Chapter Five
Heb. 5:1. For every high priest, taken from among men, is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God,
Now Paul wants to show that the New Testament is far better than the Old. And first of all he begins to compare the priesthood of the Old Testament priests with the priesthood of Christ and shows the great superiority of the latter. Meanwhile, since he encountered an obstacle in the fact that much of what should belong to priests did not belong to Christ — for He did not come from a priestly tribe, was not a priest on earth, was not appointed by men, and, simply put, the form of His priesthood had no bodily expression, such as bells and tablets with commandments (which the Old Testament priests had), but everything was spiritual — he first enumerates what Christ has in common with the other high priests, and then shows Christ's advantages over them. For superiority is truly revealed in comparison when in one respect He shares something in common, and in another He surpasses. So then, the fact that he is "taken from among men" — this is what Christ has in common with the other high priests. For He too, being a man, became High Priest. Likewise, the fact that he is "appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God," that is, serves as a mediator — this too is something in common.
Heb. 5:1. To offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins,
He explained what it means: to be appointed on behalf of men before God — this means, he says, to propitiate God for sins. And this is common to Christ and the others, though not entirely: for He offered Himself as a sacrifice, whereas they offered something else. How "gift" and "sacrifice" differ according to their precise meaning, although in Scripture they are used interchangeably, you will learn below.
Heb. 5:2. Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on those who are going astray,
That is, to bring into proportion, to sympathize, to condescend, and to grant forgiveness to those who sin out of ignorance. But observe that ignorance and error produce every sin. For although it may seem that someone knows evil, yet, being darkened at the moment of action, he suffers from ignorance and error, carried away by the allure of pleasure.
Heb. 5:2. Because he himself also is beset with weakness,
The simpler and, I think, more correct interpretation is that the high priest has compassion on the ignorant because he himself is also "beset with weakness," and having experienced the measure of human frailty in himself, he increases his forgiveness as well. Some, however, understood it this way: that the high priest differs from the people only in this respect, namely that he forgives, since in all other respects he too is beset with weakness, just like the rest.
Heb. 5:3. And by reason of this he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins.
All of this is far from common between Christ and others; rather, in this He surpasses them. For the Lord had no weakness—namely, weakness toward sin—and He did not offer gifts and sacrifices for Himself, but for all people.
Heb. 5:4. And no one takes this honor upon himself, but only when called by God,
He points out another distinguishing mark of the high priest, which is also revealed in Christ — that He did not assume the priesthood by Himself, but that He was called by God and thus received it. Here he also hints at the Jewish high priests of that time, who sought the office by purchasing it and violating the law.
Heb. 5:4. just as Aaron.
For Aaron too, having first been called by God through Moses, served as priest in this way, not having seized this dignity for himself. And again, when the rod blossomed, it was shown that he had been sent by God; and likewise when fire consumed those who encroached upon the priesthood (Num. 16–17).
Heb. 5:5. So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become a high priest, but it was He who said to Him: "You are My Son, today I have begotten You;" (Ps. 2:7)
Heb. 5:6. As He also says in another place: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (Ps. 109:4)
What Christ everywhere said: "I am sent from God and have not come of Myself" (Jn. 8:42), the same thing Paul now points out, namely, that He was sent from God, and did not glorify Himself, but "He who said to Him," that is, He glorified Him. Accept this as a general observation. Therefore, since Aaron had many sensible signs that he was sent from God, as was said above, but Christ had nothing sensible — on the contrary, even more: His opponents and murderers at that time enjoyed great respect, they did everything and ruled over all — he demonstrates what is being proved on the basis of the prophecies, namely, that He was sent from God. It would seem that the prophecy from the second psalm does not agree with what is proposed. What is proposed is, undoubtedly, to show on the basis of some passage of Scripture that Christ is a High Priest sent from God; yet this testimony shows that He is born of the Father. And indeed, that He is born of God is a preparation for ordination from God. Then take into consideration also what was said afterward in the one hundred and ninth psalm: "from the womb before the morning star... is Your birth" (Ps. 109:3). Then a little later it added: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Ps. 109:4). Paul joined here what was said in both psalms about the birth, as if saying the following: lest you think that "You are a priest forever" is said about someone else, it is said precisely about the One born "before the morning star," and this is none other than He of whom it is said in the second psalm that He was born "today": the expression "before the morning star" signifies the eternal; and likewise "today" signifies "from the beginning," that is, from the Father. And the second psalm clearly applies everything to Christ. Therefore, "You are a priest forever" is also said about Christ. Let the Jews say: who else was a priest according to the order of Melchizedek, besides Christ? Were not all under the law? Did not all keep the sabbath and offer sacrifices? So it is perfectly clear that this is said about Christ, for He alone consecrated the sacrifice with bread and wine, just as Melchizedek did. In what sense, then, did he say "forever"? In the sense that even now, with the body which He offered for us before God and the Father, that is, He presents the very sufferings for us as a great plea, saying without words to the Father: Your Son underwent this for the sake of human nature; have mercy, then, on those for whom I condescended to suffer. Or: that the offering performed every day and to be performed through the ministers of God has as its High Priest and Priest and Sacrifice the Lord Himself, who consecrates, is slain, and is distributed for us. And every time this is performed, the death of the Lord is proclaimed.
Heb. 5:7. He, in the days of His flesh,
"By the days of His flesh" he designates the time of His life in the flesh; this does not mean that He has now laid aside the flesh; by no means: for He has it, but flesh that is incorruptible and standing above its fleshly and blameless passions — hunger, thirst, weariness, and the like. The apostle borrowed this passage from David, who in the one hundred and fourteenth psalm says: "I will call upon Him as long as I live" (Ps. 114:2). The apostle applies this entire psalm to Christ.
Heb. 5:7. With a strong cry and with tears He offered prayers and supplications to Him who was able to save Him from death;
This is said of the flesh, for as God He had no need of this. But let us grant that He did pray, yet surely not with crying and not with tears, for this is not proper to God, but must indisputably be attributed to the humanity of the one Christ, so that, on the one hand, the truth of the assumed nature might be shown, and, on the other hand, His care for us as well, and the abundance of His love might be revealed. For He prayed about this on our behalf, having assumed our nature, in order to suppress within Himself the fear of our nature before death. Then pay attention that nowhere in the Gospels is it written that He prayed about the resurrection; on the contrary, He spoke openly with authority: "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up" (John 2:19), and: "I have power to take My Soul again" (John 10:17–18).
Heb. 5:7. and He was heard because of His reverence;
Heb. 5:8. although He is the Son,
And this on account of the flesh and the weakness of the hearers: for they did not yet have a proper understanding of Him. The thought here is as follows: such was His reverence that the fact that He was heard was more a matter of His reverence than of the grace of God; and for this God honored Him and heeded His prayer, although, as the Son, He had natural boldness toward Him: so great was His reverence and worthy of honor. Therefore, do not lose heart, having a Lord whom the Father listens to. So whatever you ask Him, He will fulfill for you: about this Christ Himself also says to the disciples in the Gospel: "for My Father is greater than I" (Jn. 14:28), and: "whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you" (Jn. 16:23).