Qualifications For The Priesthood
November 8, 2021
Commentary
This chapter stresses both Christ’s divine appointment and His humility. One of the first things a Jew might have asked a Christian during the time of the early Church was, “How are your sins going to be pardoned when you have no one offering sacrifices and interceding for you?” Under the Old Covenant men could not come directly into God’s presence. God appointed certain men called priests, who were mediators and could bring men into His presence. Aaron is an example of this priesthood. The three basic qualifications for a Jewish high priest were.
Appointed by men – (v. 1)Sympathetic with men (v. 2)Sacrificing for men (v. 3) Christians can rely on the fact that we do have a High Priest. Jesus became the sacrifice for our sins when He died on the cross, and that one sacrifice takes care of all sins ever committed. He is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, having neither beginning of days or end of life. We now see how Jesus met all the qualifications that a Jewish high priest had to have. He was:
Appointed by God (vv 4-6)Sympathetic with men (vv 7-8)Sacrificed Himself for men (vv. 9-10)
Application
If Jesus, God’s only Son, had not become my living sacrifice I would still be dead in my sins.
Hebrews 5:1– 10 (NET)
1 For every high priest is taken from among the people and appointed to represent them before God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal compassionately with those who are ignorant and erring, since he also is subject to weakness, 3 and for this reason he is obligated to make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. 4 And no one assumes this honor on his own initiative, but only when called to it by God, as in fact Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming high priest, but the one who glorified him was God, who said to him, “You are my Son! Today I have fathered you,” 6 as also in another place God says, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” 7 During his earthly life Christ offered both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered. 9 And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 and he was designated by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Illustration: Soldier Shall Live Because of Lover’s Sacrifice
During the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, sentenced a soldier to be shot for his crimes. The execution was to take place at the ringing of the evening curfew bell. However, the bell did not sound. The soldier’s fiancee had climbed into the belfry and clung to the great clapper of the bell to prevent it from striking. When she was summoned by Cromwell to account for her actions, she wept as she showed him her bruised and bleeding hands. Cromwell’s heart was touched and he said, “Your lover shall live because of your sacrifice. Curfew shall not ring tonight!” (Our Daily Bread).