Hebrews 5:1-10 New King James Version
Qualifications for High Priesthood
5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can [a]have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. 3 Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. 4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.
A Priest Forever
5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:
“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.”
6 As He also says in another place:
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek”;
7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
The concept of priesthood and the ancient sacrificial system is so far removed from our contemporary Western world, but here it is mentioned in the Word of God for our studying and understanding it is fundamental to Christian living.
The practice of animal sacrifice in Old Testament Israel was not a man-made system created as a futile attempt to reach God, to make humans acceptable to Him.
Rather, it was devised by God, related to man’s ears, it was meant to help God’s covenant people understand His character, His expectations, and the wonder of His plan of redemption and renewal (and it can still help us in this way today).
In all of its nuances, God was pointing His people toward the finished and perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who would come both as His people’s Great High Priest and as the one perfect sacrifice offered on their behalf.
Historically, Israel’s high priest would have come from the line of Aaron, Moses’ brother, and would have been considered “chief among his brothers” (Leviticus 21:10).
This chosen individual would have experienced the same societal conditions, pressures, and trials as the men and women he was representing, which would have helped him to become a more compassionate advocate on their behalf.
Long before the arrival of Jesus, however, the historical pattern of high-priestly appointments had been corrupted by Herod the Great and other political rulers, and other ambitious religious leaders who chose the high priest for themselves.
They didn’t understand that the high priest’s role was not an high honor to be bestowed by man but ultimately a call from God, as it had been for Aaron.
High priests of the lineage of Aaron were never to represent solely the political establishment; they were to represent everyone of God’s people to God Himself.
That is one of the factors that makes Jesus the very best high priest: He did not exercise his ego, exercise his considerable influence, to take upon Himself the high glory of becoming a high priest; rather, He was appointed by the Father.
Instead He publicly acknowledged, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’” (John 8:54).
Throughout His earthly ministry, He perfectly endured the same hardships we face. He has gone before Almighty God for our sins even though He was sinless.
With a spirit of incomparable gentleness, Jesus spurs us toward righteousness.
Because He offered the perfect sacrifice—indeed, because He was the perfect sacrifice—you and I can enjoy God’s presence both now and forevermore.
No sin or suffering, no disappointment or despair, makes this glorious reality any less true: that each and everyone of us have a priest, forever, and therefore each and everyone of us have a secure and everlasting place with Him, forever.
Appointed By God, Eternal in the Heavens
Hebrews 5:5-10 New King James Version
A Priest Forever
5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:
“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.”
6 As He also says in another place:
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek”;
7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,”
What were the qualifications for becoming the high priest?
The high priest was chosen from God’s people, from the descendants of Aaron (Exodus 40:12-15), and was able to “deal gently” with those who did not know God and were going astray.
Exodus 40:12-15 New King James Version
12 “Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of meeting and wash them with water. 13 You shall put the holy garments on Aaron, and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest. 14 And you shall bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. 15 You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to Me as priests; for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.”
This person was also called by God rather than taking the honor upon himself.
Jesus did not come to appoint himself as the great high priest.
But he met the qualifications of this role.
As has been noted, He is fully human and fully God and can empathize with all our weaknesses.
Philippians 2:5-11 New King James Version
The Humbled and Exalted Christ
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it [a]robbery to be equal with God, 7 but [b]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
He understands all that we go through, even all our temptations, and yet he did not sin (Hebrews 4:15).
Hebrews 4:14-16 New King James Version
Our Compassionate High Priest
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
So God appointed Him as the great High Priest.
And because Jesus is the Son of God, from long before the time of Aaron, God declared him “a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek,” who served as a priest of God Most High (Genesis 14:18-20; Hebrews 7:1-3) outside the time Aaron.
At some points in the history of God’s people, the high priest office was in the hands of families who usurped it, took it on themselves or bought control of it.
Jesus does not take this on himself but is appointed by God.
He meets the qualifications, and he meets the needs of all of God’s people.
The office of the great High Priest is not to be bought.
It is filled by Jesus, God’s Son, who is fully human, appointed by God himself.
Jesus is the Source of Eternal Salvation
Hebrews 5:9-11 New King James Version
9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” 11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
On the cross Jesus said “it is finished” right before he gave up his spirit.
With these three simple yet profound words, He was signifying that everything He came to do was accomplished, everything ever written about Him had been fulfilled and the redemption of the entire world was ultimately completed.
Since there was nothing left to do He ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father taking his rightful place as Lord (Mark 16:19; Acts 2:33; Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 1:3; 10:12).
This is an important truth to understand because Jesus is Lord whether you have personally confessed his Lordship.
Not recognizing His position does not change it as fact.
Peter stated this very thing at Pentecost, “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2: 32-36).
With one marvelous act of obedience on the cross, Jesus was perfectly equipped through this experience to become our High Priest in service to God.
With this completed exercise He became both the author and source of eternal salvation to everyone who puts their saving faith in Him.
Everything we know and experience as humans has a beginning and an end.
We are bound by time, distance and energy.
We set aside periods of rest and recharging by eating, sleeping and drinking.
This maintains our body’s health and energy.
In light of this, it is hard to wrap our brains around the fact that, Jesus is the source of eternal salvation.
Which means that it originated with him, it flows out of him and He is the supply for its power.
Jesus told this very truth to the woman at the well in John 4,
“Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).
Once you and I and others whom God Himself summons, participate in this life that Jesus offers He is able to sustain us and keep us forever because Jesus is the wellspring to eternal life and its supply of abundant life will never be shut off!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 24 New King James Version
The King of Glory and His Kingdom
A Psalm of David.
24 The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the [a]waters.
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah
Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus our Savior as God’s anointed High Priest, Who ever lives to make intercession for us. Thank You that He is the Mediator between God and man and that through Him we have access to Your throne of grace.. for mercy to find help in time of need. Thank You that the Lord Jesus finished the good work of redemption by means of His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection.. so that by grace through faith in Him I have been brought into eternal fellowship with You – May I live breath to breath, day by day to Your praise, and glory in Jesus name,
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 