10. Even though Levi had not yet been born, he was in the body of Abraham when Melchizedek met him.
11. The people established the Levitical priesthood based on instructions they received. If the work of the Levitical priests had been perfect, we wouldn’t need to speak about another kind of priest. However, we speak about another kind of priest, a priest like Melchizedek, not a Levitical priest like Aaron.
12. When a different kind of priesthood is established, the regulations for those priests are different.
13. The priest whom we are talking about was a member of a different tribe. No one from that tribe ever served as a priest at the altar.
14. Everyone knows that our Lord came from the tribe of Judah. Moses never said anything about priests coming from that tribe.
15. The regulations were different. This became clear when a different priest who is like Melchizedek appeared.
16. That person is a priest, not because he met human requirements, but because he has power that comes from a life that cannot be destroyed.
17. The Scriptures say the following about him: “You are a priest forever, in the way Melchizedek was a priest.”
18. The former requirements are rejected because they are weak and useless.
19. Moses’ Teachings couldn’t accomplish everything that God required. But we have something else that gives us greater confidence and allows us to approach God.
20. None of this happened without an oath. The men from the tribe of Levi may have become priests without an oath,
21. but Jesus became a priest when God took an oath. God said about him, “The Lord has taken an oath and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever.”
22. In this way Jesus has become the guarantee of a better promise.
23. There was a long succession of priests because when a priest died he could no longer serve.