Post 42 of Study: Hebrews 7, and some random thoughts

 My father's name was Salem, which means "peace." His life was not peaceful. It was brief and disappointing. But he was honest and worked hard and produced four children, half of which led normal and healthy lives. We were all unhealthy in our own ways, three of us with heart issues requiring treatments before our early fifties. Two had mental health problems. 

I bring this up because Melchizedek is introduced (again; I should say re-introduced) as the King of Salem, which is King of Peace. He had no father or mother. We all do, and they influence us beyond imagination even when we don't want them to. The more we resis it, the more they influence us. At some point we should give it up and make our own choices, realizing hat even our choices our parents don't like are influenced by them and our response to them. 

As I struggle with my own personal issues, I cannot ignore that I had a father and a mother. They, long dead, still "live" in my actions and choices. The big news on Twitter was that Kanye West had someone create a hologram of his wife's father, Robert Kardashian. It's really a digital image saying things that Kim would find comforting, I supposed. I watched some of it and realized he was saying things that Kim would like, probably not what Robert Kardashian, who was a man of faith, would have said. I doubt he would be all that crazy about all of Kim's choices (sex tapes? nude photographs?) We reconstruct our parents in many ways. I hope I do not do that.  They deserve better. 

Commentaries think that Christ was appearing to Abraham in the form of Melchizedek. I'm not a fan of the theophany/Christophany theory, but it's a possibility.  Or the Scripture shows him as a "type" of Christ by not mentioning his parentage.  

This appearance to Abraham and his obeisance to Melchizedek and his offering was done before the law was given, several hundred years. That is a proof against the law being the final authority; Christ is the authority, Christ is the vehicle, Christ is the real priest, Christ is all and in all.  The mystery of Christ's identity is the singular theme of Hebrews. 

We must put Him first, even before Scripture. We do not worship the Bible. The Bible is the messenger. That statement does not diminish Scripture. It exalts Christ. 

Speaking of Kardashian, an Armenian, I watched The Promise last night.  Excellent movie about the Armenian holocaust.  Why this is not more well known, I don't know. I knew of it but was motivated to read more.  The only problem with the movie is too much time is spent on the love story, and the one sex scene hurts the story. If they had longed for each other rather than cheating on others, it would have been better.