In the Legends of the Jews, we read, “In spite of his great
success, Abraham nevertheless was concerned about the issue of the war. He
feared that the prohibition against shedding the blood of man had been
transgressed, and he also dreaded the resentment of Shem, whose descendants had
perished in the encounter. But God reassured him, and said: ‘Be not afraid! Thou
hast but extirpated the thorns, and as to Shem, he will bless thee rather than
curse thee.’ So it was. When Abraham returned from the war, Shem, or, as he is
sometimes called, Melchizedek, the king of righteousness, priest of God Most
High, and king of Jerusalem, came forth to meet him with bread and wine. And
this high priest instructed Abraham in the laws of the priesthood and in the
Torah, and to prove his friendship for him he blessed him, and called him the partner
of God in the possession of the world, seeing that through him the Name of God
had first been made known among men” (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, 1:233).
Modern revelation suggests the same thing:
“Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because
Melchizedek was such a great high priest.” (D&C 107:2)
In another place it identifies Shem as “the great high priest.”
(D&C 138:41)
The “Elias” who held the keys of the gospel of Abraham may also have
been Melchizedek:
12 After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the
gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us
should be blessed (D&C 110:12). (LeGrand L. Baker and Stephen D. Ricks, Who
Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord? The Psalms in Israel’s Temple Worship
in the Old Testament and in the Book of Mormon [2d ed.; Salt Lake City:
Eborn Books, 2011], 239-40 n. 409)
Further
Reading: