For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Hebrews 5 is a pivotal chapter, bridging the profound truths about Jesus's unique qualifications as our High Priest (building on Hebrews 4) with a crucial warning against spiritual stagnation. Understanding this chapter is essential for grasping the depth of Christ's ministry and the call to mature faith that echoes throughout the book of Hebrews. It’s a call to move beyond the basics and embrace the fullness of what God offers.
The High Priest: A Bridge Between God and Humanity (5:1-4)
The author begins by outlining the role of the high priest in the Old Testament system. Every high priest is selected "from among men" (Hebrews 5:1), appointed to represent the people before God. Their primary duty was to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins, acting as a mediator to make atonement. This role demanded empathy, as the high priest himself was "beset with weakness" (Hebrews 5:2) and needed to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as the people's.
However, the office of high priest wasn't something one could simply claim. It was a sacred calling, an appointment by God Himself, just as Aaron was chosen (Hebrews 5:4). This divine appointment underscores the seriousness and significance of the role.
Christ's Appointment: A Superior Priesthood (5:5-6)
The author draws a parallel between Aaron's calling and Christ's appointment as High Priest. Crucially, Christ "did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”" (Hebrews 5:5). This echoes Psalm 2:7 and highlights the Father's sovereign declaration of Jesus as His Son and High Priest.
The author further emphasizes the unique nature of Christ's priesthood by quoting Psalm 110:4: "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:6). This verse is key. Jesus wasn't appointed to the Levitical priesthood of Aaron, but to the priesthood of Melchizedek, a figure of immense significance that the author will explore in detail in Hebrews 7. This sets the stage for understanding the superiority of Christ's priesthood, which transcends the limitations of the Old Covenant.
Jesus's Humanity: Obedience and Perfection (5:7-10)
The writer then delves into the humanity of Jesus, emphasizing that He, "in the days of his flesh, offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence" (Hebrews 5:7). This poignant description reveals the intense suffering and struggles Jesus endured. He experienced the weight of human existence, facing temptations and trials, yet without sinning (Hebrews 4:15).
Even though He was the Son of God, Jesus "learned obedience through what he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). This doesn't imply that Jesus was ever disobedient, but rather that He fully embraced the human experience, learning obedience in the face of adversity. Through His perfect obedience, He was "made perfect" (Hebrews 5:9), not in the sense of becoming morally better, but in the sense of being fully equipped and qualified to fulfill His role as High Priest.
As a result, Jesus "became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:9-10). His obedience paved the way for our salvation, and His appointment as High Priest guarantees our access to God. He is the source of deliverance for all believers who obey Him. Just as Jesus cried out to God and obeyed Him, we too can receive deliverance by drawing near to God in our struggles.
A Call to Maturity: Moving Beyond Milk (5:11-14)
The author then shifts gears, expressing a desire to delve deeper into the topic of Melchizedek but hesitates because of the spiritual immaturity of his audience. He laments, "Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing" (Hebrews 5:11). The Greek word translated as "dull" can also mean "lazy" or "stubborn," suggesting a resistance to spiritual growth.
He points out that "though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God" (Hebrews 5:12). This is a sharp rebuke. These Jewish Christians should have been further along in their faith, capable of teaching others, but instead, they still needed to be taught the fundamentals. They were like infants still needing milk, rather than being able to digest solid food.
The author explains the difference between spiritual milk and solid food: "For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child, but solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:13-14). Milk represents the elementary truths of the faith, while solid food symbolizes the deeper, more complex doctrines and their practical application in daily life. Maturity comes through experience and training, learning to discern between good and evil.
Just as physical growth requires moving from milk to solid food, spiritual growth demands that we move beyond the basics and embrace the fullness of God's Word. This requires effort, discipline, and a willingness to engage with the deeper truths of Scripture. The trials and challenges we face in life can actually serve to train our senses and help us grow in discernment.
The warning in Hebrews 5 is a timeless reminder that faith is not meant to be stagnant. We are called to grow, to mature, and to deepen our understanding of God's Word. Only then can we truly experience the fullness of Christ's High Priesthood and live lives that are pleasing to Him.
For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Hebrews 5 is a pivotal chapter, bridging the profound truths about Jesus's unique qualifications as our High Priest (building on Hebrews 4) with a crucial warning against spiritual stagnation. Understanding this chapter is essential for grasping the depth of Christ's ministry and the call to mature faith that echoes throughout the book of Hebrews. It’s a call to move beyond the basics and embrace the fullness of what God offers.
The High Priest: A Bridge Between God and Humanity (5:1-4)
The author begins by outlining the role of the high priest in the Old Testament system. Every high priest is selected "from among men" (Hebrews 5:1), appointed to represent the people before God. Their primary duty was to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins, acting as a mediator to make atonement. This role demanded empathy, as the high priest himself was "beset with weakness" (Hebrews 5:2) and needed to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as the people's.
However, the office of high priest wasn't something one could simply claim. It was a sacred calling, an appointment by God Himself, just as Aaron was chosen (Hebrews 5:4). This divine appointment underscores the seriousness and significance of the role.
Christ's Appointment: A Superior Priesthood (5:5-6)
The author draws a parallel between Aaron's calling and Christ's appointment as High Priest. Crucially, Christ "did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”" (Hebrews 5:5). This echoes Psalm 2:7 and highlights the Father's sovereign declaration of Jesus as His Son and High Priest.
The author further emphasizes the unique nature of Christ's priesthood by quoting Psalm 110:4: "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:6). This verse is key. Jesus wasn't appointed to the Levitical priesthood of Aaron, but to the priesthood of Melchizedek, a figure of immense significance that the author will explore in detail in Hebrews 7. This sets the stage for understanding the superiority of Christ's priesthood, which transcends the limitations of the Old Covenant.
Jesus's Humanity: Obedience and Perfection (5:7-10)
The writer then delves into the humanity of Jesus, emphasizing that He, "in the days of his flesh, offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence" (Hebrews 5:7). This poignant description reveals the intense suffering and struggles Jesus endured. He experienced the weight of human existence, facing temptations and trials, yet without sinning (Hebrews 4:15).
Even though He was the Son of God, Jesus "learned obedience through what he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). This doesn't imply that Jesus was ever disobedient, but rather that He fully embraced the human experience, learning obedience in the face of adversity. Through His perfect obedience, He was "made perfect" (Hebrews 5:9), not in the sense of becoming morally better, but in the sense of being fully equipped and qualified to fulfill His role as High Priest.
As a result, Jesus "became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:9-10). His obedience paved the way for our salvation, and His appointment as High Priest guarantees our access to God. He is the source of deliverance for all believers who obey Him. Just as Jesus cried out to God and obeyed Him, we too can receive deliverance by drawing near to God in our struggles.
A Call to Maturity: Moving Beyond Milk (5:11-14)
The author then shifts gears, expressing a desire to delve deeper into the topic of Melchizedek but hesitates because of the spiritual immaturity of his audience. He laments, "Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing" (Hebrews 5:11). The Greek word translated as "dull" can also mean "lazy" or "stubborn," suggesting a resistance to spiritual growth.
He points out that "though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God" (Hebrews 5:12). This is a sharp rebuke. These Jewish Christians should have been further along in their faith, capable of teaching others, but instead, they still needed to be taught the fundamentals. They were like infants still needing milk, rather than being able to digest solid food.
The author explains the difference between spiritual milk and solid food: "For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child, but solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:13-14). Milk represents the elementary truths of the faith, while solid food symbolizes the deeper, more complex doctrines and their practical application in daily life. Maturity comes through experience and training, learning to discern between good and evil.
Just as physical growth requires moving from milk to solid food, spiritual growth demands that we move beyond the basics and embrace the fullness of God's Word. This requires effort, discipline, and a willingness to engage with the deeper truths of Scripture. The trials and challenges we face in life can actually serve to train our senses and help us grow in discernment.
The warning in Hebrews 5 is a timeless reminder that faith is not meant to be stagnant. We are called to grow, to mature, and to deepen our understanding of God's Word. Only then can we truly experience the fullness of Christ's High Priesthood and live lives that are pleasing to Him.