Melkisedek i Abraham
1Melkisedek je bio šalemski kralj i svećenik Svevišnjega Boga. Kad se Abraham vraćao iz bitke u kojoj je pobijedio nekoliko kraljeva, Melkisedek mu je izišao u susret i blagoslovio ga. 2Tada je Abraham uzeo desetinu od svega što je u ratu osvojio i dao Melkisedeku, čije ime najprije znači “Kralj pravednosti”, a zatim i “Kralj mira”, jer šalem znači “mir”. 3U Svetome pismu nije zapisano ništa o njegovu ocu i majci ni o njegovu rodoslovlju, kao ni o datumima njegova rođenja i smrti. On je sličan Božjemu Sinu jer kao da zauvijek ostaje svećenikom.
4Razmotrite kako je velik bio Melkisedek: veliki izraelski patrijarh Abraham priznao ga je velikim dajući mu desetinu od najboljeg plijena. 5Svećenicima, Levijevim potomcima, Zakon je nalagao da ubiru desetinu od svih, iako su im bili rođaci jer su svi bili Abrahamovi potomci. 6Ali Melkisedek, koji nije bio u srodstvu s levitima, uzeo je desetinu od Abrahama, koji je imao Božje obećanje, i blagoslovio ga. 7A neprijeporno je da uvijek onaj tko je veći blagoslivlja manjega. 8Židovski su svećenici, iako smrtnici, primali desetinu, a za Melkisedeka Bog kao da svjedoči da još živi—jer u Svetome pismu nije zabilježeno ništa o njegovoj smrti. 9Moglo bi se čak reći da su i Levijevi potomci, koji ubiru desetinu, dali Melkisedeku desetinu kroz svojega pretka Abrahama. 10Jer iako se Levi tada još nije ni rodio, sjeme iz kojega je proistekao bilo je u Abrahamovu boku kad je Melkisedek od njega ubrao desetinu.
11Da je levitsko svećenstvo moglo ispuniti Božju nakanu—a na njemu se temeljio Zakon—zašto bi još bilo potrebno da Bog pošalje drukčijeg svećenika, sličnoga Melkisedeku, a ne iz Aronova reda?
12Ako se mijenja svećenstvo, mora se promijeniti i zakon koji će to omogućiti. 13Jer taj o kojemu je riječ pripada drugom plemenu, pripadnici kojega ne služe za oltarom. 14Jasno je, naime, da je naš Gospodin podrijetlom iz Judina plemena, koje Mojsije nikad nije spomenuo u svezi sa svećenstvom.
Isus kao Melkisedek i postao je jamcem boljega saveza
15Promjena u Zakonu još je očitija zbog činjenice da je postavljen drugi svećenik, sličan Melkisedeku. 16On svećenikom nije postao stoga što je zadovoljavao stari zahtjev da pripada Levijevu plemenu, već snagom neuništivog života. 17Sveto pismo svjedoči o Kristu:
“Ti si svećenik zauvijek
i po tome sličan Melkisedeku.”7:17 Psalam 110:4.
18Stara zapovijed više ne vrijedi jer je bila nedjelotvorna i nekorisna. 19Zakon nije ništa priveo k savršenstvu. Zato nam je dano nešto bolje čemu se možemo nadati, što će nas približiti Bogu.
20Bog se zakleo da će Krist zauvijek biti svećenikom, što za druge svećenike nikada nije učinio. 21Jedino je njemu rekao:
“Gospodin se zakleo
i neće to opovrgnuti:
‘Ti si svećenik zauvijek.’”7:21 Psalam 110:4.
22Božjom je zakletvom Isus postao jamcem boljega saveza.
23U starome sustavu bilo je mnogo svećenika jer ih je smrt priječila da trajno ostanu: kad bi jedan svećenik umro, na njegovo bi mjesto došao drugi. 24Ali Isus ostaje svećnikom zauvijek i njegovo svećeništvo neće proći. 25Zato on jednom zauvijek može spasiti svakoga tko po njemu pristupi k Bogu. On zauvijek živi i posreduje za njih.
26Takav nam veliki svećenik i treba—svet, nedužan, neokaljan grijehom, odvojen je od grešnika i uzvišeniji od nebesa. 27Ne mora svakoga dana prinositi žrtve poput drugih svećenika. Oni su to činili za vlastite grijehe, a zatim za grijehe drugih ljudi. Ali Isus je to učinio jednom zauvijek žrtvujući se na križu. 28Veliki svećenici iz Mojsijeva doba bili su samo ljudi podložni slabostima. Ali nakon Zakona Bog je zakletvom na to mjesto postavio svojega Sina, zauvijek savršena.
Melchizedek the Priest
1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” 3Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
4Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. 6This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
Jesus Like Melchizedek
11If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. 13He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17For it is declared:
“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”7:17 Psalm 110:4
18The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
20And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:
“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
‘You are a priest forever.’ ”7:21 Psalm 110:4
22Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.
23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore he is able to save completely7:25 Or forever those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
26Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
