Hebrews 5:5

So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

So {G3779} also {G2532} Christ {G5547} glorified {G1392} not {G3756} himself {G1438} to be made {G1096} an high priest {G749}; but {G235} he that said {G2980} unto {G4314} him {G846}, Thou {G4771} art {G1488} my {G3450} Son {G5207}, to day {G4594} have {G1080} I {G1473} begotten {G1080} thee {G4571}.

So neither did the Messiah glorify himself to become cohen gadol; rather, it was the One who said to him,

“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.”

So also Christ did not take upon Himself the glory of becoming a high priest, but He was called by the One who said to Him: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.”

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:

Hebrews 5:5 emphasizes the divine appointment of Jesus Christ as our High Priest, asserting that He did not take this honor upon Himself. Instead, His priesthood was inaugurated by God the Father, who declared His Sonship, quoting from Psalm 2:7: "Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee." This verse underscores both Christ's humility and the Father's active role in His unique priestly ministry.

Context

This verse is part of a broader discussion in Hebrews 5 concerning the qualifications and superiority of Jesus' priesthood compared to the Levitical system. The author first establishes that a high priest must be "called of God" (Hebrews 5:4) and able to sympathize with human weaknesses. Hebrews 5:5 then immediately applies this principle to Christ, showing that His high priestly office was not self-proclaimed ambition but a divine commission. This sets the stage for introducing the priesthood after the order of Melchizedek, which is a central theme in the book of Hebrews.

Key Themes

  • Divine Appointment of Christ: The verse explicitly states that Christ did not "glorify himself" to become High Priest. His role was divinely conferred, highlighting God the Father's sovereign plan for salvation. This divine commissioning ensures the legitimacy and efficacy of Christ's priestly work.
  • Christ's Sonship as Basis for Priesthood: The quote from Psalm 2:7 directly links Jesus' identity as the Son of God to His priestly office. His unique relationship with the Father is foundational to His ability to mediate between God and humanity. This "begetting" refers not to His eternal Sonship, but often to His public inauguration, perhaps at His resurrection or ascension, demonstrating His vindication and exaltation.
  • Humility of Christ: Unlike human priests who might seek honor, Jesus, though supremely worthy, waited for and received His priestly appointment from God. This echoes His overall character of humility and obedience, as further elaborated in Philippians 2:8.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "to day have I begotten thee" is a direct quotation from the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) version of Psalm 2:7. In the New Testament, this declaration is applied to Christ in various contexts, including His resurrection (as seen in Acts 13:33) and His eternal Sonship, which is emphasized in the opening chapters of Hebrews (Hebrews 1:5). While Christ is eternally begotten of the Father, this "today" often points to a specific, significant event in salvation history—His public declaration and exaltation as the Messiah and High Priest.

Practical Application

Understanding Hebrews 5:5 offers profound comfort and assurance. Because Jesus' high priesthood is divinely appointed and not self-assumed, we can have absolute confidence in His intercessory work on our behalf. His perfect Sonship guarantees His perfect mediation. We can approach God with boldness, knowing our High Priest was perfectly qualified and commissioned by the Father Himself. This also serves as a model for humility in Christian service; true honor and effectiveness come from God's calling and empowerment, not from self-promotion.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 2:7

    ¶ I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

  • John 8:54

    Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

  • John 7:18

    He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

  • Hebrews 1:5

    For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

  • Acts 13:33

    God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

  • Romans 8:3

    For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

  • Hebrews 1:1

    ¶ God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

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