Little is known about Melchizedek from a study of the Bible. He was the king of Salem (Jerusalem) and the priest of the Most High unto whom Abraham paid tithes after he was blessed by him (Genesis 14:18–20). Christ was told by his Father that he was “a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:6). Paul later verifies the Genesis account when he writes to the Hebrews (Hebrews 7:1–2). The Hebrews account is confusing because it says Melchizedek was “without father, without mother,” but the verses we have studied above shows that Paul is referring to the priesthood being eternal. The JST clarifies that he was referring to the priesthood (see the appendix in the LDS edition of the bible).
Alma 13:13–20 adds greatly to our knowledge of Melchizedek. The Doctrine and Covenants and also JST, Genesis 14 sheds light on this great man.
Alma holds Melchizedek up as an example for the people of Ammonihah to follow (Alma 13:13–14). He verifies that Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek (v. 15). Alma also clarifies that the priesthood ordinances are a type of the order of the priesthood after the order of the Son of God (v. 16). The kingship of Melchizedek is verified by Alma. He was called the prince of peace because he took his people from great wickedness to a peaceful state through his preaching the gospel to them (vv. 17–18). He was a political king, but he also reigned as a priesthood holder. His reign was under his father, who may have been Noah. There is a tradition both in and out of the Church that Melchizedek was Shem, son of Noah. We will not treat all of the arguments for and against this tradition, but in the vision given to President Joseph F. Smith of the spirit world he names Noah, Shem, and Abraham together and calls Shem “the great high priest” (D&C 138:41). This is a convincing argument.
Alma’s tribute to Melchizedek’s greatness (v. 19) is verified in Modern revelation:
1 There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood.
2 Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because Melchizedek was such a great high priest.
3 Before his day it was called the HolyPriesthood, after theOrder of the Son of God.
4 But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood. [D&C 107:1–4]
The name of the priesthood as given by Alma is also verified (D&C 107:3). Concerning the two priesthoods mentioned in D&C 107:1, the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “All Priesthood is Melchizedek, but there are different portions or degrees of it” (TPJS, 180).
Alma warns the reader to not wrest the scriptures (Alma 13:20). We must let the unanswered questions suffice and wait for further revelation. Our entering into the rest of God will not be determined by our answers to unanswered questions.