Hebrews 5, verses 1 through 14, Called of God an high priest

 

Hebrews 5:1 ¶  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: 2  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. 3  And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4  And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5  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. 6  As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 7  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; 8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

 

Having referred to Jesus as our high priest in the previous chapter Paul goes on to expound on that idea. As Aaron was called to be God’s priest so did Christ take on that role under the authority of God the Father. Only Aaron was ordained for men in things pertaining to God while Christ was ordained of God the Father. Here Paul refers to Psalm 2:7.

 

Psalm 2:7 ¶  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

 

This verse is so important it is referred to Acts 13:33 and in Hebrews 1:5. It was so important that God live and die as one of us, the Son of God, or God in the flesh, the human incarnation of the Godhead. He could become our High Priest because of this and what He suffered. He is the priest and He is the sacrifice. Christ is also likened to Melchisedec, the priest of Salem, who met Abraham returning from his victory.

 

Psalm 110:4  The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

 

Genesis 14:18  And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

 

There must have been some things about the priest of Salem that we were not told but that were very important and we find out about here in Hebrews.

 

In verse 7 the prayer of Christ in Gethsemane seems to be referred to.

 

Matthew 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

 

Mark 14:36  And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

 

Luke 22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

 

John 12:27 ¶  Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

 

Dying, not being dead, but the circumstance of such a painful death, taking on the sins of the world, must have been daunting to God in the flesh. He left us His prayer, as He did at other times, as an example for us to follow in that we are not sinning or showing a lack of faith when we fear dying but are to surrender our will to God in that case when we are called and it is unavoidable.

 

Ecclesiastes 8:8  There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

 

By Christ facing this horrible death for us He expressed ultimate obedience to God and His mission being complete was able to save us from our ultimate death. He is our Saviour by dying for our sins and rising from the dead if we receive Him as our Saviour in obedience.

 

As Aaron offered up sacrifices of animals to God for men’s sins Christ offered up Himself.

 

Ephesians 5:2  And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

 

Hebrews 5:10 ¶  Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. 11  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12  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. 13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14  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.

 

Paul will expound further on this mysterious priest named Melchisedec who was a type of Christ, perhaps, as some claim, was the preincarnate Christ. Here Paul criticizes these Jewish Christians of the early church for their seeming ignorance of Christ in the Old Testament.

 

Hebrews 7:1 ¶  For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2  To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; 3  Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

 

These are intriguing ideas which Paul will present and we will get into soon. Paul is laying out these profound theological truths for people who, like modern Christians, are used to sitting in front of a preacher as passive listeners being told stories like Moses in the bulrushes, the Hebrews crossing the Red Sea, and Daniel in the lion’s den but not the deeper truths of the Bible that require thought AND prayer to uncover and understand. Are we ready for these hard to comprehend and profound truths of the Scriptures or are we to be forever naïve babes in our understanding of God’s word and in our unwillingness to be taught by the Holy Ghost Himself. The oracles of God will come up again soon as well. Stay tuned. We’re not even off the runway yet.