Lectio 2 Lecture 2 Melchisedech promissum sumpsit Melchisedech received the promise ^7:4 Intuemini autem quantus sit hic, cui et decimas dedit de praecipuis Abraham patriarcha. [n. 335] ^7:4 Now consider how great this man is, to whom also Abraham the patriarch gave tithes out of the principal things. [n. 335] ^7:5 Et quidem de filiis Levi sacerdotium accipientes, mandatum habent decimas sumere a populo secundum legem, id est, a fratribus suis: quamquam et ipsi exierint de lumbis Abrahae. [n. 337] ^7:5 And indeed they who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is to say, of their brethren: though they themselves also came out of the loins of Abraham. [n. 337] ^7:6 Cujus autem generatio non annumeratur in eis, decimas sumpsit ab Abraham, et hunc, qui habebat repromissiones, benedixit. [n. 341] ^7:6 But he, whose pedigree is not numbered among them, received tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had the promises. [n. 341] ^7:7 Sine ulla autem contradictione, quod minus est, a meliore benedicitur. [n. 343] ^7:7 And without any contradiction, that which is less is blessed by the better. [n. 343] ^7:8 Et hic quidem, decimas morientes homines accipiunt: ibi autem contestatur, quia vivit. [n. 344] ^7:8 And here indeed, men that die receive tithes: but there, he has witness that he lives. [n. 344] ^7:9 Et (ut ita dictum sit) per Abraham, et Levi, qui decimas accepit, decimatus est: [n. 345] ^7:9 And (as it may be said) even Levi who received tithes paid tithes in Abraham: [n. 345] ^7:10 adhuc enim in lumbis patris erat, quando obviavit ei Melchisedech. [n. 346] ^7:10 For he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedech met him. [n. 346] 335. Supra ostendit Apostolus quomodo Melchisedech assimilatus est Filio Dei, hic ostendit praeeminentiam sacerdotii Melchisedech ad sacerdotium Leviticum. 335. Having showed how Melchisedech was likened to the Son of God, the Apostle now shows the preeminence of Melchisedech’s priesthood over the Levitical. Et circa hoc facit duo. In regard to this he does two things. Primo enim excitat attentionem; First, he attracts their attention; secundo ostendit propositum, ibi et quidem de filiis. second, he states his thesis, at and indeed they who are of the sons. 336. Excitat autem ipsos, quia grandia et maxima dicturus erat. Prov. VIII, 6: audite me, quia de rebus magnis locutura sum. Et ideo dicit intuemini, id est diligenter considerate, quantus, id est, quam magnae dignitatis sit hic cui Abraham patriarcha decimas solvit, et hoc de praecipuis. Mal. I, 14: maledictus dolosus, qui habet in grege suo masculum: et votum faciens, immolat Domino debile. 336. He attracts them by saying that he is about to speak of great and important matters: hear, for I will speak of great things (Prov 8:5); hence, he says, now consider how great, i.e., of what great dignity, this man is, to whom also Abraham the patriarch gave tithes out of the principal things: cursed is the deceitful man, that has in his flock a male, and making a vow, offers in sacrifice that which is feeble, to the Lord (Mal 1:14). Dicitur autem Abraham patriarcha, id est, princeps patrum, non quia non habuerit patrem, sed quia sibi facta est promissio de paternitate gentium. Gen. XVII, 4: eris pater multarum gentium. Eccli. XLIV, 20: Abraham magnus pater multitudinis gentium. Rom. c. IV, 17: patrem multarum gentium posui te ante Deum cui credidisti. Abraham is called a patriarch, i.e., the chief of fathers, not because he had no father, but because the promise of being father of the gentiles was made to him: you shall be a father of many nations (Gen 17:4); Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations (Sir 44:20); I have made you a father of many nations before God whom he believed (Rom 4:17). 337. Deinde cum dicit et quidem de filiis, ostendit praeeminentiam sacerdotii Melchisedech ad Leviticum. 337. Then when he says and indeed they who are of the sons, he shows the preeminence of Melchisedech’s priesthood over that of the Levitical. Et circa hoc facit duo. In regard to this he does two things. Primo enim ostendit propositum; First, he states his proposition; secundo ex hoc concludit intentum, scilicet quod sacerdotium Christi praefertur sacerdotio Levitico, ibi si ergo consummatio. second, from this he concludes his thesis, namely, that Christ’s priesthood is preferred to the Levitical, at if then the perfection (Heb 7:11). Iterum prima in duas quia The first is divided into two parts: primo ostendit propositum; in the first he states his proposition; secundo removet quamdam responsionem, ibi et ut ita dictum. in the second he rejects a certain response, at and (as it may be said). Prima iterum in duas. In regard to the first he does two things. Primo ostendit praeeminentiam quantum ad id, in quo ipse usus est sacerdotio suo; First, he shows the preeminence in regard to that in which he used his priesthood; secundo quantum ad conditionem sacerdotii, ibi et hic quidem decimas. second, in regard to the state of the priesthood, at and here indeed, men that die. Ad sacerdotem vero duo pertinent, ut dictum est supra, scilicet accipere, et benedicere. But two things pertain to the priest, namely, to receive and to bless. Duo ergo facit quia Therefore, he does two things: primo ostendit excellentiam quantum ad acceptionem decimarum; first, he shows its excellence as far as receiving tithes is concerned; secundo quantum ad benedictionem, ibi et hunc qui habebat. second, in regard to blessing, at and blessed him that had the promises. Circa primum adhuc duo facit quia In regard to the first he does two things: primo ostendit de quibus competit accipere decimas; first, he shows who is competent to accept tithes; secundo quomodo hoc excellentius faciebat Melchisedech, ibi cuius autem generatio. second, how Melchisedech did this in a more excellent manner, at but he, whose pedigree. 338. Dicit ergo et quidem accipientes sacerdotium de filiis Levi. In hoc ostendit quibus competit accipere decimas, quia sacerdotibus. Sciendum est autem, quod illi de tribu Levi erant deputati divino cultui. Inter ipsos autem soli illi de stirpe Aaron erant sacerdotes. Ex. XXVIII, 1: applica Aaron, et cetera. Et isti quia per Aaron erant de tribu Levi, sumebant decimas. 338. He says, therefore: and indeed they who are of the sons of Levi. In this he shows that it belongs to priests to take tithes. But it should be noted that the members of Levi’s tribe were deputed to divine worship, but among them only the descendants of Aaron were priests: take unto you also Aaron, your brother, with his sons . . . that they may minister to me in the priest’s office (Exod 28:1). Hence, those who belong to the tribe of Levi through Aaron took tithes. Sed contra. Ergo secundum hoc soli sacerdotes accipiebant decimas, quod est contra illud Num. XVIII, 21: filiis Levi dedi omnes decimas Israelis, et cetera. This would seem to indicate that the priests alone took tithes, which is contrary to what it says in Numbers: I have given to the sons of Levi all the tithes of Israel (Num 18:21). Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod Levitae non accipiebant eas, nisi quia ministrabant sacerdotibus. Et ita non propter se, sed propter sacerdotes dabantur eis. Item, Levitae accipiebant decimas decimatas, sic Num. XVIII, v. 26. Et ita soli sacerdotes accipiebant, et non solvebant. I answer that the Levites received them only because they ministered to the priests; consequently, they were given not for themselves but for the priests. Furthermore, the Levites received only one-tenth of the tithes, as it says in Numbers (Num 18:26); therefore, only the priests received and did not pay. 339. Secundo ostendit quo iure accipiebant, quia ex mandato legis. Unde dicit mandatum habent decimas sumere. 339. Second, he shows by what right they received them, namely, by a commandment of the law; hence, he says, they have a commandment to take tithes.