Hebrews is a book I have studied more than once. I have translated it from Greek to English at one point, and have used portions of the text in just about every workshop and opportunity I have to speak on the need for us to abide in God’s Word. That makes this even more embarrassing.
It would be really difficult to count the number of times I have read Hebrews 7:2, but whatever that number is, I missed the word play there and in Genesis 14:18 which in part reads (Hebrew, read right to left, translation is below):
The writer of Hebrews explicitly says it, I just blew by it for 40 years… Melchizedek translated literally is king of righteousness when Moses writes his role, the next two words can be translated "king of peace". So looking at the sequence translated literally it reads, “And king of righteousness king of peace…”
Look at what the text says he brought out. Ring any bells?
The point the writer of Hebrews is that it was reasonable for Abraham to pay a tithe to the king of righteousness king of peace. His point is this is either a strong type of Christ or else a theophany, a pre incarnate appearance of Christ.
Either way I missed it.
In our reading and studying the Bible, familiarity can breed missing really good stuff.
ָׁשָׁלֵ֔ם
|
מֶ֣לֶךְ
|
צֶ֙דֶק֙
|
וּמַלְכִּי־
|
peace
|
king of
|
righteousness
|
and king of
|
The writer of Hebrews explicitly says it, I just blew by it for 40 years… Melchizedek translated literally is king of righteousness when Moses writes his role, the next two words can be translated "king of peace". So looking at the sequence translated literally it reads, “And king of righteousness king of peace…”
Look at what the text says he brought out. Ring any bells?
The point the writer of Hebrews is that it was reasonable for Abraham to pay a tithe to the king of righteousness king of peace. His point is this is either a strong type of Christ or else a theophany, a pre incarnate appearance of Christ.
Either way I missed it.
In our reading and studying the Bible, familiarity can breed missing really good stuff.
Don't be too hard on yourself, Mike. When I listen to someone really smart I often fail to get all that's being said, even simple things, even if I followup with subsequent study of a manuscript. Since God is REALLY smart not to mention infinite no wonder some of what He says takes going over and over. Ideas are always simple once we "see" them.
ReplyDeleteIn reality your amazement is a good evidence of humility, that you are willing to recognize your limitations; not always an easy thing.
And I would say also that it's an encouragement to those of us you mentor to see that you haven't totally "arrived," and a stimulation to us to keep up an aggressive program of "searching the Scriptures" as we are commanded to do.
Keep up the good work -for all our sakes!
You are very kind.
Delete