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end of life. He is also before every age; and this is, not having a beginning of days. when he returned from the slaughter of the kings, and having blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth of all; first, being interpreted king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is, king of peace, without father, without mother, without genealogy. It is not possible to say, he says, that he gave it as to one who had participated in the war, For this is why it said, "he met him as he was returning." Having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. But consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham gave a tenth. And how, if not by not being recorded? He says, therefore, that just as this one is without father by not having a genealogy, so is Christ by the very nature of the matter and just as of this man we know neither beginning of days, nor end of life, because it is not written, so also in the case of Jesus, not because it is not written, but because it does not exist. That one is a type, and for this reason, from its not being written; but this one is the truth, and for this reason, from its not being. Just as also with the names, in this case they were appellations, both king of righteousness and king of peace; but in that case the matter's tru 95.961 th; so also in this case they are appellations, but in that case the truth of the matters. From the spoils the patriarch. Spoils, he means the plunder. And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, though they have come from the loins of Abraham. But he whose descent is not counted from them, has taken tithes from Abraham, and blessed him who had the promises. So great, he says, was the superiority of the priesthood, that even those of equal honor from their ancestors, and having the same forefather, were much better than the others. Therefore they receive a tenth from them. When, therefore, they receive tithes from these very ones, are not these then in the rank of the laity, and those among the priests? And not only this, but he was not even of equal honor with them, but from another race. So he would not have given tithes to one of another tribe, if the honor were not great. And without all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there, one of whom it is witnessed that he lives, and, so to speak, through Abraham also Levi. And he who receives them, has been tithed. Since this was the august thing over and over, that Abraham had the promise, he shows that one to be more august. For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. Therefore, he says, the type of the Lord is greater, even than him who had the promises. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood. In him was Levi, he says, even if he had not yet been born. See how great the difference is between the one who has the type of our High Priest, and those according to the law. For the people received the law under it; what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? Having shown that Melchizedek, being in the rank of a priest to them, was much better than both Levi and Abraham, he tries again from another angle, saying: For what reason did it not say, after the order of Aaron? He says, therefore, that if the law made men perfect, why was it changed? for the change of the priest was also a change of the law. For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken. That is, it adheres to it, and through it does all things. For it is not possible to say that it was perfect, but did not preside over the people. For it made use of it. 95.964 belonged to another tribe, from which no one has attended to the altar. For it is evident that our Lord has risen out of Judah, a tribe concerning which Moses said nothing about priesthood. And it is yet far more evident, if according to the likeness. This is for those who say, What need was there of a New Covenant? Melchizedek arises, another priest, who is not according to the law. He has been made of a carnal commandment. For in every respect the law was carnal. Circumcise, he says, your flesh, anoint the flesh, wash the flesh, shear the

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ζωῆς τέλος. Αὐτὸς καὶ πρὸ παντὸς αἰῶνος· καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν, οὐδ' ἀρχὴν ἡμερῶν. Ὑποστρέφοντι ἀπὸ τῆς κοπῆς τῶν βασιλέων, καὶ εὐλογήσας αὐτὸν, ᾧ καὶ δεκάτην ἀπὸ πάντων ἐμέρισεν Ἀβραάμ· πρῶτον μὲν ἑρμηνευόμενος βασιλεὺς δικαιοσύνης, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ βασιλεὺς Σαλὴμ, ὅ ἐστι βασιλεὺς εἰρήνης, ἀπάτωρ, ἀμήτωρ, ἀγενεαλογούμενος. Οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, φησὶν, ὅτι ὡς μετασχόντι τοῦ πολέμου ἔδωκε, ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο εἶπεν, ὑπήντησεν ὑποστρέφοντι. Μήτε ἀρχὴν ἡμερῶν, μήτε ζωῆς τέλος ἔχων· ἀφωμοιωμένος δὲ τῷ Υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ, μένει ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸ διηνεκές. Θεωρεῖτε δὲ πηλίκος οὗτος, ᾧ καὶ δεκάτην Ἀβραὰμ ἔδωκεν. Καὶ πῶς, ἢ τῷ μὴ ἐκφέρεσθαι; Λέγει οὖν, ὅτι, ὥσπερ οὗτος ἀπάτωρ τῷ μὴ γενεαλογεῖσθαι, οὕτως ὁ Χριστὸς αὐτῇ τῇ φύσει τοῦ πράγματος καὶ ὥσπερ τούτου οὐκ ἴσμεν, οὔτε ἀρχὴν ἡμερῶν, οὔτε ζωῆς τέλος, διὰ τὸ μὴ γεγράφθαι, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, οὐ διὰ τὸ μὴ γεγράφθαι, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν τύπος, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ γεγράφθαι· τοῦτο δὲ ἀλήθεια, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ εἶναι. Ὥσπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὀνομάτων, ἐνταῦθα μὲν προσηγορίαι ἦσαν καὶ βασιλεὺς δικαιοσύνης, καὶ βασιλεὺς εἰρήνης· ἐκεῖ δὲ πράγματος ἀλή 95.961 θεια· οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα προσηγορίαι εἰσὶν, ἐκεῖ δὲ πραγμάτων ἀλήθεια. Ἐκ τῶν ἀκροθινίων ὁ πατριάρχης. Ἀκροθίνια, τὰ λάφυρα λέγει. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Λευῒ τὴν ἱερατείαν λαμβάνοντες ἐντολὴν ἔχουσιν ἀποδεκατοῦν τὸν λαὸν κατὰ τὸν νόμον, τουτέστι τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν, καίπερ ἐξεληλυθότας ἐκ τῆς ὀσφύος Ἀβραάμ. Ὁ δὲ μὴ γενεαλογούμενος ἐξ αὐτῶν, δεδεκάτωκε τὸν Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ τὸν ἔχοντα τὰς ἐπαγγελίας εὐλόγηκε. Τοσαύτη, φησὶν, ἦν τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἡ ὑπερβολὴ, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ὁμοτίμους ἀπὸ προγόνων, καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ἔχοντας προπάτορας, πολλῷ βελτίους εἶναι τῶν ἄλλων. ∆εκάτην οὖν παρ' ἐκείνων λαμβάνουσιν. Ὅταν οὖν παρ' αὐτῶν τούτων δεκάτας λαμβάνωσιν, ἄρα οὐχ οὗτοι μὲν ἐν τάξει λαϊκῶν, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι; Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὁμότιμος αὐτοῖς ἦν, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἑτέρου γένους. Ὥστε οὐκ ἂν ἔδωκε ἀλλοφύλῳ δεκάτας, εἰ μὴ πολλὴ ἦν ἡ τιμή. Χωρὶς δὲ πάσης ἀντιλογίας τὸ ἔλαττον ὑπὸ τοῦ κρείττονος εὐλογεῖται. Καὶ ὧδε μὲν δεκάτας ἀποθνήσκοντες ἄνθρωποι λαμβάνουσιν, ἐκεῖ δὲ, μαρτυρούμενος ὅτι ζῇ, καὶ, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, διὰ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Λευΐ. Ὁ δὲ καταλαμβάνων, δεδεκάτωται. Ἐπειδὴ ἄνω καὶ κάτω τοῦτο ἦν τὸ σεμνὸν, τὸ ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχειν τὸν Ἀβραὰμ, δείκνυσιν ἐκεῖνον ὄντα σεμνότερον. Ἔτι γὰρ ἐν τῇ ὀσφύϊ τοῦ πατρὸς ἦν, ὅτε συνήντησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Μελχισεδέκ. Οὐκοῦν, φησὶν, κρείσσων ὁ τύπος τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἔχοντος. Εἰ μὲν οὖν τελείωσις διὰ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς ἱερωσύνης ἦν. Ἐν αὐτῷ ἦν, φησὶν, ὁ Λευΐ, εἰ καὶ οὔπω ἐτέχθη. Ἴδε πόσον τὸ μέσον τοῦ τὸν τύπον ἔχοντος τοῦ Ἀρχιερέως ἡμῶν, καὶ τῶν κατὰ νόμον. Ὁ λαὸς γὰρ ἐπ' αὐτῇ νενομοθέτητο· τίς ἔτι χρεία κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἕτερον ἀνίστασθαι ἱερέα, καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρὼν λέγεσθαι; ∆είξας ὅτι πολὺ βελτίων, καὶ τοῦ Λευΐ, καὶ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, ὁ Μελχισεδὲκ, ἐν τάξει ἱερέως αὐτοῖς γενόμενος, ἐξ ἑτέρου πάλιν ἐπιχειρεῖ, λέγων· Τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐκ εἶπε, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρών; Λέγει οὖν, ὅτι εἰ τελείους ἐποίει ὁ νόμος, διὰ τί μετετίθετο; ἡ γὰρ τοῦ ἱερέως μετάθεσις καὶ νόμου μετάθεσις ἦν. Μετατιθεμένης γὰρ τῆς ἱερωσύνης, ἐξ ἀνάγκης καὶ νόμου μετάθεσις γίνεται. Ἐφ' ὃν γὰρ λέγεται ταῦτα. Τουτέστιν, αὐτῇ στοιχεῖ, καὶ δι' αὐτῆς ἅπαντα πράττει. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι τελεία μὲν ἦν, οὐ προειστήκει δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ. Αὐτῇ γὰρ ἐκέχρητο. 95.964 Φυλῆς ἑτέρας μετέσχηκεν, ἀφ' ἧς οὐδεὶς προσέσχηκε τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ. Πρόδηλον γὰρ, ὅτι ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέταλκεν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν, εἰς ἣν φυλὴν οὐδὲν περὶ ἱερωσύνης Μωϋσῆς ἐλάλησε. Καὶ περισσότερον ἔτι κατάδηλόν ἐστιν, εἰ κατὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα. Τοῦτο πρὸς τοὺς λέγοντας, Τί ἔδει Καινῆς ∆ιαθήκης; Μελχισεδὲκ ἀνίσταται ἱερεὺς ἕτερος, ὃς οὐ κατὰ νόμον. Οὕτω γὰρ, φησὶ, τὴν τοῦ Ἀαρὼν ἐξέβαλεν. Ἐντολῆς σαρκίνης γέγονε. Κατὰ πάντα γὰρ νόμος σάρκινος ἦν. Περίτεμε, φησὶ, τὴν σάρκα σου, χρίσον τὴν σάρκα, λοῦσον τὴν σάρκα, περίκειρον τὴν