In Genesis 14:18, Melchizedek is introduced as the king of Salem and priest of God Most High (El Elyon). During the return home from war with the enemies of Sodom and prior to his meeting with the king of Sodom, Abram has an encounter with Melchizedek. During this encounter, Melchizedek brings out bread and wine and then proceeds to bless Abram. After being blessed, Abram gives Melchizedek a tenth of the spoils of the battle. Who was Melchizedek? Many scholars have pondered this question. Some scholars present him as a theophany of the reincarnate Christ while others identify him as a historical figure with varying viewpoints. John Skinner, Franz Delitzsch, and Moshe Reiss have written their position on the matter, which will be examined in this paper.
JOHN SKINNER-LIBERAL
John Skinner was a Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature at the College of Presbyterian Church of England in Cambridge, England. According to the liberal perspective found in the classical work, Genesis (International Critical Commentary) Skinner interprets the passage as having poetic charm uniting the holy people and the holy city. Thus, Melchizedek is presented as a historical or traditional figure.
Skinner begins his analysis of Melchizedek by noting the link between Salem, which Melchizedek is king, to Jerusalem. This gives Melchizedek credibility as actual king over Salem as “such priest-kings in Canaan in very early times is perfectly credible, though not historically attested.” Skinner admits however “it is more probable that M. is, if not a historical figure, at least a traditional figure of great antiquity, on whom the monarchy and hierarchy of Jerusalem based their dynastic and priestly rights.”
Additionally, Skinner...
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...iority, and parallels can be drawn in the giving of bread and wine to Abram to that of Christ and his disciples. Thus, Melchizedek is seen as the one who points to Christ’s fulfillment as priest of the Most High God (El Elyon). Hebrews 7:2 says “and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness”; then also “king of Salem” means “king of peace” (NIV). Not only was Melchizedek superior to Abram but also his name is the name of Christ. In 1 John 2:1 Christ is know as the Righteous One, and in Ephesians 2:14 Christ is our Peace.
Works Cited
John Skinner, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Genesis (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1910), p. 267.
Franz Delitzsch, A New Commentary on Genesis: Vol. I (New York: Scribner & Welford, 1889), p. 409.
Moshe Reiss, "The Melchizedek traditions." Sjot 26, no. 2: 259-265 (2012)
The Biblical account in Genesis, probably written by Moses around 1500 B.C., and the story of creation and flood in Ovid's Metamorphosis, written somewhere between 8 and 17 A.D., have weathered the criticism and become the most famous. The Genesis account, however, may be the most prominent of the two accounts. Within these accounts, are many similarities, as well as differences, which make these two writings well respected, while holding their own in the literary world. Though both accounts of the creation and flood are well respected on their own, when compared side to side, they are drastically different.
Bowler, Peter J. Evolution: The History of an Idea. London: University of California Press, 1989.
MacArthur, John. The Battle for the Beginning: The Bible on Creation and the Fall of Adam.
Myers, provider of source material for Edie Heydt's notes from "Human Origins," fall 1997, Alfred. Much of the material in the notes is paraphrased, and the original information sources are unknown.
Augustine of Hippo was an early Christian philosopher who was born in what is now modern day Algeria and his writings have been a great influence on the development of Western Christianity. He was a bishop in the Hippo Regius of Roman Africa during the Patristic Era and is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the West (Mendelson). In his famous writing “Confessions”, Augustine recounts the first 35 years of his life and tracks his spiritual development and acceptance of Christianity. Books 1-9 are autobiographical, while Books 10-13 are analytical and interpretational of his faith. Book 10 of his confessions explores memory while 11 through 13 are his detailed interpretations of Genesis, in which the creation of the world is explained.
Christianity and Judaism are major world religions which, though they worship the same God, have marked differences which have caused two thousand years of strife and animosity between the two religions. In his book We Jews and Jesus, Samuel Sandmel likens the link between Judaism and Christianity to a type of parent-child relationship, saying, “Early Christianity was a Judaism; within a century after the death of Jesus it was a separate religion. It was critical of its parent, and hostile to it, and elicited from its parent reciprocal criticism and hostility.”1 Opposing views of Jesus Christ caused the initial rift between Judaism and Christianity and is the primary source of the tension between the two religions which has continued for the last two millennia. Therefore, in order to understand how Judaism and Christianity relate to one another, it is essential to understand the way Jesus is perceived in each religion. The way that Christians view Jesus is quite well known, but Judaism’s view of him is much lesser known, so it is important to explore Judaism’s perceptions of Jesus, beginning with New Testament times, and to examine the ways in which these feelings and opinions have changed over time.
One day, Abram had a vision. In the vision God tells Abram to leave his father’s house which is today’s Iraq, and travel to a place that God will show him. God said that if Abram who becomes Abraham obeyed this command, his descendants would become a great nation, and that he will bless thee,...
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Wiester, John L. 1993. The Real Meaning of Evolution. Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith 45 (3): 182-86.
Kohn, Risa Levitt, and Rebecca Moore. A Portable God: The Origin of Judaism and Christianity. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. Print.
Gliboff, S. (1999). Gregor Mendel and the laws of evolution. History of Science 37: 217-228.
Spanner, Derek C., Biblical creation and the theory of evolution. 1st ed. Spanner. Exeter: Paternoster, 1987.
B.F. Skinner was born in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania on March 20th, 1904. He had described his child hood as “warm and stable.” His younger brother had died at an early age of a cerebral hemorrhage. Skinner as a child had a significant fear of hell which eventually led him to turn towards atheism. His fear did not indicate that he was at all mentally un- stable. One of his most fond childhood activities was inventing things. A skill that became useful in his later psychological experiments. He was extremely fond of the outdoors and of attending school. His Father was a lawyer and his mother was a very intelligent woman who spent her days as a homemaker. Skinner had an enjoyable childhood.