A High Priest

INTRO

By Jesus dying on the cross, being buried, and coming back to life, we were given access to the Father. We were given access because of Christ’s incredible sacrifice. Chapter 5 talks about the role of Christ as the High Priest. Jesus was greater than angels, Jesus’ message was greater than the message of the angels, and Jesus was greater than Moses or Aaron.

TEACHING

Hebrews 5:1-14: The role of the high priest was to offer gifts and sacrifices on the day of atonement for the forgiveness of sins. According to John MacArthur, “The first term [gifts] might refer especially to the grain offerings under the Old Covenant, which were for thanksgiving or dedication. That would leave the second term [sacrifices] to refer to the blood offerings for the expiation of sins (Leviticus 1—5).”¹ The high priest came to the Lord on behalf of all the people. He was appointed in service to God, but he was chosen from men.

Verse 2 states the high priest was able to deal gently with those who were going astray since he was also subject to weakness. This was in accordance with the role of the high priest as defined in the Old Testament. Verse 3 states the high priest was required to make a sin offering for himself as well as the people, because he was human and he sinned (vv. 3–4).

These verses set up verse 5. MacArthur explains that Hebrews 5 “describes a true leader as a priest who is: focused on people and how they connect with God (Hebrews 5:1); compassionate with the weak and the ignorant (5:2); required to face sin head-on (5:3); and not self-appointed, but rather called by God into his role (5:4).”² Now it was required to take these principles and apply them to Christ in His role as High Priest. The first role in the calling was to have a relationship with the Lord and, along with that role, it was expected that those called individuals would connect people with the Lord. Then the role was to show compassion, but call out the sin. The reason for fulfilling these roles was because God had issued a call on an individual’s life.

Verse 5 contains references to Old Testament passages. MacArthur states, “With the quotations of Psalm 2:7 and 110:4, the writer demonstrates that Christ’s sonship and His priesthood were both by divine appointment.”³

In verse 6, Christ was identified as a high priest in the order of Melchizedek, the “king of Salem and priest of the Most High God in the time of Abraham, he was also a king-priest (Genesis 14:18–20).”⁴ The emphasis of the writer of Hebrews was on Christ beingHigh Priest in the order of Melchizedek more than Christ as a king in the order of Melchizedek. The audience was struggling with the law. Hebrews 5 was about Jesus being greater than all the people’s patriarchs. Jesus had come to set the people free.

Verses 1–4 are a comparison of Christ to the human priests. Verse 5 and following are about Christ’s role as High Priest.

MacArthur points out that in verse 7, “The subsequent context makes it clear that this refers back to Christ, the main subject in verse 5. In Gethsemane, Jesus agonized and wept, but committed Himself to do the Father’s will in accepting the cup of suffering which would bring His death (Matthew 26:38–46; Luke 22:44, 45).”⁵ Jesus knew what was coming. MacArthur states:

“Anticipating bearing the burden of judgment for sin, Jesus felt the fullest pain and grief (cf. Isaiah 52:14; 53:3–5, 10). Though He bore the penalty in silence and did not seek to deliver Himself from it (Isaiah 53:7), He did cry out from the agony of the fury of God’s wrath poured on His perfectly holy and obedient person (Matthew 27:46; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus asked to be saved from remaining in death, i.e., to be resurrected (cf. Psalm 16:9, 10).”⁶ Psalm 16 was a prophetic psalm, a Messianic Psalm that stated the Messiah’s resurrection would take place.

Verse 8 was about obedience. MacArthur states, “Christ did not need to suffer in order to conquer or correct any disobedience. In His deity (as the Son of God), He understood obedience completely. As the incarnate Lord, He humbled Himself to learn (cf. Luke 2:52). He learned obedience for the same reasons He bore temptation: to confirm His humanity and experience its’ sufferings to the fullest (see note on 2:10; cf. Luke 2:52; Philippians 2:8).”⁷ Christ learned all this over time; He grew into this. Christ knew He was appointed to walk this experience out.

Christ was perfected, which was tied into the obedience of suffering. God’s plan had to come to fruition. After the perfecting plan of God, including His sacrifice for our sin, Jesus became the source of salvation.

Wiersbe points out that in verse 11 and following, there are markers of spiritual immaturity: “The writer was about to begin his explanation of the heavenly priesthood of Christ, but he was not sure his readers were ready for what he had to teach.”⁸ The list of marks of spiritual immaturity included: dullness toward the Word, inability to share, a ‘baby food’ diet, and unskilled in using the Word.”⁹ The expectation of the writer of Hebrews was that believers should have the ability to share their beliefs and the Word. These markers should show believers where they are in their relationship to the Lord.

CLOSING

Our lifestyles, words, and actions should show we are eating solid food. This would require that we grow and mature in the Lord.