"Why do you seek the living among the dead?"
(The angels at the tomb in Luke 24:5)
"See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see.
For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."
(Jesus in Luke 24:39)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
(Jesus in John 8:58)
(The angels at the tomb in Luke 24:5)
"See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see.
For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."
(Jesus in Luke 24:39)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
(Jesus in John 8:58)
Jesus is, always was, and always will be alive.
What died on the cross was not him.
Scripture bears witness to his aliveness in Chapter 14 of Genesis, too.
His name is different, though:
"The Righteous Priest-King of the City of Peace,"
Melchizedek.
Melchizedek greeted and blessed Abram with bread and wine
when Abram returned from successfully rescuing his nephew, Lot.
What died on the cross was not him.
Scripture bears witness to his aliveness in Chapter 14 of Genesis, too.
His name is different, though:
"The Righteous Priest-King of the City of Peace,"
Melchizedek.
Melchizedek greeted and blessed Abram with bread and wine
when Abram returned from successfully rescuing his nephew, Lot.
"And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine.
(He was priest of God Most High.)
And he blessed him and said,
'Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!'
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything."
(Genesis 14:18)
(He was priest of God Most High.)
And he blessed him and said,
'Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!'
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything."
(Genesis 14:18)
Melchizedek is superior to Abram as evidenced by the fact that Abram is blessed by him, spontaneously pays tithes to him, and later is protected from the King of Sodom by his blessing.
"But Abram said to the king of Sodom,
"I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High,
Posessor of heaven and earth,
that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or untying that is yours
lest you should say, "I have made Abram rich."
I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten,
and the share of the men who went with me."
(Genesis 14:18)
"I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High,
Posessor of heaven and earth,
that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or untying that is yours
lest you should say, "I have made Abram rich."
I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten,
and the share of the men who went with me."
(Genesis 14:18)
Abraham is considered the father of three faiths: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. As it turns out, there is a deeper spiritual connection among us all; without Melchizedek's bread and wine blessing nothing would have unfolded as it did. And what was the divine choreography preceding that moment? We are given no clues as to where Melchizedek has been. Melchizedek, a man without genealogy, blesses both God and Abram.
Jesus said a blessing with bread and it multiplied to be able to feed five thousand people.
And taking the five loaves and the two fish,
he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them.
Then he broke the loaves and
gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
And they all ate and were satisfied.
And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
(Luke 9:16-17)
And taking the five loaves and the two fish,
he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them.
Then he broke the loaves and
gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
And they all ate and were satisfied.
And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
(Luke 9:16-17)
Jesus said a blessing with bread and it opened the eyes of the blind to his true identity.
"When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.
And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.
And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other,
"Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, when he opened to us the Scriptures?"
(Luke 24:30-32)
And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.
And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other,
"Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, when he opened to us the Scriptures?"
(Luke 24:30-32)
Abraham and Sarah are beyond child-bearing years and yet, their offspring, like Christ's bread, multiply into a nation, due to Melchizedek's blessing.
The name "Melchizedek, king of Salem" expresses Melchizedek's identity;
The name "Melchizedek, king of Salem" expresses Melchizedek's identity;
- “Melchi” מלך means “my king.” Note that at that time, a king was usually a secular manager, not a priest.
- "Zedek" צדק translates as "righteousness," aligned with spiritual principles.
- "Salem" means "peace."
- "Melchizedek, king of Salem" was the "Priest King of the City of Peace of God Most High."
"Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread,
and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said,
“Take, eat; this is my body.”
And he took a cup,
and when he had given thanks
he gave it to them, saying,
“Drink of it,
all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine
until that day when I drink it new with you
in my Father's kingdom.”
(Matthew 25: 26-29)
and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said,
“Take, eat; this is my body.”
And he took a cup,
and when he had given thanks
he gave it to them, saying,
“Drink of it,
all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine
until that day when I drink it new with you
in my Father's kingdom.”
(Matthew 25: 26-29)
Just as Melchizedek blessed Abram with bread and wine, so too does Jesus bless us with bread and wine,
with his body and blood, with the image of the Creator.
Abraham's nation has come to pass, the infinite children of the living Creator.
God is alive.
As you read these words, God is alive in you, in Jesus, in Melchizedek.
with his body and blood, with the image of the Creator.
Abraham's nation has come to pass, the infinite children of the living Creator.
God is alive.
As you read these words, God is alive in you, in Jesus, in Melchizedek.