Hebrews 5:1-6 (WEB) For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness. 3 Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself. 4 Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was. 5 So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him,
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your father.”
6 As he says also in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
V1 “For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” Jesus is the High Priest now, and the Old Testament High Priest office has been retired. The duties of a High Priest has two (at least) priorities of service: 1) offering gifts and 2) offering sacrifices for sins. Offering gifts includes thanksgiving (Leviticus 7:13, Matthew 14:19 and Psalm 50:23), praise (Hebrews 13:15), financial (and other) assistance to those believers in need. The Lord Jesus is our Passover Lamb (John 1:29 and 1 Corinthians 5:7), who offered in atonement His blood for our forgiveness (1 John 1:7, Ephesians 1:7, and 1 Peter 1:18-19).
V2 “The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness.” A character trait that is expected from a High Priest is kindness and gentleness. Jesus had this character trait as in seen in the Gospels (Luke 10:38-42). The Greek word for “ignorant” is (G50) ἀγνοέω agnoéō, which means, literally, not to understand. Thayer has “to be ignorant, not to know, not to understand, unknown to err or sin through mistake, to be wrong.” It is used of Saul/Paul before he believed in Christ (1 Timothy 1:13). Paul does not want the Thessalonians to be ignorant (1 Thessalonians 4:13). One of the purposes of pastors and teachers is not to be ignorant ourselves and to teach others so they won’t be ignorant of God and His ways (1 Corinthians 4:17 and 1 Timothy 4:11). Ignorance leads to drifting from the truth of Scripture.
Two quotes:
(Holman Commentary) Drowsiness begins, we become comfortable, our hearts become insensitive. Spiritual drowsiness slowly paralyzes the spirit. The person who was once vibrant and wide awake in following Christ can become lethargic and lazy about issues of the spirit.”
(Holman Commentary) We are to be alert and self-controlled. To be alert is the opposite of being asleep. An alert person is aware, sensitive to life around him, and morally and spiritually awake”
The High Priest helps those going astray by counsel, correction, and teaching truth. Compare 2 Timothy 2:24-26. He is interested in the person going astray because he is also weak and can go astray himself (Luke 15:4).
All humans are sinners. Even after we believe in Jesus alone, we still sin. We do not want to but do. This weakness is also in the High Priests of Israel.
V3 “Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.” This is speaking of the earthly, Jewish Hight Priest. See Leviticus 16:3. In Exodus 29:9, Aaron was chosen to be the High Priest.
V4 “Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was.” Aaron specifically was chosen to be Israel’s High Priest (Exodus 28:1). The Jewish High Priest at the beginning of the nation was not chosen by vote, nor Moses, nor any human. It was God Himself who appointed Aaron to the honor of being High Priest. Jesus is the same who was chosen by God.
V5 “So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him,” This is a quote from Psalm 2:7. God makes a choice for the eternal High Priest–Jesus Christ. He selects Jesus to be the Messiah. In the Trinity, the Godhead, God (the three persons) chose who would be the Messiah for this universe. Jesus, THE Messiah is the only one qualified to be Messiah and the High Priest of the New Covenant. Jesus accepted but did not seek, campaign, or be elected by people to be Messiah. The “he” in this verse is God (the Trinity).
The (Holman Commentary) writes: “The psalm presents an exalted view of Christ. It narrates the coronation of a Jewish king. The psalm affirms that God had appointed Christ as a king. The act of the resurrection showed that God had orchestrated this event.
“Christ had made it clear on earth that he regarded his work as a divine appointment (John 17:4). He had not sought out the job of high priest, nor had he refused it when God called him to this task. His assumption of the function came from a divine appointment. We can say, “Christ was performing the will of God.”
V6 “As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” This quote is from Psalm 110:4. Psalm 110 is a Messianic Psalm. It teaches that the eternal King of Israel sits at the right hand of God until His enemies are destroyed. Prophetically this happens in Zechariah 14. The people of Israel who remain (the Remnant) will voluntarily call on the name of Jesus (See Matthew 23:37-39, Psalm 118:26, Zechariah 12:10, and Zechariah 14).
(Walvoord Prophecy Commentary) “Other references to revival in the Old Testament are frequently found. The closing chapters of Isaiah mention again and again the coming revival of Israel (cf. Isaiah 65:18-25). Jeremiah also prophesied Israel’s future restoration (cf. 30:1-11; 31:1-14, 27-37). Zechariah speaks of it (8; 12:10; 13:1; 14:9-21). The New Testament picks up similar truth in Romans 11:25-36 and pictures Israel triumphant on Mount Zion in Revelation 14:1-5. It is tragic that Israel did not know the day of her visitation at Christ’s first coming. But the godly remnant of the nation, that awaits His second coming to sit on the throne of David, will experience the blessing of the Lord and receive a new heart and a new spirit (cf. Ezek. 36:23-28).”
There is also reference to Romans 11:12 and Romans 11:26-27.
Jesus remains the High Priest for eternity both for the nation of Israel and all other believers.