Abstract
Narrative gaps naturally arouse reader curiosity, inspiring creative expansions to fill historical silences. Just as apocryphal texts imagined Jesus’s "hidden life," the sudden appearance of the mysterious priest-king Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18–20 sparked extensive speculation. During the Second Temple period, this curiosity birthed numerous myths, legends, and midrashim regarding his identity and role. This article retraces the development of these Melchizedek traditions to understand how a minor biblical character attained such theological prominence. By analyzing key historical and recent scholarly works, the essay demonstrates how these evolving traditions ultimately shaped the Letter to the Hebrews' articulation of Jesus Christ’s superior priesthood.
Recommended Citation
Ramirez, Felipe Fruto Ll.
(2019)
"Melchizedek: A Minor Character of Great Importance to Biblical Theology,"
Landas: Vol. 33:
No.
1, Article 3.
Available at:
https://archium.ateneo.edu/landas/vol33/iss1/3