Who was Melchizedek? This is a relevant question that Christians have been asking for centuries and even millennia. Even though the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints offers some answers through modern revelation, there are still many unknowns. One thing is for sure: The Old Testament offers very little information and the extensive discussion of Melchizedek in the letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament suggests that there was a Melchizedek tradition that goes beyond what is written in our current version of Genesis.
This is also confirmed by extra-Biblical sources that mention Melchizedek. For instance, there is a Melchizedek scroll (although quite fragmented) among the dead sea scrolls. Various other text from the early Christian era show that there was considerable debate about him at the time. This all indicates that there had been more information at one point having become lost. Tradition lived on but with little specific original sources it may be difficult to know what is based on authentic texts and what is pure speculation.
Unfortunately, the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price stops at Noah, not extending far enough to cover Melchizedek. The same can be said about the Book of Abraham. It ends with Abraham in Egypt, which is described in Genesis 12, while the encounter with Melchizedek is found in Genesis 14, after Abraham had left Egypt. Evidence suggests that the Book of Abraham was originally longer but the rest was never published and no manuscripts have been found. This is a shame because personally I would have loved to have an account from Abraham himself about his encounter with Melchizedek.
What we do have, however, is Joseph Smith's translation of the Bible. I will look more into his additions to Genesis 14 in this post. There is a lengthy addition to the Melchizedek story in Genesis 14 in the JST.
25 And Melchizedek lifted up his voice and blessed Abram.
26 Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.
27 And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch,
28 It being after the order of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God
There is more but I am making a pause here. The bolded phrase is quite unusual. The follow up in the 28th verse is more familiar. Melchizedek was a high priest after the order of the Son of God. And as we learn in D&C 107:2-4, this order was eventually called the Melchizedek priesthood. But what does it mean to be a high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch? What covenant did God make with Enoch anyway? This is actually found in the JST of Genesis 9. Here God speaks to Noah and reminds him of the covenant he made with Enoch. It is a reversal of sorts of Moses 7 in the Pearl of Great Price where Enoch sees in vision the covenant which God makes with Noah.
21 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant, which I made unto thy father Enoch; that, when men should keep all my commandments, Zion should again come on the earth, the city of Enoch which I have caught up unto myself.
22 And this is mine everlasting covenant, that when thy posterity shall embrace the truth, and look upward, then shall Zion look downward, and all the heavens shall shake with gladness, and the earth shall tremble with joy;
23 And the general assembly of the church of the firstborn shall come down out of heaven, and possess the earth, and shall have place until the end come. And this is mine everlasting covenant, which I made with thy father Enoch.
24 And the bow shall be in the cloud, and I will establish my covenant unto thee, which I have made between me and thee, for every living creature of all flesh that shall be upon the earth.
25 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and thee; for all flesh that shall be upon the earth.
The text between the bolded parts (that make up some sort of inclusio) sums up the Enochic covenant. We recognize these themes from Moses 7. Even though it is not framed directly there as a covenant with Enoch, the chapter is all about the city of Enoch (Zion) with the heaven and earth theme prevalent throughout. Apparently, Melchizedek was ordained a high priest after that order. Reading on in JST of Genesis 14, we see the same theme.
32 And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.
33 And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace.
34 And his people wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world;
35 And hath said, and sworn with an oath, that the heavens and the earth should come together; and the sons of God should be tried so as by fire.
36 And this Melchizedek, having thus established righteousness, was called the king of heaven by his people, or, in other words, the King of peace.
What are we to make of all this? The Enochic covenant is the establishment of Zion, where heaven and earth meet. It is the promise that through righteousness and peace, Zion will be established, which will eventually lead to being translated and meeting the heavenly Zion. Melchizedek was a priest of this order and therefore followed this pattern. This is not just Enoch's covenant. It is described in JST Genesis 9 as the everlasting covenant. It is given to Enoch, Noah and Melchizedek but it is the everlasting covenant of peace established and maintained through righteousness. There is a lot to be said about that but I have already written extensively on the subject in a series on righteousness. Especially this post is relevant in this context.
Despite what I have written before, these passages from JST add new insight into this covenant and the priesthood. When this covenant is established, maintained or restored, there is peace and harmony that naturally leads to Zion where heaven and earth come together. This is done after the order of the Son of God. A priest after this order is a Tsadik, a 'Righteous One', who seeks to establish, maintain or restore the covenant of peace leading to Zion like Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek and others. This order is nothing but what we call the Melchizedek Priesthood today. That should give us something to ponder with respect to our ultimate priesthood responsibilities. As a reminder, Melchizedek means king of righteousness in Hebrew. Of course, I don't claim to have special knowledge or that the priesthood has other purposes than those we learn about in church. But what I take from this is that exercising the priesthood in righteousness like we are taught leads to the establishment of Zion in fulfillment of an ancient and everlasting covenant.
There is much more to say on this topic but I will save that for later posts.