I. Name

The name of Melchizedek appears twice in the OT, viz. Gen. 14.18 and Ps. 110.4, and eight times in the NT, viz. Hebrews (where Ps. 110.4 is quoted or alluded to five times). The meaning of the name is either ‘my king is righteousness’ or ‘my king is Zedek’; probably ‘king’ refers to a deity and ‘righteousness’ is a divine attribute or ‘Zedek’ is the name of the deity (cf. malkîʾēl, Gen. 46.17; Num. 26.45; 1 Chr. 7.31; and malkîyâ, e.g. Jer. 21.1). It is a theophoric name. Outside the Bible the name of Melchizedek plays an…