For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easy to miss is that this isn't just about a different kind of priest, but a fundamental shift in the entire system. When the priesthood changed, it wasn't a minor adjustment; it meant the whole Mosaic Law, built around that specific priesthood, had to be set aside. This shows how deeply intertwined the Old Covenant’s rituals and regulations were with its sacrificial system.
For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The author is building an argument, established in the previous verse, that a new priesthood of a different order (Melchizedek's) implies the inferiority of the established Levitical priesthood. This verse directly follows, explaining that if the priesthood itself is changing, then the entire system of laws and regulations tied to that specific priesthood must also inevitably change. The point is that the old law was intrinsically linked to the old priesthood, and one cannot stand without the other.
Ever feel like one change in your life has a ripple effect on everything else? That's exactly what the writer of Hebrews is talking about here.
Hebrews 7:12 makes a powerful point: the Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic Law weren't independent systems. They were deeply intertwined.
Was the Law just a list of 'dos and don'ts'? Hebrews 7:12 suggests it was much more, and its ultimate purpose needed a new kind of mediator.
The 'law' mentioned here isn't just the Ten Commandments (the moral law), which predate and are distinct from the Levitical priesthood. Instead, the author is primarily referring to the vast system of the Mosaic Law that was administered the Levitical priests.
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This verse directly addresses the monumental theological shift from the Old Covenant's Levitical priesthood and Mosaic Law to the New Covenant established through Christ's singular, perfect sacrifice. It highlights that the intricate system of rituals and laws given to Israel was intrinsically tied to the Aaronic priesthood and thus was designed to be temporary.
c. 1446 BC
The Mosaic Law is Given
Following their exodus from Egypt, God gives the Israelites the Law, including detailed instructions for the Levitical priesthood and its sacrificial system, establishing a covenant centered around these practices.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Covenant and Psalm 110
King David reigns. The prophetic Psalm 110 is written, foretelling a priest who will be 'after the order of Melchizedek,' a significant point for later theological interpretation.
c. 587 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, ending the Levitical sacrificial system in practice and disrupting the continuity of the Aaronic priesthood.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus, who is from the tribe of Judah and not Levi, is crucified and resurrected, initiating his role as the great High Priest of a new covenant.
c. 60-65 AD
The Book of Hebrews is Written
The author of Hebrews writes to Jewish Christians, arguing for the superiority of Christ's priesthood and sacrifice over the Levitical system, urging them to remain faithful.
This passage directly addresses the purpose of the Law, explaining that it was added because of transgressions and was in effect until the descendant promised to Abraham would come, paralleling Hebrews' argument that the Law was tied to the Levitical priesthood and thus temporary.
Romans 7:1-6Paul uses the analogy of marriage to explain how believers are freed from the Law when Christ, our new 'husband,' comes. This illustrates the concept that a new relationship (with Christ as High Priest) necessarily dissolves the old legal ties.
Colossians 2:13-17This text explains how Christ's sacrifice has canceled the written code and its regulations that were against us, highlighting the ceremonial aspects of the Law that were fulfilled in Christ and are no longer binding, directly supporting the idea of a changed law.
Hebrews 10:1-4This passage reiterates that the sacrifices under the old Law could never take away sins, showing their inadequacy and foreshadowing the necessity of a new priesthood and a new covenant, reinforcing why the old system (and its law) had to change.
Psalm 110:4This Old Testament prophecy, directly quoted in Hebrews, declares that the Lord has sworn an oath to establish a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. This foundational promise necessitates a change in both priesthood and the associated law.
ellicottHebrews 7:12: "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law."
(12) This verse connects itself with the parenthesis in Hebrews 7:11 . “For if the priesthood is changed there takes place also of necessity a change of law.” It is no light matter to speak of the order of Aaron as set aside: this carries with it a change of law.
vincentHebrews 7:12: "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law."
Being changed (μετατιθεμένης)Or transferred to another order. See on Galatians 1:6.A change (μετάθεσις)A transfer to a new basis. Only in Hebrews. See Hebrews 11:5; Hebrews 12:27. The inferiority of the Levitical priesthood is inferred from the fact that another priesthood was promised. If perfection was possible at all under the Mosaic economy, it must come through the Levitical priesthood,…
What's easy to miss is that this isn't just about a different kind of priest, but a fundamental shift in the entire system. When the priesthood changed, it wasn't a minor adjustment; it meant the whole Mosaic Law, built around that specific priesthood, had to be set aside. This shows how deeply intertwined the Old Covenant’s rituals and regulations were with its sacrificial system.
The author is building an argument, established in the previous verse, that a new priesthood of a different order (Melchizedek's) implies the inferiority of the established Levitical priesthood. This verse directly follows, explaining that if the priesthood itself is changing, then the entire system of laws and regulations tied to that specific priesthood must also inevitably change. The point is that the old law was intrinsically linked to the old priesthood, and one cannot stand without the other.
The author is building an argument, established in the previous verse, that a new priesthood of a different order (Melchizedek's) implies the inferiority of the established Levitical priesthood. This verse directly follows, explaining that if the priesthood itself is changing, then the entire system of laws and regulations tied to that specific priesthood must also inevitably change. The point is that the old law was intrinsically linked to the old priesthood, and one cannot stand without the other.
"For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well." — What's easy to miss is that this isn't just about a different kind of priest, but a fundamental shift in the entire system. When the priesthood changed, it wasn't a minor adjustment; it meant the w…
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Last reviewed October 2026