Hebrews 7:1-22
This "King Melchizedek of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham
as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him"; and to him
Abraham apportioned "one-tenth of everything." His name, in the first
place, means "king of righteousness"; next he is 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 resembling the Son
of God, he remains a priest forever.
See how great he is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the
spoils. And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office
have a commandment in the law to collect tithes from the people, that is,
from their kindred, though these also are descended from Abraham. But
this man, who does not belong to their ancestry, collected tithes from
Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises. It is beyond
dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case,
tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom
it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who
receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the
loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
Now if perfection had been attainable through the levitical priesthood —
for the people received the law under this priesthood — what further need
would there have been to speak of another priest arising according to the
order of Melchizedek, rather than one according to the order of Aaron?
For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a
change in the law as well. Now the one of whom these things are spoken
belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in
connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling
Melchizedek, one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement
concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible
life. For it is attested of him,
"You are a priest forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek."
There is, on the one hand, the abrogation of an earlier commandment
because it was weak and ineffectual (for the law made nothing perfect);
there is, on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope, through
which we approach God.
This was confirmed with an oath; for others who became priests took their
office without an oath, but this one became a priest with an oath,
because of the one who said to him,
"The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
'You are a priest forever'" —
accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.
