedek then gives Santiago two stones, Urim and Thummim, with which to interpret omens. Santiago wavers briefly before selling his flock and purchasing a ticket to Tangier, in northern Africa, to which he travels by boat. Shortly after he arrives there, a thief steals all of Santiago's money, so the shepherd boy decides to look for a way to make enough money to return home. He finds work in the shop of a crystal merchant, where Santiago makes improvements that reap considerable financial rewards. After eleven months of working in the shop, Santiago is unsure of how to proceed. Should he return to Andalusia a rich man and buy more sheep? Or should he cross the vast Sahara in pursuit of the hidden treasure of his dreams? He joins a caravan traveling to Egypt. Santiago meets an Englishman who wants to...
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...The writer titles his epistle "To the Hebrews" and every chapter and verse of the book is obviously intended to teach and inspire those who were Hebrew in blood and who had become followers of Jesus Christ. “To the Hebrews”, the title of great rhetorical power and force, written to caution faithful pilgrimages under Christ’s leadership was written as early as the second century. The letter to the Hebrews was attached in Greek manuscripts to the collection of letters by Paul. There is a reference to some of the community's leaders who were martyred in past times. “Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” The present community had not yet suffered persecution and death since the author states: "In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.” The Letter points, however, to the risk of persecution about to come. Throughout the letters no author is mentioned, and there is no address to author. In Hebrew 13:23 there is a reference to Timothy that suggests that the writing links to Paul. “ I must let you know that our brother Timothy has been set free. If he comes...
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...crucifixion after He has been beaten. Jesus dies, is buried and then resurrected. Acts The Book of Acts is of narrative and gospel genre. The book begins with a recount of Jesus’ life right before and right after His crucifixion. Through prayer, Matthias was chosen to replace Judas as a disciple. The day of the Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled the apostles. Peter addresses the crowd, and they devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles. Peter heals a crippled beggar and then speaks to the onlookers regarding The God of Abraham. While speaking, Peter and John were arrested for their disturbance. The next day, Peter and John went before the Sanhedrin. They were warned not to keep teaching, but let them go. They go back to their own people who then pray and share their possessions, so no one is need....
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...(2011), when Joseph Smith began looking what religion to join he prayed and asked for guidance from God. God, the Father and God, the Son appeared to him in a vision known as “The First Vision”, who told him that all other religions were wrong, and he, Joseph, would create the true church. LDS Mormons respect but not worship Joseph Smith as the prophet and instrument God used to restore the ancient truth and divine gospel (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Joseph Smith Jr.—Prophet of God, Mighty Servant,” Ensign, Dec 2005, 2–6). While FLDS Mormons also see Joseph Smith as the prophet God chose to bring forth the true Church, they worship and praise him and his 19th century doctrines. In conclusion, Joseph Smith is seen as the prophet of God to restore the true church; though LDS Mormons respect him like any other prophet they do not worship him like FLDS Mormons. In Mormon Religion, “The Priesthood is the authority to act in God’s name. The same priesthood authority that existed in the original Church established by Jesus Christ exist in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today. The Church is directed and led through this authority.” (mormon.org) There are two types of priesthood, Aaronic and Melchizedek. Aaronic priesthood is given to worthy males 12 years of age and older. Melchizedek priesthood is given to worthy males 18 years of age and older (mormon.org.) The Both Mormons (LDS)...
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...Nevertheless, over the course of writing his book How Jesus Became God, Ehrman admitted to a change of perspective, saying, “These [Synoptic] Gospels do indeed think of Jesus as divine.”As far as this statement, Ehrman and I agree. He does, however, clarify his position, as he posits a viewpoint that I will attempt to refute. For Mark, Jesus was adopted to be God’s son at his baptism. Before that, he was a mere mortal. For Luke, Jesus was conceived by God and so was literally God’s son, from the point of his conception. (In Luke Jesus did not exist prior to that conception to the virgin – his conception is when he came into existence). For John, Jesus was a pre-existent divine being – the Word of God who was both with God and was God at the beginning of all things – who became a human. Here he is not born of a virgin and he is not adopted by God at the baptism (neither event is narrated in John – and could not be, given, John’s Christology). So yes, now I agree that Jesus is portrayed as a divine being, a God-man, in all the Gospels. But in very different ways, depending on which Gospel you read. I believe it to be a fair summary to say that the crux of Ehrman’s argument is that while each Gospel...
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...I wonder, how many of us seriously ponder the value of holding the Aaronic and melchizedek preisthoods. when we consider how few people who have lived on the earth and have received the preisthood, and how Jesus christ has trusted those people to act in is name, we should feel pretty humble and grateful for the preisthood we hold.. The preisthood is the authority to act in the name of God. that authority is essentail to the fulfillment of his work on earth. the preisthood we hold is a delegated portion of the eternal authority of God. Now, as we are true and faithful, our ordination to the pristhood will be eternal. however.. the conferring of authority alone does not of itself bestow the power of the pristhood, the extent to which we can exercise the power of the pristhood depends upon personal worthiness, faith in the lord jesus christ, and obedience to his commandments. Thomas S. Monson "When Supported by a secure foundation of gospel Knowledge, our capacity to worthily use the preisthood is greatly enhanced" Very often the value of something is not recognized until it is taken away from us. You shouldnt have to lose your priesthood to appreciate it more fully. The Perfect role model for use of the holy preisthood is our savior, Jesus Christ. he ministered with love, compassion, and charity. his life was a perfect example of humility and power. the greatest blessings from the use of the...
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