Gen 14:18–20 is a brief episode depicting the encounter between Abram and Melchizedek. Taking this episode and its context in the Pentateuch as the starting point, Mathews sets out to analyze the text as it has been composed, in order to understand the biblical and theological significance of this priest-king Melchizedek. The thesis proposed and investigated is that Melchizedek’s royal priestly portrayal in Genesis initiates a priesthood that is intentionally presented as an alternative to Aaron and his priesthood. The claim is that this distinct priestly order is evident in the biblical text as we have it, and it may be discerned by reading the text carefully, on its own terms, with close attention to its compositional features. Chapter 1 introduces the study and offers an overview of the history of interpretation related to Genesis 14 and Melchizedek. In ch. 2, various hermeneutical issues and approaches are examined in order to clarify methodology and identify some of the problems being addressed. In ch. 3, the heart of the book, Mathews considers Gen 14:18–20 in the context of the Pentateuch, focusing on Melchizedek in relation to the Abrahamic narrative and covenant, the royal message of the Pentateuch, and Aaron’s priesthood. Beginning with Psalm 110, ch. 4 identifies echoes of Melchizedek and his priesthood in several texts in the Prophets and Writings. The book concludes in ch. 5 with a summary and synthesis of the preceding analysis as well as some implications and suggestions for further research.

(The latest in the PROPHETS, PRIESTS AND KINGS SERIES is here for serious Bible students. Misunderstandings and misinformation on the true priesthood of Christ are addressed by several hundred relevant Scripture passages. With God’s Word as the authority, the role of priests is defined before the search for the mysterious Christ-like figure, Melchizedek, can begin. The entire Bible is examined for clues to the man that Genesis 14:18 calls ‘Priest of God Most High.’ Following each lead, Scripture takes the investigation in a unique direction. Concluding Melchizedek had flesh-and-blood pays dividends when the pursuit leads to a “person-of-interest.” From there, a case is solidly built for one of the most dramatic Bible discoveries of any era. Until now, God has cloaked Melchizedek in mystery. Solving this mystery is the Lord’s gift to his last day’s saints, The Priests of God. Knowing who was hidden behind the veil will have tremendous implications for the priestly order of Melchizedek. Get ready to be challenged. Get set to objectively re-think and re-examine all you have learned about prophecy. Be prepared for a life-changing and mind-blowing experience. You must be open to the Spirit. Your destiny as God’s servant awaits.)

Did Moses write about Jesus? Kevin Chen challenges the common view of the Pentateuch as focused primarily on the Mosaic Law, arguing instead that it sets forth a coherent, sweeping vision of the Messiah as the center of its theological message. Building on the work of John Sailhamer, Chen provides a fascinating study and an exegetical basis for a Christ-centered biblical theology.

The biblical figure Melchizedek appears just twice in the Hebrew Bible, and once more in the Christian New Testament. Cited as both the king of Shalem-understood by most scholars to be Jerusalem-and as an eternal priest without ancestry, Melchizedek's appearances become textual justification for tithing to the Levitical priests in Jerusalem and for the priesthood of Jesus Christ himself. But what if the text was manipulated? Robert R. Cargill explores the Hebrew and Greek texts concerning Melchizedek's encounter with Abraham in Genesis as a basis to unravel the biblical mystery of this character's origins. The textual evidence that Cargill presents shows that Melchizedek was originally known as the king of Sodom and that the later traditions about Sodom forced biblical scribes to invent a new location, Shalem, for Melchizedek's priesthood and reign. Cargill also identifies minor, strategic changes to the Hebrew Bible and the Samaritan Pentateuch that demonstrate an evolving, polemical, sectarian discourse between Jews and Samaritans competing for the superiority of their respective temples and holy mountains. The resulting literary evidence was used as the ideological motivation for identifying Shalem with Jerusalem in the Second Temple Jewish tradition. A brief study with far-reaching implications, Melchizedek, King of Sodom reopens discussion of not only this unusual character, but also the origins of both the priesthood of Christ and the role of early Israelite priest-kings.

The current world confusion and condition of human affairs is a natural phase within an evolutionary process that will ultimately lead to the unification of the human race into a single social order. This processhas passed throughstageswe should consider as being analogous tothose of infancy and childhood, and is now in the culminating period of adolescence approaching its long-awaited coming of agean age of universal peace and justice. This has been the promise given throughout all the major faiths of the world. The social fabric of the world is out of balance and through Divine interventionnations willform together in a collective consciousness recognizing the need for a revolutionary shift of spirit to undertake those measures creating lasting harmony and peace. Dr. M. Scott Peck speaks of world-views as being religious. To move away from war, we must distinguish between "true religions and false religions, true prophets and false prophets," and that "truth in religion is characterized by inclusivity," while "falsity in religion can be detected by its one-sidedness and failure to integrate the whole." History clearly shows that some form of a universal legislative body is not only essential, but also inevitable.Such a system is not conceived from the mind of mortal man; rather, it is a Divine System that was set in motion over 6000 years ago. The purpose in writing Melchizedek & the Temple is to show the story of this evolutionary processa journey through time, culminating with the promise of an earthly kingdoman all-inclusive world government, free from tyranny, hate, prejudice and war.Melchizedek & the Temple offers a practical, and compelling alternative to antiquated ideas that in reality prevent humankind from achieving what it longs foruniversal peace and justice. It is a message of warning and of promise.

New York Times–bestselling author Garry Wills provides a provocative analysis of the theological and historical basis for the priesthood In a riveting and provocative tour de force from the author of What Jesus Meant, Pulitzer Prize winner Garry Wills poses the challenging question: Why did the priesthood develop in a religion that began without it and, indeed, was opposed to it? Why Priests? argues brilliantly and persuasively for a radical re-envisioning of the role of the church as the Body of Christ and for a new and better understanding of the very basis of Christian belief. As Wills emphasizes, the stakes for the writer and the church are high, for without the priesthood there would be no belief in an apostolic succession, the real presence in the Eucharist, the sacrificial interpretation of the Mass, and the ransom theory of redemption. This superb study of the origins of the priesthood stands as Wills’s towering achievement and will be of interest to all inquiring minds, believers and non-believers alike.

Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament (JESOT) is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the academic and evangelical study of the Old Testament. The journal seeks to fill a need in academia by providing a venue for high-level scholarship on the Old Testament from an evangelical standpoint. The journal is not affiliated with any particular academic institution, and with an international editorial board, open access format, and multi-language submissions, JESOT cultivates and promotes Old Testament scholarship in the evangelical global community. The journal differs from many evangelical journals in that it seeks to publish current academic research in the areas of ancient Near Eastern backgrounds, Dead Sea Scrolls, Rabbinics, Linguistics, Septuagint, Research Methodology, Literary Analysis, Exegesis, Text Criticism, and Theology as they pertain only to the Old Testament. JESOT also includes up-to-date book reviews on various academic studies of the Old Testament. EDITORIAL STAFF Stephen J. Andrews, executive editor (Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) Russell L. Meek, editor (Ohio Theological Institute) Andrew King, book reviews editor (Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) Ron Haydon, assistant editor (Wheaton College) EDITORIAL BOARD T. Desmond Alexander (Union Theological College, Queens University, Ireland) George Athas (Moore Theological College, Australia) Ellis R. Brotzman (Emeritus, Tyndale Theological Seminary, The Netherlands) Helene Dallaire (Denver Seminary, USA) Kyle Greenwood (Denver Seminary, USA) John F. Evans (Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology, Kenya) John F. Hobbins (University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, USA) Kenneth A. Mathews (Beeson Divinty School, Samford University, USA) William R. Osborne (College of the Ozarks, USA) Sung Jin Park (Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, USA) Max Rogland (Rose Hill Presbyterian Church, USA) Daniel C. Timmer (Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, USA) Matthew Y. Emerson (Oklahoma Baptist University, USA) Christopher J. Fresch (Bible College of South Australia, Australia) Colin Toffelmire (Ambrose University, Canada) Ryan Hanley (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, USA) Michele E. Knight (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, USA)