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Hebrews 5

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1
For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: ​
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who can bear gently with the ignorant and erring, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity; ​
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and by reason thereof is bound, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. ​
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And no man taketh the honor unto himself, but when he is called of God, even as was Aaron. ​
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So Christ also glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that spake unto him, Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten thee: ​
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as he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. ​
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Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, ​
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though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; ​
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and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation; ​
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named of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. ​

Warning Against Falling Away 11–14

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Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing. ​
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For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. ​
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For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. ​
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But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Hebrews 5

Verse 1

taken from among men — The high priest came from the sons of Aaron (Ex 28:1) and acted 'for men in things pertaining to God', the phrase used of Christ in 2:17. 'Gifts and sacrifices' (doron, thysia) stand together in the KJV here and in 8:3 and 9:9.

Verse 2

have compassion — Metriopatheo, to feel in due measure, occurs only here in the New Testament. The sins borne with are those of ignorance and straying, for which the priest made atonement (Num 15:28). 'Compassed' (perikeimai) is the verb of Paul's 'bound with this chain' (Acts 28:20).

Verse 3

for himself — On the Day of Atonement Aaron offered his bullock 'for himself, and for his house' before the people's goat (Lev 16:6, 15). 'Ought' (opheilo) states an obligation. Christ is set apart from it: he 'needeth not daily… to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins' (Heb 7:27).

Verse 4

taketh this honour — The honour (time) is conferred, not seized: 'take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother' (Ex 28:1). Korah's company was told the LORD would cause 'him whom he hath chosen' to come near (Num 16:5), and Uzziah, who burned incense himself, was struck with leprosy (2 Chr 26:18–19).

Verse 5

Thou art my Son — The words are Ps 2:7, quoted of Christ in 1:5 and applied to his resurrection in Acts 13:33. 'Glorified' (doxazo) is the verb of John 8:54, 'it is my Father that honoureth me'. Vv.5–6 join two psalms: the one who names him Son also names him priest.

Verse 6

after the order of Melchisedec — Quoted from Ps 110:4, where the LORD 'hath sworn, and will not repent'. 'Order' (taxis) is a rank or arrangement; the KJV has it of Melchisedec six times in Hebrews (5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:11, 17, 21), and 7:11 sets it against 'the order of Aaron'.

Verse 7

strong crying and tears — The prayers of 'the days of his flesh' recall Gethsemane, where 'being in an agony he prayed more earnestly' (Luke 22:44). 'Feared' is eulabeia, reverent fear, the 'godly fear' of 12:28. That he was heard agrees with 'thou hearest me always' (John 11:42).

Verse 8

learned he obedience — He was already 'a Son' (1:5), so the obedience learned is that of Phil 2:8, 'became obedient unto death'. 'Obedience' (hypakoe) is the word of Rom 5:19, 'by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous'. The verbs 'learned' and 'suffered' stand side by side.

Verse 9

being made perfect — Teleioo, to bring to completion, is the verb of 2:10, where the 'captain of their salvation' is made perfect 'through sufferings'. 'Author' (aitios), the cause or source, occurs only here in the New Testament; 12:2 uses another word, archegos. 'Eternal salvation' occurs only here in the KJV.

Verse 10

Called of God — 'Called' is prosagoreuo, to address by a title, found only here in the New Testament. God himself names him 'an high priest after the order of Melchisedec'. This returns to vv.5–6 and leads into the comparison of chapter 7.

Verse 11

dull of hearing — Nothros, sluggish, is rendered 'slothful' in 6:12, the only other place it occurs. 'Hard to be uttered' is the single word dysermeneutos, hard to explain, found only here. The difficulty lies with the hearers, as in 'their ears are dull of hearing' (Matt 13:15).

Verse 12

first principles of the oracles of God — 'Principles' is stoicheia, elementary things, 'elements' in Gal 4:3. 'Oracles' (logion) are the 'lively oracles' of Acts 7:38 and what was 'committed' to the Jews (Rom 3:2). Milk and meat recall 1 Cor 3:2, 'I have fed you with milk, and not with meat'.

Verse 13

unskilful in the word of righteousness — Apeiros, without trial or experience, is found only here. 'Babe' (nepios) is the figure of 1 Cor 3:1, 'babes in Christ'. In 1 Pet 2:2 milk is right for 'newborn babes'; here the fault is remaining on it when teaching is expected (v.12).

Verse 14

senses exercised — 'Of full age' is teleios, the adjective behind 'made perfect' in v.9: the mature. 'Senses' (aistheterion), the faculties of perception, occurs only here. 'Exercised' (gymnazo), trained as an athlete is, is used of godliness in 1 Tim 4:7. What they discern is 'both good and evil'.