Melchizedekian (and Other) Priesthoods

Dr. Claude Mariottini has a nice, succinct post about Jesus and what it means to be a “priest after the order of Melchizedek” (Ps 110:4; Heb 5:6). There are, in fact, several hints in the Bible about a non-Aaronic priesthood associated with the tribe of Judah in general and the Davidic line in particular:

Before David

In Judges 17:7, there is mention of a Judahite who was also a Levite: “Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the clan of Judah. He was a Levite residing there.”

David’s Priesthood

If Melchizedek?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s ?¢‚Ǩ?ìSalem?¢‚Ǩ¬ù was Jerusalem (a likely, though not uncontested, assumption), perhaps David was acclaimed ?¢‚Ǩ?ìpriest of the order of Melchizedek?¢‚Ǩ¬ù by the native population as the rightful successor of the previous line of priest-kings.

Perhaps the strongest suggestion of a Davidic royal priesthood is in 2 Samuel 6?¢‚Ǩ‚Äùthe story of David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem. Might bringing the ark to Jerusalem have represented a conjoining of the Mechizedekian and the Levitical priesthoods? In this light, note 2 Samuel 6:17:

They brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and offerings of well-being before the LORD.

When he finished, he blessed the people and distributed food to them: precisely what Melchizedek did for Abraham in Genesis 14.

Of course, it is possible that “David offered sacrifices” should be read in the same light as “Solomon built the temple.” He didn’t do the work himself but was the driving force in getting the job done. In other words, he appointed qualified professionals?¢‚Ǩ‚Äùthe Levitical priesthood?¢‚Ǩ‚Äùto actually perform the rituals.

In any event, after this episode it doesn’t seem that David offered sacrifices as his Melchizedekian predecessors most surely did. Rather, he introduced Levitical priests for that purpose. Even so, he may well have taken part in major religious ceremonies in an exalted position, in recognition of his royal priestly connections and status. Later Davidic kings, not so scrupulous, might have gone even further.

During the Monarchy

Intermarriage. During the monarchy, there are numerous examples of intermarriage between the Davidic and Aaronic lines, contrary to the usual custom of marrying only within one?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s tribe.

The Rechabites. Jeremiah referred to the sons of Rechab (Rechabites) always having a man to stand before Yahweh (Jer 35:18-19):

But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said: Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of your ancestor Jonadab, and kept all his precepts, and done all that he commanded you, therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab son of Rechab shall not lack a descendant to stand before me for all time.

Is this a reference to some form of recognized priesthood?

The Rechabites were a religious order like the Nazirites, founded by Jonadab son of Rechab during the reign of Jehu (842-815 BC). They returned to desert ways, lived in tends, were shepherds, and abstained from wine. Jeremiah?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s prophecy was probably given around 601 BC (cf. Jer 12:7-13) (cf. 2 Ki 10:15-28).

Rechab was a Kenite: a member of a non-Israelite tribe that joined itself to Israel during the wilderness wanderings (Nu 10:29-32; Jg 1:16; Jg 4:17). The Kenites became identified with the tribe of Judah.

Elijah. There are also some fleeting indications of other non-Aaronides performing priestly functions. Elijah, apparently from the tribe of Naphtali (Tishbe was in Naphtali territory) built an altar and offered a sacrifice upon it (1 Ki 18:30-38).

After the Exile

Might all this have contributed to the expectation in later Judaism of a Messiah with both priestly and royal attributes? Zechariah 6:13 gives a messianic prophecy about “a priest on his throne.” Some Jews, including the writers of the Dead Sea Scrolls, divided these functions among two figures: a priestly messiah and a distinct royal messiah. This distinction probably lay behind the Levites’ questioning John the Baptist, of the priestly line of Abjiah, as to whether he were in fact the Messiah (Jn 1:19-28).

Perhaps this line of thinking also sheds light on the early church tradition preserved by Hegesippus that James, a brother of Jesus and thus also of the Davidic line, frequently prayed in the Holy of Holies. I am highly doubtful that there is any historical value in this tradition, but a memory of Davidic priesthood “after the order of Melchizedek” might well explain its origin.