Hebrews 5 - The Perfect High Priest

5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2 he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4 And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was.

-          High priests are appointed (not self promoted)

-          They are appointed in things pertaining to God (to do God’s business)

-          In order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sons (this is the main job)

o   To offer gifts and blood sacrifices for sins was trying to offer payment for sins

o   They have to deal with the sins of the people (their main focus)

-          He can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, for the people and himself (because high priests who were men need to pay for their sins too!

-          And no one takes the honor to himself

o   Man cannot appoint himself high priest

-          But receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was

o   How was Aaron called by God to serve?

o   Every priest came from Jacob, Abraham’s grandson who name was changed to Israel (He who wrestles with God to In Awe of Completeness)

o   Every priest cam from Levi, one of Israel’s twelves sons

o   God set the tribe of Levi apart as a tribe to serve Him and represent Him to the whole nation of israel (Exodus 13:2) and (Numbers  3:40-41)

§  Levi had three sons

·       Gershon “to drive out”

·       Kohath “obedience”, “gathering, congregation”

·       Merari “to be bitter or strong”

§  Each of these had their own duties

·       Gershon had the care of the tabernacles screen (veil), fence & curtains (numbers 3:25-26)

·       Merari ((Numbers 3:36-37)) The family of Merari had care of the boards and pillars of the tabernacle and the fence. 

§  There are dreadful cases where men who were not priests presumed to act as priests. These include:

§  Korah, who was swallowed up in a divine earthquake (Numbers 16).

§  Saul, who was rejected from his place as king (1 Samuel 13).

§  Uzziah, who was struck with leprosy in the temple itself (2 Chronicles 26:16).

5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him,

“You are My Son,
 Today I have begotten You”;

-          This was God appointing Jesus High Priest!

6 just as He says also in another passage,

“You are a priest forever
 According to the order of Melchizedek.”

-          Melchizedek means “”King of Righteousness”

-          God appointed Jesus Christ as  High Priest forever!

7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 

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