A Priest Forever
Jesus and the Mysterious Order of Melchizedek
By: John Henry
I’ve always been curious about Melchizedek—this mysterious figure tucked quietly into the early pages of Scripture, yet somehow central to a much bigger story. Wanting to understand more, I did a little word study—and to my surprise, that simple study opened up so much meaning. What I found deepened my appreciation not just for Melchizedek, but for how clearly he points to Christ. I’ll share what stood out to me below.
Long before anyone ever heard the name Jesus of Nazareth, before the priesthood of Aaron was even established, there was Melchizedek—a figure who appears in Scripture so briefly, yet with such mystery, that he leaves a lasting echo throughout salvation history.
He steps onto the biblical stage in Genesis 14, seemingly out of nowhere, after Abraham (then still called Abram) rescues his nephew Lot from a group of raiding kings. As Abraham returns, Melchizedek appears—king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He brings out bread and wine, blesses Abraham, and then… disappears. That’s it. No origin story. No genealogy. No mention of father or mother. No death. Just a sudden, sacred moment—and then silence.
But that silence is loud.
Melchizedek becomes a prophetic sign of something greater. Centuries later, King David would write in Psalm 110: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” And a thousand years after David, the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews would echo that same line and explain it more deeply, pointing directly to Jesus.
So who was this Melchizedek?
Some early Jewish and Christian writings offer interesting speculation. A few Jewish traditions believed he may have been Shem, the son of Noah, still alive at the time. Others saw him as a supernatural being, or even a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ Himself (a theophany). While we can’t say for certain, what we can say is that Melchizedek was unlike any other priest in Israel’s history: he was not from the tribe of Levi, he had no priestly lineage, and yet he was recognized by Abraham as a priest of the true God.
This is what makes Melchizedek so important.
Jesus, too, was not from the priestly tribe of Levi—He came from the tribe of Judah, through the royal line of David. So how could He be our High Priest? Not by earthly inheritance, but by heavenly ordination. Just like Melchizedek, Jesus was appointed by God alone. The Book of Hebrews draws this parallel clearly: Jesus’ priesthood does not come through Aaron, but through Melchizedek. It is eternal, perfect, and divinely established.
And it’s more than symbolism.
Melchizedek offers Abraham bread and wine. Jesus would later offer His own Body and Blood under the appearance of bread and wine. Melchizedek was king of Salem—believed by many scholars to be an early name for Jerusalem. Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey as the true King of Peace, fulfilling what Melchizedek only hinted at.
In other words, Melchizedek is a shadow. Jesus is the light.
This is the power of Scripture. A mysterious priest-king from Genesis points directly to the Priest-King who reigns forever. And through Christ, we’re invited into a priesthood that’s not about bloodlines or ceremonies, but about hearts transformed by grace.
So the next time you hear that line at Mass—“You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek”—pause. Take it in. Behind those ancient words is a promise fulfilled in Christ, the King of Kings and the eternal High Priest.
A Word Study: Jerusalem – The City of Peace
When we hear Jerusalem, we often think of it as a single, sacred place—a city filled with ancient walls, holy sites, and the echoes of countless prayers. But buried in the very name of Jerusalem is a message, one that ties deeply into Melchizedek and the mission of Jesus.
The name Jerusalem is believed to come from two parts:
“Jeru” – likely derived from the Hebrew "Yireh" (as in Yireh from YHWH-Yireh, meaning "God will provide" or "seen by God")
“Salem” – from "Shalem", which comes from the same root as shalom—the Hebrew word for peace, wholeness, and harmony
So, Jerusalem could be translated as:
“City of Peace” or even “The place where God provides peace”Here’s where it gets even more profound:
In Genesis 22, Abraham names the mountain where he almost sacrifices Isaac “YHWH Yireh”—“The Lord will provide.” Many scholars believe this mountain is the very place where Jeru-salem would later stand.And who was king of Salem long before Jerusalem became a city of kings and prophets?
Melchizedek.
So we have:
God’s provision (Yireh)
God’s peace (Shalem)
Fulfilled in Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who enters Jeru-salem not to conquer with a sword, but to offer His body for the salvation of the world.
It’s as if God was telling the story of redemption in the name of the city long before the people living there understood what it meant.
And if this doesn’t leave you moved to know more about Melchizedek. Let’s look at how his name tells us even more!
Melchizedek – King of Righteousness
The name Melchizedek is more than just ancient-sounding—it carries a message that foreshadows Christ Himself.
Let’s break it down:
Melech – means “king”
Tzedek – means “righteousness”
Put together:
“King of Righteousness”But that’s not all.
Genesis 14 also calls him the King of Salem, and as we saw, Salem comes from shalom—peace.
So Melchizedek is:King of Righteousness
King of PeaceSound familiar?
In the New Testament, Jesus is called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and is the source of our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30).
So in Melchizedek, we see a powerful foreshadowing:
A priest not based on genealogy
A king not of war, but of righteousness and peace
A forerunner of the eternal High Priest to come
No wonder the Letter to the Hebrews points to Melchizedek as a sign of Christ. His name alone tells a story the world was waiting for.
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