The priesthood of Christ according to the order of Melchisedech excels the Levitical priesthood and puts an end both to that and to the law.
7:1. For this Melchisedech was king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him:
7:2. To whom also Abraham divided the tithes of all: who first indeed by interpretation is king of justice: and then also king of Salem, that is, king of peace:
7:3. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but likened unto the Son of God, continueth a priest for ever.
Without father, etc. . .Not that he had no father, etc., but that neither his father, nor his pedigree, nor his birth, nor his death, are set down in scripture.
7:4. Now consider how great this man is, to whom also Abraham the patriarch gave tithes out of the principal things.
7:5. And indeed they 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 to say, of their brethren: though they themselves also came out of the loins of Abraham.
7:6. But he, whose pedigree is not numbered among them, received tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had the promises.
7:7. And without all contradiction, that which is less is blessed by the better.
7:8. And here indeed, men that die receive tithes: but there, he hath witness that he liveth.