Hebrews 5

    5:1-10.  Continuing from 4:14, the writer continues his main theme, that Jesus is our great high priest.  A high priest who was not descended from Aaron, and who combined the priestly office with that of king, would take some explaining to a Jew.

     5:1-4.  The priesthood comes by God’s appointment, just as in Aaron’s case.  He must be fully man (not an angel), so as to sympathize with us in our weakness, and called by God to intercede with sacrifices for our sins.

     5:5-6.  Just as God raised Jesus from the grave and seated him far above all other rule and authority as everlasting king (5), so he also appointed him as a priest forever, not of the order of Aaron, but of the order of Melchizedek (6).  This is shown by reference to Ps. 2:7 (5; cf. 1:5; Acts 13:33), and Ps. 110:4 (6).   In these two Psalms, the Holy Spirit spoke through David to speak of the Messiah, David’s promised son, in this way (also see Zech. 6:11-13).

     5:7-10.  Christ did not glorify himself, nor was he seen in this way in the days of his flesh.  But in his suffering, he learned both the cost and reward of obedience.  Christ offered the sacrifice of obedience in the things he suffered (7-8; cf. Ps. 51:17; Hos. 6:6).  And his prayers were heard in his humiliation.  He was raised to glory as God’s perfect Son.  He was always God’s perfect Son (8), but now as a man having been made perfect in what he suffered, “He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek” (9-10).

     5:11-14.  At 5:11-6:20, the writer digresses from his main theme to exhort his hearers, whom he says are not only not growing to maturity in the faith, but are actually regressing back to babyhood.  This is a very dangerous direction to be going.  Interestingly, he connects their inability to handle the solid food of the word with their not having practiced and trained senses to discern good and evil; i.e., they don’t have a disciplined obedient walk, and thus regress in understanding.   Obedience to the word of righteousness brings further discernment and growth.