The royal priest: Psalm 110 in biblical-theological perspective

Abstract

ABSTRACT

THE ROYAL PRIEST: PSALM 110 IN BIBLICAL-

THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Matthew Habib Emadi, Ph.D.

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016

Chair: Dr. James M. Hamilton, Jr.

This dissertation develops the biblical-theological rationale for the union of kingship and priesthood in Psalm 110 in the context of the entire canon. The thesis of this project is that a canonical reading of David’s depiction of the eschatological Melchizedekian priest-king develops God’s creational purpose for humanity to establish God’s kingdom (king) by mediating God’s covenantal blessings from his temple sanctuary (priest), and simultaneously advances God’s redemption project by depicting the order of royal priesthood that would bring the promises of the Abrahamic covenant to fruition.

Chapter 1 introduces the thesis and methodological issues pertaining to this study, and surveys the research in the modern period in order to identify how scholars have handled the union of kingship and priesthood in a single figure in Psalm 110.

Chapter 2 examines the concept of royal priesthood in the Torah. This examination demonstrates that Adam is the Bible’s royal priestly prototype and that his royal priesthood is recapitulated in important covenantal figures—Noah, Abraham, Melchizedek, Israel, and Aaron. Melchizedek, in particular, is a priest-king uniquely associated with Abraham and the Abrahamic covenant.

Chapter 3 situates Psalm 110 in its Old Testament context and hones in on the patterns of David’s own life experiences—revealed in 1–2 Samuel—and the content of the Davidic covenant in order to show how David would have arrived at the conclusion that the messiah was to be a royal priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Chapter 4 briefly investigates the intertestamental literature in order to show how the union of priesthood and kingship in Psalm 110 influenced the messianic expectations of the authors of the Testament of Levi, 1 Enoch, 2 Enoch, and 11QMelchizedek.

Chapter 5 focuses on how the New Testament develops the union of priesthood and kingship in the person and work of Jesus Christ on the basis of Psalm 110. The Gospel of Mark and the epistle to the Hebrews pick up the royal priestly logic of Psalm 110 in their respective Christological arguments.

Chapter 6 is the conclusion. It summarizes the arguments of the previous chapters and proposes some theological implications from this study.