A Mysterious Meeting

Who is Melchizedek the mysterious priest-king from Salem? Why does he bring bread and wine to Abraham? And why does Abraham offer him a tithe from his plunder? These verses from Genesis offer few answers but raise many questions about this intriguing encounter. The story portrays Abraham (then still Abram) as a mighty warrior in battle. Peter Paul Rubens, accordingly, depicts him in full armour and surrounded by his soldiers. Abraham has become caught up in the wars of the Canaanite kings after his nephew Lot’s capture by Chedorlaomer, King of Elam. After routing the enemy, Abraham saves Lot and returns to the Valley of the Kings near Jerusalem where he meets Melchizedek. In all the Hebrew Bible, the mysterious priest-king from Salem (likely Jerusalem) is only mentioned here and in Psalm 110. His name means ‘Righteous King’ and we are also told that he is a priest of God Most High (El Elyon). In the New Testament, the author of the letter to the Hebrews writes that Melchizedek was ‘without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life’ (Hebrews 7:3). What is remarkable is that Abraham, father of the Jewish nation, is blessed by a Canaanite priest-king. Moreover, he acknowledges the blessing of Melchizedek’s God Most High by giving him a tenth of his spoils. Peter Paul Rubens offers a vivid portrayal of the meeting. The painting looks like a tapestry being unfolded by cherub-like figures at the top (which is appropriate as it was itself a design for a tapestry). The drama of the scene is heightened by Rubens’s use of vibrant colours and rich textures. The eyes of the two central figures are locked in a powerful reciprocal stare as they lean in towards each other. Abraham receives loaves of bread and below him are ornate vessels filled with wine. Melchizedek’s left index finger points knowingly to the wine. This gesture, and the solemnity of the men’s gaze, suggests a deeper understanding of this meal. The other soldiers in the shadows are preoccupied with satisfying their physical appetites, but Abraham and Melchizedek are luminous as the warrior’s armour and the priest’s furs gather and reflect the light. Both seem to be experiencing a deep spiritual encounter. It is as if they know that this meal of blessing, victory, and celebration is one that (in a Christian context like Rubens’s) seems to anticipate the eucharistic bread and wine given by Christ.