God’s Truth
Biblical Prophecies 5—Prophecies of the messiah 3
Abstract
© Dr M D Magee
Contents Updated: Sunday, July 25, 1999
Discussion
From Apikorus
There is another possibility for Psalms 110 that you may not have considered, namely that of the character Melchizedek not being in the psalm at all. The Hebrew of Ps 110:4b is “atah kohen l’olam al dibrati malki-tsedeq” It seems to me that this psalm, which is not at all “messianic”, was written in part to justify the royal arrogation of the priesthood. Form critics have for years surmised that it may have been recited upon the accession of each new Davidic king. In that context it makes sense to literalize “malki-tsedeq” as “my king of righteousness” = “my righteous king”. So the English translation of Ps 110:4 would now be “Yahweh has sworn and will not change his mind, You are a priest forever, according to my words, my righteous king” Ps 110:4b is thus a quote by the author of the psalm of the divine assurance granted to David (or a later Davidide). I noticed that your essay on this subject presumes at one point the historicity of David. I think Baruch Halpern (see “David’s Secret Demons”) is quite likely right when he says that 2 Samuel does contain much historical material, provided one views it through an appropriate lens. In this case, the fact that David apparently conducted sacrifices (when the ark was brought back to Jerusalem) and the fact that David’s sons are identified as “kohanim” (priests) suggests that David himself was a priest-king, and perhaps the ideal priest-king. All this fits rather well with reading “my righteous king” into Ps 110:4b, and reading the character of Melchizedek from Gen 14 out.
Mike: I am happy to note the point you make and will add it to the page as a comment.
Apikorus: Regarding Psalms 110 again, you might take a look at Psalms 132. I think it supports my reading of “malki-tsedeq” = “righteous king” in Ps 110:4b. Clearly Ps 132 is redolent of enthronement terminology. Compare with Ps 132:11 “nishba-yhwh l’dovid emet lo yashuv” with Ps 110:4a “nishba yhwh v’lo yinahem”—the oath (”nishba yhwh” = “yhwh has sworn”) of the sovereign. Also note the parallel mention of the priesthood. The “christological” reading of Ps 110 makes a horrible mess of it (for starters they don’t understand the difference between adoni with a hiriq and adonai with a patach), as it does to the entire Hebrew bible. Of course rabbinic midrash goes wildly beyond the plain sense of the text as well, but in much more creative ways.
Mike: Well, Melchizedek is a good example of mythical figures who grow out of all proportion in sacred speculation. Your explanation has the ring of truth to me, but believers will not be interested.
From Brad
I find it interesting that the author of Matthew, who claims a virgin birth, has Moabites in the genealogy of Jesus.
The Jews or Hebrews were not simply one big happy family of unified clans. They all considered themselves special and the there is no reason to think the OT bible represents the unified writings of a homogenous group of believers and more than Christianity is a unified group. Often these religions spawn groups within groups and bicker constantly. The unknown author of the Gospel of Matthew may have been trying to establish a “clean” Savior who conformed to his idea of what a pure Jew should be.
This author gives the bloodline of Joseph which passes through David and Solomon. However this bloodline cant produce a really pure and clean Savior and perhaps this had something to do with motivating a “virgin” birth. There are “unclean” elements in this list. Note the name RUTH in the following list.
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was RUTH, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife.Mt 1:1-6
Ruth was a Moabite, as shown in the following verse.
I have also acquired RUTH the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!Ruth 4:10
Why is this a problem? Moabites are in a sense, abomination to the Lord.
No Ammonite or Moabite or any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation.Dt 23:3
The author of Deut makes it clear what God thinks of Moabites. They are not to be included in his assembly without exception. More evidence that mixing Moabite “blood” with pure Hebrew blood was an abomination to the Lord is provided by the prophet Ezra.
The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, MOABITES, Egyptians and Amorites. They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled THE HOLY RACE with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness. When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.Ezra 9:1-4
The key sentence: “They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled THE HOLY RACE with the peoples around them.” The HOLY RACE has been polluted by bad blood and Moabites are bad blood. The solution was then invoked. Get rid of that bad blood.
While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.Ezra 10:1-3
So we see that Moabites aren’t allowed to pollute a holy race by being married to God’s pure chosen people. A true Hebrew or Jew is not to mix his blood with theirs. According to strict Hebrew denominations, even King David wasnt a true Jew as he has tainted blood in his line from RUTH.
Where does all this lead? Perhaps the author of Matthew was attempting to create as pure a Savior as possible and wanted to avoid Jesus having any tainted “blood” in his makeup which would invalidate him as a pure, unpolluted Savior. A virgin birth would help alleviate this problem of polluted ancestry.
Also, I especially noticed the part of your page concerning the NT book of Hebrews(a very slick and equally dishonest NT work) regarding Jesus being a high priest. With regard to the Melchizedek nonsense, I wrote about this in an essay (excerpt below) on my web site and I’m glad to see others such as yourself calling these issues into question. The nonsense has been accepted for far too long. Regards, Brad
From Essay: The following verses continue the deconstruction of the Old Testament teachings:
For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.Heb 7:14-16
As noted earlier, here the NT writer admits Jesus is not a Levite but declares that Jesus is a “special” priest “like” Melchizedek and a bona fide full service priest based on his “indestructible life” and not on his ancestry. This is probably one of the most blatant examples of dishonest doctrine creation that the NT writers performed. God stated long after the era of the people’s priesthood that only Levites (Ex 29:9) would be full service priests.
For it is declared: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (This verse refers to Ps 110:4)Heb 7:17
Melchizedek was a king in Genesis< (Gen 14:18) who performed some priestly functions. He performed these functions long before the full service Levitical priesthood was established by God. After the golden calf incident, the Aaronic (Levitical) priesthood superseded all other forms and was never replaced by anything as it was promised to the Levites as a lasting covenant. (Ex 29:9, Num 25:13 and Jer 33:18) In Heb 7:17 the author of Hebrews has attempted to make Ps 110:4 about Jesus when it is about David.
The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.Ps 110:4
Heb 7:17 refers to Ps 110:4 which is about David, not Jesus. David was a priest like Melchizedek in that he performed some but not all priestly functions (2 Sam 6:17). While burnt and peace offerings existed prior to the Levitical priesthood, the full services of the Levitical priesthood did not. Instructions for sin offerings don’t appear as a ritual until Ex 29. Until the tabernacle was built, there was no full service priesthood. The new doctrine of deception is further advanced in the following:
The former regulation [that only Levites could be full service priests] is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.Heb 7:18-19
God NEVER set aside his following regulation that only Levites could be full service priests:
Bring his sons and dress them in tunics and put headbands on them. Then tie sashes on Aaron and his sons. The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance. In this way you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.Ex 29:8-9
The Levites, by acting as God’s enforcers to quell the rebellion which occurred when the people worshipped the golden calf, ensured themselves of God’s promise that they, and only they, would be full service priests: The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. Then Moses said, You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and ere against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.
(End of essay excerpt)
