Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Hebrews Chapter 5 mean?

Hebrews chapter 5 opens as part of one continuous train of thought, from the end of chapter 4. At the end of chapter 4, the writer explained that Christ’s status as fully human made Him uniquely qualified. Jesus can understand our weaknesses and temptations, since He has experienced them just as we have. Here at the beginning of chapter 5, we see that a human high priest must be able to empathize with the people, and to offer a sacrifice for their sins. Only because Jesus was fully human was He able to fulfill this role.

The early part of chapter 5 once again refers to Psalm 2 and Psalm 110. The point made here is that Christ was called to His position of High Priest by God. The Old Testament verses are explained as a prophecy about the Messiah being both priest and king, something that was not the case in the days of Moses, or David, or Solomon. The figure used to illustrate this is the mysterious Melchizedek, from Genesis chapter 14. According to the writer of Hebrews, Melchizedek’s unique combination of priesthood and kingship was a symbol of the eventual role Christ would play as both our High Priest and the One who made David’s kingly line eternal.

Later verses in chapter 5 transition to another dire warning. Earlier, the writer of Hebrews chided the readers to pay more attention to their faith. Those who are careless run a risk of drifting into error, and error always comes with consequences. In this case, there is much more to be said about how Christ is part of a superior High Priesthood, but the original readers need to be warned, first, not to be careless and apathetic about the Word. This warning will continue through all of chapter 6.

Here, the specific criticism is of spiritual immaturity. This letter is written specifically to Jewish Christians of the early church. Apparently, there was a lack of development in their Christian lives. Knowledge and wisdom are not magically imparted at the moment of salvation. Some aspects of our spiritual lives take time and effort to develop. Those who fail to develop are like children who are still dependent on milk, when they should be eating solid food.

The end of chapter 5 and the early verses of chapter 6 form an interesting approach by the writer of Hebrews. On one hand, he points out that these Christians are immature and need to learn more about the subject. In this case, it is the idea of Jesus as a High Priest, using the example of Melchizedek. On the other hand, the writer sees these Christians as too spiritually immature for deeper details. So, what does the author of Hebrews do? He warns them about their lack of depth, but chooses not to start “from scratch.” Instead, he will continue on with his examination of Christ’s High Priesthood.

As the next chapter will say, directly, this letter is not meant to re-explain the basic doctrines of the faith. Rather, the author will press on to show how Jesus, as our High Priest, is superior to any other figure seen in Scripture.

Chapter Context
The book of Hebrews shows how Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s purpose for mankind. For the sake of Jewish Christians, in particular, the author explains that Christ is superior to all other figures, and His covenant is superior to all other relationships. Chapter 5 continues the point made in chapter 4, that Christ’s humanity makes Him a uniquely qualified High Priest. This passage bridges that idea into the writer’s next warning: spiritual immaturity. This call to avoid apathy will run through all of chapter 6, before the writer returns to Jesus’ priesthood in chapter 7.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

Chapter 4 closed with a description of Jesus’ connection to mankind. His full humanity allows Him to understand what human temptation is like. So, as this verse continues to explain, He is able to act as a proper high priest. This role requires the priest to communicate between God and men. This includes making offerings for sin.

Earlier portions of Hebrews explained that Messiah had to be human, not merely some angelic being (Hebrews 2:17). One reason for this is the issue explored between the end of chapter 4 and the beginning of chapter 5. In order for Messiah to truly represent humanity, as a priest, He had to be human. Without humanity, He would not be able to sympathize with human weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15), would not be able to act as a mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5), and would not be someone we could approach in confidence (Hebrews 4:16).

The idea of being “appointed” in this verse is important. A true priest is not someone who simply decides to take on the task. They have to be selected for that role by God. One cannot simply declare, “I’m a priest” and make it so. This is even more critical for a high priest, who acts on behalf of all people. Jesus’ appointment to the role of our ultimate High Priest will be further explained using examples from the Old Testament, such as Aaron and Melchizedek. This verse summarizes the details seen in verses 4, 5, and 6.

Context Summary
Hebrews 5:1–10 explains how Jesus fits the requirements of a high priest. Earlier verses showed that the Messiah promised by the Old Testament would be entirely human (Hebrews 2:17). That humanity allows Christ to sympathize with our temptations and weaknesses. Here, the writer of Hebrews points out that this also makes Jesus qualified to be our ultimate High Priest. Because of His humanity, His prayers, His sacrifice for sin, and His appointment by God, Jesus’ status is far superior to any other figure.

Verse 2. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.

Jesus understands our flaws, since He has experienced humanity in the same way we have (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15). A critical part of the role of priest is compassion: grasping the struggle that a person has, and then approaching God on their behalf. In the case of a normal, fallible priest, this includes a recognition of one’s own sin. Other verses in Hebrews show that Christ, in this way, was different from ordinary high priests, in that He had no actual sins to be forgiven of (Hebrews 7:27). This verse summarizes details given in verses 7 and 8.

The idea of Jesus being gentle with sinners echoes the sentiment of Hebrews 4:16, which reminds us that believers can come to Christ in confidence. Rather than fearing His anger, we can trust in His compassion and gentleness. However, this idea of responding “gently” actually involves more than simply a lack of uncontrolled anger. The Greek term metriopathein implies an overall control of emotions. This means that a high priest, including Christ, also responds to sin without undue coddling. This kind of “gentleness” gives us confidence, but it does not give us license to sin freely.

The Old Testament law made a distinction between sins committed in ignorance, or in passion, compared to deliberate acts of rebellion (Exodus 21:12–14; Numbers 15:27–31). It stands to reason that Christ’s response to our sins, while always merciful and compassionate, is not without variation. The fact that Christ has experienced our weakness makes Him sympathetic, not feeble.

Verse 3. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.

The first few verses of chapter 5 refer directly to a human high priest, in order to make a point about Jesus. Verse 3 summarizes details given more depth in verses 9 and 10. The context is a continuation of chapter 4. In this passage, the writer of Hebrews explains how Jesus’ humanity makes Him suitable to become the ultimate High Priest of all believers. Part of a priest’s responsibility is offering sacrifice for sins. In the case of a human high priest, this includes their own moral flaws. Acknowledgement of their own sin is part of how a priest is able to be compassionate and gentle with those he serves (Hebrews 5:2).

The writer of Hebrews is not at all confused on whether Jesus sinned. As prior verses show, Jesus Himself had no sin to atone for (Hebrews 4:15), though He experienced human temptation in order to sympathize with us. This same point will be made later in Hebrews, acknowledging this as the one characteristic where Jesus is unlike a typical high priest (Hebrews 7:27).

In the instance of Christ, He sympathizes with us on the basis of His temptations, not His sin. In fact, Jesus’ perfect life without sin, in the face of temptation, makes His understanding of sin even greater than that of a fallible person. Only those who can fully support a weight truly appreciate how heavy it is. Those who are weak only experience whatever effort they could exert before they dropped that object. Unless someone can hold a weight without “giving in” to it, they don’t really experience all of its force. Jesus experienced our temptations beyond the point where we gave in and committed sin. This means that Christ, being sinless, can truly claim to have experienced temptation more than we have!

Verse 4. And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

These verses are meant to make a particular point about Jesus, using the example of a human high priest. True priests are not those who simply decide, for themselves, to take on that title. A priest serves as a mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5). No man can insert himself into that role—he must be appointed by God.

The writer of Hebrews often looks back to the Old Testament for examples and evidence. In this case, the example is that of Israel’s first high priest, Aaron (Exodus 28:1). His appointment to the priesthood was exactly that: a selection by God, not an act of ambition. As it applies to the argument being made here in Hebrews, the ultimate High Priest of all men must be a man (Hebrews 2:17), appointed specifically by God to that role. The frequent use of Old Testament quotations is meant to show how God has specifically chosen Jesus Christ as the one meant to fulfill this function. Upcoming verses will highlight this decision as one made by God the Father, and applied particularly to Jesus.

Verse 5. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son,today I have begotten you”;

As a mediator between God and men, a priest cannot simply choose to take on his role. Those who are legitimate “priests” must be appointed to that position by God. This is even more important with respect to the role of high priest. Prior verses have explained that Jesus was specifically placed in His role by God (Hebrews 2:17; 5:4). He did not simply assume the mantle of High Priest through His own decision (John 8:54). As in other passages of Hebrews, the writer seeks to use Old Testament passages to prove this point.

This explanation comes through a second reference to Psalm 2:7. This same passage was mentioned previously, in Hebrews 1:5. There, the point being made was the God never called any angel His “Son,” and so Messiah had to be a man and not an angel. Here, the purpose is to prove that Christ is placed in the position of High Priest by God.

Verse 6. as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever,after the order of Melchizedek.”

In this passage, the writer of Hebrews explains that Jesus can serve as our High Priest because He meets all of the necessary requirements. Jesus is fully man, so He can be a priest of men (Hebrews 2:17), and He is placed in His position by God (Hebrews 5:5). In order to prove this, the writer re-uses some of the same Old Testament quotations which were cited earlier in Hebrews. This is not an accident. The writer is leading to an even greater point about who Jesus is and how the Old Testament predicted His ministry.

The quote here is from Psalm 110:4. Psalm 110 also includes the “LORD says to my Lord” verse which Jesus quoted in Matthew 22:44 and Mark 12:35–37. The entire psalm presents the King as a Priest, even though the Aaronic line was never kingly. At no point in Israel’s history, prior to Christ, was the king also the high priest. And yet, other Old Testament prophets also looked forward to a time when those roles would be joined in one person (Zechariah 6:12–13). This makes Psalm 110 a prophetic vision of David, seeing the ultimate victory of a Messiah, a Priest-King, who finally defeats all of His enemies.

The writer of Hebrews is particularly interested in the figure of Melchizedek, from Genesis 14:18. Melchizedek’s name means “King of Righteousness,” he is described as the King of Salem, which means “peace,” and is also said to be a high priest. All of this is mentioned by the writer of Hebrews to set up the point made in verses 7 through 10. This point, unfortunately, will be difficult for many of the original readers to grasp, since they are currently stuck in spiritual immaturity (Hebrews 5:11–14).

Verse 7. In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

Earlier verses explained that a priest offers prayers to God on behalf of the people. Here, Jesus is said to have done the same. In this way, He again fulfills the requirements of a human priest.

The writer of Hebrews has also made mention of Psalm 22, which describes a sinless character crying out to God to be rescued (Psalm 22:24; Hebrews 2:12). Jesus’ suffering on the cross brought literal fulfillment to the words of that Psalm. Some believe that the writer of Hebrews may also be referring to Jesus’ prayers in the garden of Gethsemane prior to His arrest (Matthew 26:39; Luke 22:42). Jesus’ death on the cross was the sacrifice offered, once and for all, for human sin (Hebrews 9:26).

Of course, Jesus was killed by those who arrested Him. The “rescue” He obtained was not from death, but out of death. The resurrection of Jesus was the ultimate sign of His acceptance and approval by God.

Verse 8. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

It is difficult to fully understand the relationship between Jesus’ divinity and His humanity. As God, Christ had access to divine omniscience and omnipotence. However, according to Scripture, He chose to experience human weaknesses such as hunger and fatigue (Matthew 4:2; John 4:6). And, according to this and other verses, He also chose to experience learning and growth. Just as in Luke 2:52, Jesus is said to have “learned” through His struggles. It should be noted that, in the context of the original writing, the concept of “learning” is intimately tied to the idea of “experiencing.” The focus of this verse is not so much on Jesus becoming aware of what suffering is, but Jesus actually putting into practice what He was called to do.

The greater point made here is that Jesus completely fulfilled the role of a human high priest. By experiencing our temptations (Hebrews 4:15), offering prayers and supplications (Hebrews 5:7), through an appointment by God (Hebrews 5:5–6), Christ is truly the only High Priest we could ever need.

There is a poetic rhyme in this verse which does not translate into English. The Greek words for “He learned” and “He suffered” are emathen and epathen, respectively.

Verse 9. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

The Bible describes Jesus as learning and growing during His earthly life (Luke 2:52). This is not always easy to understand, since an omnipotent and omniscient God does not need to learn anything. However, Jesus’ role as Messiah required Him to experience our humanity. Just as a weightlifter is able to voluntarily use only a fraction of his strength, there is no reason to think God could not choose to restrain His abilities when He walked the earth as a man. The prior verse explained that Jesus “learned” obedience, which also should be understood as a focus more on experience than on knowledge.

Here, it is said that Jesus was “made perfect.” The term “perfect,” in most biblical contexts, carries the idea of completion or maturity. So far, the writer of Hebrews has been explaining how Jesus fulfills the requirements of both a king and a high priest. In order to act as our ultimate High Priest, Jesus had to be fully human (Hebrews 2:17), and to offer prayers and sacrifices on our behalf (Hebrews 5:1; 7). Having done so, Jesus was “made perfect,” in the sense of being brought to a complete fulfillment of those conditions.

While Jesus’ role as High Priest involves earning eternal salvation for all who believe, the context of this verse must be kept in mind. The “salvation” being mentioned here is not, in fact, the eternal rescue from Hell. This passage is still in the context of Hebrews 1:14, and later verses such as Hebrews 9:15, which are in the context of our “inheritance.” As mirrored in Mark 8:34–35, this verse points to the “sanctification” aspect of salvation, which is dependent on our obedience to God.

In the context of obedience, inheritance, and so forth, we can fully understand the writer’s meaning. Jesus’ role as High Priest makes Him the mediator between us and God (1 Timothy 2:5). His ability to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15) and our confidence in approaching Him (Hebrews 4:16) mean we are fully equipped for our Christian lives. As the writer will say later, Jesus gives us all we need in order to successfully live out the will of God (Hebrews 7:25; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Peter 1:3–4).

Verse 10. being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

This verse highlights two important aspects of Jesus’ ministry. First, as with any true priest, Jesus was appointed to His role by God. No person can simply declare, “I am a priest,” since that task means being a mediator between the people and their deity. Prior Scriptures showed how Christ was placed in His role specifically by God.

The second aspect is the way Jesus’ High Priesthood is superior to that of Aaron’s. The writer of Hebrews uses the example of Melchizedek to make this point. In all of Israel’s history, the roles of king and high priest had been separate. However, as the Old Testament predicted, there was a day when these titles would be merged into one person (Zechariah 6:12–13). In Genesis, Melchizedek is described as both a high priest and as a king (Genesis 14:18). Jesus, as the predicted Messiah, is a high priest as Melchizedek was—one imbued also with kingly authority.

The author of Hebrews knows this is an important point to make and that it needs to be developed further. However, the Jewish Christians he is writing to are in need of yet another warning. The first came in Hebrews 2:1–4, reminding them to be more diligent in their faith. The second came in Chapters 3 and 4, as a warning against disobedience and faithlessness. The upcoming passage, beginning in verse 11, will be an alert against spiritual immaturity.

Verse 11. About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

These verses are an interesting side-note in the flow of the text. So far, the writer of Hebrews has shown that the promised Messiah must be human, and has demonstrated that Jesus meets the requirements of both King and High Priest. Suddenly, the train of thought stops, and the writer expresses some frustration with the original audience. The topic at hand requires some careful thought—and chapters 7 through 10 will be almost entirely devoted to this single idea. But the writer has no confidence that those details are going to be meaningful to the Jewish Christians he writes to.

In this verse, the writer refers to his readers as “dull of hearing.” The word translated dull comes from the Greek term nōthroi, which carries a sense of being lazy or sluggish. The criticism here is not that these Christians are unintelligent, or incapable of understanding. Rather, they are careless about their faith. This echoes the warning given in Hebrews 2:1–4, where the writer commanded his audience to pay “closer attention” to these things.

Context Summary
Hebrews 5:11–14 is the beginning of yet another warning from the writer. Prior verses have begun to introduce the idea of Christ’s High Priesthood. This is being tied to the Old Testament figure of Melchizedek. Here, the original audience is chastised for being spiritually immature. Like children who never learn to eat solid food, they are criticized for being dependent only on milk, from a spiritual standpoint. That will make much of the information the writer wants to relate hard to understand. This discourse on immaturity will continue through chapter 6.

Verse 12. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,

The writer of Hebrews wants to give a detailed explanation of how the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ is superior to any other. And, he will do just that, in chapters 7 through 10. For now, though, he pauses to point out that some of this deeper meaning will be lost on his intended audience. In the previous verse, this was blamed on being “dull,” which was not a reference to intelligence. Rather, the term nōthroi infers someone who is slow-moving or lazy. The Jewish Christians the writer speaks to have become sluggish and apathetic in their spiritual growth.

In these verses, the writer explains their flaw through the analogy of a child’s development. Infants have to survive on milk, because they are not mature enough to process solid food. Over time, however, the child’s body grows and they need to move on to something other than just milk. In the same way, a Christian’s spiritual growth has to begin with the simpler things (1 Peter 2:2). Over time, spiritual growth should lead a believer to understand ideas with greater substance (1 Corinthians 3:1).

As the writer says, the Christians to whom he is writing have more than enough time invested. They should be able to teach others by now, but instead they are still spiritual infants. Why? Because they have been slow-moving and lazy in their approach to the faith: “dull of hearing.” Instead of teaching, they still need to be taught, as if they were only new converts to the faith!

Verse 13. for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.

The context of this verse is spiritual immaturity. The writer of Hebrews has paused his explanation of Christ’s High Priesthood to give a warning about those who take a lazy, slow-moving approach to their spiritual growth. In the prior verse, he pointed out that the Jewish Christians he writes to ought to be teachers of the faith by now. Instead, they are still in need of basic instruction. In this way, they are like babies who have never grown up: they are still dependent on milk and cannot handle solid foods.

Those who come to faith in Christ have to begin with basic ideas (1 Peter 2:2). This is a good thing, since it promotes growth. Over time, though, a believer should learn, and develop, and deepen their understanding (1 Corinthians 3:1). The reason these particular Christians have not grown is given in verse 11: they are “dull,” from a Greek word meaning “slow or lazy.” This criticism is similar to the one given in Hebrews 2:1–4, admonishing the readers to “pay much closer attention” to matters of faith.

Those who are bland and disinterested in their spiritual growth simply will not grow. Spiritually, they are like babies, who can only consume the simplest of things, and have no ability to process anything of real substance. The term “unskilled” here is from the Greek apeiros, which means someone who lacks experience.

Verse 14. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

When a child is very young, they can only consume milk. Foods with more substance are beyond them; they can only process something specifically meant for infants. In the same way, those who are spiritually immature can only deal in simpler spiritual matters. This is not bad, when a person is a new convert. However, if a person remains in this state of spiritual infancy, when they should have grown enough to handle more solid spiritual “food,” then they have only themselves to blame (Ephesians 4:11–15). According to the writer of Hebrews, his target audience is going to miss some of the deeper meanings he will describe (Hebrews 5:11), since they are “dull of hearing.” In this context, that “dullness” means laziness and apathy.

Just as a child has to be trained to grow beyond milk to eating solid food, so too must a Christian’s spiritual maturity grow through effort and experience. The prior verse used the term apeiros to describe these spiritual babies, meaning they are inexperienced or unskilled. Spiritual maturity has nothing to do with age, since it’s possible to remain an immature Christian for a long, long time. Rather, maturity involves developing the ability to put our faith to practical use.

In the context of the book of Hebrews, this has everything to do with making a purposeful effort. It requires that a person “pay much closer attention” to the faith (Hebrews 2:1). It means Christians are to follow God’s will without fear and without disobedience (Hebrews 4:11). Maturity requires that a person learn to use our greatest spiritual tool, the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12), in order to aid our discernment. The end result, according to this verse, is a person who can distinguish between good and evil. This is about more than just moral dilemmas—it’s also a reference to knowing the difference between truthful, godly teaching and worldly, false faith.

End of Chapter 5.

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