Virgin Martyr Anysia at Thessalonica; Our Holy Father Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia (1563); Gideon the New Martyr of Mount Athos

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ²to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, “king of righteousness”, and then also “king of Salem”, which means “king of peace”, ³without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God), remains a priest continually.

⁴Now consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth out of the best plunder. ⁵They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham, ⁶but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has accepted tithes from Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises.

They came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him, ²⁸and they began saying to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”

²⁹Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ³⁰The baptism of John—was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me.”

³¹They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we should say, ‘From heaven;’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ³²If we should say, ‘From men’”—they feared the people, for all held John to really be a prophet.

³³They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”