Melchizedek without Father or Mother in 2 Enoch
By Pinchas Shir
The Second Book of Enoch is not a part of Bible in either Jewish or Christian tradition; instead, it belongs to the vast body of Jewish literature that is related to the books in the sacred canon. More, it was not written by the Enoch we know from Genesis 5. The text we have today was probably composed in Greek by a Jewish writer (possibly in the first or second centuries CE), but the text survived mostly in Slavonic language translation. Despite this, the text of 2 Enoch is full of Hebraisms and Jewish legends that people would have known in the days of Jesus. One of them concerns Melchizedek, whom the writer of Hebrews mentions in passing as being “without father or mother” (Heb 7:3). This enigmatic statement shows that Melchizedek "resembles" the Messiah (7:3). Below is an amazing story of the miraculous conception and extraordinary birth of Melchizedek from Second Enoch. It may explain some of the theology of the author of Hebrews. The Second Book of Enoch tells us that Nir (son of Lamech) was Melchizedek's father and Sothonim was his mother.
"And behold, the wife of Nir, Sothonim, being sterile and never having given birth to a child by Nir. 2. And Sothonim was in the time of old age, and in the day of death. And she conceived in her womb, but Nir the priest had not slept with her, from the day that the Lord had appointed him in front of the face of the people. 3. And Sothonim was ashamed, and she hid herself during all the days. And not one of the people knew about it. 4. And she was about to give birth, and Nir remembered his wife, and he called her to himself in the temple, so that he might speak with her. 5. And Sothonim came to Nir, her husband; and, she was pregnant and almost ready to give birth. 6. And Nir saw her, and he became very ashamed about her. And he said to her, “What is this that you have done, O wife? And why have you disgraced me in front of the face of all the people? And now, depart from me, go where you conceived the disgrace of your womb so that I might not defile my hand on your account, and sin in front of the face of the Lord.” 7. And Sothonim answered Nir, her husband, saying, “O my Lord! This is the time of my old age, and there was not in me any youth and I do not know how the indecency of my womb has been conceived.” 8. And Nir did not believe her, and for the second time Nir said to her, “Depart from me, or else I might assault you, and commit a sin in front of the face of the Lord.” 9. And it came to pass, when Nir had spoken to his wife, that Sothonim fell down at Nir’s feet and died.
Nir was distressed and said in his heart, “Could this have happened because of my word? 11. And now, merciful is the eternal Lord, because my hand was not upon her.” And the archangel Gabriel appeared to Nir, and said to him, “Do not think that your wife Sofonim has died because of your error; but this child which is to be born of her is a righteous fruit, and one whom I shall receive into paradise so that you will not be the father of a gift of God.” 12 And Nir hurried, and he shut the door of his house, and he went to Noah his brother, and he reported to him everything that had happened in connection with his wife… And they dug a grave in secret. 17. And when they had gone out toward the sepulcher, a child came out from the dead Sothonim. And he sat on the bed. And Noah and Nir came in to bury Sothonim, and they saw the child sitting beside the corpse, having his clothing on him. 18 And Noah and Nir were terrified because the child was fully developed. And he spoke with his lips, and he blessed the Lord. 19 And Noah and Nir looked at him closely, saying, “This is from the Lord, my brother.” And behold, the badge of priesthood was on his chest, and it was glorious in appearance.
20 And Noah said to Nir, “Behold, God is renewing the continuation of the blood of the priesthood after us.” 21 And Noah and Nir hurried, and they washed the child, and they dressed him in the garments of the priesthood, and they gave him the holy bread and he ate it. And they called his name Melchizedek… And Noah said to his brother Nir, “Look after this child until the time in secret, because people have become treacherous in all the earth, and in some way when they see him, they will put him to death.” (excerpts from 2 Enoch Ch. 71)
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