Melchizedek, we hardly knew ye

[Mus Zibii]

I forget who, but at one point in some thread someone mentioned Melchizedek and his role in Judaism and Christianity. I don't have much to ask about the subject apart from what the consensus is among the regulars here.

Its always been my opnion that the last meal of Jesus and the Christian communion was born from the offering Melchizedek sat before Abram.

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

The identity of Melchizedek, or perhaps the lack of understanding about him, seems to have set the stage for the obscure identity of Jesus.

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

There's the Qumran scrolls that call for the 'coming' of Melchizedek and Nag Hammadi texts that illustrate a greater relation to Christ than is expressed in Hebrews.

The lawyers will bury him quickly. They will call him 'impious man', 'lawless', 'impure'. And on the third day, he will rise from the dead ...

These things which I was commanded to reveal, these things reveal as I (have done). But that which is hidden, do not reveal to anyone, unless it is revealed to you (to do so)."

And immediately, I arose, I, Melchizedek, and I began to [...] God [...] that I should rejoice ...

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"

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, Mus Zibii!

And thank you.

Originally Posted by Mus Zibii

I forget who, but at one point in some thread someone mentioned Melchizedek and his role in Judaism and Christianity. I don't have much to ask about the subject apart from what the consensus is among the regulars here.

Its always been my opnion that the last meal of Jesus and the Christian communion was born from the offering Melchizedek sat before Abram.

The identity of Melchizedek, or perhaps the lack of understanding about him, seems to have set the stage for the obscure identity of Jesus.

There's the Qumran scrolls that call for the 'coming' of Melchizedek and Nag Hammadi texts that illustrate a greater relation to Christ than is expressed in Hebrews.

I would still be interested in what BananaBrain's oral tradition might have to further all of this. Melchizedek is an enigmatic figure, no matter how one looks at him.

[I, Brian]

Enigmatic sometimes being an understatement - as with regards to Melchizedek.

That such a person should make an appearance in the Pentateuch with such fine flowing titles, but almost no description, is truly one of the oddest things.

[Mus Zibii]

He's one of those odd characters or moments that fade in and out of the Pentateuch, but leave their mark. I was reading and found that the apocrypha Slavonic Enoch makes mention of him. But in addition to the controversy of 2 Enoch in general, the last few verses that include the reference are debated to be an interpolation.

[I, Brian]

And a trouble in general with a lot of the apocrypha - sometimes well-meaning, but not very authoritative.

It'll be interesting to see what bananabrain's response is, if he sees this thread - I'd be curious if he has any general commentaries or links.

[Sacredstar]

May I share a mystical experience encountered a couple of years ago. I was running a training course and during one of the meditations, I saw this amazing man sitting on a golden throne. He was huge with white hair and a beard, he looked a bit like Neale Donald Walsch same build and generous wide face. He was dressed in gold and white and looked truly magnificent.

My first impression was is this GOD?

So I asked him, and he responded no I AM Melchizedek. In the ascension chamber there were many beings whom some call Ascended Masters or the Great White Brotherhood, and standing behind him were huge light beings towering above him in height. He explained that those that stood before him were the ones assisting planet earth and the ones that stood behind him were the ascended masters from other planets. He gave me the impression that he was an inter-galatic being.

I don't buy into worldviews of Theosophy on these matters, I can only know truth for myself through the evidence of my own experience.

In integrity

Sacredstar

[dauer]

Melchi-Tzedek means "righteous king" in Hebrew. At one point David is called melchitzedek, but I don't remember the verse. According to Jewish tradition, the righteous king of Shalem is Shem.

Dauer

[FriendRob]

Originally Posted by dauer

Melchi-Tzedek means "righteous king" in Hebrew. At one point David is called melchitzedek, but I don't remember the verse. According to Jewish tradition, the righteous king of Shalem is Shem.

Dauer

"Prince of Light" is the translation I've seen most often. In the Dead Sea Scrolls, there is also mention of Melchi-resha: "Prince of Darkness". This may be an indication of Persian/Zoroastrian influence. They had a dualistic system of Light=good, Dark= evil that was probably one of the influences on the theology of the DSS.

[dauer]

Originally Posted by FriendRob

"Prince of Light" is the translation I've seen most often. In the Dead Sea Scrolls, there is also mention of Melchi-resha: "Prince of Darkness". This may be an indication of Persian/Zoroastrian influence. They had a dualistic system of Light=good, Dark= evil that was probably one of the influences on the theology of the DSS.

melchi does not relate to the word prince, which is nasikh. Melekh is king or ruler.

Tzedek can only mean justice or righteousness.

Perhaps in the the DSS the term 'righteous king' came to have a very specific meaning just as HaMoshiach, "the messiah" came to have a specific connotation other than moshiach without a direct object, which would simply refer to someone who had been annointed into a leadership position, and the translations you are familiar with take liberties.

Light is usually Or and I'm pretty certain there is a group at the end of days in the DSS called B'nai Or, the children of light. Perhaps you have your terms mixed up?

Dauer

[Sacredstar]

Does anyone recognise these words?

yoredei merkaba
yoredei merkabah
yoredei ha-merkavah

being love

kim xx

[dauer]

Sacredstar,

I'm not so good with conjugating verbs at this point but I think it has to do with going down to the divine chariot, the merkava. Merkava mysticism is developed around Ezekiel's vision, which may have had an earlier form that Ezekiel's vision is referring to.

iirc, sometimes people would be said to descend rather than ascend to the chariot. I'm not very familiar with the system, and there is some new age merkava stuff that has nothing to do with merkava mysticism.

Dauer

[bananabrain]

Does anyone recognise these words?

yoredei merkaba
yoredei merkabah
yoredei ha-merkavah

yep. what dauer said. why do you ask?

b'shalom

bananabrain

[Sacredstar]

Dear BB

I came across these words a couple of years ago now, but could not find any trace of any information relating to them and I thought if anyone would know you guys would.

Of course in Egyptian the Ka and Ba is the lightbody.

Love beyond measure

Sacredstar

[FriendRob]

Originally Posted by dauer

melchi does not relate to the word prince, which is nasikh. Melekh is king or ruler.

Tzedek can only mean justice or righteousness.

Perhaps in the the DSS the term 'righteous king' came to have a very specific meaning just as HaMoshiach, "the messiah" came to have a specific connotation other than moshiach without a direct object, which would simply refer to someone who had been annointed into a leadership position, and the translations you are familiar with take liberties.

Light is usually Or and I'm pretty certain there is a group at the end of days in the DSS called B'nai Or, the children of light. Perhaps you have your terms mixed up?

Dauer

Thanks for the correction. Melchi-zedek/resha translate to "King of Righteousness/Evil" as you said, according to this site , which also says that they are probably the same figures as the Prince of Light (or Truth) and Prince of Darkness that appear elsewhere in the DSS. I must have gotten the translation and the identification confused.

[dauer]

SacredStar,

some reading on Merkavah mysticism can be found here:

http://www.myjewishlearning.com:80/i...ah_Robinso.htm

If you look at the bar on the left you will see there are a few more articles that go more in-depth. The article on Ezekiel's vision would be of interest to you, as well as the one on heikhalot literature.


Also, Prof E. Segel designed an interactive online ascent/descent into the merkabah based I think on heikhalot literature here:

http://www.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Rels...s/Palace1.html

Dauer