Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Wherefore, х hothen (G3606)] - 'Whence.' Found in Paul's speech, Acts 26:19.
In all things - incidental to manhood. Sin is not, in man's original constitution, a necessary attendant of manhood, so He had no sin.
It behoved him - by moral necessity, considering what God's justice and love required of Him as Mediator (cf. Hebrews 5:3), having voluntarily undertaken to 'help' man (Hebrews 2:16).
His brethren (Hebrews 2:11) - "the seed of Abraham" (Hebrews 2:16): so also the spiritual seed, His elect out of all mankind.
Be, х geneetai (G1096)] - 'that He might become High Priest:' He was called so, when 'made perfect by the things which He suffered' (Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 5:8-10). He was made (became) so, when He entered within the veil, from which flows His ever-continuing priestly intercession for us (Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 9:24). His death, as man, must first be, that the bringing in of the blood into the heavenly Holy Place might follow, in which consisted the expiation as High Priest.
Merciful - to "the people" deserving wrath by "sins." Mercy is a priest's prime requisite, since His office is to help the wretched and raise the fallen; such mercy is to be found in one who has a fellow-feeling with the afflicted, having been so once Himself (Hebrews 4:15): not that the Son of God needed to be taught mercy by suffering; but, in order to save us, He needed to take manhood with all its sorrows, qualifying Himself by experimental suffering with us, to be our sympathizing High Priest in all our sorrows.
Faithful - true to God (Hebrews 3:5-6) and to man (Hebrews 10:23) in His Mediatorial office.
High Priest - which Moses was not, though "faithful" (Hebrews 3:2). Only in Psalms 110:1-7; Zechariah 6:13, elsewhere, is Christ expressly called a Priest. In this letter alone His priesthood is professedly discussed; how necessary, then, this book is to the New Testament. In Psalms 110:1-7 and Zechariah 6:13 there is added the kingdom of Christ, which elsewhere is spoken of without the priesthood. On the cross, whereon as Priest He offered the sacrifice, He had "King" inscribed over Him (Bengel).
To make reconciliation for the sins, х hilaskesthai (G2433) tas (G3588) hamartias (G266)] - 'to propitiate (in respect to) the sins:' 'to expiate, the sins.' Strictly divine justice is 'propitiated;' but God's love is as much from everlasting as His justice; therefore, lest Christ's sacrifice, or its type, the legal sacrifices, should be thought antecedent to God's grace, neither are said in Scripture to have propitiated God; otherwise Christ's sacrifice might be thought to have first induced God to love and pity man, instead of His love having originated Christ's sacrifice, whereby divine justice and divine love are harmonized. The sinner is brought by that sacrifice into God's favour, which by sin he had forfeited; hence, his prayer is, 'God be propitiated х hilastheeti (G2433)] to me, who am a sinner' (Luke 18:13). Sins bring death and the "fear of death" (Hebrews 2:15). He had no sin Himself, and 'made reconciliation for the iniquity' of all (Daniel 9:24).
Of the people - "the seed of Abraham" (Hebrews 2:16): Israel first, then, through Israel, the believing Gentiles (1 Peter 2:10).