JOSEPH SMITH TRANSLATION
GENESIS 14: 25-40
Melchizedek’s great ministry is mentioned; the powers and blessings of the Melchizedek Priesthood are described. (compare Genesis 14)
25 And Melchizedek [ Means "King of righteousness" as "Melchi" means "king" and "zedek" mean "righteousness" As far as Melchizedek being Shem the son of Noah refer to D&C 84:14. ] lifted up his voice and blessed Abram. [ Think about this a little: Melchizedek blessed Abraham. If Melchizedek was Shem his 7th great grandfather, and if he had lived with his grandfather for a while around age 10 then this would not have been his first blessing. So what was this blessing for. Was this a blessing to pass along the priesthood keys that he would need going forward as he will soon become the prophet of the next dispensation: the dispensation of Abraham?(He was approved of God vs 27). Elder McConkie observed, “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob sought an inheritance in the City of Zion, as had all the righteous saints from Enoch to Melchizedek. Melchizedek was privileged to lead a life remarkably similar to Enoch’s. Both of these great men held the same priesthood authority, performed similar miracles, received temple blessings, established Zion communities, and were, along with their people, eventually translated and taken up to heaven. (Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1973), 3:205.) ]
26 Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, [ What does it mean to be a man of faith? ] who wrought righteousness; [ Pursued after it. ] and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.
[ Gives us some idea of who Melchizedek was as a youth. ]
27 And thus, having been approved of God, [ Had his calling and election made sure. Melchizedek was approved because of his exceeding faith just as Alma taught; notice too that he manifested faith prior to his ordination. he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch (Moses 6:26–39) for the example of Enoch. ] he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch, [ What exactly was the covenant that God made with Enoch? Part of that covenant is contained in verse 30-32. ]
28 It [ The Melchizedek priesthood. ] being after the order of the son of God; [ The same priesthood which Jesus Christ holds and was called the holy priesthood after the son of God at this time. This is not the only time the Lord has called this order of the priesthood after a mortal high priest. Melchizedek “was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch” (JST, Genesis 14:27). According to the Doctrine and Covenants, the high priesthood was called “after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son” (D&C 76:57). ] which order [ Priesthood. This high priesthood provides the means whereby the righteous may “commune with the general assembly and church of the Firstborn” (D&C 107:19). More specifically, those who receive and keep sacred covenants relating to the priesthood of Melchizedek become part of “the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn” (D&C 76:67). Thus, the king of Salem and the greater priesthood, which currently bears his name, have a very close connection with Enoch that may go unnoticed. Look at the power that these men had. Did they have more priesthood than we do? Or is it like President Nelson says: "some among us may one day wake up and realize what power in the priesthood really is" - Pres Russell M. Nelson, April 2016 Priesthood Session Then one year later President Irying said the following: ""So if you feel a little overwhelmed, take that as a good sign.... It means that you have some small understanding of what the priesthood really is. There are very few people in the world who have that understanding. Even those who can recite a reasonable definition may not truly understand it." and then quoted JST Gen 15. ] came, not by man, [ It was not man made. This fulness of priesthood does not come because of an ordination by another mortal. ] nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; [ It does not come by lineage or based upon heritage. ] neither by beginning of days nor end of years; [ It is eternal power. Once obtained, such a calling is meant to be eternal. ] but of God; [ Ordained by God, and embodies the same powers that God has. It can only be obtained directly from God as the next verse indicates. ]
29 And it [ This Melchizedek priesthood. ] was delivered unto men by the calling of his [ Jesus Christ. ] own voice, [ Or it comes as a calling to men, who then are ordained. It is not just take up by men. Many are called but few are choosen. President Nelson said "Hear Him" seek to be taught by the Lord with his own voice, personal revelation. This is how this fulness is obtained—by God’s own voice. It is thus a very private matter between an individual and the Lord. ] according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.
[ First we have to have faith in him, and his power, and those who do wil receive the priesthood as part of the full gospel of Christ. ]
30 For God having sworn unto [ Covenanted with, promised it to. ] Enoch and unto his seed [ So this is after the same order of the priesthood that was given to Enoch. ] with an oath by himself; [ As in the Oath and Covenant of the priesthood D&C 84:33-41. ] that every one being ordained after this order [ The Melchizedek priesthood. Everyone who has this Priesthood can do the follow things. ] and calling should have power, [ God is telling us the we have the power to do these things. After all it is the same power with which he does them. So it is possible for man to do the following by faith. ] by faith, [ We started off by being taught that Melchizedek was a man of faith, see verse 26. ] to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course; [ The list is pretty inclusive and appears to be able to do about anything here except create man. These are the exact same things that Enoch was able to do. ]
31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; [ Literally be able to stand in the presence of God with the veil removed. ] to do all things according to his will, [ Since this power does come from God we can only use it to accomplish his purposes. With and under his direction we can do all things - there is no limits on what we can do. Does that take faith just to believe that? How much does it take to believe it? How mush faith does it take to be able to execute or act on that faith to do all things? ] according to his command, [ When we hear him tell us to do something. I suppose this is part of what Prresident Nelson is suggesting when he says we need to be able to hear him. If we hear him and if we have faith in the commands that we hear from him we will act on that direction and perform things that we otherwise cannot do. These are the powers that we will need to survive the coming days. ] subdue [ To conquer by force or the exertion of superior power, and bring into permanent subjection; to reduce under dominion, to disable from further resistance. ] principalities and powers; and this by the will of the son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.
[ So God has given to us the same power to do things that he gave his other son, even Jesus Christ. Who became the Redeemer of man in the premortal world. ]
32 And men [ Such as you and I have the capability to. If we become like Enoch who did. ] having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, [ Or having attained the office of High Priest in the Melchizedek priesthood. ] were translated [ Where changed to Terrestial beings. Parley P. Pratt said "Ordinary human beings are said to have a telestial body, people who are translated are said to have a terrestrial body; and people who are resurrected are said to have a celestial body..." see D&C 88:96 President Nelson said " I urgently plead with each of us to live up to our privileges as bearers of the priesthood. In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others. Only a man who haas paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity." ] and taken up into heaven. [ Translated. ]
33 And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; [ Meaning the order of Enoch, as such he had the ability to perform the same types of miraculous deeds as did Enoch. A High Priest see Alma 13:14-19. ] therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace. [ Same as the Savior was called. Why the prince of peace? Because he has said peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth. when we teach of the gospel we deliver peace to thise who accept it. ]
34 And his people [ Melchizedek and his people. ] wrought righteousness, [ What is the connection between all of that priesthood power and being able to create righteousness in others? D&C 121:41-42 Sought after good and God(he had charity(D&C 121:45)- which is an eye single to the glory of God). Melchizedek was able to teach and reach the people in a righteous way through love, as a result they followed him, and Melchizedek and his people “sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken. ] and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, [ Were taken up into heaven. ] having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world; [ Look we are in the latter days, is this a message for us? We have the priesthood that Melchizedek and Enoch held. They where both translated through the use of it. Man how little do I know. The time of the second coming, when it shall return to the earth; join Zion in the New Jerusalem Moses 7:62-63. ]
35 And hath said, and sworn with an oath, [ Covenanted. ] that the heavens and the earth should come together; [ The church in heaven will be united with the church on the earth at the time of the second coming D&C 65:6. ] and the sons of God should be tried so as by fire.
36 And this Melchizedek, having thus established righteousness, was called the king of heaven by his people, or, in other words, the King of peace.
[ He was a type for "Christ". ]
37 And he lifted up his voice, and he blessed Abram, being the high priest, and the keeper of the storehouse of God;
39 Wherefore, [ This is why. On Sunday, 27 August 1843, the Prophet Joseph Smith discussed this event between these two men in further detail: “Abraham gave a tenth part of all his spoils and then received a blessing under the hands of Melchizedek[,] even the last law or a fulness of the law or priesthood which constituted him a king and priest after the order of Melchizedek or an endless life.”9
In that same 1843 address, History of the Church records that the Prophet further said about this event:
“The King of Shiloam … (Salem) had power and authority over that of Abraham, holding the key and power of endless life. …
“What was the power of Melchizedek? ’Twas not the Priesthood of Aaron which administers in outward ordinances, and the offering of sacrifices. Those holding the fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood are kings and priests of the Most High God, holding the keys of power and blessings. In fact, that priesthood is a perfect law of theocracy, and stands as God to give laws to the people, administering endless lives to the sons and daughters of Adam. ] Abram paid unto him tithes of all that he had, of all the riches which he possessed, which God had given him more than that which he had need.
40 And it came to pass, that God blessed Abram, and gave unto him riches, and honor, and lands for an everlasting possession; [ The earth will one day be the celestial kingdom and the faithfull saints will inherit the earth for an eternal possession D&C 130:9-11 ] according to the covenant which he had made, [ Known as the Abrahamic covenant. ] and according to the blessing wherewith Melchizedek had blessed him.