This is John Collins at Bible Project and today we're continuing our conversation on priests

in the Bible.

Last week we looked at how the first priests in the Bible are Adam and Eve in the cosmic

temple.

Today we're going to look at the first character in the Bible explicitly called a priest and

he's a mysterious character.

Peace, when they first appear in the Bible, Melchizedek, this can't-night, priest-king,

is the first one you meet and he's just introduced like you're supposed to know who he is

and what he does.

He's just called a priest and the narrator doesn't say, now here's what a priest is

because he's the first one you're meeting.

It's just assumed.

Here's the story.

Abraham, who will later be called Abraham and a band of fighters that he put together,

had just successfully rescued his nephew Lot.

From this alliance of kings who had been out plundering cities and taking captives, he's

on his way back home victorious from battle and he passes by a city called Shalem.

And outcomes, the king of Shalem, who were told is also a priest-king.

His name is Melchizedek.

Shalem is a short and form of the name Jerusalem.

It's just the half of the world.

So this is ancient Jerusalem.

...