Christ the True Melchisedec

John ChurchProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.1

Word count: 34K words
Chapters: 4

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Christ the True Melchisedec by J. ChurchAuthor: Church, J. (John), 1780?-1825?,Language: English, Class: BV: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: Practical theology, Worship, Release Date: Jan 3, 2019

Editor's review

Christ the True Melchisedec is a short Christian theological treatise centered on the mysterious figure of Melchizedek in the Epistle to the Hebrews, arguing that Christ is the true high priest foreshadowed by Melchizedek. Its author, John Church, lived in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and the text bears the clear stylistic marks of theological debate of its time: it relies heavily on scriptural citation and typological interpretation, and its argument proceeds along clear logical lines. For readers studying the traditions of Christian biblical interpretation in the English-speaking world—especially the reception history of the Melchizedek theme—the book is a primary source ready for direct use. As a public-domain ebook it is easily obtained and suits supplementary reading for theology courses or close scriptural study in personal devotion. Readers should note the distance between its polemical context and present-day academic writing, and should treat it not as an introduction to systematic theology but as an exegetical sermon or treatise belonging to a particular historical setting.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Biblical scholars or theology students studying Hebrews and the Melchizedek theme
Readers interested in English-language Christian exegetical literature of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
Seminary teachers needing public-domain primary sources for supplementary course reading
Ordinary believers accustomed to slow scriptural reading who are willing to consult the relevant books of the Bible

Not a good fit for

Beginners seeking an introduction to systematic theology or a modern commentary
General readers with no interest in the genre of Christian theological argument
Beginners with weak English reading ability who are unfamiliar with biblical terminology

Reading tips

Read Genesis 14 and Hebrews 7 through first, then turn to this book, to grasp the argument's thread more easily.
Keep pen and paper at hand to note the scriptural citations and argumentative steps, making the logic of the typological interpretation easier to trace.
For research, compare it with modern exegetical articles on the same theme, noting the differences of historical context.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Who is Melchizedek in the Bible?

Melchizedek appears in Genesis 14 as king of Salem and priest of God Most High, who blesses Abraham. His origins are recorded only briefly, and in Hebrews 7 he is used to prefigure Christ's priestly office, becoming an important typological theme in Christian interpretation.

Is this book a sermon or a scholarly treatise?

In genre and length it is closer to an exegetical work or sermon-style writing from a particular historical setting, focused on scriptural citation and argument rather than the format of a modern academic paper. Readers should treat it as a primary source, not a contemporary systematic theology textbook.

Can it be understood without a theological background?

The argument depends on familiarity with Genesis and Hebrews, so without a biblical foundation the barrier to reading is fairly high. Readers are advised to read the relevant biblical books and basic commentaries first before attempting this book; general readers may also simply browse it as material for understanding the exegetical tradition.

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About the author

John Church Author · British · 1780–1835

John Church (1780–1835) was an English Independent minister and Evangelical writer. Some bibliographic sources give his dates as "1780?–1825?", while the library record lists 1780–1835; the discrepancy cannot be fully resolved from the limited public information available. He is said to have been a foundling raised in the Foundling Hospital, and he began preaching in 1807. The library holds 23 of his works, mostly sermons and religious tracts, including A Confession of Evangelical Principles, The Precious Name, The Believer's Confidence in a Faithful God, and The Glory of Grace Effected by Weak Means. Centered on Evangelical faith, his writings urge believers to trust in God and hold fast to hope in adversity, showing a distinctively Independent and Evangelical character.