MELCHIZEDEK IN THE BIBLE, THE QUMRAN TEXTS (11Q,
1965), AND
THE URANTIA BOOK (1955)
Ángel
Francisco Sánchez-Escobar
INTRODUCTION
As I was researching to write an article about Melchizedek from an
interfaith perspective as depicted in The Urantia Book (1955)
--shortened as UB in this paper--, I was pondering, how easy it would be for
leaders of the religions of authority to get rid of some of their unnecessarily
complex theological theories about the inspiration to justify that God was the
author of the Bible if only they read the UB. If such was the case, they would
realize, for example, that the matchless Moses had learnt the great lines of
his teachings no through divine inspiration but through his ascendant Katro,
family with whom Melchizedek lived,
The members of the family of Katro, with whom Melchizedek lived for more
than thirty years, knew many of these higher truths and long perpetuated them
in their family, even to the days of their illustrious descendant Moses, who
thus had a compelling tradition of the days of Melchizedek handed down to him
on this, his father's side, as well as through other sources on his mother's
side. (p.1016 - 7)
and we could also see that his commandments were already delineated by
Melchizedek more than five centuries before. But how could one make these
"licensed" preachers see that the history of Melchizedek ran true
when so much research about the human sources of the Urantia papers is shedding
doubts over so many parts of the book and, at least in the Spanish world,
Gardner (1995) is making more harm than he had ever imagined.
The UB points to some biblical texts, especially Hebrews for
corroboration of this immensely important personality from the twentieth
century B.C.:
But one of the writers of the Book of Hebrews understood the mission of
Melchizedek, for it is written: "This Melchizedek, priest of the Most
High, was also king of peace; without father, without mother, without pedigree,
having neither beginning of days nor end of life but made like a Son of God, he
abides a priest continually."
Yet, the revelators, as they usually do, give light to issues that have
puzzled theologians and have brought many confusions:
This writer designated Melchizedek as a type of the later bestowal of
Michael, affirming that Jesus was "a minister forever on the order of
Melchizedek." While this comparison was not altogether fortunate, it was
literally true that Christ did receive provisional title to Urantia "upon
the orders of the twelve Melchizedek receivers" on duty at the time of his
world bestowal. (p.1024 - 2)
This enlarging and/or revision of religious data is congruent with what
the UB says about revelations:
Revelation is evolutionary but always progressive. Down through the ages
of a world's history, the revelations of religion are ever-expanding and
successively more enlightening. It is the mission of revelation to sort and
censor the successive religions of evolution. But if revelation is to exalt and
upstep the religions of evolution, then must such divine visitations portray
teachings which are not too far removed from the thought and reactions of the
age in which they are presented. Thus must and does revelation always keep in
touch with evolution. Always must the religion of revelation be limited by
man's capacity of receptivity. [...] But regardless of apparent connection or
derivation, the religions of revelation are always characterized by a belief in
some Deity of final value and in some concept of the survival of personality
identity after death.{(p.1007 - 1-2)
Thus I started to analyze the biblical texts in which Melchizedek
appears, but then I discovered an striking first century BC document from
Qumran (1947) [1] , and especially thirteen
fragments from Cave 11 (11QMelch from now onwards), discovered in 1956 [2] , ten years after the UB
(1955). The document, as we will see, takes the form of an eschatological
midrash or interpretation on parts of Isaiah and it sees Isaiah's proclamation
of liberty to the captives at the end of days (Isa 61:1) as part of a general
"year of jubilee". I was thrilled at seeing that 11QMelch provided
new information about the figure of Melchizedek in the Old Testament by
depicting him as a heavenly deliverer, as a Son of God, when the Old Testament
featured him not more than a human and the New Testament "like" a Son
of God. This information, although not too accurate if we take the UB as a
background, not only enlarged what we knew about him from the Old Testament,
but also corroborated what the UB says about Melchizedek's being a Son of God.
But the Qumran texts also led me to other ancients sources finding that
this priest-king of Salem has enjoyed a wide range of interpretation among
Jewish, Christian, and Gnostic writings, some that brought him up to the
heights of heaven, and others-of developing Christian and Jewish orthodoxy-that
brought him down to earth again even omitting him for hidden agendas. This
usually happens when the revelatory religion blends with evolutionary
religions. The UB says about evolutionary religion in contrast with revelatory
religion:
On Urantia, evolutionary and revelatory religion are progressing side by
side while they blend and coalesce into the diversified theologic systems found
in the world in the times of the inditement of these papers. (p.1010 - 6)
The book also adds:
Evolutionary religion is sentimental, not logical. It is man's reaction
to belief in a hypothetical ghost-spirit world--the human belief-reflex,
excited by the realization and fear of the unknown. Revelatory religion is
propounded by the real spiritual world; it is the response of the
superintellectual cosmos to the mortal hunger to believe in, and depend upon,
the universal Deities. Evolutionary religion pictures the circuitous gropings
of humanity in quest of truth; revelatory religion is that very truth. (p.1007
- 3)
Thus this paper is an attempt to analyze biblical and ancient references
about Melchizedek and to see them from the perspective of the UB as their
writers "sort and censor" the data about this personality, whose
importance for our planet is seen in the fact that the word "Melchizedek"
appears 313 times and "Melchizedeks" 111 times in The Urantia Book.
This surprisingly contrasts with the Bible where "Melchizedek" is
quoted twice in the Old Testament and nine times -all of them in Hebrews-in the
New Testament.
In fact, 11QMelch reveals fragmentary material about Melchizedek and his
relationship with other superhuman personalities unknown to that moment, but
which we already knew through the UB. Yet the information this first B.C.
Qumran document offers is confusing, ambiguous, and contradictory. For example,
besides being considered as a heavenly redeemer Melchizedek is portrait as
Michael himself or even the Archangel Michael. This is probably due to the fact
that the information about Melchizedek was transmitted through oral tradition having
cut off from the Old Testament until the author of Hebrews expressed it in
writing. This is what the UB says:
The teaching of Melchizedek was full and replete, but the records of
these days seemed impossible and fantastic to the later Hebrew priests,
although many had some understanding of these transactions, at least up to the
times of the en masse editing of the Old Testament records in Babylon.
(p.1023 - 3)
The national ego of the Jews was tremendously depressed by the
Babylonian captivity. In their reaction against national inferiority they swung
to the other extreme of national and racial egotism, in which they distorted
and perverted their traditions with the view of exalting themselves above all
races as the chosen people of God; and hence they carefully edited all their
records for the purpose of raising Abraham and their other national leaders
high up above all other persons, not excepting Melchizedek himself. The Hebrew
scribes therefore destroyed every record of these momentous times which
they could find, preserving only the narrative of the meeting of Abraham and
Melchizedek after the battle of Siddim, which they deemed reflected great honor
upon Abraham. (p.1023 - 6)
Thus let us see Melchizedek in the Bible, the Qumran scrolls, as they
partially echoed the records destroyed about him, and other ancient sources,
and how the UB gives light to them all.
I MELCHIZEDEK IN THE BIBLE
Melchizedek appears in the Bible as a mysterious personality, nobody
knowing where he comes from or where he is going to. Melchizedek is first
mentioned in the Old Testament at Genesis 14:18-20, composed around tenth
century B.C.:
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he
was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram [3] of the most high God,
possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies
into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Genesis 14:17-24 narrates that Abraham upon his victorious return from a
battle, was met by the king of Sodom, who was eager to reward Abraham for
coming to his and his allies' aid. The narrative is interrupted by an enigmatic
insertion (14:18-20) featuring "Melchizedek king of Salem,"
"priest of God Most High". Melchizedek "brought out bread and
wine" and, in the exercise of his priesthood, blessed Abraham in the name
of God Most High or the Most High God (Hebrew 'el "elyn), a synonym for
the God of Israel, whose personal name is YHVH (Ps 7:17; 21:7; 46:4). Abraham
then gave Melchizedek a tithe of his booty, a custom practiced in early times,
as an act of devotion or recognition of Melchizedek's authority as Melchizedek,
who presided over the city of Salem, believed in and served the God of Abraham,
prior to the patriarch's arrival in the promised land. We know that Salem
(peace) is a reference to Jerusalem (habitation of peace), the city David chose
as his capital when Hebron was too far south for his united kingdom. It should
be kept in mind that Jerusalem in the time of Abraham was inhabited by the
Jebusites [4] , a tribe of Canaanites, which
probably descended from the Hittites and Amorites. Also two distinct deities
--Elyon and Zedek-- are found in the Canaanite/Phoenecian pantheon. Thus, the
name Melchizedek (qdc_iklm) can be translated as "righteous king" or
"my king is justice", as corroborated by Heb:2, and, paying attention
to the suffix "dk", as "My King is (the god) Zedek" (Tau
Apiryon and Helena, 1995; Delcor, 1971: 116-117).
Serving the true Creator God, Melchizedek became a type of the Davidic
kings. In Psalm 110:4, the only other Old Testament occurrence of the name
Melchizedek, we read:
4 The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, "You are a
priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." [5]
In this Psalm we understand that Melchizedek is a priest, not from the
tribe of Levi (the tribe of priests), but from a more ancient order of reality,
a special category, under divine appointment.
But there is nothing in these Old Testament texts to suggest that
Melchizedek is more than human, yet we find suggestions of this Melchizedek's
condition in the New Testament, in the Epistle to the Hebrews (5:6-10; 6:20;
7:1-17):
Hebrews 5: 6-10:
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after
the order of Melchizedek.
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and
supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him
from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he
suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto
all them that obey him;
10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
In Hebrews 6: 20,
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high
priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7: 1-17:
1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who
met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by
interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which
is, King of peace;
3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither
beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth
a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch
Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office
of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to
the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of
Abraham:
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of
Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of
whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in
Abraham.
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.
11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under
it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another
priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the
order of Aaron?
12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change
also of the law.
13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe,
of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe
Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of
Melchizedec there ariseth another priest,
16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the
power of an endless life.
17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of
Melchizedec.
In these quotes, Melchizedek is being described as more than human. He
is interpreted as a type of the "high priest" "for ever"
(Heb 5:6,10) of the New Covenant, Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 7:3, which has
become the basis for most Christian interpretation of the figure of Melchizedek,
we read that Melchizedek was "made like unto the Son of God" or
"like the Son of God" "forever" or "continually"
as other versions of this same passage state:
3 We are not told that he had a father or mother or ancestors or
beginning or end. He is like the Son of God and will be a priest forever. (NIV)
3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither
beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God), abideth
a priest continually. (ASV)
3 We are not told that he had a father or mother or ancestors or
beginning or end. He is like the Son of God and will be a priest forever. (CEV)
Nevertheless the way I read this verse is that Melchizedek
"resembles" the Son of God. It does not clearly say he is a Son of
God, like the Qumran texts declares and the UB corroborates. Yet, we also see
that Melchizedek's priesthood is superior to that of the "descendants of
Levi" (Heb. 7:5), thus foreshadowing the priesthood of the Son of God.
It is also puzzling that in more than five centuries, from Psalm 110:4
to Hebrews, we didn't have any mention of Melchizedek, and then in the Epistle
we discover Melchizedek to be almost a supernatural being, which caused to be
seen as such by the time of Jesus: he has no known genealogy, so he has no
beginning; the psalm declares him to be a priest forever, so he must be
immortal; Abraham submitted to him, so he must be greater than a man. In
Hebrews, Jesus is featured as the fulfiller of the prophesy of Psalm 110.
Through his death on the cross Jesus becomes the inheritor of Melchizedek's
ministry and becomes the perfect and eternal high priest of God. These things
combined surely gave rise to the notion of a heavenly Melchizedek in perpetual
service to Yahweh but also, as we will seen, as Christ to be a reincarnation of
Christ.
But surely, as already mentioned, there must have been an oral
tradition, collected by Essenes before Hebrews, which was the source for all
this speculation about Melchizedek.
II MELCHIZEDEK IN THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS 11QMELCHIZEDEK
(11Q13): SOME INTERPRETATIONS
The Dead Sea Scroll 11QMelch has become such an important witness to
pre-Christian Jewish speculation on Melchizedek [6] that it has had many
interpretations. Let us see some of them to have a better picture of what this
fragmentary Hebrew text says. Thus, according to Kobelski (1981: pp. 5-23),
Melchizedek is featured as a heavenly end-time redeemer, with attributes of the
archangel Michael. He appears in the tenth and final jubilee of world history
to rescue the elect, the "men of the lot of Melchizedek", doing
battle with Belial and his fellow evil spirits. Melchizedek's triumph is
described as a high-priestly act of "expiation".
Hebrew Streams abstracting from different sources (Geza Vermes,
1997: 500; Michael Wise, Martin Abegg, Edward Cook, 1996: 455; and Carol
Newsom, 1985: 37), complementing with other Qumran texts, sees the author of
the 11QMelch featuring Melchizedek as having heavenly origins and being the
chief angelic priest, yet we remain without knowing how divine he is or how
close he is to God [7] :
The author of 11 QMelch says that the agent of the future jubilee
salvation will be a heavenly deliverer: Melchizedek. In this text, he is an
exalted divine being, to whom are applied biblical titles generally reserved
for God alone: the Hebrew nouns El and Elohim (though they are also applied to
angelic or divine beings a few times.) The mysterious king-priest of Shalem
stands in the place of God in the final judgment.
In the author's citation of Isaiah 61:2 (which speaks of "the year
of the LORD's favor") the name Melchizedek is substituted for YHVH, the
name of Israel's God. Also, Melchizedek is said to atone for the sins of the
righteous and to execute judgment upon the wicked's actions usually associated
with God himself. The author also quotes Psalm 82:1 ("Elohim stands in the
council of El") but inserts "Melchizedek" in place of
"Elohim" (God). [...]
Melchizedek [...] also presides over the final judgment and condemnation
of his demonic counterpart: Belial, Satan, the Prince of Darkness. In other
documents from Qumran this being is called "Melchiresha." His name
Melchi-resha ("king of wickedness/wicked king") darkly mirrors that
Melchi-zedek (4Q280 "Curses of Melchiresha"; 4Q544 "Testament of
Amram"). (The spelling "Melchi-" versus the Hebrew
"Malchi-" is due to the influence of the Septuagint Greek Bible on
English spellings.)
In the mystical Qumran documents known as "Songs of the Sabbath
Sacrifice" (originally called "The Angelic Liturgy"),
Melchizedek appears to be a superior angel. The texts are broken up too badly
to be sure of this identification (4Q401 11:3; 22:3). But what is certain is
that the "Songs" depict a hierarchy of angelic priests who serve in
the heavenly temple. They are surrounded by other divine beings known as elim
or elohim (gods, divine beings) or holy ones, spirits, princes, and ministers.
In the so-called "War Scroll" (1QM 13:10; 16:6-8; 17:7),
Melchizedek appears to be the archangel Michael, who is "the prince of
light" (1QM 13:10-11; cf. 1QS 2:20-22; CD 5:17-19) and "the angel of
[God's] truth" (1QS 3:24).
Delcor (1971: 124-125) states that in 11QMelch:
Melchizedek appears as an eschatological saviour who has a heritage. His
mission is to bring back at the end of days the exiles to announce to them
their liberation and the expiation of their sins. The fragment here takes up in
part Is. 61,1 which Luke applies to Jesus (cf. Luke 4,18), Melchizedek appears
as a celestial being who stand in the assembly of God and on this occasion will
judge among the heavenly ones. He participates in the vengeance of the judgment
of God. Here we find (though with some modifications) taken up Ps, 82,1 and
Is.,61,2. Melchizedek is helped by the celestial armies in his struggle against
Belial and his angels.
There are other references by scholars on the Melchizedek priesthood in
the Dead Sea Scrolls [8] :
Florentino Garcia Martinez (1966) states that "Elohim will stand up
in the assembly of God, in the midst of the gods he judges... all the sons of
God, and he will preside over this assembly..." [called "the sons of
justice"], and Melchizedek himself will free them [the deniers, or the
"rebels"], from Belial. So Melchizedek takes the lead in helping the
rebellious ones repent and come back to the "Zion" of God in the Dead
Sea Scroll texts (p. 139f).
John J. Collins (1995) says that the "sons of El", are, to be
sure, "most often heavenly beings in the Hebrew Bible, examples include
Genesis 6, Psalms 82, Deut. 32:8-9..." (p. 161). Collins also notes that
Melchizedek in 11QMelch is called "Michael, Melchizedek, and the Prince of
Light were three names for the same figure." (p. 176).
S. Van Der Woude (1965) discusses the heavenly Melchizedek and his
prominent place, as well as the close ties with The Archangel Michael. He also
deals with the assembly of the Gods and their discussion among themselves.
In short, among other attributes, Melchizedek is called a "heavenly
deliverer, a "divine or celestial being" who "execute(s)
judgment upon the wicked's actions", who "presides over the final
judgement of his demonic counterpart", who is the Archangel Michael or
even Michael himself. Like Melchizedek, Jesus is described as the
eschatological judge of the last days (Acts 17:31; 10:42 and John 5:27 [9] ).
III MELCHIZEDEK: OTHER ANCIENT SOURCES
Pearson, also drawing from different references (Charlesworth, 1983;
Delcor, 1971: 15-35; Gianotto, 1984; Gruenewald, 1970: 88-98; Horton, 1976;
Kobelski 1981; Pearson, 1990) lists several ancient sources speculating about
Melchizedek:
Philo, a first-century Jewish philosopher of Alexandria, in three
writings (Legum Allegoriae 3.79-82; De Congressu 89; De Abrahamo 235)
interprets the text of Genesis in a Platonic-allegorical fashion, seeing in
Melchizedek a reference to the divine Logos, the thought of God in which the
pattern of all existing things is conceived and the "image" of God
according to which man was created.
In 2 Enoch (Alexandria, around first century A.D.) a child is born
miraculously to Noah's recently deceased sister-in-law, and the child, marked
on his chest with a priestly seal, speaks and praises God. The boy is named
Melchizedek by Noah and his brother Nir, whose wife had been posthumously delivered.
In a night vision Nir is told of the impending flood; he is also informed that
the archangel Michael will bring Melchizedek to paradise, thus enabling him to
escape the flood waters. Melchizedek will eventually become the chief of
priests among the people, and in the end of days he will be revealed yet
another time as the chief priest. In this text, Melchizedek has three different
earthly manifestations: born before the Flood, serving in the postdiluvian age
as a great priest, and functioning in the end-time as a messianic priest.
A fragmentary text from Nag Hammadi [10] contains an apocalypse given
by angels to Melchizedek, "priest of God Most High." It is revealed to
Melchizedek that he will ultimately reappear as Jesus Christ, Son of God, to do
battle with the cosmic forces of darkness. Here we can see influence not only
from the Epistle to the Hebrew but also from non-Christian lore.
In the Second Book of Jeu, "Zorokothora Melchizedek" is a
heavenly priest who presides over a heavenly baptism. No trace of Hebrew is
found in this text.
The most developed levels of speculation on Melchizedek, also lacking
any influence from Hebrews, are found in Pistis Sophia, Book 4, in which
Melchizedek plays a key role in the process of purifying human souls for entry
into the "Treasury of Light" and transferring them from the domain of
the archons, or earthly rulers, to that heavenly region. The younger material
in books 1-3 of Pistis Sophia develops these ideas further: Melchizedek is a
heavenly being who seals the saved souls upon their entry into the realm of
light.
The church fathers attest to several heterodox ideas associated with
Melchizedek. Hippolytus of Rome (Refutatio 7.35-36) and Epiphanius of Salamis
(Panarion 55) are the most important witnesses to a group of heretics called
Melchizedekians. They had a low Christology and exalted Melchizedek as a
heavenly power superior to Christ. Others equated Melchizedek with the Holy
Spirit (Panarion 67), and some "even in the true church" (i.e., not
"heretics") naively regarded Melchizedek as the Son of God (Panarion
55.7.3). The later view seems also to have been present among the monasteries
of Egypt (Apophthegmata Patrum, in Patrologia Graeca 65.160) and was even
defended in a treatise on Melchizedek by a fifth-century resident of the Judean
desert, Mark the Hermit (PG 65.1117-40). Such views were eventually overcome by
teacher-bishops such as Cyril of Alexandria (PG 65.160).
On the Jewish side, while early rabbis continued to speculate on
Melchizedek's role in scripture (e.g., equating him with Shem, son of Noah; cf.
b. Nedarim 32b; Midrash Gen. R. 44.7; Targum Ps.-J. Gen. 14:18), a major stream
of rabbinic tradition viewed Melchizedek negatively, a fact that indicates some
Jewish sensitivity to the use of Melchizedek traditions by Christians
(Gianotto, pp. 172-85).
Furthermore, Dionysius calls Him "the hierarchy most beloved of
God"; Tertullian says that Melchizedek is a "celestial virtue of
great grace who does for heavenly angels and virtues what Christ does for
man"; once in the Babylonian Talmud, he is pictured as the judge of the
last days (Sukkah 52b). As we see, again, Melchizedek is described as a
heavenly being, the Divine Logos, and as messianic judge-priest of the end of
the day who will reappear as Jesus Christ to fight against the forces of
darkness.
IV MELCHIZEDEK: A PREVIOUS REINCARNATION OF JESUS?
There has been a lot of speculation about Melchizedek's being a previous
reincarnation of Jesus based on the Book of Hebrews' not treating him as an
ordinary man and on strong parallels between Melchizedek and Jesus. Besides
this Biblical evidence, supporters of this theory base themselves on other data
resulting from the discoveries of early Christian texts in 1945 and the Dead
Sea Scrolls in 1947. As we will see the UB teaches that the Melchizedek's
Thought Adjuster inhabited Jesus -or Michael--.
Regarding the identical characteristics of Melchizedek and Jesus, they
say that both are Sons of God (Luke 3:38, Heb. 7:3, Mark 1:1); they have the
same order of priesthood --priest of the God Most High of the Order of
Melchizedek-- (Gen 14:18; Psalm 110:4; Heb. 5:6); identical symbol of rule
--the scepter-- (Gen. 49:10; Heb. 1:8); identical right to rule -they were
appointed by God, did not depend upon genealogy as the Aaronic priesthood did;
identical title --"King of Peace-- (Heb. 7:2; Isaiah 9:6); identical term
of priesthood -eternal-- (Heb. 7:3; 5:6); identical age --pre-existent-- (Heb.
7:3; Micah 5:2); identical association with Abraham (Gen. 14:18-19; John
8:56-59); they are also one spirit who incarnated many times and who
transcended death (Heb. 7:23); they have an identical use of ritualistic
symbols of bread and wine (Gen. 14:18; Matt. 26:26-29); identical title -the
Annointed One-- (Heb. 1:9; Acts 4:25-26).
Yet the NT says Melchizedek was like the Son of God; it does not say he
was the Son of God. Also the author of Hebrews adamantly distinguishes the two
priests: Yeshua --not Melchizedek-- is the one and only High Priest who
"abides forever" and "holds his priesthood permanently"
(Heb 7:24). Though the author sees parallels between them, he nowhere suggests
they are one in the same person. Melchizedek was "made like the Son of
God" (7:3). He does not say he was the Son of God.
Reincarnationists also base themselves on Christian Gnostic scriptures
discovered in 1945 which affirm that Melchizedek and Jesus to be different
incarnations of the same soul; on above mentioned ancient texts, discovered
also in 1945 in Upper Egypt, which reveal that the early Christians and Jews
believed that Melchizedek was a previous reincarnation of Jesus the Messiah; on
the Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered two years later which revealed the Messiah to
be a reincarnation of Melchizedek: the Essenes believed in the doctrine of
pre-existence and reincarnation and appeared to have been influenced by
Gnosticism; and on evidences provided by the first-century Jewish historian
Flavius Josephus who stated that the Pharisees were believers in reincarnation.
The belief that Melchizedek was, as we have seen, the Messiah was a
strongly held conviction among the Qumran community, as well as among some
other Jewish and Gnostic sects in the first century A.D. This seemingly becomes
apparent in 11QMelch about the coming of Melchizedek as the Messiah. Also, some
disciples of Jesus apparently believed he was even Melchizedek reincarnated, or
in later Christian terms, Melchizedek was "the preincarnate manifestation"
of the Messiah. [11]
From what we have in the Qumran documents we can easily conclude, as UB
confirms, that Melchizedek's was far more prominent than we had supposed, and
the reason why we haven't known this is because, as the Bible scholars tell us,
it had been expunged from the Bible. In light of this, an interesting analysis
was published by, of all people, Frank Moore Cross (1985: 4), who noted that
when the Bible was put together by the later councils of the church, "the
rabbi's selected preferred texts" [...] while excluding "wholly other
works with claims of sacred status [...] books attributed to prophets or
patriarchs before Moses were excluded: the Enoch literature and works written
in the name of Abraham and other Patriarchs."
V THE URANTIA BOOK AND MELCHIZEDEK
Paraphrasing the beginning quote about revelation, we can say that the
mission of revelation is to sort and censor and to exalt and upstep the successive
religions of evolution. Let us see the way the UB does this regarding what we
have just seen in the Bible, the Qumran documents, and other ancient sources.
1. Machiventa Melchizedek: A divine being, a Son of God
In the UB we read that the order of Melchizedeks are Local Universe Sons
of God (p. 223-15); they are divine Sons:
The Melchizedeks are the first order of divine Sons to approach
sufficiently near the lower creature life to be able to function directly in
the ministry of mortal uplift, to serve the evolutionary races without the
necessity of incarnation. These Sons are naturally at the mid-point of the
great personality descent, by origin being just about midway between the
highest Divinity and the lowest creature life of will endowment. They thus
become the natural intermediaries between the higher and divine levels of
living existence and the lower, even the material, forms of life on the
evolutionary worlds. The seraphic orders, the angels, delight to work with the
Melchizedeks; in fact, all forms of intelligent life find in these Sons
understanding friends, sympathetic teachers, and wise counselors. (p. 385 - 4)
But with the Adamic default this regime, extending over a period of more
than four hundred and fifty thousand years, came to an end. In the spiritual
spheres, angelic helpers continued to struggle in conjunction with the Thought
Adjusters, both working heroically for the salvage of the individual; but no
comprehensive plan for far-reaching world welfare was promulgated to the mortals
of earth until the arrival of Machiventa Melchizedek, in the times of Abraham,
who, with the power, patience, and authority of a Son of God, did lay
the foundations for the further uplift and spiritual rehabilitation of
unfortunate Urantia. (p.852 - 5)
2. The Most High
Melchizedek arrived in Urantia as a priest of El Elyon, the Most High,
the Father of the Constellation of Edentia -a Vorondadek--,
Every quarantined or isolated world has a Vorondadek Son acting as an
observer. He does not participate in planetary administration except when
ordered by the Constellation Father to intervene in the affairs of the nations.
Actually it is this Most High observer who "rules in the kingdoms of
men." Urantia is one of the isolated worlds of Norlatiadek, and a Vorondadek
observer has been stationed on the planet ever since the Caligastia betrayal.
When Machiventa Melchizedek ministered in semimaterial form on Urantia, he
paid respectful homage to the Most High observer then on duty, as it is
written, "And Melchizedek, king of Salem, was the priest of the Most
High." Melchizedek revealed the relations of this Most High observer to
Abraham when he said, "And blessed be the Most High, who has delivered
your enemies into your hand." (p. 491 - 13)
Nevertheless, Mechizedek allowed the rank of the followers to associate
the Most High to God,
Melchizedek taught the concept of one God, a universal Deity, but he
allowed the people to associate this teaching with the Constellation Father of
Norlatiadek, whom he termed El Elyon--the Most High. Melchizedek remained
all but silent as to the status of Lucifer and the state of affairs on Jerusem.
Lanaforge, the System Sovereign, had little to do with Urantia until after the
completion of Michael's bestowal. To a majority of the Salem students Edentia
was heaven and the Most High was God. (p.1016 - 4)
The UB talks about this generalized confusion existing on Urantia about
celestial beings,
Down through the ages there has been great confusion on Urantia
regarding the various universe rulers. Many later teachers confused their
vague and indefinite tribal deities with the Most High Fathers. Still later,
the Hebrews merged all of these celestial rulers into a composite Deity. One
teacher understood that the Most Highs were not the Supreme Rulers, for he
said, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty." In the Urantia records it is very
difficult at times to know exactly who is referred to by the term "Most
High." But Daniel fully understood. (p.488 - 6)
One of the greatest sources of confusion on Urantia concerning the
nature of God grows out of the failure of your sacred books clearly to
distinguish between the personalities of the Paradise Trinity and between
Paradise Deity and the local universe creators and administrators. During the
past dispensations of partial understanding, your priests and prophets failed
clearly to differentiate between Planetary Princes, System Sovereigns,
Constellation Fathers, Creator Sons, Superuniverse Rulers, the Supreme Being,
and the Universal Father. Many of the messages of subordinate personalities,
such as Life Carriers and various orders of angels, have been, in your records,
presented as coming from God himself. Urantian religious thought still confuses
the associate personalities of Deity with the Universal Father himself, so that
all are included under one appellation. (p.60 - 1)
3. The UB and the Bible
The UB explains the circumstances why a Melchizedek, an emergency Son
(p.389 - 1), came to Urantia in the time of Abraham,
The Melchizedek who lived on Urantia during the time of Abraham was
locally known as Prince of Salem because he presided over a small colony of
truth seekers residing at a place called Salem. He volunteered to incarnate in
the likeness of mortal flesh and did so with the approval of the Melchizedek
receivers of the planet, who feared that the light of life would become
extinguished during that period of increasing spiritual darkness. And he did
foster the truth of his day and safely pass it on to Abraham and his
associates. (p.389 - 4)
and chose Palestine:
The choice of Palestine as the site for Machiventa's activities was in
part predicated upon the desire to establish contact with some human family
embodying the potentials of leadership. At the time of the incarnation of
Melchizedek there were many families on earth just as well prepared to receive
the doctrine of Salem as was that of Abraham. There were equally endowed
families among the red men, the yellow men, and the descendants of the Andites
to the west and north. But, again, none of these localities were so favorably
situated for Michael's subsequent appearance on earth as was the eastern shore
of the Mediterranean Sea. The Melchizedek mission in Palestine and the
subsequent appearance of Michael among the Hebrew people were in no small
measure determined by geography, by the fact that Palestine was centrally
located with reference to the then existent trade, travel, and civilization of
the world. (p.1018 - 7)
The papers also fill in the missing gaps we find in Genesis 14, about
the relationship between Abraham and Melchizedek:
When Melchizedek heard of Abraham's declaration of war, he went forth to
dissuade him but only caught up with his former disciple as he returned victorious
from the battle. Abraham insisted that the God of Salem had given him victory
over his enemies and persisted in giving a tenth of his spoils to the Salem
treasury. The other ninety per cent he removed to his capital at Hebron. P.1020
- 2
Melchizedek, the visible Son of God, finally persuaded Abraham "to
abandon his scheme of material conquest and temporal rule in favor of the
spiritual concept of the kingdom of heaven. (P.1020 - 4)" and made with
him a covenant which represented "This covenant of Melchizedek with
Abraham represents the great Urantian agreement between divinity and humanity
whereby God agrees to do everything; man only agrees to believe God's promises
and follow his instructions. Heretofore it had been believed that salvation
could be secured only by works--sacrifices and offerings; now, Melchizedek
again brought to Urantia the good news that salvation, favor with God, is to be
had by faith. But this gospel of simple faith in God was too advanced; the
Semitic tribesmen subsequently preferred to go back to the older sacrifices and
atonement for sin by the shedding of blood. (p.1020 - 7
and give light to the above mentioned offer of bread and wine by
Melchizedek, later also used by Jesus --as a substitution of sacrifices on
animals--:
While no sacrifices were permitted within the colony, Melchizedek well
knew how difficult it is to suddenly uproot long-established customs and
accordingly had wisely offered these people the substitute of a sacrament of
bread and wine for the older sacrifice of flesh and blood. It is of record,
"Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine." But even
this cautious innovation was not altogether successful; the various tribes all
maintained auxiliary centers on the outskirts of Salem where they offered
sacrifices and burnt offerings. Even Abraham resorted to this barbarous
practice after his victory over Chedorlaomer; he simply did not feel quite at
ease until he had offered a conventional sacrifice. And Melchizedek never did
succeed in fully eradicating this proclivity to sacrifice from the religious
practices of his followers, even of Abraham. (p.1018 - 3
The UB also explains the reason for the confusion about "forever
after the order of Melchizedek",
Melchizedek taught that at some future time another Son of God would
come in the flesh as he had come, but that he would be born of a woman; and
that is why numerous later teachers held that Jesus was a priest, or minister,
"forever after the order of Melchizedek." (p.1017 - 1)
and why he ended of his bestowal on Urantia:
It was shortly after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah that
Machiventa decided to end his emergency bestowal on Urantia. Melchizedek's
decision to terminate his sojourn in the flesh was influenced by numerous conditions,
chief of which was the growing tendency of the surrounding tribes, and even of
his immediate associates, to regard him as a demigod, to look upon him as a
supernatural being, which indeed he was; but they were beginning to reverence
him unduly and with a highly superstitious fear. In addition to these
reasons, Melchizedek wanted to leave the scene of his earthly activities a
sufficient length of time before Abraham's death to insure that the truth of
the one and only God would become strongly established in the minds of his
followers. Accordingly Machiventa retired one night to his tent at Salem,
having said good night to his human companions, and when they went to call him
in the morning, he was not there, for his fellows had taken him. (P.1022 - 3)
Notice that this
confirms all the speculation about him in the Qumran documents. As I have
stated, its author must have collected through the existing oral tradition
since Melchizedek's bestowal on Urantia nineteen centuries earlier.
4. Melchizedek as a eschatological saviors/judge of
the last days
The UB does not say anything about this redeeming role of Melchizedek to
judge the wicked and Belial o Satan - "He remained all but silent as to
the status of Lucifer" (p.1016 - 4)--, yet it says about his present
and future condition, which, along with what it states about the source of
confusion Urantians usually have, can give an explanation of why he was
mistaken with Michael, our Creator Son. On the one side, the UB records that
Machiventa had told his followers about Michael,
And thus, in losing sight of Melchizedek, they also lost sight of the
teaching of this emergency Son regarding the spiritual mission of the promised
bestowal Son; lost sight of the nature of this mission so fully and completely
that very few of their progeny were able or willing to recognize and receive Michael
when he appeared on earth and in the flesh as Machiventa had foretold.
(p.1024 - 1)
probably mentioned his present and future status to a few of his
followers and his future possibility to act in behalf of Michael or represent
Michael,
Machiventa Melchizedek, the only Son of this order to bestow himself
upon the Urantia races. While still numbered as a Melchizedek, he has become
"forever a minister of the Most Highs," eternally assuming the
assignment of service as a mortal ascender, having sojourned on Urantia in the
likeness of mortal flesh at Salem in the days of Abraham. This Melchizedek has
latterly been proclaimed vicegerent Planetary Prince of Urantia with headquarters
on Jerusem and authority to act in behalf of Michael, who is actually
the Planetary Prince of the world whereon he experienced his terminal bestowal
in human form. (p.514 - 6 14).
The Thought Adjuster.... Vicegerent Planetary Prince of Urantia ... and
thus " It is our belief that, as long as Urantia remains an inhabited
planet, Machiventa Melchizedek will not be fully returned to the duties of his
order of sonship but will remain, speaking in the terms of time, forever a
planetary minister representing Christ Michael. (p.1025 - 1
as well as his future role in the final days:
When such an era is attained on your world [when settled in light and
life], no doubt Machiventa Melchizedek, now the vicegerent Planetary Prince of
Urantia, will occupy the seat of the Planetary Sovereign.( p.632 - 2)
But it is Michael who has the power to end a dispensation:
Gabriel and the archangel hosts moved to the place of the spiritual
polarity of the planet; and when Gabriel gave the signal, there flashed to the
first of the system mansion worlds the voice of Gabriel, saying: "By the
mandate of Michael, let the dead of a Urantia dispensation rise!"
Then all the survivors of the human races of Urantia who had fallen asleep
since the days of Adam, and who had not already gone on to judgment, appeared
in the resurrection halls of mansonia in readiness for morontia investiture.
(p.2024 - 4)
However, we are that told that "as acting Planetary Prince he would
undoubtedly continue in charge of the planet until the final adjudication of
the Lucifer rebellion and probably on into the distant future of planetary
settlement in light and life. (p.1251 - 2
Yet, what the Qumran scrolls say is not too far from reality since the
Melchizedeks accompany the Avonal or magisterial Sons,
The Avonals are known as Magisterial Sons because they are the high
magistrates of the realms, the adjudicators of the successive dispensations
of the worlds of time. They preside over the awakening of the sleeping
survivors, sit in judgment on the realm, bring to an end a dispensation of
suspended justice, execute the mandates of an age of probationary mercy,
reassign the space creatures of planetary ministry to the tasks of the new
dispensation, and return to the headquarters of their local universe upon the
completion of their mission. (p.226 - 1)
In all their work for and on the inhabited worlds, the Magisterial Sons are
assisted by two orders of local universe creatures, the Melchizedeks and the
archangels, while on bestowal missions they are also accompanied by the
Brilliant Evening Stars, likewise of origin in the local creations. In every
planetary effort the secondary Paradise Sons, the Avonals, are supported by the
full power and authority of a primary Paradise Son, the Creator Son of their
local universe of service. To all intents and purposes their work on the
inhabited spheres is just as effective and acceptable as would have been the
service of a Creator Son upon such worlds of mortal habitation. (p.225 - 8)
And then be confused by the Archangel Michael, who is not other than the
archangel of Michael or the archangel of the resurrection:
Two senior archangels are always assigned as the personal aids of a
Paradise Avonal on all planetary missions, whether involving judicial actions,
magisterial missions, or bestowal incarnations. When this Paradise Son has
finished the judgment of a realm and the dead are called to record (the
so-called resurrection), it is literally true that the seraphic guardians of
the slumbering personalities respond to "the voice of the archangel."
The roll call of a dispensation termination is promulgated by an attendant
archangel. This is the archangel of the resurrection, sometimes referred to
as the "archangel of Michael." (p.409 - 3)
5. Melchizedek as a reincarnation of Michael or Jesus
The UB, which does not accept the theory of reincarnation, gives a
different explanation: Melchizedek's Thought Adjuster, because of the
experience he has accumulated, indwelt Michael (Jesus) when he was in mortal
flesh:
This incarnated Melchizedek received a Thought Adjuster, who
indwelt his superhuman personality as the monitor of time and the mentor of the
flesh, thus gaining that experience and practical introduction to Urantian
problems and to the technique of indwelling an incarnated Son which enabled
this spirit of the Father to function so valiantly in the human mind of the
later Son of God, Michael, when he appeared on earth in the likeness of
mortal flesh. And this is the only Thought Adjuster who ever functioned in two
minds on Urantia, but both minds were divine as well as human. (p. 1016 - 1)
The activities of Adjusters in your local universe are directed by the
Personalized Adjuster of Michael of Nebadon, that very Monitor who guided him
step by step when he lived his human life in the flesh of Joshua ben Joseph.
Faithful to his trust was this extraordinary Adjuster, and wisely did this
valiant Monitor direct the human nature, ever guiding the mortal mind of the
Paradise Son in the choosing of the path of the Father's perfect will. This
Adjuster had previously served with Machiventa Melchizedek in the days of
Abraham and had engaged in tremendous exploits both previous to this
indwelling and between these bestowal experiences. (p.1200 - 4)
SOME CONCLUSIONS
I believe that our analysis of the 11QMech fragment (1956/1965), helped
by the examination of other biblical and extra biblical texts, against The
Urantia Book (1955) has shown that, even though Melchizedek was practically
purged from the Bible for whatever reason, that Melchizedek's personality and
consideration as a God, was alive in oral tradition until it was collected by
the writer of this fragment Qumran text with many confusions and by Hebrew in a
much limited manner. Yet, all this information, enrichingly and enlightening
organized was presented by The Urantia Book before the document was found.
But why would a divine Son of God come to our planet? It is logical to
think that he came to upstep the religion of revelation by bringing the human
of those ages news from God and his plan of salvation. The UB says that he
"came to achieve two tasks: to keep alive on earth the truth of the one
God and to prepare the way for the subsequent mortal bestowal of a Paradise Son
of that Universal Father. (p.1018 - 4).
In the midst of polytheism, Melchizedek came to teach the doctrine of
one God,
Melchizedek taught his followers all they had capacity to receive and
assimilate. Even many modern religious ideas about heaven and earth, of man,
God, and angels, are not far removed from these teachings of Melchizedek. But
this great teacher subordinated everything to the doctrine of one God, a
universe Deity, a heavenly Creator, a divine Father. (p.1016 - 8)
and set the way for a Michael, a Paradise Son:
And thus did Melchizedek prepare the way and set the monotheistic stage
of world tendency for the bestowal of an actual Paradise Son of the one God,
whom he so vividly portrayed as the Father of all, and whom he represented to
Abraham as a God who would accept man on the simple terms of personal faith.
And Michael, when he appeared on earth, confirmed all that Melchizedek had
taught concerning the Paradise Father. (p.1017 - 2)
But also, to return to the initial consideration about Melchizedek and
interfaith which propelled this paper, and knowing, according The Urantia
Book, that all main religions in the Orient (India, China, Tibet), the
Levant (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Iran., Arabia), and the Occident (Greek, Rome)
originated in the teachings of Machiventa Melchizedek, it is not difficult to
understand why nowadays all religions have the concept of oneness at their core
and why theologians have to redefine their complex framework about the concept
of revelation.
APPENDIX: DEAD SEA SCROLLS TEXT: THE COMING OF
MELCHIZEDEK [11Q13][12]
Col.2
(...) And concerning what Scripture says, "In this year of Jubilee
you shall return, everyone f you, to your property" (Lev. 25;13) And what
is also written; "And this is the manner of the remission; every creditor
shall remit the claim that is held against a neighbor, not exacting it of a
neighbor who is a member of the community, because God's remission has been
proclaimed" (Deut.15;2) the interpretation is that it applies to the Last
Days and concerns the captives, just as Isaiah said: "To proclaim the
Jubilee to the captives" (Isa. 61;1) (...) just as (...) and from the
inheritance of Melchizedek, for (... Melchizedek) , who will return them to
what is rightfully theirs. He will proclaim to them the Jubilee, thereby
releasing them from the debt of all their sins. He shall proclaim this decree
in the first week of the jubilee period that follows nine jubilee periods.
Then the "Day of Atonement" shall follow after the tenth
jubilee period, when he shall atone for all the Sons of Light, and the people
who are predestined to Melchizedek. (...) upon them (...) For this is the time
decreed for the "Year of Melchizedek`s favor", and by his might he
will judge God's holy ones and so establish a righteous kingdom, as it is
written about him in the Songs of David ; "A godlike being has taken his
place in the council of God; in the midst of divine beings he holds
judgement"
Ps. 82;1). Scripture also says about him ; "Over it take your seat
in the highest heaven; A divine being will judge the peoples" (Ps. 7;7-8)
Concerning what scripture says; "How long will you judge unjustly, and
show partiality with the wicked? Selah" (Ps. 82;2) ,the interpretation
applies to Belial and the spirits predestined to him, because all of them have
rebelled, turning from God's precepts and so becoming utterly wicked. Therefore
Melchizedek will thoroughly prosecute the vengeance required by God's statutes.
Also, he will deliver all the captives from the power of Belial, and from the
power of all the spirits destined to him. Allied with him will be all the
"righteous divine beings"(Isa. 61;3).
(The ...) is that whi(ch ...all) the divine beings. The visitation is
the Day of Salvation that He has decreed through Isaiah the prophet concerning
all the captives, inasmuch as Scripture says, "How beautiful upon the
mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good
news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion "Your divine being
reigns"." (Isa. 52;7) This scriptures interpretation : "the
mountains" are the prophets, they who were sent to proclaim God's truth
and to prophesy to all Israel. "The messengers" is the Anointed of
the spirit, of whom Daniel spoke; "After the sixty-two weeks, an Anointed
shall be cut off" (Dan. 9;26) The "messenger who brings good news,
who announces Salvation" is the one of whom it is written; "to proclaim
the year of the LORD`s favor, the day of the vengeance of our God; to comfort
all who mourn" (Isa. 61;2)
This scripture's interpretation: he is to instruct them about all the
periods of history for eternity (... and in the statutes) of the truth. (...)
(.... dominion) that passes from Belial and returns to the Sons of Light (....)
(...) by the judgment of God, just as t is written concerning him; "who
says to Zion "Your divine being reigns" (Isa. 52;7) "Zion"
is the congregation of all the sons of righteousness, who uphold the covenant
and turn from walking in the way of the people. "Your divine being"
is Melchizedek, who will deliver them from the power of Belial. Concerning what
scripture says, "Then you shall have the trumpet sounded loud; in the
seventh month . . . " (Lev. 25;9)
REFERENCES
Charlesworth, James H., Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Garden
City, N.Y., 1983.
Collins, John J., "The Scepter and the Star", Doubleday, 1995.
Cross, Moore, "New Directions in the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls",
in BYU Studies 25 (Summer 1985).
Delcor, M. "Melchizedek from Genesis to the Qumran Texts and the
Epistle to the Hebrews," Journal of Jewish Studies 2 (1971).
Garca Martnez, Florentino, The Dead Sea Scrolls translated, tr.
Wilfred G.E. Watson, 2nd Ed., William B. Eerdmans, 1996.
Gardner, Martin, Urantia, the Great Cult Mystery, Prometheus
Books, New York, 1995
Gianotto, Claudio, "Melchisedek e la sua
tipologia. Supplementi alla," Rivista Biblica 12, Brescia, 1984.
Gonzlez Lamadrid, A, Los descubrimientos del Mar
Muerto, Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos de la Editorial Catlica, Madrid
1985.
Gruenewald, Ithamar, "The Messianic Image of Melchizedek", Mahanayim
124 (1970).
Horton, Fred L., Jr., The Melchizedek Tradition, Society for New Testament
Studies Monograph Series 30, Cambridge, 1976.
Kobelski, Paul J. "Melchizedek and Melchiresva", Catholic
Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series 10. Washington, D.C., 1981.
Newsom, Carol, Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice: A Critical Edition,
Atlanta, Scholars Press, 1985.
Pearson, Birger A., "The Figure of Melchizedek in Gnostic
Literature," in Pearson, Gnosticism, Judaism, and Egyptian Christianity,
Studies in Antiquity and Christianity 5, Minneapolis, 1990.
Pearson, Birger A., (ed.) Nag Hammadi Codices IX and X, Leiden,
1981.
Robinson, James M. (ed.), The Nag Hammadi Library, Harper & Rowe,
San Francisco, 1978.
Shirt, Kerry A. "Melchizedek Priesthood of LDS and Dead Sea Scrolls
Perspectives", Internet.
Sumner, Paul, "Visions of the Heavenly Council in the Hebrew
Bible," Hebrew Streams (www.hebrew-streams.org).
Tau Apiryon and Helena, "Mystery of Mystery: A Primer of Thelemic
Ecclesiastical Gnosticism", Red Flame 2 (1995).
Thomas Nelson (ed.), The Rice Reference Bible, King James
Version, 1981.
Urantia Foundation, The Urantia Book, Chicago, Illinois, 1955.
Van Der Woude, A.S., "Melchisedek als Himmlische Erlosergestalt in
den Neugefundenen Eschatalogischen Midraschim aus Qumran Hohle XI"
(Melchizedek as Heavenly Savior Figure in the Newly Found Eschatalogical
Midrash From Qumran Cave 11), Oudtestamentische Studien, Deel XIV, E.J.
Brill, 1965.
Vermes, Geza, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English,
Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books, 1997.
Wise, Michael, Martin Abegg, Edward Cook, The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New
Translation, San Francisco, HarperCollins, 1996.
[1] These important ancient scrolls were discovered by three Bedouin
shepherds in 1947 around the Dead Sea in Israel. They entered an undiscovered
cave and found jars filled with ancient scrolls. Later more caves were
discovered. Cave 11 (11Q) were fragments of a eschatological misdrah about
Melchizedek was found in February 1956. The Dead Sea Scrolls were authored by a
monastic group known as the Essenes. The Essenes were an apocalyptic Jewish
sect who withdrew from society and established a monastery on the shores of the
Dead Sea. It is believed that sometime during the Roman-Jewish war of 66-70
A.D. the Essenes hid their sacred writings. See A. Gonzlez Lamadrid, Los descubrimientos del
Mar Muerto, Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos de la Editorial Catlica,
Madrid 1985. [2]
First published by A. S. Van Der Woude in "Melchisedek als
himmlische Erlsergestalt in den neugefundenen eschatologischen Midraschim aus
Qumran Hble XI, Oudtestamentische Studin XIV (1965), pp. 354-373.
[3] According to the UB (p.1021 -
1), Abram, upon the public and formal acceptance of his covenant with Melchizedek
changed his name to Abraham
[4] The UB also mentions Jebus and gives other names Melchizedek was known
for: "Within a few years Melchizedek had gathered around himself a group
of pupils, disciples, and believers who formed the nucleus of the later
community of Salem. He was soon known throughout Palestine as the priest of El
Elyon, the Most High, and as the sage of Salem. Among some of the surrounding
tribes he was often referred to as the sheik, or king, of Salem. Salem was the
site which after the disappearance of Melchizedek became the city of Jebus,
subsequently being called Jerusalem. (p.1015 - 4) [5] We are not sure of the exact
date of composition of the psalms, but experts conjecture that there were
probably written between VIII and II's century B.C., yet the main part of them
was given their final shape after the Jews returned from their Babilonia to
their promised land and built the Jerusalem temple again (year 515 B.C).
[6] See Appendix for an English
translation of this Qumran document.
[7] Other Jewish works of this era
reflect a common belief that Someone operated in close proximity to God and
shared his authority and even name, yet he was not God. See Sunner Paul,
"Visions of the Heavenly Council in the Hebrew Bible." Cited by Kerry
A. Shirt.
[8] Adapted from Kerry A. Shirt.
[9] In John we find a reference to the Son of Man, which has an echoed in
Daniel 7:13-14. There, a "Son of Man" is given authority by the
Ancient of Days to rule "all peoples, nations, and languages". It
does not explicitly say he will judge the earth. But in biblical thought, a
king embodies all of government, including the judicial functions. A king is
also judge. [10] The Nag Hammadi Library, a collection of thirteen ancient codices
containing over fifty texts, was discovered in upper Egypt in 1945. This
immensely important discovery includes a large number of primary Gnostic
scriptures -- texts once thought to have been entirely destroyed during the
early Christian struggle to define "orthodoxy" -- such as the Gospel
of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, and the Gospel of Truth. The discovery and
translation of the Nag Hammadi library, completed in the 1970's, has provided
impetus to a major re-evaluation of early Christian history and the nature of
Gnosticism
[12] From The Dead Sea Scroll Collection at The Gnostic Society Library.
