1 ¶ For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

Melchizedek was king of Salem. He was a religious leader for God. When Abraham was coming back from the war where many kings were killed, Melchizedek met Abraham and showed respect to him.

2 t o whom Abraham also gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace;

Abraham gave Melchizedek one-tenth part of all he had. Melchizedek’s name means king of what is right. Salem means peace. So he is king of peace.

3 w ithout father, without mother, without lineage, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually.

Melchizedek was without a father or mother or any family. He had no beginning of life or end of life. He is a religious leader forever like the Son of God.

4 N ow consider how great this one was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

We can see how great Melchizedek was. Abraham gave him one-tenth part of all he had taken in the war.

5 A nd verily those that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they also have come out of the loins of Abraham;

The Law made the family of Levi the Jewish religious leaders. The Law said that the religious leaders were to take one-tenth part of everything from their own people.

6 b ut he whose descent is not counted in those took tithes from Abraham and blessed him that had the promises.

Melchizedek was not even from the family group of Levi but Abraham paid him. Melchizedek showed respect to Abraham who was the one who had received God’s promises.

7 A nd without any contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

The one who shows respect is always greater than the one who receives it.

8 I n the same manner, here men that die take tithes; but there he received them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

Jewish religious leaders receive one-tenth part. They are men and they all die. But here Melchizedek received one-tenth part and is alive.

9 A nd as I may so say, Levi also, who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham.

We might say that Levi, who receives one-tenth part, paid one-tenth part through Abraham.

10 F or he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

Levi was not yet born. He was still inside Abraham’s body when Abraham paid Melchizedek.

11 ¶ If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron?

The Law was given during the time when Levi and his sons were the religious leaders. If the work of those religious leaders had been perfect in taking away the sins of the people, there would have been no need for another religious leader. But one like Melchizedek was needed and not one from the family group of Aaron.

12 F or the priesthood being transposed, there is made of necessity a translation also of the law.

For when the family group of religious leaders changed, the Law had to be changed also.

13 F or he of whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, of which no one presided at the altar.

These things speak of Christ Who is from another family group. That family group never had a religious leader who killed animals and gave gifts at the altar for the sins of the people.

14 F or it is manifest that our Lord sprang out of Juda, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

Our Lord came from the family group of Judah. Moses did not write anything about religious leaders coming from that family group. A Different Religious Leader Has Come

15 A nd it is yet far more manifest: if there arises another priest who is like unto Melchisedec,

We can see that a different Religious Leader has come. This One is like Melchizedek.

16 w ho is not made according to the law of a carnal commandment, but by the virtue of an indissoluble life;

Christ did not become a Religious Leader by coming from the family group of Levi as the Law said had to be. He became the Religious Leader by the power of a life that never ends.

17 f or the testimony is of this manner, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

The Holy Writings say this about Christ, “You are a Religious Leader forever like Melchizedek.”

18 F or there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness of it;

God put the Law of Moses aside. It was weak and could not be used.

19 f or the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw near unto God.

For the Law of Moses could not make men right with God. Now there is a better hope through which we can come near to God.

20 A nd even more, inasmuch as it is not without an oath

God made a promise when Christ became the Religious Leader Who made the way for man to go to God.

21 ( for the others indeed without an oath were made priests, but this one with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord swore and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec);

God did not make such a promise when Levi’s family group became religious leaders. But when Christ became a Religious Leader, this is the promise God made, “The Lord has made a promise. He will never change His mind. You will be a Religious Leader forever.”

22 b y so much better testament is Jesus made surety.

Christ makes this New Way of Worship sure for us because of God’s promise.

23 A nd the others, truly, were many priests because they were not able to continue by reason of death:

There had to be many religious leaders during the time of the Old Way of Worship. They died and others had to keep on in their work.

24 b ut this man, because he continues forever, has the intransmissible priesthood.

But Jesus lives forever. He is the Religious Leader forever. It will never change.

25 T herefore he is able also to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.

And so Jesus is able, now and forever, to save from the punishment of sin all who come to God through Him because He lives forever to pray for them.

26 F or it was expedient that we have such a high priest, who is holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens,

We need such a Religious Leader Who made the way for man to go to God. Jesus is holy and has no guilt. He has never sinned and is different from sinful men. He has the place of honor above the heavens.

27 w ho needs not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins and then for the people’s; for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Christ is not like other religious leaders. They had to give gifts every day on the altar in worship for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. Christ did not have to do that. He gave one gift on the altar and that gift was Himself. It was done once and it was for all time.

28 F or the law makes men high priests who have weakness; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, has made perfect a Son forever.

The Law makes religious leaders of men. These men are not perfect. After the Law was given, God spoke with a promise. He made His Son a perfect Religious Leader forever.