Posted on 01/24/2019 7:37:42 AM PST by Salvation
Monsignor Pope Ping!
Scott Hahn says that some ancient Jewish writings say that Melchizedek (a title) was Shem, the first-born son of Noah. Using a literal reading of the genealogies in Genesis, it’s chronologically possible. Iirc, Dr. Hahn had some additional textual support based on the fact the “Shem” is the Hebrew word for “name.”
One of the big frustrations of the bible is that it doesn’t tell up more about Melchizedek. I understand God tells us what we need to know, but, it’s just a natural desire to want to know more about this obviously very important person and what he really represents.
That was by design not to tell people outwardly. There is an inner sense and an outer her sense to the Bible. There were people adept in the mysteries who knew things from the esoteric side and kept it secret except to the one they determined to be deserving. Working your way through the mysteries is how a mystic developed. Just like a bird that hatches from an egg he receives his strength from pecking through the egg. If his mother cracks open the egg for him he will not have the strength to survive and will die. The ancients were clear that these stories were actually about inner things that existed internally in a mans soul. Melchizedek should be seen as a very high aspect of a persons own soul.
The entire subject of Melchizedek tells us that there is so much more backstory to the Bible and ancient Hebrew history than is told in the Bible or even ancient Jewish Lore.
That is the beauty of the Bible. It doesn't aim to explain or to win over converts.
It tells us what we need to know and no more.
But it also hints at this vast world beyond. It hints of the Realm of God that we will one day enter.
I think it's pretty safe to say that we won't be floating around on clouds and listening to harp music.;-)
However much that might or might not be correct, it is a crude assumption.
We have no earthly idea of God's design or the reasons for it.
Yep. There is an ancient Hebrew story that he was so holy he was born circumcised.
“This also explains Jesus’ use of bread and wine in the Eucharist, for as Genesis 14:17-19 recounts, this was the offering of Melchizedek:”
Christ was celebrating Passover as a Jew.
This explains the bread and wine.
Melchizedek is a title that means ‘righteous king’. He ruled Salem, which later became Jerusalem. His name was Shem, son of Noah. Together with his grandson Eber, he kept alive the story of the commandments that God had given to Adam, Enoch and Noah.
That has always been the understanding of Jews through the ages.
This also tells us that tithes preceded the Law of Moses, so the argument that since Christians are not under the law they are not obligated to tithe.
Thanks for the added interesting information.
Pre-flood, people were living well beyond nine-hundred years; the lifespans ramped down after the flood but not immediately. Noah himself was still alive during the lifetime of Abraham's father. Noah's son Shem, his son and grandson were alive during much of Abrahan's life.
I have similarly heard the assertion that Melchizadek was Shem. Whether he was or was not, it is true that during Abraham's life at least some people who came off the ark were still alive. So while on the one hand it is shocking how quickly evil took hold again after the flood, (Abraham's family were essentially pagans aside from Abraham himself) apparently God himself had not been completely forgotten.
It seems that when God told the various survivors of the flood where they were to settle, they did not all obey. So Canaan wound up on land that Shem's people were supposed to settle, and Abraham's family (of Shem's line) wound up in Ur. Its not impossible that Shem himself obeyed and went into the land we call Canaan after the tribe who usurped it.
Jesus
Any more questions?
Actually, it looks like Abraham was in his late forties when Noah himself died...
I will take your comment to heart though frankly it may take some time to lay it out against the backdrop of what Jaynes has theorized.
All this said, we can only theorize as to how the ancients viewed theology.
I have studied Dr. James Kugel, one of the leading authorities on ancient Jewish "Scriptural" interpretation, and have seen not one scintilla of evidence of different temporal lobe perception of theology by the ancients.
If you have any sources as to the different temporal lobe perception of theology by the ancients, I would appreciate it. It is a fascinating subject and time pondering it is time well spent.
Traditional Jewish understanding is that Abraham was in his late 50s when Noah died.
Yur welcome.;-)
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