Hebrews 5:1. For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
The high priest of old was «taken from among men.» Aaron was chosen, and then his son; an angel might have been sent to perform Aaron's duty, but it was not so. And, glory be to our blessed Lord and Master, he is «One chosen out of the people,» «taken from among men.»
Hebrews 5:2. Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
Christ was not compassed with sinful infirmity, but he was compassed with sorrowful infirmity. His were true infirmities or weaknesses; there was no evil about him, but still he had the infirmity of misery, and he had it even to a greater extent than we have. The high priest of old was a man like those for whom he stood as a representative, and our great High Priest is like unto us, though without sin.
Hebrews 5:3. And by reason hereof he ought,
That is, the ordinary high priest, chosen from among men ought,
Hebrews 5:3. As for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
But our Lord had no sins of his own. Do not, therefore, think that he is less sympathetic with us because he had no sins; far from it. Fellowship in sin does not create true sympathy, for sin is a hardening thing. If there are two men, who are guilty partners in sin, they never really help each other, they have no true heart of kindness, either of them; but when the time of difficulty comes, each man looks to his own interest. The fact that Christ is free from sin, is a circumstance which does not diminish the tenderness of his sympathy with us, but rather increases it.
Hebrews 5:4-5. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee.
The text is quoted from the second Psalm, and it proves that Christ did not arrogate to himself any position before God. He is God's Son, not merely because he calls himself so, but because the Father says, «Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee.» He took not this honour upon himself, but he was «called of God, as was Aaron.
Hebrews 5:6. As he saith also in another place,
In the 110 th Psalm,
Hebrews 5:6. Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
He does not assume the office on his own account, but it is laid upon him. He comes not in as an amateur, but as an authorized priest of God.
Hebrews 5:7. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
This is to prove his infinite sympathy with his people, and how he was compassed with infirmity. Christ prayed. How near he comes to you and to me by this praying in an agony, even to a bloody sweat, with strong crying, and with weeping! Some of you know what that means, but it did, perhaps, seem to you that Christ could not know how to pray just so; yet he did. In the days of his flesh, he not only offered up prayer, but «prayers and supplications,» many of them, of different forms, and in different shapes, and these were accompanied with «strong crying and tears.» Possibly, you have sometimes had a dread of death; so had your Lord, not a sinful fear of it, but that natural and perfectly innocent, yet very terrible dread which comes to a greater or less extent upon every living creature when in expectation of death. Jesus also comes very near to us because he was not literally heard and answered. He said, «If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.» But the cup did not pass from him. The better part of his prayer won the victory, and that was, «Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.» You will be heard, too, if that is always the principal clause in your prayers; but you may not be heard by being delivered from the trouble. Even the prayer of faith is not always literally heard. God, sometimes, instead of taking away the sickness or the death, gives us grace that we may profit by the sickness, or that we may triumph in the hour of death. That is better than being literally heard; but even the most believing prayer may not meet with a literal answer. He «was heard in that he feared;» yet he died, and you and I, in praying for ourselves, and praying for our friends, may pray an acceptable prayer, and be heard, yet they may die, or we may die.
Hebrews 5:8. Though he were a Son,
Emphatically, and above us all «a Son,»
Hebrews 5:8. Yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
He was always obedient, but he had to learn experimentally what obedience meant, and he could not learn it by the things which he did; he had to learn it «by the things which he suffered;» and I believe that there are some of the most sanctified children of God who have been made so, by his grace, through the things which they have suffered. We may not all suffer alike, we may not all need the same kind of suffering; but I question whether any of us can truly learn obedience except by the things which we suffer.
Hebrews 5:9. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
«Being made perfect.» «What,» says one, «did Christ need to be made perfect?» Not in his nature, for he was always perfect in both his divine and his human nature; but perfect as a Saviour, perfect as a Sympathizer, above all, according to the connection, perfect as a High Priest. «Being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.» Christ will not save those who refuse to obey him, those who will not believe in him; there must be an obedient faith rendered unto him, or else the virtue of his passion and death cannot come to us.
Hebrews 5:10. Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
It is a glorious mark of our Lord Jesus that he was «called of God an High Priest.» He did not assume this office to himself, but this high honour was laid upon him by God himself.
Hebrews 5:11-12. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God;
I hope it is not true of any of you, dear friends, but it is true of many Christians that they learn very little to any purpose, and always need to be going over the A B C of the gospel. They never get into the classics, the deep things of God; they are afraid of the doctrine of election, and of the doctrine of the eternal covenant, and of the doctrine of the sovereignty of God, for these truths are meant for men of full age, and these poor puny babes have not cut their teeth yet. They want some softer and more childlike food. Well, it is a mercy that they are children of God; it would be better, however, for them to grow so as to become teachers of others: «Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; «
Hebrews 5:12-14. And are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness : for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Do not be frightened, you who have lately been brought into the Lord's family. We are not going to feed you with meat yet; we shall be glad enough to serve you with milk for the present. At the same time, let us all be praying the Lord to make us grow, that we may know more, and do more, and be more what the Lord would have us to be. A child is a very beautiful object, an infant is one of the loveliest sights under heaven; but if, after twenty years, your child was still an infant, it would be a dreadful trial to you. We must keep on growing till we come to the stature of men in Christ Jesus. God grant that we may do so, for Christ's sake! Amen.
This exposition consisted of readings from Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews, 5.