This priesthood was not legal or temporary, but according to the order of Melchizedek,¹ and is stable and perfect, not for a² time, but forever, which is suitable to Jesus Christ, as to Him that ever lives. Christ was the priest, sacrifice, and altar: He was a priest according to both natures; He was a sacrifice according to His human nature; whence in³ Scripture it is attributed to His body, to His⁴ blood: Yet the effectualness of this sacrifice did depend upon His divine nature; therefore it is called the blood of God. He was the altar according to His⁵ divine nature, it belonging to the⁶ altar to sanctify that which is offered upon it, and so it ought to be of greater dignity than the sacrifice itself.

1. Hebrews 7:17 For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”  ↩︎
2. Hebrews 7:16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. Hebrews 7:18–21 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’ ” Hebrews 7:24–25 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. ↩︎
3. Hebrews 5:6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”  ↩︎
4. Colossians 1:20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, Hebrews 10:10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 1 Peter 1:18–19knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.  ↩︎
5. Acts 20:28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,  ↩︎
6. Matthew 23:17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? John 17:19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. Hebrews 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Hebrews 13:10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. Hebrews 13:12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Hebrews 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.  ↩︎