Chapter Five
An Eternal High Priest
5:1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
The High Priest was to be selected from among men to act on behalf of men in relation to God (an intermediary between God and mankind). They were to oversee and offer all gifts and sacrifices for sins. As the official intermediary he was to be kind and gentle with people, including the ignorant and those that have been led astray, as he would also be human and affected by the sin and prone to all the weaknesses of humanity. Due to his own sins and weaknesses, he was required to offer sacrifices for his own sins too, just as he did for the people. This role of being a High Priest was not to be assumed by one volunteering or taking the honor for themselves, the person was supposed to be selected and called by God alone, just as Moses’ brother Aaron was (political influence on the High Priest selection became prominent during Roman rule).
5:5 So also 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”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
Jesus did not appoint Himself as the High Priest, He was appointed by His Father, the one that said, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you” (see Psalm 2:7, see also Hebrews 1:5). The author then returns to Psalm 110, except this time he quotes verse four, which ties in the priesthood of Melchizedek to Jesus. Melchizedek was a king and a priest long before Aaron was born, he was someone who Abraham encountered and respected (see Genesis 14:17-24),[1] the author of Hebrews will expound on the person of Melchizedek later in the epistle; see chapter seven. This is the first mention of Melchizedek in the New Testament. The reference to being a priest in the “order of Melchizedek,” is to serve as a comparison with the Aaronic priests that would be in the “order of Aaron.” The first element of comparison is about the effective period of time. The Aaronic priests provided temporary services while being in the order of Melchizedek, a priesthood that was considered eternal (explained later in Hebrews 7:3), would not have a need for ongoing sacrifices.
5:7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus 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. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
During Jesus’ ministry on earth, the Bible records that He regularly prayed and offered supplications (Greek ‘hiketērias’,[2] humble and earnest prayer). For example on the cross He cried out to His Father (see Matthew 27:46, 50; Mark 15:34, 37; Luke 23:46, see also Psalm 22:1-2) and was heard (see Psalm 22:24). Although He is the Son of God, who was capable at any time to choose not to suffer, He chose instead to be obedient to His Father and accept the suffering and death required for Him to complete what needed to be done while on earth to be made perfect (see Hebrews 2:10).[3] But Jesus was already perfect, the phrase “made perfect” refers to Him fulfilling the requirements of the law in order to offer salvation to others, those that trust and obey Him. By completing the work, Jesus became the only source of eternal salvation. As mentioned in verse four, God appoints a high priest, here the author states that God did designate Jesus as the High Priest, except He is after the eternal order of Melchizedek.
Warning Against Apostasy and Apathy - Part One
5:11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
Sadly, this is one of the most profound verses in this epistle, as it pertains to apostasy and apathy within God’s people. In studying the Torah, we saw the issue of apostasy (the abandonment of God and the renunciation of beliefs) start early and it can be seen throughout the Bible regarding the past, as well as read in several yet-future prophecies, some of which appear to have already begun. Almost as dangerous as apostasy alone, the addition of apathy (the lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern about something) is certainly more insidious.
The author begins his warning with three points:
5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
The author tells his readers that by now they should to be teachers, people willing to teach others about God’s Word and His plan of salvation through His Son Jesus. The author illustrates this by using a similar metaphor that the apostle Paul used in describing some Christians from the church in Corinth, “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3a) Both the author of Hebrews and Paul realized that if a person has not spent enough time studying the Word of God, they will never become mature Christians, regardless of their age. If a person lacks understanding of the basic principle of the oracles of God (often referred to as essential Christian doctrine), that person needs to prioritize their lives and make an effort to learn them (the milk) so that they stop thinking like a child and become skilled in the word of righteousness, namely the Bible. As one grows and matures in God’s Word, they will be able apply the truth and distinguish good from evil.
Considerations
Both apostasy and apathy can bring on complacency, a gradual acceptance of lower standards or the reduction of any effort (or desire) to achieve something. However, complacency can also find a home in our lives when routine is desired more than adventure. As Christians our daily (or weekly) habits can become so routine that we can become uncomfortable when the Holy Spirit desires for us to do something out of the ordinary (such as help a homeless person, tell someone about Jesus, etc.) It is easy to say no to those things that take us out of our comfort zone, but before saying no, remember to pray, it may be the right thing to do after all.
Warning: Not for Incoming Use Only
Comfort not only causes one to be dull (the Greek word used in verse eleven is ‘nōthroi’,[4] meaning sluggish, sometimes translated as slothful) it can also encourage one to be numb or if you prefer, non-responsive. There are people that can listen and not hear and read and not learn. For example, there are people who can attend Bible studies, attend services, and be active in churches and yet still remain unaffected by the Word of God. Doing these things are commendable and good, however, without acknowledging one’s sinful nature and accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, these activities are essentially a waste of time. Even though the book of Hebrews is especially aimed at those locked in Judaism and are not willing to say ‘yes’ to Jesus or have not yet recognized who He is (or those that desire to return to Judaism), the text can equally apply to those that call themselves ‘Christian’, people that continually ingest the Word but remain unaffected by it (numb to the truth), as evidenced by their unwillingness to serve God or witness.
The following section, Hebrews 6:1-12, contain some of the most controversial elements in the entire Bible. To address these points several hermeneutical principles will need to be reviewed (See Bible Study Tip No. 2 before Genesis chapter six.).
The first principle to review is the “Synthesis Principle,” understanding that the Bible does not contradict itself, therefore any interpretation of a passage that does not harmonize with the understanding of other parts of the Bible, that interpretation is undoubtedly wrong and would require additional examination.
The second principle to employ would be the “Grammatical Principle,” by carefully examining the original language words and applying the correct definitions. This principle is closely followed by the “Contextual Principle,” which examines each verse’s context.
Why is this extra effort necessary? Actually, it is not really extra as these principles are always employed for the proper interpretation of Scripture. However, with that said, this section requires some additional effort to fully understand as it appears to violate a fundamental truth of the Bible. Many Christians believe that one can lose their salvation (most often applied to disbelief or a change of mind, not from some inappropriate or wrongful action), and this section through verse twelve is often cited to support that belief, but it actually does not.
The Bible clearly teaches that a Christian’s salvation is sealed and not even they (nor anyone else) can change that status (see John 6:37; 10:25-30; Romans 8:35-39; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30). Recognizing that there are many interpretations and theories on how to explain these verses, many of which have caused major disagreements, the intent of commentary provided here is to guide and be prayerfully considered, not create more animosity.
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[1] See also commentary under Genesis 14:17-18.
[2] Strong’s Greek 2428.
[3] See also commentary under Hebrews 2:10-12.
[4] Strong’s Greek 3576.