Note: In the body on this article the verses from Hebrews are in italics, the explanation of the verse/s follows in straight text with additional scriptures shown in bold italics.
In this chapter the writer's focus is on Jesus being our great high priest forever. This is not a role that Jesus took on by himself, it is a role that was bestowed upon him by God the Father!
Jesus is greater than any other high priest that came through the Mosaic Law and old covenant. It is through Jesus being our high priest that we, as born again Christians are able to enter into God's presence!
Qualifications for High Priesthood
1 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 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.
In verses 1-4 the writer reminds the "Hebrews", and us (born again Christians) today, that up until the arrival of Jesus, the High Priest role or position was ordained by God for men under the Mosaic Law. It was a role given to a man by God, the first High Priest being Aaron - see Exodus 28.
All subsequent High Priests were descendants of Aaron's line, and like Aaron had to come from the tribe of Levi!
The High Priest had to be a man of compassion and recognise his own weaknesses in order to make the annual atonement fo the sins of Iarael as well as for his own sins before God in the Holy of Holies. He was the only man who could enter the Holy of Holies to make the sin offerings! Every High Prriest had to be called by God just as Aaron was.
Exodus 28:1-2 (NIV)
1 “Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. 2 Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.
A High 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”;
In verse 5-6 we are told that Jesus, the Son, did not place himself as High Priest to bring glory to Himself, but it was the Father who ordained Him High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek! We will examine Melchizedek more closely when we unpack chapter 7!
Verse 5 is a quote from Psalm 2:7 and verse 6 is a quote from Psalm 110:4.
Psalm 2:7 (NIV)
I will proclaim the LORD’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.
Psalm 110:4 (NIV)
The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
None of the Levite priests from Aaron down were ever declared to be High Priests forever, but God was signifying the deity of Jesus when He ordained Him to be a High Priest forever. In His humanity Jesus was not a Levite but in His human lineage He was from the tribe of Judah, the kingly line. This not only sets Him apart from any other High Priests as a High Priest forever but it also confirms Him as the King of kings.
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.
In verses 7-8 we learn of Jesus' perfect and sinless life. It was the complete submission of His own will to the Father's throughout His ministry, a submission that resulted in His death on the cross even though He asked the Father if their was another way, made him sinless! He suffered greatly for our sin but remained true and faithful to the Father in total submission to the Father's will!. Scripture proves this!
Luke 22:42, 44 (NIV)
42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
The work of Jesus the Son was to do the will of the Father. To do the will of the Father was His "food", His sustenance, that which sustains Him. As His children we, the Church, will be sustained and fed by being imitators of Christ, Jesus is the bread of life the only thing that sustains and empowers us to do the will of the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit!
John 4:34 (ESV)
Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
John 6:35 (NIV)
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Colossians 1:16-20 (ESV)
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Revelation 22:12-13 (ESV)
12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
Jesus' perfect and sinless life makes Him the only name by which mankind can be saved, through His perfect life of obedience and submission to the Father, He became the author of our eternal salvation and the perfecter of our faith.
Acts 4:12 (ESV)
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
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.
Verse 10 reminds us that Jesus was called and ordained by God to be our High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. We will learn more about Melchizedek when we unpack chapter 7 of Hebrews!
Spiritual Immaturity
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
In verse 12 the gist of what the writer is telling them and us is that there is an expectation for us to grow into spiritual maturity. The "Hebrews", like so many of us today, had been Christians for some time but because of the persecution and trials that they had been through they were no longer growing in faith but had rather regressed to the point of leaving the faith to return to the Law of sin and death!
Instead of growing in faith from milk (immaturity) to solid food or meat of the Word (maturity) they needed to be taught the basis principles of Christianity again!
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
We don't expect newly born again Christians to be fully knowledgeable in the teachings and mature things of the Word for they need to grasp the basic principles (milk) first!
Christians demonstrate immaturity by both their lack of discernment between good and evil and in their contemplation of giving up on Jesus. They allow the trials and tribulations of life to defeat them rather than keeping their eyes on Jesus, believing in faith that through Jesus we have the victory.
1 Corinthians 15:57 (ESV)
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The mature Christian is marked by their discernment and by their unshakable commitment and submission to Jesus Christ and their full obedience and compliance with the teachings of the Bible.
14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
But for those who have been walking with the Lord for a number of years should be walking the road to Christian maturity, they need to have learned by immersing themselves in the Bible to discern both good and evil - becoming spiritually mature Christians and being led by the Holy Spirit to glorify the name of Jesus.
To learn more about walking the Christian road to maturity, please read my blog: "From Milk to Meat: The Christian Path to Spiritual Maturity" on the following link.
https://rayskilton.blogspot.com/2021/04/from-milk-to-meat-christian-path-to.html
Prayer
Dear Father in Heaven
Thank you for Jesus my Lord and Saviour. Thank you that it is by His name alone that I am saved, and it is only through Him that I receive your sonship and can share in your spiritual blessings that are for Your children only. Help me, Father by the power of your Holy Spirit help me to walk in a manner that is worthy of my salvation in Christ Jesus and keep me from developing a sinful, rebellious heart of unbelief and help me to come before you in humility. help me Lord to immerse myself in your Word and wall the path to spiritual maturity so that I can be a blessing to others and glorify the name of Jesus. Help me in my unbelief I pray!. Amen.
To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!
Jesus the Name above all names!
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself. My word is flawed the Bible is not!
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