I have noticed that there are Jews today believe that Shem is Melchizedek because the Masoretic chronology has Shem living down past the birth of Jacob. Shem, Noah’s Son that was still alive at the time of Abraham and that would make him the oldest man alive qualifying him as a candidate for the order of Melchizedek.
Melchizedek, also spelled Melchisedech, in the OT, both king and priest, was honored by Abraham, who paid a tithe to him. Shem inherited the land of Salem and Melchizedek is the king of Salem. If Shem is indeed Melchizedek, the name is then used as a title, not an actual name. This title would seem to fit the biblical account of the Godliness and righteousness ascribed to Shem.
The earliest Jewish literary sources, make no connection of Shem was Melchizedek, in the Dead Sea Scrolls estimated date 100 BC... 1QGenesis Apocryphon. Hebrews Teaching says Abraham received the priesthood from Melchizedek. Shem reigned in righteousness (Melchizedek’s name means King of Righteousness), and the priesthood came through him. (Ginsberg, Legends of the Jews, p. 233.) If this is true, by the time of Shem’s death, Isaac was 110, and Jacob was 50. Before his death, Jacob did not tithe to Melchizedek after returning to the land of Canaan with his great wealth, which would have been logical and customary thing to do. In fact, there is no mention of tithing to either Shem or Melchizedek.
At the time of Yeshua, Jewish messianic expectation was of the arrival of Melchizedek as a “heavenly being” according to 11QMelchizedek. The earliest source that equates Melchizedek with Shem is Seder Olam Rabbah in 160 AD. The Seder Olam, is the first reference in history and was the basis from the pre-Masoretic text in the chronologies of Gen 5 and 11.
I know these are fragmented thoughts and findings regarding Shem and Melchizedek, but it is the start of the research into the question, was Shem Melchizedek?
Melchizedek, also spelled Melchisedech, in the OT, both king and priest, was honored by Abraham, who paid a tithe to him. Shem inherited the land of Salem and Melchizedek is the king of Salem. If Shem is indeed Melchizedek, the name is then used as a title, not an actual name. This title would seem to fit the biblical account of the Godliness and righteousness ascribed to Shem.
The earliest Jewish literary sources, make no connection of Shem was Melchizedek, in the Dead Sea Scrolls estimated date 100 BC... 1QGenesis Apocryphon. Hebrews Teaching says Abraham received the priesthood from Melchizedek. Shem reigned in righteousness (Melchizedek’s name means King of Righteousness), and the priesthood came through him. (Ginsberg, Legends of the Jews, p. 233.) If this is true, by the time of Shem’s death, Isaac was 110, and Jacob was 50. Before his death, Jacob did not tithe to Melchizedek after returning to the land of Canaan with his great wealth, which would have been logical and customary thing to do. In fact, there is no mention of tithing to either Shem or Melchizedek.
At the time of Yeshua, Jewish messianic expectation was of the arrival of Melchizedek as a “heavenly being” according to 11QMelchizedek. The earliest source that equates Melchizedek with Shem is Seder Olam Rabbah in 160 AD. The Seder Olam, is the first reference in history and was the basis from the pre-Masoretic text in the chronologies of Gen 5 and 11.
I know these are fragmented thoughts and findings regarding Shem and Melchizedek, but it is the start of the research into the question, was Shem Melchizedek?
