Abraham is blessed by Melchizedek. Artist: Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld. Engraver: F. Reusche, inscribed lower right. Source: Die Bibel in Bildern. Click on image to enlarge it.
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.h. [Genesis 14:18-10; King James Bible; Schnorr's illustration cites only the first line.]
Melchizedek whom the Bible mentions only twice — in Genesis and Hebrews 7:1-10 — was another common type of Christ, the reasons of which the Epistle to the Hebrews explains at length:
This Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 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; 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. . . . 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 Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. . . . For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. . . . . Jesus made a surety of a better testament. . . . For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. [Hebrews 7:1-2, 11-16, 22, 26-28]
Representations of Melchizedek by Holman Hunt, Pugin, and other artists
- Melchizedek by William Holman Hunt
- Melchizedek blessing Abraham by A. Strähuber.
- Melchizedek offers bread and wine to Abraham by A. W. N. Pugin
- Melchizedek by Nathaniel Westlake
You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the Hathi Digital Trust Library and the Columbia University Library and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.
Bibliography
Die Bibel in Bildern [Picture Bible] von Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld. Leipzig: Georg Wigands, 1860. Hathi Digital Trust Library online version of a copy in the Columbia University Library. Web. 25 June 2016. — George P. Landow.
Last modified 27 June 2016