longeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given
attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung
out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning
priests. And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after
the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another Priest, Who hath
been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the
power of an endless life: for it is witnessed of Him,

Thou art a Priest for ever
After the order of Melchizedek.

For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of
its weakness and unprofitableness (for the Law made nothing
perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through
which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as it is not without the
taking of an oath (for they indeed have been made priests without an
oath; but He with an oath by Him that saith of Him,

The Lord sware and will not repent Himself,
Thou art a Priest for ever);

by so much also hath Jesus become the Surety of a better covenant.
And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that
by death they are hindered from continuing: but He, because He
abideth for ever, hath His priesthood unchangeable. Wherefore also
He is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God
through Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.
For such a High-priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled,
separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who
needeth not daily, like those high-priests, to offer up sacrifices,
first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for
this He did once for all, when He offered up Himself. For the Law
appointeth men high-priests, having infirmity; but the word of the
oath, which was after the Law, appointeth a Son, perfected for
evermore."

Jesus has entered heaven as our Forerunner, in virtue of His eternal
priesthood. The endless duration and heavenly power of His priesthood is
the "hard saying" which the Hebrew Christians would not easily receive,
inasmuch as it involves the setting aside of the old covenant. But it
rests on the words of the inspired Psalmist. Once already an inference
has been drawn from the Psalmist's prophecy. The meaning of the Sabbath
rest has not been exhausted in the Sabbath of Judaism; for David, so
long a