¹⁷ And the psalmist points this out when he says of Christ, “You are a priest forever with the rank of Melchizedek.”

¹⁸ Yes, the old system of priesthood based on family lines was canceled because it didn’t work. It was weak and useless for saving people. ¹⁹ It never made anyone really right with God. But now we have a far better hope, for Christ makes us acceptable to God, and now we may draw near to him.