Translation
But on account of the abiding of Him unto the age,
Go to footnote numberHe possesses an unchangeable priesthood,
Paraphrase
But because He (Jesus) endures in perpetuity, He holds a priestly office that is perpetual,
Footnotes
1
Koine Greek had more than one way to say “forever, in perpetuity.” The phrase “unto the age” meant “until the end of this age and far beyond into the unknown of the next age.” Similarly, the phrase “to the ages of the ages” meant, “from one age to another and another, without end.”
An Implication of a Priest Who Never Dies
A new High Priest that lives forever has one implication which would be negative, if God had not made an accompanying change to the way things work under our new High Priest. I am referring to the length of time a person who was wrongly accused of murder had to wait in a city of refuge before getting a fresh start on life. He had to wait until the death of the High Priest which marked the end that short age. When the new High Priest took office, everyone received a fresh start (see Numb 35:28).
But Jesus is our new High Priest and He never dies, so when will we get our fresh start?
God foresaw this dilemma and gave the answer long before it was needed. He communicated through Jeremiah who wrote in Lamentations 3:22-23 (my paraphrase) “It is on account of the loving mercy of THE ETERNAL AND PERSONAL GOD that we are not judged with eternal punishment; for His compassion toward us never ends. His loving mercy and compassion are new and fresh at the breaking of each new day. Great is your faithfulness [to yourself].”