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Bible Commentaries
Hebrews 5

The Bible Study New TestamentBible Study NT

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Verse 1

1.

Every high priest. “To prove that Jesus is a real High Priest, I will first describe a high priest of Judaism.” Chosen. Such as Aaron and all the high priests of Israel, On their behalf. God does not need a high priest, but people do, To offer. As a lawyer stands between his client and the court, so the high priest stands between the people and their God. The gifts and sacrifices were offered either by the high priest in person, or by his direction.

Verse 2

2.

Since he himself is weak. He has been chosen from among his fellowmen, so he understands them perfectly, because he himself shares their weakness. Compare Galatians 6:1.

Verse 3

3.

And became. As a human being, the Jewish high priest had to offer sacrifices for his own personal sins first. See Leviticus 16:6. Notice the symbolism in the high priest’s vestments (Exodus 28:0).

Verse 4

4.

No one chooses for himself. “To apply these things to Jesus, notice first that no high priest chooses himself. God chooses him, just as He chose Aaron.” See Exodus 28:1; Leviticus 8:2-5.

Verse 5

5.

Christ did not take upon himself. “In the gospel church, no one appoints himself High Priest. God appointed Christ, just as he had appointed Aaron.” God said to him. The quotation is Psalms 2:7. The time is when Jesus was raised from death. See note on Hebrews 1:5.

Verse 6

6.

He also said. “As God has called Christ to be High Priest, he also says that Christ will not be a priest like Aaron, but like Melchizedek.” The quotation is from Psalms 110:4. Melchizedek. The priesthood of this man was discrete as he stood alone and isolated. He was not part of a series of high priests, as was Aaron. Hebrews 7:1-10 explains this in more detail.

Verse 7

7.

In his life on earth. “As High Priest, Jesus can sympathize with our weakness, because since he took our human nature, he experienced the fear of death that we humans have. His human nature recoiled from the Cross, just as ours would.” Because. This points to the time in the garden (Matthew 26:36-46 and notes). Luke says an angel came and strengthened him. MacKnight understands this to mean: “delivered him from fear.”

Verse 8

8.

But even though. “He was not exempt from suffering, just because he was God’s Son. He learned first-hand how difficult it is for men to obey God. He learned this by experience, and he also learned what kind of help men need to help them stand in the whirlwind.

Verse 9

9.

When he was made perfect. He was already a perfect man, but he became a perfect High Priest! He became the source. Christ on the cross is where our salvation comes from! See 1 Corinthians 1:23-25 and notes. Who obey him. He does not save the disobedient. Compare Matthew 7:21-23; James 2:19.

Verse 10

10.

And God declared him. MacKnight thinks this refers to the time when Jesus went back to heaven and sat down at God’s right side. See notes on Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 7:1-10.

Verse 11

11.

There is much. The Expositor’s Greek Testament says: “No doubt the reference is not barely to Melchizedek, but to Melchizedek as type [model, pattern] of Christ’s priesthood.” The problem is not the hidden secrets of Melchizedek, if there are any, but the fact that his readers are spiritually retarded! More is said about Melchizedek in chapter 7.

Verse 12

12.

There has been enough time. “Enough time has passed since you became Christians, that you should have matured to the extent you could teach others. Yet here you are, needing someone to teach you the ABC’s of the Good News!” [They may have been Christians for twenty or thirty years at this time.] You still have to drink milk. “You are not capable of using the more complete knowledge of Christianity!” Compare 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 and notes.

Verse 13

13.

Is still a child. “One who knows only the letter of the Old Testament is unskilled in the knowledge of the Good News.” See Romans 10:6-8; Galatians 3:24.

Verse 14

14.

Who have trained and used their tastes. “The child must eat whatever is given to it; the boy is warned what to eat and what to avoid; as he grows, he learns by his experience, so that when he is grown, he does not need an instructor or a priest to tell him what is good and what is poisonous. This Letter shows the first evidence of maturity is the ability to teach; the second, knowing the difference between good and evil in things that are being taught. The one implies the other.

Bibliographical Information
Ice, Rhoderick D. "Commentary on Hebrews 5". "The Bible Study New Testament". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/ice/hebrews-5.html. College Press, Joplin, MO. 1974.
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