Hebrews Chapter 5
Lessons from Hebrews Chapter 5
The work of the High Priest (v1-4)
- The High Priest is taken from among the people by God
A High Priest is not an appointment that people can apply for, it is chosen by God. Nor is a High priest is elected by the people. God chose Aaron to be high priest and his family to be priests. Today God has chosen us to be spiritual priests, calling us to serve before the glorious God. This is a great glory and we must treasure and hold on to this grace.
- The High Priest is appointed for me in things pertaining to God
He doesn’t serve people in secular work, but serves pertaining to God. A man once asked Jesus to tell his brother to divide his inheritance with him, but Jesus said, “Man, who made Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” He spoke to them, saying, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
Jesus didn’t come on earth to settle worldly affairs but more importantly to save souls. We are all spiritual priests, having a duty to serve people in things pertaining to God. We have to bring the needs of man before God. In particular, we have to offer both gifts and sacrifices for the sins of men! We also need to represent God before men, showing them the grace of God and teaching them His will.
- The High Priest has compassion on the ignorant and those going astray
The ignorant are so not because of their lack of knowledge but because they think they know everything. Paul says that if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. Those who are going astray are not without direction, rather they have taken the wrong direction to be right. To have compassion on them does not mean to accept the fact that they are ignorant and going astray, but to point out what is wrong for them. We are to be spiritual priests, having compassion on these people, guiding them back to God and guiding them to take up their own responsibilities as priests.
- No one takes the honour of High Priest to himself
Aaron did not earn the place of High Priest, but God commanded Moses to appoint him. Korah and his company were displeased and wanted the glory for themselves and were punished by God as a result. However, the Israelites were displeased but did not dare to voice out their displeasure. Knowing their hearts, God ordered each tribe to have a rod placed before the tabernacle alongside Aaron’s rod, and the following day, only Aaron’s rod had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds, confirming that Aaron was indeed called by God to be High Priest (Num 16:1-17:13).
In church today, there are some who don’t even want to serve God at all. And then there are those who really want to serve God, but like Korah and company, want to seize the glory for themselves. We must have the heart to serve God and not take the glory for ourselves. As the Lord says, “I do not seek My own glory, there is One who seeks and judges.” (Jn 8:50)
Jesus Christ is not Aaron’s descendant, why can He serve as High Priest? (v5-6)
- The author says, 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.”
This is quoted from Psalm 2:7. At that time, David was being anointed as king. He was the son of Jesse, so why is it said that he was God’s begotten? The Psalmist says so to highlight that David was God’s anointed, chosen to be king of Israel according to the will of God. By quoting Psalm 2:7, the author is saying that Christ is the anointed High Priest of God.
- The author also says that Jesus is High Priest not according to the order of Aaron but Melchizedek.
Melchizedek was the priest of God Most High. When Abram defeated the five kings, Melchizedek brought out bread and wine for him, and Abram gave him tithe of all (Gen 14:18-20). Melchizedek was God’s priest far earlier than Aaron, and Christ is High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
The model prayer of Jesus (v7-10)
- Jesus prayed with vehement cries and tears.
He cried out vehemently not because He was afraid God could not hear Him, but out of earnestness. He shed tears not to gain sympathy but because his heart was burdened. Do we pray as a formality? Do we pray out of habit? Or do we pray with a burdened and sincere heart?
- Christ was heard because of His godly fear.
Christ pleaded with God to let Him escape death. Since His prayer was heard, why did He still have to die? This is because Jesus prayed for two things: firstly to have the bitter cup taken from Him, and secondly for God’s will and not His own, to be done. God heard and fulfilled His second prayer request. Jesus’ prayer teaches us that we ought not to ask God to submit to our will, but that we should submit to His will.
- Christ still learned obedience through His sufferings even though He was the Son
We may ask, why doesn’t God protect His children from suffering? Christ answers, even as the Son, I learnt obedience through suffering. Since Christ could not escape suffering, do we think we can? If Christ had to learn obedience, all the more we have to. God requires of us to be obedient, and obedience is more important than sacrifices. We have to be obedient to God not only in times of peace but also in times of turmoil. Having learnt obedience, Christ was perfected. If He wasn’t obedient, He would not have fulfilled the salvation plan of God. In suffering, will we learn to be obedient, leading to salvation?
To be spiritually mature (v11-14)
- In our faith, do not be babes, partaking only of milk.
Peter exhorts to desire the pure milk of the word, as newborn babes, that we may grow. Thus, drinking milk is good and necessary. But if one only drinks milk and does not eat solid food, he is unable to become an adult but will instead become an old baby and that is no longer good.
- We have to be adults who take solid food
Those who partake of solid food are those well versed with the word of righteousness. These are no longer narrow minded, with dim eyes. Such a man has practiced the word of righteousness in his daily life, and hence he is more mature and complete spiritually. For example, a doctor who has recently graduated still needs to practise in a hospital to gain experience in order to become a good doctor. In our lives of faith, not only do we need to be familiar with the word of righteousness, we ought to act it out, so that by reason of use our senses can discern both good and evil.