Melchizedek in the Dead Sea scrolls…
(Posted on: 24th February 2009
By: Brent Kercheville)
“One of the fascinating things I found from reading the Dead Sea Scrolls is the number of references to Melchizedek. There are 11 mentions of Melchizedek in the scrolls, a curiosity due to the limited information given about him in Genesis 14. Understanding how the Jews thought of Melchizedek colors our understanding of what the writer of Hebrews is arguing concerning Melchizedek in Hebrews 7. So I thought I would post some of the Qumran references to Melchizedek for others to consume. The […] indicates broken text because the fragment is lost or damaged and cannot be translated.
11Q13 2:2-10
2:2 And concerning what scripture says, “In [this] year of Jubilee [you shall return, every one of you, to your property” (Leviticus 25:13) and what is also written, “And this]
3 is the [ma]nner 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” (Deuteronomy 15:2). ]
4 [The interpretation] is that it applies [to the L]ast Days and concerns the captives, just as [Isaiah said: “To proclaim the Jubilee to the captives” (Isaiah 61:1). … just] as
5 […] and from the inheritance of Melchizedek, f[or … Melchize]dek, who
6 will return them to what is rightfully theirs. He will proclaim to them the Jubilee, thereby releasing th[em from the debt of a]ll their sins. [He shall pro]claim this decree
7 in the fir[s]t [wee]k of the Jubilee period that foll[ows nine j]ubilee periods. Then the “D[ay of Atone]ment” shall follow af[ter] the [te]nth [ju]bilee period,
8 when he shall atone for all the Sons of [Light] and the peopl[e who are pre]destined to Mel[chi]zedek. […] upo[n the]m […] For
9 this is the time decreed for “the year of Melchiz[edek]’s favor” (Isaiah 61:2, modified), [and] by his might he w[i]ll judge God’s holy ones and so establish a righteous ki[n]gdom, as it is written
10 about him in the Songs of David, “A godlike being has taken his place in the council of God; in the midst of the divine beings he holds judgment” (Psalm 82:1).
———
…The Melchizedek figure is pictured in combination with the year of Jubilee. Jubilee was the forgiveness of debts. But the Qumran community saw this Melchizedek figure as doing more than forgiving debts, but also forgiving sins (2:6). Not only this, Melchizedek is placed on the same level as God. In referencing Isaiah 61:2, the Qumran community substituted “the year of the Lord’s favor” for “the year of Melchizedek’s favor” (2:9). Further, Melchizedek would establish a righteous kingdom and will judge the holy ones (2:9).
The Qumran people saw Melchizedek as a divine Messianic figure who would establish a kingdom and release the people of their debt to sin. It seems their concept of the Messiah was not farfetched. But it is curious that they equated Melchizedek to this work. Perhaps this is the reason for the argument found in Hebrews 7 that Melchizedek was superior because he held the office of priest and king simultaneously. So the Messiah would do the same.
Scholars debate over how influential the Qumran community was in Judaism from the second century BC to the first century AD. They also debate over how reflective their beliefs were to that of the rest of Jewish society. Were they just a small group in the wilderness with strange beliefs? If so, many of the documents like the Copper Scroll do not make much sense. Or did the Qumran community have the same general beliefs and doctrinal ideas as the rest of the Jewish population, but lived in the wilderness either because they perceived the nation and priesthood to be defiled and/or because the approaching invasion of the Roman armies?
Link:
http://www.christianmonthlystandard.com/index.php/melchizedek-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls/
…”Melchizedek: During Abram’s sojourn in Canaan this priest and king met and Treated him with hospitality (Genesis 14:18-20). Much mystery appears to hang about this distinguished personage. Various theories have been Advanced concerning him. Some assert that he was God Almighty. This is Not a fact, for he was “the priest of the most high God” (Genesis 14:18). Others assert that he was Jesus Christ. This is not a fact, for he was “Made like the Son of God” (Hebrews 7:3). It is asserted in the Scriptures that he was a man (Hebrews 7:1-4). If you will reflect that the Scriptures deal with him in his official capacity, the difficulties and Mysteries surrounding him will immediately vanish. Let us take a closer View. The history of the world, from the Biblical standpoint, naturally Divides itself into three different periods, which for want of better Terms I will designate,
– the Patriarchal dispensation,
– the Jewish dispensation,
– the Christian dispensation.
Each dispensation is characterized by a priesthood peculiarly its own. There was no regular priestly line from the transgression to the giving Of the law of Moses. In a general way, it may be asserted that every Man was his own priest (Genesis 4:1-4; Genesis 12:7,8; Genesis 15:8-18; Genesis 26:19-25; Genesis 31:43-55 Genesis 35:1-15; Genesis 46:1). During this age Melchizedek appeared. He was king of Salem and priest of the most high God. We know nothing of his duties Or prerogatives as priest or king. We know that he did not belong to Any special priestly order. His priestly office was independent of all Other men. In the priestly office he was without father, and without Mother, and without descent. No record was kept of his installation as Priest, his official acts, or his death, hence, so far as the record is Concerned, he was without beginning of days or end of life. At the Inauguration of the second dispensation an entire family was set apart To the priestly office, and the priestly office remained in that Family, and was transmitted from father to son and from generation to Generation to the death of Christ (Exodus 29:1,29; Numbers 17:1-13; Numbers 18:1-7 Hebrews 7:11,23-28). David predicted that a priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek (Psalms 110:4). This is repeatedly affirmed by the author of Hebrews. The priesthood of the Christian dispensation is After the order of Melchizedek, and not after the order of Aaron. Jesus became a priest when he entered heaven by his own blood (Hebrews 8:1-4; Hebrews 10:11-12). His priesthood is independent. He had no predecessor, and he will have no successor. He will remain in heaven And officiate as priest until the work of redemption is done.”
(Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia)
…(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon on Righteousness… )
“in the writings of Paul ἡ δικαιοσύνη has a peculiar meaning, opposed to the views of the Jews and Judaizing Christians. To understand this meaning, the following facts especially must be kept in view: the Jews as a people, and very many who had become converts from among them to Christianity, supposed that they secured the favor of God by works conformed to the requirements of the Mosaic law, as though by way of merit; and that they would thus attain to eternal salvation. But this law demands perfect obedience to all its precepts, and threatens condemnation to those who do not render such obedience (Galatians 3:10, 12). Obedience of this kind no one has rendered (Romans 3:10), neither Jews nor Gentiles (Romans 1:24-2:1) — for with the latter the natural law of right written on their souls takes the place of the Mosaic law (Romans 2:14f). On this account Paul proclaims the love of God, in that by giving up Christ, his Son, to die as an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of men he has attested his grace and good-will to mankind, so that they can hope for salvation as if they had not sinned. But the way to obtain this hope, he teaches, is only through faith (see πίστις (especially 1 b. and d.)), by which a man appropriates that grace of God revealed and pledged in Christ; and this faith is reckoned by God to the man as δικαιοσύνη; that is to say, δικαιοσύνη denotes “the state acceptable to God which becomes a sinner’s possession through that faith by which he embraces the grace of God offered him in the expiatory death of Jesus Christ (see δικαιόω, 3 b.). In this sense ἡ δικαιοσύνη is used without an adjunct in Romans 4:5f, 11; Romans 5:17, 21; Romans 9:30; Romans 14:11 (? (see b.)); 1 Corinthians 1:30; Galatians 5:5; δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ, ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνη, the righteousness which God ascribes, what God declares to be righteousness (Winer’s Grammar, 186 (175)), Romans 1:17; Romans 3:21; Romans 10:3; by a pregnant use, equivalent to that divine arrangement by which God leads men to a state acceptable to him, Romans 10:4; as abstract for concrete, equivalent to those whom God accounts righteous, 2 Corinthians 5:21; δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ διά πίστεως, Romans 3:22; ἡ δικαιοσύνη τῆς πίστεως, which is acquired by faith, or seen in faith, Romans 4:11, 13; ἡ ἐκ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνη which comes from God, i. e. is adjudged, imputed, Philippians 3:9 (wbere the addition ἐπί τῇ πίστει depends on ἔχων, having … founded upon faith (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 137 (130); 392 (367); yet cf. Ellicott, at the passage)); ἡ ἐκ πίστεως δικαιοσύνη which comes from faith, Romans 9:30; Romans 10:6; ἡ διά πίστεως Χριστοῦ, Philippians 3:9; ἡ κατά πίστιν δικαιοσύνη according to, appropriate to, faith, Hebrews 11:7 (but it should be kept in mind that the conception of ‘faith’ in the Epistle to the Hebrews is broader than in Paul’s writings (cf. e. g. Kurtz, at the passage)); Christ is called δικαιοσύνη, as being the one without whom there is no righteousness, as the author of righteousness, 1 Corinthians 1:30; εἰς δικαιοσύνην, unto righteousness as the result, to obtain righteousness, Romans 10:4, 10; ἡ πίστις λογίζεται τίνι εἰς δικαιοσύνην, faith is reckoned to one for righteousness, i. e. is so taken into account, that righteousness is ascribed to it or recognized in it: Romans 4:3, 6, 9, 22; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23; ἡ διακονία τῆς δικαιοσύνης (see διακονία, 2 b.), 2 Corinthians 3:9. Opposed to this δικαιοσύνη, arising from faith, is ἡ ἐκ νόμου δικαιοσύνη, a state acceptable to God which is supposed to result from obedience to the law, Romans 10:5f; ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἐν νόμῳ relying on the law, i. e. on imaginary obedience to it, Philippians 3:6; ἡ ἰδίᾳ δικαιοσύνη and ἡ ἐμή ἐδικαιοσυνη, such as one supposes that he has acquired for himself by his own works, Romans 10:3 Philippians 3:9, cf. Galatians 2:21; Galatians 3:21.”