A priest like Melchizedek
- For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, the man who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
- to whom Abraham also distributed a tenth of all. Indeed, when translated his name first means: “king of righteousness”, and then also “king of Salem”, that is “king of peace”.
- Without father, without mother, without genealogy; having neither beginning of days nor end of life. But having been made like the Son of God, he remains a priest continuously.
- And see how great this man was, to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth from the best spoils of war.
- And indeed, men from the sons of Levi – after receiving the office of priest – have a command to take a tenth from the people according to the law, (that is, from their brothers) though both have come from Abraham’s loin.
- But the man not tracing his ancestry from them has collected a tenth from Abraham and has blessed the man having the promises.
- And beyond all contention, the lesser is blessed by the greater.
- And indeed, dying men receive tithes here; but there it’s being testified that he lives.
- And, so to speak, even Levi (the man receiving tithes) has paid tithes through Abraham,
- for he was still in the loin of his father when Melchizedek met him.
- Therefore, if perfection was indeed through the Levitical priesthood – for the people have received it under the law – why was there still need for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not to be called according to the order of Aaron?
- For in the priesthood being changed, a change of law also happens by necessity.
- For the One about whom these things are spoken *belongs to another tribe, from which no one has attended to the altar.
- For it’s obvious that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe about which Moses said nothing concerning priests.
- And it’s still more abundantly evident if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,
- who hasn’t become a priest according to a fleshly commandment in the law, but according to the power of an indestructible life.
- For scripture testifies that: “You are a priest through the age, according to the order of Melchizedek.”
- For indeed, a nullification of the preceding commandment happens because it’s weak and useless,
- for the law perfected nothing, but it’s an introduction to a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
- And accordingly it wasn’t without an oath; for indeed, other men *became and are priests without an oath.
- But He swore with an oath by the One saying to Him: “The Lord swore with an oath and won’t change His mind; you are a priest through the age.”
- Accordingly, Jesus also has become the guarantee of a much better covenant.
- And indeed, the men who have become priests are many because they are prevented from continuing by death.
- But because He remains through the age, He has a permanent priesthood.
- For which reason, He is also able to save the men approaching God through Him to the utmost, always living to intercede on their behalf.
- For such a high priest indeed was fitting for us; holy, innocent, and undefiled; *separated from sinners and having become higher than the heavens,
- who doesn’t have a need to offer sacrifices every day as the high priests do – first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people – for He did this once for all by having offered Himself.
- For the law appoints men having weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath that’s after the law appoints a Son who has been perfected through the age.