Hebrews 5 reminds me of a speech I heard at an award ceremony. The honoree began: “You are a bunch of tomatoes. You are either green and growing, or red and dying”. His point was that every day we have a choice. We build up, or we can stagnate and decay. Today’s lesson is about continuing to grow and mature. The author of Hebrews expands on the role of the Jewish high priest. “Every high priest is selected from among the people”. He knows his people, their culture and the struggles they face. He has two priorities. First, he offers “gifts and sacrifices for sins” on behalf of the nation. Second, he must “deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray”. He understands temptation and doubt, “since he himself is subject to weakness”. New growth happens after spotting our own deficiencies. The author continues, noting that each of us has fallen short of perfection. Therefore, before the high priest can intercede for the nation, he must first “offer sacrifices for his own sins”. This requires humility and a reverence for God. Both are necessary to meaningfully deal gently with ignorance. He also says that the high priest does not select himself, but receives the honor “when called by God, just as Aaron was”. He continues, “In the same way, Christ did not take on Himself the glory of becoming a high priest”. Jesus was chosen because He is the only possible option. He did not have to offer any sacrifice for His own sins; therefore, His blood covered the sin of all the people that choose to believe.
The author continues, quoting from Psalm 2, a short warning to the rebellious. In the last days, as tyrants on earth rise up against God’s authority, Jesus will reign. As discussed in Hebrews 1, the psalmist uses the term “Son”, meaning the Redeemer. “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father”. He then links Jesus to the mysterious king of judgement from Psalm 110: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek”. Using all of the symbolism from Genesis through Psalms, the author exalts Jesus as the eternal king, eternal priest and ultimate Savior of the Children of God (Israel). He writes that “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth… He learned obedience from what He suffered”. Jesus taught by example; demonstrating humility through His actions. He “offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears” on behalf of the people. The author declared to his Hebrew brethren that Jesus is “the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him”.
He reiterates that Jesus was “designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek”; that is, eternal, without beginning or end. And then he challenges the establishment Jews comfortable in control of the power structure. They violently resist change, but offer no hope to the people. “It is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand”. Those without hope are easy to control. He continues rousing those spiritually asleep: “by this time you ought to be teachers”. But instead, “you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again”. He calls them babies, living “on milk, not solid food”. Infants cannot process adult food. In the same way, “an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness”. Babies need structure. They also need frequent feeding of an absorbable diet until they can chew on meatier material. In all cases, first we must learn the basics, and then we build from there: “solid food is for the mature”. The twin warning is for all of us to be careful what we take in, and personally seek understanding. He concludes, only through constant use have the mature “trained themselves to distinguish good from evil”. My friend, what is your standard for righteousness?