Hebrews

5.1-14

As the audience for the author of Hebrews included many unbelieving Jews who would have had a rich history of dealing with priests under Mosaic law, the fact of Christ's divine priesthood would have been challenged. With Christ's sacrifice on the cross, the need for the Temple and the Levitical priesthood was ended. Chapter five begins (vv.1-4) by addressing the three basic qualifications for a Jewish high priest: 1) That God appoints him, 2) That he be sympathetic with those to whom he ministered, and 3) That he offers sacrifices on their behalf. There was no longer a need for a priest such as those who succeeded Aaron. The following six verses show how Jesus fulfilled all of those qualifications (vv5-10), as the High Priest, the Sacrifice, and the provision of eternal opening into God's presence. There is a transition in verse 11 into a new section that extends to 6:11. There are many ways to interpret these verses. Because the overall theme of Hebrews is the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old, I believe they should be read as addressing non-believers who are familiar with the Gospel, but who have not yet committed to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. This would be the situation of many Jews still holding onto the traditions of Judaism and the Law.

CHAPTER 5

1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins,
2 being able to deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness;
3 and because of it, he is obligated, just as for the people, to also offer sacrifices for sins in the same way for himself.
4 And no one takes this honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was.
5 In this way also Christ did not glorify Himself to become a high priest, but He who said to Him,
“YOU ARE MY SON,
TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”;
6 just as He says also in another passage,
“YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER
ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”
7 He, in the days of His flesh, offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.
8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.
9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,
10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.
14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern both good and evil.