1. This “Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High,” “met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings” and “blessed him.”
2. And Abraham apportioned to him “a tenth of everything.” His name first means righteous king, and he was also “king of Salem,” that is, king of peace.
3. Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
4. See how great he is to whom the patriarch “Abraham [indeed] gave a tenth” of his spoils.
5. The descendants of Levi who receive the office of priesthood have a commandment according to the law to exact tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, although they also have come from the loins of Abraham.
6. But he who was not of their ancestry received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises.
7. Unquestionably, a lesser person is blessed by a greater.
8. In the one case, mortal men receive tithes; in the other, a man of whom it is testified that he lives on.
9. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, was tithed through Abraham,
10. for he was still in his father’s loins when Melchizedek met him.
11. If, then, perfection came through the levitical priesthood, on the basis of which the people received the law, what need would there still have been for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not reckoned according to the order of Aaron?
12. When there is a change of priesthood, there is necessarily a change of law as well.
13. Now he of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, of which no member ever officiated at the altar.
14. It is clear that our Lord arose from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.