Hebrews 5 1-4 A high priest is chosen to represent the people before God, offering up gifts and sacrifices on their behalf. The high priest can have compassion on those who are falling short because they themselves are subject to weakness (carnal nature). Because of this, they are required to also offer up sacrifices for themselves. The priests, like Aaron, would offer up sacrifices for themselves and their families as well as on behalf of Israel (Lev. 16:6). The high-priest position was not one that a person appointed themselves to, but one established by God. He chose Aaron and his descendants for the priesthood and later appointed Jesus as our High Priest. 5-6 Explains that Christ, our High Priest, did not appoint Himself to this role but was appointed by He who said to Him, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You” Psalm 2:7 (the Father). The Father, also speaking of the Son, says, “You are a priest forever” (Psalm 110:4). So this shows that the High-Priest role was appointed to Him. He didn’t assign Himself. 7-8 Jesus, in the days of His flesh, suffered (Matthew 26:38), crying out to God with prayers and supplications, and was heard because of His godly fear. Because of this, He can sympathise with us. Though He was the sinless Son of God (God Himself), He learned obedience by going through suffering. He became obedient even to the point of death. Learned obedience? Because obedience is usually due to Him, but by taking on our form, He learned to obey and submit to the Father in everything. So that He, having gone through what we go through, can best represent the people before God as our High Priest. 9-10 In doing all He did, He became our perfect High Priest. Where other high priests had to repeat the rituals, He did it once and for all because He met all the standards. He completed it. He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey, having first demonstrated, as the author, what obedience looks like. We who read and learn from Him have eternal life as we imitate Him. He was appointed by God as High Priest, fit for this role because He took on our form and went through all we could ever go through. 11-12 There’s much to say about this topic, but it’s hard to explain because it seems like they aren’t listening due to their lack of understanding. Even though by this time they have been in the faith for a while and have been taught much, they still need the basic principles explained. They still need milk because they aren’t able to have solid food. Example: Someone coming to church all their life but still being a baby Christian, only knowing the surface level, “Jesus died for you,” and not understanding deeper things like Him being our High Priest. Like in school, there are grades 1-12. There has to be progression. There’s nothing wrong with learning “Jesus loves you” because that’s a prerequisite to the other teachings. The fundamentals are needed, but you can’t stay there. There has to be progress. 13-14 One who is a baby Christian will unfortunately not experience the sweet experience of going deeper in the knowledge of God. So the deeper things are meant for the spiritually mature who are able to understand. Application: To grow spiritually instead of remaining at the same stage Learn obedience from the Author of obedience Questions Q1: What does “You are My Son, today I have begotten You” mean? — Hebrews 5:5 Answer: It comes from Psalm 2:7, a Messianic Psalm about the Father establishing His chosen King. It does not mean Jesus began to exist then. The New Testament connects this declaration with His resurrection, where He was publicly vindicated and declared as the Son of God with power. See: Psalm 2:6-7, Acts 13:33, Romans 1:4, John 17:5. Q2: What does “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” mean? (Hebrews 5:6) Answer: It comes from Psalm 110:4. Jesus was not a priest from the line of Aaron or Levi because He came from Judah. His priesthood is a different order, foreshadowed by Melchizedek, and it is permanent. See: Psalm 110:4, Genesis 14:18, Hebrews 7:13-17, Hebrews 7:24. Q3: What does “according to the order of Melchizedek” mean in Hebrews 5:10? Answer: It means God appointed Jesus as High Priest according to the Melchizedek priesthood, not the Levitical priesthood. Melchizedek was both king and priest, making him a type pointing to Christ. See: Hebrews 5:10, Hebrews 7:1-3, Hebrews 7:15-17, Hebrews 7:20-25.