Hebrews 5

In this chapter, Paul continues to discuss the priesthood of Jesus. Remember that he is writing this letter to the Hebrews, and these hebrews are constantly pressed by their unbelieving families and friends to return to the Old Testament ways. He relates all of his “arguments” directly to the Jewish faith and their traditions to prove that Jesus is the Christ they have waited for all this time.

1 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.

Paul begins by reminding them of the qualities of a high priest, their tasks and requirements. In addition he shows that since an earthly high priest is also human – he has weaknesses and has to offer sacrifices for his own sins before he can offer sacrifice for the sins of the people. He is an imperfect being standing in the gap for an imperfect people. This high priest does not appoint himself, nor do the people select him. He can only be called by God the same as Aaron had been. Every high priest must be a man, because it was man who sinned. Sinful man needed a mediator between man and God. Only God could chose that man because only God can judge the heart of a man. This high priest must have compassion and be able to help those who do not understand or who have lost their way. He must be patient with them and gently bring them into the repentance. Since he knows what it is to be tempted by sin, he can show pity on this who fall prey to it. This priesthood is a responsibility, not necessarily an honor, but the office itself is honorable and so the priest must also be honorable.

5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”[Psalm 2:7]
6 And he says in another place,“You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”[Psalm 110:4]

Paul now applies those characteristics of a human high priest to Jesus. Jesus did not assume the office of high priest upon himself – he was called to it by God as shown in the psalms. It was foretold before he came to be. Likewise he did not seek his own glory, but only the glory of God. (John 8:50)

7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus showed compassion to those who were in bondage. He offered prayers and the ultimate sacrifice for their sin. Because he had been tempted but had not fallen prey to sin, he was heard. Even though he was the son of God, he learned obedience, he had to be submissive to God and offer his life as a sacrifice for the sin of the world. In his prayers in the garden on the night before he was arrested, we see that he was in dread of this pain that he was about to endure, but stayed obedient anyway.

Warning Against Falling Away
11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Here he admonishes them for their current state. He is having a hard time making the arguments clear to them because they have become confused by mixing the new and the old. They have even stopped trying to understand. These converts have been in the church long enough that they should be leaders, they should be discipline others. But instead, they have to be taught from the beginning again because they have gotten things so confused. He tells them that because they have starved their spirits, they cannot tolerate the solid meat, the deep truths of the gospel. He warns them that only by constant training will they be able to distinguish between the truth and a lie, between good doctrine and bad, and between good and evil.