MELCHIZEDEK. - King of Salem, probably Jerusalem (cf. Ps. 76 [75], 5), and priest of God (called 'Eli-eljôn; cf. Num. 24,16; Deut. 32,8).
The Hebrew Malki-ṣedeq, transcribed by St. Jerome as Melchisedec (A. Vaccari [V. BIBLICA.], p. 208), is explained by W. Gesenius and E. Kautzsch as "king of justice" (cf. Hebr. 7,2); by many moderns as "my king is Ṣedeq," a name of a Canaanite deity, otherwise unknown (cf. 'âdhônî-ṣedeq, Jos. 10,3; P. Heinisch, *Das Buch Genesis*, Bonn 1930, p. 221).
M. went to meet Abraham, returning from his victorious counterattack against the kings of Mesopotamia, bringing bread and wine to refresh him and his 300 warriors (cf. Chrysostom: *PG* 53,336); he blessed Abraham in the name of 'Eli-eljôn, and Abraham in return gave him a tenth of all the spoils (Gen. 14,17-20). The terms used (the verb *jâsâ'*) and the very construction (ibid. 14,18 sqq.) do not allow the conclusion that M. also offered bread and wine in sacrifice; yet this may be considered certain, in accordance with Jewish and Christian tradition, bearing in mind the ancient custom of consecrating a victory with a sacrifice (A. Vaccari, P. Heinisch).
M. is a type of the Messiah (Ps. 110 [109], 4), to whom the same name and that of the city apply in the interpretation given by St. Paul (Hebr. 7,2). As M., the Messiah is king and priest; no genealogy is given of M. (ἀγενεαλόγητος, Hebr. 7,3), which was necessary for the Levitical priesthood; thus the priesthood of Christ, by its eternal origin, is not bound to any earthly kinship, the Messiah possesses it by native right and by investiture from God Himself (cf. Hebr. 5,4 sqq.); therefore forever. M. blesses Abraham and receives the tithe, and so is superior to the patriarch and to the Levitical priesthood sprung from his loins; he is the type of the absolute superiority of the supreme priesthood of Christ over that of the old law (Hebr. 7,1-28).
Catholic tradition further sees in the sacrifice of M. the figure of the sacrifice of the Last Supper, which is renewed in the sacrifice of the Mass.
Ancient rabbinic traditions make M. the high priest of the messianic age (H. L. Strack-P. Billerbeck, *Kommentar zum Neuen Testament aus Talmud und Midrasch*, IV, Munich 1928, pp. 453-65, 786); but others, more recent, tend to diminish M.: his priesthood was given to Abraham, etc. This tendency seeks to counter the Catholic typology according to the interpretation of the Epistle to the Hebrews (J. Bonsirven). Philo attributes to his Logos the characteristics of the mysterious M. (*Leg. All.*, III, 79-82; *Fug.*, 109).
The Melchisedecians (c. 200 A.D.) regarded him as "a great power"; others made him an angel in human form. Most of the Fathers reject these fantastic elements.
Francesco Spadafora