Jan de Molder
Abraham and Melchizedech

1513-14
Detail from an altarpiece
Wood and polychrome
Musée National de l'Age Médiévale, Paris

In Genesis 14 when Chodorlahomor defeats the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zebolim, and Bela his captives include Abram's nephew Lot, so Abram gathers an army and goes out to defeat Chodorlahomor and his allies. Upon his victory, the king-priest of Salem arrives to offer a celebratory sacrifice of bread and wine. In this sculpture, Abram kneels before Melchizedech. Because of the obvious parallel between this sacrifice and the Mass, the artist has dressed Melchizedech as a Christian bishop. He wears a mitre on his head, his outer vestment is a chasuble, and on his shoulders he wears a humeral, a vestment bishops use in Eucharistic processions.

The two standing behind Melchizedech are most likely his servants or officials. The men in the background could be the three officers of Abram who are to be given "the share that is due" from the booty in verse 24.

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Photographed at the site by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.