Hebrews 5:1-10

1: For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 
2: he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 
3: and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 
4: And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was.

5: So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”; 
6: just as He says also in another passage, “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

7: In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 
8: Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 
9: And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,
10: being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

*** 

Paul discussed Christ’s call as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek by comparing His priesthood to the Levitical priesthood under Old Testament Law. The high priests of the Levitical priesthood were men themselves, as is Christ (Hebrews 2:17). They were appointed—called by God—on behalf of men so they could offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

A Levitical high priest could compassionately deal with those who sinned (the ignorant and misguided, not the outwardly rebellious who willfully sinned) because he himself, being a man, understood the weaknesses of the flesh. Yet the Levitical high priests were sinful men themselves, where Christ was not (Hebrews 4:15). They had to offer sacrifices for their own sins as well as the people. Christ did not have to offer sacrifices for His own sin because He had no sin. The offering of Himself was strictly for the sin of others.

The Levitical high priests could not take the position by their own appointment. They had to be a Levite with the call of God. In the same way, Christ did not appoint Himself to the position. He was called by God, as Paul pointed out by quoting Psalm 2:7, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” And Psalm 110:4, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Genesis 14:18, Hebrews 7).

Jesus, while here on the earth fulfilling the qualification of His priesthood, cried with tears to the Father who could have spared Him from death (Matthew 26:36-42). Yet it was for this purpose He came (John 12:27) and He, as the Son of God and man (Matthew 16:13-17), submitted to the Father, obedient to the point of death (Philippians 2:8). This was the ultimate act of obedience to the Father and sacrifice for man, establishing His priestly role and becoming the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.

 

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