---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Hebrews 5"
description: "CHAPTER 5   :-. CHRIST"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/hebrews/5"
---

CHAPTER 5

. CHRIST'S HIGH
PRIESTHOOD; NEEDED
QUALIFICATIONS; MUST
BE A MAN;
MUST NOT
HAVE ASSUMED
THE DIGNITY
HIMSELF, BUT HAVE
BEEN APPOINTED
BY GOD; THEIR
LOW SPIRITUAL
PERCEPTIONS A BAR
TO PAUL'S SAYING
ALL HE
MIGHT ON CHRIST'S
MELCHISEDEC-LIKE
PRIESTHOOD.

**1. For**—substantiating .
**every**—that is, every
legitimate high priest; for instance, the Levitical, as he is
addressing Hebrews, among whom the Levitical priesthood was
established as the legitimate one. Whatever, reasons Paul, is
excellent in the Levitical priests, is also in Christ, and besides
excellencies which are not in the Levitical priests.
**taken from among men**—not
from among angels, who could not have a fellow feeling with us men.
This qualification Christ has, as being, like the Levitical priest, *a
man* ([Hebrews 2:14](../../../kjv/hebrews/2/14); [Hebrews 2:16](../../../kjv/hebrews/2/16)).
Being "*from* men," He can be "*for* (that
is, in behalf of, for the good of) men."
**ordained**—*Greek,*
"constituted," "appointed."
**both gifts**—to be joined
with "for sins," as "sacrifices" is (the "both
. . . and" requires this); therefore not the *Hebrew,*
"*mincha,*" "unbloody offerings," but animal
whole burnt offerings, *spontaneously given.* "Sacrifices"
are the animal sacrifices *due according to the legal ordinance*
[ESTIUS].

**2. Who can**—*Greek,*
"being able"; *not pleasing himself* ().
**have compassion**—*Greek,*
"estimate mildly," "feel leniently," or
"moderately towards"; "to make allowance for";
not showing stern rigor save to the obstinate ().
**ignorant**—sins not
committed in resistance of light and knowledge, but as Paul's past
sin ([1 Timothy 1:13](../../../kjv/1-timothy/1/13)). No sacrifice
was appointed for wilful sin committed with a high hand; for such
were to be punished with death; all other sins, namely, ignorances
and errors, were confessed and expiated with sacrifices by the high
priest.
**out of the way**—not
deliberately and altogether wilfully erring, but deluded through the
fraud of Satan and their own carnal frailty and thoughtlessness.
**infirmity**—moral
weakness which is sinful, and makes men capable of sin, and so
requires to be expiated by sacrifices. This kind of "infirmity"
Christ had not; He had the "infirmity" of body whereby He
was capable of suffering and death.

**3. by reason hereof**—"on
account of this" infirmity.
**he ought . . . also for
himself, to offer for sins**—the Levitical priest ought; in this
our High Priest is superior to the Levitical. The second "for"
is a different *Greek* term from the first; "*in behalf
of* the people . . . *on account* of sins."

**4. no man**—of any other family
but Aaron's, according to the Mosaic law, can take to himself the
office of high priest. This verse is quoted by some to prove the need
of an apostolic succession of ordination in the Christian ministry;
but the reference here is to the *priesthood,* not the Christian
*ministry.* The analogy in our Christian dispensation would warn
ministers, seeing that God has separated them from the congregation
of His people to bring them near Himself, and to do the service of
His house, and to minister (as He separated the Levites, Korah with
his company), that content with this, they should beware of assuming
the sacrificial priesthood also, which belongs to Christ alone. The
sin of Korah was, not content with the ministry as a Levite, he took
the sacerdotal priesthood also. No Christian minister, as such, is
ever called *Hiereus,* that is, sacrificing priest. All
Christians, without distinction, whether ministers or people, have a
metaphorical, not a literal, priesthood. The sacrifices which they
offer are spiritual, not literal, their bodies and the fruit of their
lips, praises continually (). Christ alone had a proper and true sacrifice to offer.
The law sacrifices were typical, not metaphorical, as the
Christian's, nor proper and true, as Christ's. In Roman times the
Mosaic restriction of the priesthood to Aaron's family was violated.

**5. glorified not himself**—did
not assume the glory of the priestly office of Himself without the
call of God ([John 8:54](../../../kjv/john/8/54)).
**but he that said**—that
is, the Father glorified Him or appointed Him to the priesthood. This
appointment was involved in, and was the result of, the *Sonship*
of Christ, which qualified Him for it. None but the divine Son could
have fulfilled such an office ([John 8:54](../../../kjv/john/8/54)). The connection of *Sonship* and *priesthood*
is typified in the *Hebrew* title for *priests* being given
to David's sons ([2 Samuel 8:18](../../../kjv/2-samuel/8/18)).
Christ did not constitute *Himself* the Son of God, but was from
everlasting the only-begotten *of the Father.* On His Sonship
depended His glorification, and His being called of God ([2 Samuel 8:18](../../../kjv/2-samuel/8/18)), as Priest.

**6.** He is here called simply
"Priest"; in [Hebrews 5:5](../../../kjv/hebrews/5/5),
"High Priest." He is a *Priest* absolutely, because He
stands alone in that character without an equal. He is "High
Priest" in respect of the Aaronic type, and also in respect to
us, whom He has made *priests* by throwing open to us access to
God [BENGEL]. "The
*order* of Melchisedec" is explained in [Hebrews 5:5](../../../kjv/hebrews/5/5), "the *similitude* of Melchisedec." The
priesthood is similarly combined with His kingly office in [Hebrews 5:5](../../../kjv/hebrews/5/5). Melchisedec was at once man, priest, and king. Paul's
selecting as the type of Christ one not of the stock of Abraham, on
which the Jews prided themselves, is an intimation of Messianic
universalism.

**7. in the days of his flesh**—
([Hebrews 2:14](../../../kjv/hebrews/2/14); [Hebrews 10:20](../../../kjv/hebrews/10/20)).
[Hebrews 5:7-10](../../../kjv/hebrews/5/7-10) state
summarily the subject about to be handled more fully in the seventh
and eighth chapters.
**when he had offered**—rather,
"*in that* He *offered.*" His crying and tears
were part of the experimental lesson of obedience which He submitted
to learn from the Father (when God was qualifying Him for the high
priesthood). "Who" is to be construed with "learned
obedience" (or rather as *Greek,* "*His*
obedience"; "*the* obedience" which we all know
about). This all shows that "Christ glorified not Himself to be
made an High Priest" ([Hebrews 5:5](../../../kjv/hebrews/5/5)),
but was appointed thereto by the Father.
**prayers and
supplications**—*Greek,* "*both* prayers and
supplications." In Gethsemane, where He prayed *thrice,*
and on the cross, where He cried, My God, my God . . . probably
repeating inwardly *all* the twenty-second Psalm. "Prayers"
refer to the mind: "supplications" also to the body
(namely, the suppliant attitude) ([Hebrews 5:5](../../../kjv/hebrews/5/5)) [BENGEL].
**with strong crying and
tears**—The "tears" are an additional fact here
communicated to us by the inspired apostle, not recorded in the
Gospels, though implied. [Matthew 26:37](../../../kjv/matthew/26/37),
"sorrowful and very heavy." [Mark 14:33](../../../kjv/mark/14/33);
[Luke 22:44](../../../kjv/luke/22/44), "in an agony He
prayed more earnestly . . . His sweat . . . great drops of blood
falling down to the ground." [Luke 22:44](../../../kjv/luke/22/44) ("roaring . . . cry"), [Psalms 22:2](../../../kjv/psalms/22/2);
[Psalms 22:19](../../../kjv/psalms/22/19); [Psalms 22:21](../../../kjv/psalms/22/21);
[Psalms 22:24](../../../kjv/psalms/22/24); [Psalms 69:3](../../../kjv/psalms/69/3);
[Psalms 69:10](../../../kjv/psalms/69/10), "I *wept.*"
**able to save him from death**—
[Mark 14:36](../../../kjv/mark/14/36), "All things are
*possible* unto Thee" ([Mark 14:36](../../../kjv/mark/14/36)). His cry showed His entire participation of man's
infirmity: His reference of His wish to the will of God, His sinless
faith and obedience.
**heard in that he feared**—There
is no intimation in the twenty-second Psalm, or the Gospels that
Christ prayed to be saved from the mere act of dying. What He feared
was the hiding of the Father's countenance. His holy filial love must
rightly have shrunk from this strange and bitterest of trials without
the imputation of impatience. To have been passively content at the
approach of such a cloud would have been, not faith, but sin. The cup
of death He prayed to be freed from was, not corporal, but spiritual
death, that is, the (temporary) separation of His human soul from the
light of God's countenance. His prayer was "heard" in His
Father's strengthening Him so as to hold fast His unwavering faith
under the trial (*My* God, *my* God, was still His filial
cry under it, still claiming God as His, though God hid His face),
and soon removing it in answer to His cry during the darkness on the
cross, "My God, my God," c. But see below a further
explanation of how He was heard. The *Greek* literally, is, "Was
heard *from His fear,*" that is, so as to be saved from His
fear. Compare [Psalms 22:21](../../../kjv/psalms/22/21), which
well accords with this, "Save me *from* the lion's mouth
(His prayer): thou hast heard me *from* the horns of the
unicorns." Or what better accords with the strict meaning of the
*Greek* noun, "*in consequence of His* REVERENTIAL
FEAR," that is, in that He *shrank from* the horrors
of separation from the bright presence of the Father, yet was
*reverentially cautious* by no thought or word of impatience to
give way to a shadow of distrust or want of perfect filial love. In
the same sense [Hebrews 12:28](../../../kjv/hebrews/12/28) uses
the noun, and [Hebrews 11:7](../../../kjv/hebrews/11/7) the
verb. ALFORD somewhat
similarly translates, "By reason of His reverent submission."
I prefer "reverent *fear.*" The word in derivation
means the *cautious handling* of some precious, yet delicate
vessel, which with ruder handling might easily be broken [TRENCH].
This fully agrees with Jesus' spirit, "If it be possible . . .
*nevertheless not My will, but Thy will be done*" and with
the context, [Hebrews 5:5](../../../kjv/hebrews/5/5), "Glorified
not Himself to be made an High Priest," implying *reverent
fear:* wherein it appears He had the requisite for the office
specified [Hebrews 5:4](../../../kjv/hebrews/5/4), "No man
taketh this honor unto himself." ALFORD
well says, What is true in the Christian's life, that what we ask
from God, though He may not grant in the form we wish, yet He grants
in His own, and that a better form, does not hold good in Christ's
case; for Christ's real prayer, "not My will, but Thine be
done," in consistency with His reverent fear towards the Father,
was granted in the very form in which it was expressed, not in
another.

**8.** Though He WAS
(so it ought to be translated: a positive admitted fact: not a mere
supposition as *were* would imply) God's divine Son (whence,
even in His agony, He so lovingly and often cried, *Father,* ), yet He learned *His* (so the *Greek*)
obedience, not from His Sonship, but from His sufferings. As the Son,
He was always obedient to the Father's will; but *the* special
obedience needed to qualify Him as our High Priest, He learned
experimentally in practical suffering. Compare , "*equal with God,* but . . . took upon Him the
form of a *servant,* and became *obedient* unto death,"
&c. He was *obedient* already before His passion, but He
stooped to a still more humiliating and trying form of *obedience*
then. The *Greek* adage is, "*Pathemata mathemata,*"
"sufferings, disciplinings." *Praying* and *obeying,*
as in Christ's case, ought to go hand in hand.

**9. made perfect**—completed,
brought to His goal of learning and suffering through death () [ALFORD],
namely, at His glorious resurrection and ascension.
**author**—*Greek,*
"cause."
**eternal salvation**—obtained
for us in the *short* "days of Jesus' flesh" (; compare [Hebrews 5:6](../../../kjv/hebrews/5/6), "for
ever," [Isaiah 45:17](../../../kjv/isaiah/45/17)).
**unto all . . . that obey
him**—As Christ *obeyed* the Father, so must we *obey*
Him by faith.

**10.** *Greek,* rather,
"*Addressed* by God (by the appellation) High Priest."
Being formally recognized by God as High Priest at the time of His
being "made perfect" (). He was High Priest already *in the purpose of God*
before His passion; but after it, when perfected, He was formally
addressed so.

**11.** Here he digresses to
complain of the low spiritual attainments of the Palestinian
Christians and to warn them of the danger of falling from light once
enjoyed; at the same time encouraging them by God's faithfulness to
persevere. At [Hebrews 6:20](../../../kjv/hebrews/6/20) he
resumes the comparison of Christ to Melchisedec.
**hard to be uttered**—rather
as *Greek,* "hard *of interpretation* to speak."
Hard for me to state intelligibly to you owing to your dulness about
spiritual things. Hence, instead of *saying many things,* he
writes in comparatively *few words* ([Hebrews 6:20](../../../kjv/hebrews/6/20)). In the "we," Paul, as usual, includes Timothy
with himself in addressing them.
**ye are**—*Greek,*
"ye have *become* dull" (the *Greek,* by
derivation, means *hard to move*): this implies that *once,*
when first "enlightened," they were earnest and zealous,
but had *become* dull. That the Hebrew believers AT
JERUSALEM were dull in
spiritual things, and legal in spirit, appears from [Hebrews 6:20](../../../kjv/hebrews/6/20), where James and the elders expressly say of the
"thousands of Jews which believe," that "they are all
*zealous of the law*"; this was at Paul's last visit to
Jerusalem, after which this Epistle seems to have been written (see
on [Hebrews 5:12](../../../kjv/hebrews/5/12), on "for the
time").

**12. for the time**—considering
the long time that you have been Christians. Therefore this Epistle
was not one of those written early.
**which be the first
principles**—*Greek,* "the *rudiments of the
beginning* of." A Pauline phrase (see on ; ). Ye need not only
to be taught *the first elements,* but also "*which*
they be." They are therefore enumerated [Hebrews 6:1](../../../kjv/hebrews/6/1);
[Hebrews 6:2](../../../kjv/hebrews/6/2) [BENGEL].
ALFORD translates, "That
*someone* teach you the rudiments"; but the position of the
*Greek,* "*tina,*" inclines me to take it
interrogatively, "which," as *English Version, Syriac,
Vulgate,* c.
**of the oracles of God**—namely,
of the Old Testament: instead of seeing Christ as the end of the Old
Testament Scripture, they were relapsing towards Judaism, so as not
only not to be capable of understanding the typical reference to
Christ of such an Old Testament personage as Melchisedec, but even
much more elementary references.
**are become**—through
indolence.
**milk . . . not . . . strong
meat**—"Milk" refers to such fundamental first
principles as he enumerates in [Hebrews 6:1](../../../kjv/hebrews/6/1)
[Hebrews 6:2](../../../kjv/hebrews/6/2). The *solid meat,*
or *food,* is not absolutely necessary for preserving life, but
is so for acquiring greater strength. Especially in the case of the
Hebrews, who were much given to allegorical interpretations of their
law, which they so much venerated, the application of the Old
Testament types, to Christ and His High Priesthood, was calculated
much to strengthen them in the Christian faith [LIMBORCH].

**13. useth**—*Greek,*
"partaketh," that is, taketh as *his portion.* Even
strong men partake of milk, but do not make milk their chief, much
less their sole, diet.
**the word of righteousness**—the
Gospel wherein "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith
to faith" ([Romans 1:17](../../../kjv/romans/1/17)), and
which is called "the ministration of righteousness" ([Romans 1:17](../../../kjv/romans/1/17)). This includes the doctrine of *justification* and
sanctification: the first *principles,* as well as the
*perfection, of the doctrine of Christ:* the nature of the
offices and person of Christ as the true Melchisedec, that is, "King
of *righteousness*" (compare [Romans 1:17](../../../kjv/romans/1/17)).

**14. strong meat**—"solid
food."
**them . . . of full
age**—literally, "perfect": akin to "perfection"
([Hebrews 6:1](../../../kjv/hebrews/6/1)).
**by reason of use**—*Greek,*
"habit."
**senses**—organs of sense.
**exercised**—similarly
connected with "righteousness" in [Hebrews 6:1](../../../kjv/hebrews/6/1).
**to discern both good and
evil**—as a child no longer an infant ([Hebrews 6:1](../../../kjv/hebrews/6/1)): so able to distinguish between sound and unsound doctrine.
The mere child puts into its mouth things hurtful and things
nutritious, without discrimination: but not so the adult. Paul again
alludes to their tendency not to discriminate, but to be carried
about by strange doctrines, in [Hebrews 6:1](../../../kjv/hebrews/6/1).

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