King of Righteousness, King of Peace

The first priest mentioned in the Bible was a mysterious man named Melchizedek.

Four armies from the east had attacked five cities in the land of Canaan, including Sodom. Abraham’s nephew Lot, who lived in Sodom, had been taken captive. In response, Abraham organized a rescue mission. He and 318 of his servants freed Lot and recovered the goods stolen from Sodom by the invading armies.

Upon his return, a grateful king of Sodom met him, together with a different king, who ruled a city about 40 miles away:

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he [Abraham] gave him tithes of all.

Genesis 14:18-20

Melchizedek’s name consists of two Hebrew words: melek (מֶלֶךְ), which means “king,” and tsedeq (צֶדֶק), which means “righteousness.” The city which he ruled, Salem (שָׁלֵם) (likely a shortened form of Jerusalem), means “peaceful.” So, as the author of Hebrews wrote, the phrase “Melchizedek king of Salem” could be translated “King of righteousness, King of peace” (see Hebrews 7:2).

The author of Hebrews emphasizes the superiority of the priesthood held by Melchizedek by emphasizing Abraham’s subservience to him. From the time of Moses onward, all of the priests in Israel were descendants of Levi, and yet here we see Levi’s great grandfather, Abraham, paying tithing to Melchizedek and receiving blessings from him:

And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

Hebrews 7:9-11

So the author of Hebrews is drawing a contrast between a lesser priesthood (after the order of Aaron) and a greater priesthood (after the order of Melchizedek), which he is equating with the power held by Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Alma made the same connection and underscored the role of Melchizedek as a type of Christ by changing his title from “king” to “prince,” in an apparent reference to Isaiah 9:6:

Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the king of Salem; and he did reign under his father.

Alma 13:18

Notice the active nature of Melchizedek’s leadership. Righteousness is not merely the absence of evil. It is an active, energetic virtue. A righteous person is not a recluse, isolated and insulated from the challenges of life, but rather an engaged participant in God’s work.

The outcome of Melchizedek’s righteousness was peace. He established peace in his city by motivating his people to repent. And he helped Abraham find peace by administering sacred ordinances:

And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed.

Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being a type of his order, or it being his order, and this that they might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord.

Alma 13:15-16

In modern revelation, the Lord reaffirmed Melchizedek’s role as a symbol of His priesthood power:

There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood.

Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because Melchizedek was such a great high priest.

Before his day it was called the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God.

But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood.

Doctrine and Covenants 107:1-4

Like the great king and priest Melchizedek, we can be part of the Savior’s order, enabling us to act in righteousness and experience peace.

Today, I will strive to follow the example of Melchizedek, living by the ordinances revealed by the Savior, actively doing good and being a peacemaker.