Jesus was a priest in the order of melchizedek

JESUS WAS A PRIEST IN THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Hebrews 5:6 6And he says in another place, "You are
a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
Aaron Was Divinely Called
Hebrews 5:4-6
J.S. Bright
Hebrews 5:4-6. These verses show us the honor of the priesthood. Aaron was
divinely called(Exodus 28:1), and was endowedwith gifts and qualifications
for the office. It was an honor to approachunto God in the sacreduses of his
ministry; "for blessedis the man whom thou choosestand causestto approach
unto thee." He transactedthe most important affairs for the people, and made
reconciliationfor them on the Day of Atonement. He revealedand interpreted
the Divine will by Urim and Thummim, and his lips kept knowledge.He
representedthe people to Jehovah, and carried the names of the children of
Israelon his breast and shoulders. He was setapart by the sacredness ofhis
office from many of the cares and changes ofhuman life, and was to lead life
of specialconsecrationto the service of God. Our Lord undertook the work of
priest in a more glorious manner than was suggestedby the most holy and

distinguished minister of the ancient Law. All the aspects ofhonor and
gracious service are exaltedin him to an unimaginable degree. He is at the
right hand of the Father. He officiates for all nations, people, and tongues. He
treats the successive generations ofbelievers with constantlove, and imparts
Divine help in worship. He is the final and most glorious revelation of God to
man. He exalts and enriches the life of his followers by the tenderness and
sympathy of his nature, and inspires them with resolution to come boldly to
the throne of grace. - B.
Biblical Illustrator
No man taketh this honour unto himself.
Hebrews 5:4-6
The ministerial calling from God
W. Jones, D. D.

A calling is most requisite in all things we take in hand, especiallyin the
ministry. Who will meddle with the sheepof a man unless he be called to it?
and shall we meddle with Christ's sheepwithout a calling? As for our calling.
1. It is of God. We have God's sealto our calling, because He hath furnished
us in some measure with gifts for it.
2. We are calledby the Church, which, by imposition of hands representing
God's hand, hath separatedus to this office. Let every one be assuredof his
calling. A lamentable thing to consider, what a number of intruders there be
that have thrust themselves into this holy calling. In Jeroboam's time every
one that would consecrate himselfbecame one of the priests of the high places.
Shall we have them to make cloth that have no skillin clothing? Will any
make him his shepherd that knows not what belongs to sheep? And wilt thou
deliver Christ's sheepinto the hands of a blind and ignorant shepherd? Wilt
thou have him to build thy house that hath no skill in building? Wilt thou
make him the schoolmasterofthy child that hath no learning? But any is good
enough for the ministry. If men did look as wellto the charge as to the dignity
of the office;if Onus were as well consideredas Bonus, men would not make
such haste to it as they do. They watchover the souls of the people, as they
that must give an account. The day of taking in our profits is sweet, but the
counting day will be terrible, when Christ will require every lost sheepat our
hands. Therefore let none take this honour to himself, but see that he be called
of God, as Aaron was.
(W. Jones, D. D.)
Order in ecclesiasticalinstitution
J. S. Blackie.
In human doings and human productions we see everywhere manifestations of
order. Well-orderedstones make architecture;well-ordered socialregulations
make a constitution and a police; well-orderedideas make goodlogic; well-
ordered words make goodwriting; well-orderedimaginations and emotions
make goodpoetry; well-orderedfacts make science.Disorder, onthe ether

hand, makes nothing at all, but un-makes everything. Stones in disorder
produce ruins; an ill-ordered socialconditionis decline, revolution, or
anarchy; ill-ordered ideas are absurdity; ill-ordered words are neither sense
nor grammar; ill-ordered imaginations and emotions are madness;ill-ordered
facts are chaos.
(J. S. Blackie.)
The ministerial office
E. Deering, B. D.
I. Here let us first learn THAT BOTH IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR ANY MAN
WITHOUT A CALLING TO TAKE UPON HIM THE MINISTRY;
NEITHER YET ANY CALLING OUGHT TO BE, WHICH IS NOT
ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD:for, seeing the ministry is
honourable, and he is justly honoured that executethit faithfully, how can I
exalt myself, but of right I ought again to be brought low, and instead of glory,
have shame? For what do I in this but rob Christ of His glory, who is Head of
His Church, and appointeth ministers whom He will, who ruleth in the house
of Jacob, and ordaineth officers at His own pleasure? If in an earthly kingdom
subjects would presume to take offices attheir own choice, were it not
extreme confusion, utter reproachand shame unto the prince? How much
more to bring this confusion into the Church of Christ?
II. THE SECOND THING TO BE LEARNED IN THESE WORDS IS THAT
WE HAVE ALL SUCH A CALLING AS WE MAY BE SURE IT IS OF
GOD;FOR WE MUST BE CALLED OF GOD, AS AARON WAS. No
minister ought to be calledin the Church but he whose calling may be known
to be of God. Hereof I may first conclude, touching the person of the minister:
that because in all places, by the prophets, by the apostles, by our Saviour
Christ, God always requireth that His ministers be of good report, well
grounded in faith, able to teachHis people; therefore if ignorant men, and not
able to teach, be chosenunto this office, I dare boldly affirm it, their calling is
not allowedof God. Now, touching the office whereunto God appointeth the

ministers of His gospel, is it not this: to preach His Word, and minister
Sacraments? Othergovernors of His Church, are they not for the people's
obedience unto this Word, and for provision of the poor?
(E. Deering, B. D.)
Of the honour and function of the high priest
W. George.
It here declareththat the high priest's function was an honourable function,
which is thus manifested.
1. The solemn manner of inaugurating, or setting them apart thereto (Exodus
29:1).
2. His glorious apparel (Exodus 28.).
3. The great retinue that attended him: as all sorts of Levites, togetherwith
sundry inferior priests (Numbers 3:9; Numbers 8:19).
4. The liberal provision made for him out of the meat-offerings, sacrifices,
firstfruits, tenths, and other oblations (Leviticus 2:3; Leviticus 5:13; Leviticus
7:6; Deuteronomy18:3).
5. The difficult cases thatwere referred to him.
6. The obedience that was to be yielded to him.
7. The punishment to be inflicted on such as rebelled againsthim
(Deuteronomy 17:8-10, &c.).
8. The sacredservices whichthey performed, as to be for men in things
pertaining to God: to offer up what was brought to God (ver. 1), and to do
other particulars setclown (Hebrews 2:11). In such honourable esteemwere
high priests, as kings thought them fit matches for their daughters (2
Chronicles 22:11).

9. The westprincipal honour intended under this word was that the high
priest, by virtue of his calling, was a kind of mediator betweenGod and man.
For he declaredthe answerof the Lord to man, and offered up sacrifices to
God for man.
(W. George.)
Of the honour of the ministerial calling
W. George.
1. Their Masteris the greatLord of heaven and of earth. If it be an honour to
be an especialminister of a mortal king, what is it to be the minister of such a
Lord?
2. Their place is to be in the room of God, even in His stead — ambassadors
for Him (2 Corinthians 5:20).
3. Their work is to declare God's counsel(Acts 20:17).
4. Their end is to perfect the saints (Ephesians 4:12).
5. Their reward is greaterthan of others (Daniel 12:3). Thus hath the Lord
honoured this function that it might be the better respected, and prove more
profitable. Ministers in regardof their persons are as other men, of like
passions with them, and subjectto manifold infirmities, which would cause
disrespectwere it not for the honour of their function.
(W. George.)
Divine designation
John Owes, D. D.
I. IT IS AN ACT OF SOVEREIGNTYIN GOD, TO CALL WHOM HE
PLEASETHUNTO HIS WORK AND ESPECIALSERVICE;AND

EMINENTLYSO WHEN IT IS UNTO ANY PLACE OF HONOUR AND
DIGNITY IN HIS HOUSE.
1. Becauseeverycall is accompaniedwith choice and distinction.
2. Because, antecedentlyunto their call, there is nothing of merit in any to be
so called, nor of ability in the most, for the work whereunto they are called.
What merit was there, what previous disposition unto their work, in a few
fishermen about the Lake of Tiberias, or Sea of Galilee, that our Lord Jesus
Christ should call them to be His apostles, disposing them into that state and
condition, wherein they sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel? So was it ever with all that God calledin an extraordinary manner (see
Exodus 4:10, 11; Jeremiah1:6; Amos 7:15, 16). In His ordinary calls there is
the same sovereignty, though somewhatotherwise exercised. Forin such a call
there are three things —(1) A providential designationof such a person to
such an office, work, or employment.(2) It is a part of this call of God when
He blesseththe endeavours of men to prepare themselves with those previous
dispositions and qualifications which are necessaryunto the actual call and
susceptionof this office. And hereof also there are three parts —(a) An
inclination of their hearts, in compliance with His designationof them unto
their office.(b) An especialblessing oftheir endeavours for the due
improvement of their natural faculties and abilities, in study and learning, for
the necessaryaids and instruments of knowledge and wisdom.(c)The
communications of peculiar gifts unto them, rendering them meet and able
unto the discharge of the duty of their office, which in an ordinary call is
indispensably required as previous to an actualseparationunto the office
itself.
3. He ordereth things so as that a person whom He will employ in the service
of His house shall have an outward call, according unto rule, for his admission
thereinto. And in all these things God acts according to His own sovereignwill
and pleasure. And many things might hence be insisted on. As —(1) That we
should have an awful reverence of, and a holy readiness to comply with, the
call of God; not to run awayfrom it, or the work calledunto, as did Jonah,
nor to he weary of it because ofdifficulty and opposition which we meet
withal in the discharge of our duty, as it sundry times was ready to befall

Jeremiah(Jeremiah 15:10;Jeremiah 20:7-9), much less to desert or give it
over, on any earthly accountwhatever; seeing that he who sets his hand to this
plough and takes it back againis unworthy of the kingdom of heaven.(2)That
we should not envy nor repine at one another, whatever God is pleasedto call
any unto.(3) That we engage into no work wherein the name of God is
concernedwithout His call; which gives a secondobservation, namely, that —
II. THE HIGHEST EXCELLENCYAND UTMOST NECESSITYOF ANY
WORK TO BE DONE FOR GOD IN THIS WORLD WILL NOT
WARRANT OUR UNDERTAKING OF IT, OR ENGAGING IN IT, UNLESS
WE ARE CALLED THEREUNTO.
III. THE MORE EXCELLENT ANY WORK OF GOD IS, THE MORE
EXPRESS OUGHT OUR CALL UNTO IT TO BE.
IV. IT IS A GREAT DIGNITY AND HONOUR TO BE DULY CALLED
UNTO ANY WORK, SERVICE, OR OFFICE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD.
(John Owes, D. D.)
Christ glorified not Himself to be made an High Priest.
Christ, as Son of Man, calledand perfected to be our High Priest
A. Saphir.
Twice alreadythe apostle has referred to Christ as our High Priest, and he
now enters on the development of the central theme of his Epistle — Christ a
priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Butin order to explain the
priesthood on which Christ entered after His death and resurrection, and of
which not Aaron but Melchizedek was the type, it is necessaryfor him to show
how the Lord Jesus fulfilled all that was typified of Him in the Levitical
dispensation, and possessedin perfection all the requirements which,
according to Divine appointment, were needed in the high priest, and which
could not be possessedin perfectionby sinful men like the Aaronic priests. In
the first place, the priests were as sinful as the people whom they represented.
It was on accountof sin that Israelfelt the need of a mediator. But Aaron and

the priests were only officially holy; they were not in reality spotless andpure.
Hence they had to offer sacrifices fortheir own sins and infirmities, as well as
for those of the people. Secondly, the mediator ought not merely to be perfect
and sinless man, he ought also to be Divine, in perfect and full communion
with God, so that he can impart Divine forgiveness and blessing. Only in the
Lord Jesus, therefore, is the true mediation. He who loved us, and washedus
from our sins in His own blood, hath made us kings and priests unto God. The
two qualifications of the Aaronic high priest, that he was from among men
and that he was appointed by God, were fulfilled in a perfect manner in the
Lord Jesus. But in considering these two points, we are struck not merely by
the resemblance betweenthe type and the fulfilment, but also by the contrast.
1. Aaron was chosenfrom among men to offer gifts and sacrifices forsins.
Jesus was true man, born of a woman and made under the law;He. became in
all things like unto His brethren. But whereas the Jewishhigh priest had to
offer for himself, as he was a sinner, the Lord was harmless and undefiled,
pure and spotless. His mediation was therefore perfect. The Aaronic high
priest was able to have compassionon the ignorant and on them that were out
of the way, knowing and feeling his own infirmities and transgressions,and
knowing also the love of God, who desireth not the death of the sinner, but
that he should turn and live. But this compassionate regardfor the sinner can
exist in perfection only in a sinless one. This appears at first sight paradoxical;
for we expectthe perfect man to be the severestjudge. And with regard to sin,
this is doubtless true. God chargetheven His angels with folly. He beholds sin
where we do not discoverit. He setteth our secretsins in the light of His
countenance. And Jesus, the Holy One of Israel, like the Father, has eyes like
a flame of fire, and discerns everything that is contrary to God's mind and
will. But with regard to the sinner, Jesus, by virtue of His perfect holiness, is
the most merciful, compassionate,and considerate Judge. Beholding the sinful
heart in all, estimating sin according to the Divine standard, according to its
real inward character, andnot the human, conventional, and outward
measure, Jesus, infinitely holy and sensitive as He was, saw often less to shock
an,t pain Him in the drunkard and profligate than in the respectable,selfish,
and ungodly religionists. Again, He had come to heal the sick, to restore the
erring, to bring the sinner to repentance. He lookedupon sin as the greatest

and most fearful evil, but on the sinner as poor, suffering, lost, and helpless.
He felt as the Shepherd towards the erring. Again, He fastenedin a moment
on any indications of the Father's drawing the heart, of the Spirit's work:
2. The high priest is appointed by God. No man takeththis honour unto
himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. The high priesthoodof
Christ is identified here with His glory. "Christ glorified not Himself to be
made an High Priest." Blessedtruth, that ,he glory of Christ and our salvation
are so intimately connected, that Christ regards it as His glory to be our
Mediatorand Intercessor!This is Christ's glory, even as it is the reward of
His suffering, that in Him we draw near to the Father, and that from Him we
receive the blessings of the everlasting covenant. He rejoices to be our High
Priest. God calledHim to the priesthood. The calling of Jesus to the high
priestly dignity is basedon His Sonship. BecauseJesusis Son, He is the
Prophet, perfectly revealing God; because He is Son, He is the true Sacrifice
and Priest;for only the blood of the Son of God can cleanse from all sin, and
bring us nigh unto God; and only through Christ crucified and exalted canthe
Father's love and the Spirit's powerdescendinto our hearts. Here the
comparisonand contrastbetweenthe Lord and Aaron ends. The apostle now
enters on that which is peculiar to our Saviour Jesus. The types and figures of
the old covenantcould not be perfectand adequate; for that which is united in
Christ had necessarilyto be severedand set forth by a variety of figures. The
priests offerednot themselves, but animals. Now the obedience, the conflict,
the faith, the offering of the will as the true, real, and effective Sacrifice could
not possibly be symbolised. Norcould any single symbol represent how Jesus,
by being first the Sacrifice, became thereby the perfect, compassionate,and
merciful High Priest. Christ was the victim on the Cross. The Son of God,
according to the eternal counsel, came into the world to be obedient even unto
death. "Lo, I come to do Thy will." His obedience was characterised
throughout by such continuity, liberty, and inward delight, that we are apt to
forgetthat aspectof His life on which the apostle dwells when he says, that
though Christ was a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He
suffered. Realand great were His difficulties, temptations, and sorrows;and
from the prayers and complaints ascribedto Messiahin the psalms and
prophets, we can understand somewhatof the burden which weighedon His

loving and sensitive heart, and the constantdependence with which He leaned
on the Father, and obtained from Him light and strength. Jesus believed;He
lived not merely before, but by the Father. Thus is Jesus the Author and
Finisher of faith. He went before the sheep. He is the forerunner. He has
experiencedevery difficulty, and last, d every sorrow. He knows the path in
all its narrowness.
(A. Saphir.)
Christ glorified not Himself
J. Trapp
As the Pope doth, who will needs be styled Pontifex Maximum, the greatest
high priest. Pope Hildebrand especially, whom, when no man would advance
to Peter's chair, he gad up himself. Said he, "Who can better judge of me than
myself?"
(J. Trapp)
The difference betweenthe priesthood and the high priesthood of Christ
H. Marries.
I. The priest and the high priest did not minister in the same PLACE. AS a
priest, Christ ministered on earth; as high priest, He ministers in heaven.
II. The priest and the high priest did not perform the same WORK.
1. As priest, Christ sacrificedHimself.
2. As high priest, He
(1)entered heavenby His own blood;
(2)intercedes on our behalf with the Father.

III. The priest and the high priest did not appear in the same DRESS. Christ
as a priest was made like unto His brethren: wore the simple dress of
humanity. Christ as high priest of eternity is clothed with all the glories of
immortal life.
IV. The priest and the high priest did not occupy the same POSITION. The
one was a sub-officer, the other the supreme judge of the land and the
president of the Sanhedrin. Christ as High Palestis the highest officer in the
kingdom of God.
(H. Marries.)
Christ not a self-elected, but a God-appointed priest
A. B. Bruce, D. D.
At length the priesthood of Christ, alreadythree times alluded to, is takenup
in earnest, and made the subject of an elaborate discussion, extending from
this point to Hebrews 10:18. The writer begins at the beginning, setting forth
first of all that Christ is a legitimate priest, not a usurper; one solemnly called
to the office by God, not self-elected. The chief thing in his mind here is the
call or appointment; the sympathy is referred to, in connectionwith its source,
personalinfirmity, as explaining the need for a call, so as to suggestthe
question, Who, consciousofthe infirmity which is the secretof sacerdotal
mildness, would dream of undertaking such an office without a Divine call?
Jesus assuredlyundertook the office only as called of God. He was calledto
the priesthoodbefore His incarnation. He came to the world under a Divine
call. And during the days of His earthly life His behaviour was such as utterly
to exclude the idea of His being a usurper of sacerdotalhonours. All through
His incarnate experiences, andespeciallyin those of the closing scene, He was
simply submitting to God's will that He should be a priest. And when He
returned to heaven He was salutedHigh Priest in recognitionof His loyalty.
Thus from first to last He was emphatically One called of God. What is said of
the sympathy that becomes a high priest, though subordinate to the statement
concerning his call, is important and interesting. First, a description is given

of the office which in every clause suggests the reflection, How congruous
sympathy to the sacerdotalcharacter!The high priest is describedas taken
from among men, and the suggestionis that, being a man of like nature with
those for whom he transacts, he may be expectedto have fellow-feeling with
them. Then he is further described as ordained for men in things pertaining to
God, the implied thought being that he cannot acquit himself satisfactorilyin
that capacityunless he sympathise with those whom he represents before God.
Lastly, it is declaredto be his specialduty to offer sacrifices ofvarious sorts
for sin, the latent idea being that it is impossible for any one to perform that
duty with any earnestnessorefficiencywho has not genuine compassionfor
the sinful. Very remarkable is the word employed to describe priestly
compassion. It does not signify to feel with another, but rather to abstain from
feeling againsthim; to be able to restrain antipathy. It is carefully selectedto
representthe spirit which becomes a high priest as a mean betweentwo
extremes. On the one hand, he should be able to control the passions provoked
by error and ignorance, anger, impatience, disgust, contempt. On the other
hand, he must not be so amiable as not even to be tempted to give way to these
passions. Ignorance andmisconduct he must not regard with unruffled
equanimity. It is plainly implied that it is possible to be too sympathetic, and
so to become the slave or tool of men's ignorance orprejudices, and even
partakerof their sins — a possibility illustrated by the histories of Aaron and
of Eli, two high priests of Israel. The model high priest is not like either. He
hates ignorance and sin, but he pities the ignorant and sinful. The ignorant for
him are persons to be taught, the erring sheepto be brought back to the fold.
He remembers that sin is not only an evil thing in God's sight, but also a bitter
thing for the offender; realises the misery of an accusing conscience, the
shame and fear which are the ghostlyshadows of guilt. The characterthus
drawn is obviously congenial to the priestly office. The priest's duty is to offer
gifts and sacrificiesfor sin. The performance of this duty habituates the
priestly mind to a certain way of viewing sin: as an offence deserving
punishment, yet pardonable on the presentation of the appropriate offering.
The priest's relationto the offender is also such as demands a sympathetic
spirit. He is not a legislator, enacting laws with rigid penalties attached.
Neither is he a judge, but rather an advocate pleading for his client at the bar.
Neither is he a prophet, giving utterances in vehement language to the Divine

displeasure againsttransgression, but rather an intercessorimploring mercy,
appeasing anger, striving to awakenDivine pity. But the specialsource to
which sacerdotalsympathy is tracedis the consciousnessofpersonalinfirmity.
"Forthat he himself also is compassedwith infirmity." The explanation seems
to labour under the defectof too greatgenerality. A high priest is no more
human in his nature and experience than other men — why, then, should he
be exceptionally humane? Two reasons suggestthemselves.The high priest
was officially a very holy person, begirt on all sides with the emblems of
holiness, copiouslyanointed with oil, whose exquisite aroma typified the odour
of sanctity, arrayed in gorgeous robes,significantof the beauty of holiness,
required to be so devoted to his sacredcalling and so dead to the world that he
might not mourn for the death of his nearestkin. How oppressive the burden
of this official sanctity must have been to a thoughtful, humble man, conscious
of personalinfirmity, and knowing himself to be of like passions andsinful
tendencies with his fellow-worshippers!Another source ofpriestly benignity
was, I imagine, habitual converse in the discharge of duty with the erring and
the ignorant. The high priest had officially much to do with men, and that not
with picked samples, but with men in the mass;the greaternumber probably
being inferior specimens of humanity, and all presenting to his view their
weak side. He learned in the discharge ofhis functions to take a kindly
interest in all sorts of people, even the most erratic, and to bear with
inconsistencyevenin the best. The accountgiven of priestly sympathy
prepares us for appreciating the statementwhich follows concerning the need
for a Divine call to the priestly office (ver. 4). No one, duly impressedwith his
own infirmities, would ever think of taking unto himself so sacredanoffice. A
need for a Divine call is felt by all devout men in connectionwith all sacred
offices involving a ministry on men's behalf in things pertaining to God. The
tendency is to shrink from such offices, rather than to covetand ambitiously
appropriate them. Having statedthe generalprinciple that a Divine call is
necessaryas an inducement to the assumption of the priestly office, the writer
passes to the case ofJesus Christ, whom he emphatically declares to have been
utterly free from the spirit of ambition, and to hare been made a high priest,
not by self-election, but by Divine appointment. It is difficult to understand, at
first, why the text from the secondPsalm, "My Son art Thou," is introduced
here at all, the thing to be proved being, not that Messiahwas made by God a

Son, but that He was made a Priest. But on reflectionwe perceive that it is a
preliminary hint as to what sortof priesthoodis signified by the order of
Melchizedec, a first attempt to insinuate into the minds of readers the idea of
a priesthood belonging to Christ altogetherdistinct in characterfrom the
Levitical, yet the highest possible, that of one at once a Divine Son and a
Divine King. On further consideration, it dawns on us that a still deepertruth
is meant to be taught; that Christ's priesthoodis coevalwith His sonship, and
inherent in it. From the pre-incarnate state, to which the quotations from the
Psalterrefer, the writer proceeds to speak ofChrist's earthly history: "Who,
in the days of His flesh." He here conceives,as in a later part of the Epistle he
expresslyrepresents, the Christ as coming into the world under a Divine call
to be a priest, and conscious ofHis vocation. He represents Christ as under
training for the priesthood, but training implies previous destination; as an
obedient learner, but obedience implies consciousnessofHis calling. In the
verses which follow (7, 8) his purpose is to exhibit the behaviour of Jesus
during His life on earth in such a light that the idea of usurpation shall appear
an absurdity. The generalimport is: "Jesus everloyal, but never ambitious;
so far from arrogating, rather shrinking from priestly office, at most simply
submitting to God's will, and enabled to do that by specialgrace in answerto
prayer." Referenceis made to Christ's Sonship to enhance the impressionof
difficulty. Though He was a Son full of love and devotion to His Father,
intensely, enthusiasticallyloyal to the Divine interest, ever accounting it His
meat and drink to do His Father's will, yet even for Him so minded it was a
matter of arduous learning to comply with the Father's will in connectionwith
His priestly vocation. For it must be understood that the obedience here
spokenof has that specific reference. The aim is not to state didactically that
in His earthly life Jesus was a learner in the virtue of obedience all round, but
especiallyto predicate of Him learning obedience in connectionwith His
priestly calling — obedience to God's will that He should be a priest. But why
should obedience be so difficult in this connection? The full answercomes
later on, but it is hinted at even here. It is because priesthoodinvolves for the
priest death (ver. 7), mortal suffering (ver. 8); because the priest is at the same
time victim. And it is in the light of this fact that we clearly see how impossible
it was that the spirit of ambition should come into play with reference to the
priestly office in the case ofChrist. Self-glorificationwas excluded by the

nature of the service. The verses which follow (9, 10)show the other side of the
picture: how He who glorified not Himself to be made a priest was glorified by
God; became a priest indeed, efficientin the highest degree, acknowledgedas
such by His Father, whose will He had loyally obeyed. "Being perfected,"
how? In obedience, and by obedience evenunto death, perfected for the office
of priest, death being the final stage in His training, through which He became
a Pontifex consummatus. Being made perfect in and through death, Jesus
became ipso facto author of eternalsalvation, the final experience of suffering,
by which His training for the priestly office was completed, being at the same
time His greatpriestly achievement. The statement that through death Jesus
became ipso facto author of salvation, is not falsified by the fact that the
essentialpoint in a sacrifice was its presentationbefore God in the sanctuary,
which in the Levitical system took place subsequently to the slaughtering of
the victim, when the priest took the blood within the tabernacle and sprinkled
it on the altar of incense or on the mercy-seat. The death of our High Priestis
to be conceivedofas including all the steps of the sacrificialprocesswithin
itself. Lapse of time or change ofplace is not necessaryto the accomplishment
of the work. The death of the victim, the presentationof the sacrificialblood
— all was performed when Christ cried Τετέλεστει. Translatedinto abstract
language, ver. 10 supplies the rationale of the fact statedin ver. 9. Its effectis
to tell us that Christ became author of eternal salvationbecause He was a true
High Priestafter the order of Melchizedec:author of salvationin virtue of His
being a priest, author of eternal salvationbecause His priesthoodwas of the
Melchizedec type — never ending.
(A. B. Bruce, D. D.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) Thou art a priest for ever . . .—On Psalms 110 see the Note on Hebrews
1:13. The fourth verse, here quoted, is the kernelof the Psalm, and supplies
the theme for a large portion of this Epistle, especiallyHebrews 7. As the
promise of 2 Samuel 7 was the prelude to the revelation of the secondPsalm,
the divine declarationrecordedin Exodus 19:6 may have prepared the way
for the promise of Psalm 110:4. The king of Israelwas the type of the Son of
David; and in the consecratedpeople, who, had they been faithful, would have
remained the representatives ofall nations before God, was dimly
foreshadowedthe Anointed Priest.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
5:1-10 The High Priest must be a man, a partakerof our nature. This shows
that man had sinned. For Godwould not suffer sinful man to come to him
alone. But every one is welcome to God, that comes to him by this High Priest;
and as we value acceptancewithGod, and pardon, we must apply by faith to
this our great High PriestChrist Jesus, who canintercede for those that are
out of the way of truth, duty, and happiness; one who has tenderness to lead
them back from the by-paths of error, sin, and misery. Those only canexpect
assistancefrom God, and acceptancewith him, and his presence and blessing
on them and their services, that are called of God. This is applied to Christ. In
the days of his flesh, Christ made himself subjectto death: he hungered: he
was a tempted, suffering, dying Jesus. Christset an example, not only to pray,
but to be fervent in prayer. How many dry prayers, how few wettedwith
tears, do we offer up to God! He was strengthenedto support the immense
weight of suffering laid upon him. There is no real deliverance from death but
to be carriedthrough it. He was raisedand exalted, and to him was given the
powerof saving all sinners to the uttermost, who come unto God through him.
Christ has left us an example that we should learn humble obedience to the
will of God, by all our afflictions. We need affliction, to teachus submission.
His obedience in our nature encouragesourattempts to obey, and for us to
expectsupport and comfort under all the temptations and sufferings to which
we are exposed. Being made perfect for this greatwork, he is become the
Author of eternal salvationto all that obey him. But are we of that number?

Barnes'Notes on the Bible
As he saith also in another place - Psalm110:4. "Thou art a priest forever." It
is evident here that the apostle means to be understood as saying that the
Psalmreferred to Christ, and this is one of the instances ofquotation from the
Old Testamentrespecting whichthere canbe no doubt. Paul makes much of
this argument in a subsequent part of this Epistle, Hebrews 7 and reasons as if
no one would deny that the Psalmhad a reference to the Messiah. It is clear
from this that the Psalm was understoodby the Jews at that time to have such
a reference, and that it was so universally admitted that no one would call it in
question. That the Psalm refers to the Messiahhas been the opinion of nearly
all Christian commentators, and has been admitted by the JewishRabbis in
generalalso. The "evidence" that it refers to the Messiahis such as the
following:
(1) It is a Psalmof David, and yet is spokenof one who was superior to him,
and whom he calls his "Lord;" Hebrews 5:1.
(2) it cannotbe referred to Jehovahhimself, for he is expressly Hebrews 5:1
distinguished from him who is here addressed.
(3) it cannotbe referred to anyone in the time of David, for there was no one
to whom he would attribute this characterof superiority but God.
(4) for the same reasonthere was no one among his posterity, except the
Messiah, to whom he would apply this language.
(5) it is expresslyascribedby the Lord Jesus to himself; Matthew 22:43-44.
(6) the scope ofthe Psalmis such as to be applicable to the Messiah, andthere
is no part of it which would be inconsistentwith such a reference. Indeed,
there is no passageofthe Old Testamentof which it would be more
universally concededthat there was a reference to the Messiah, than this
Psalm.
Thou art a priest - He is not here calleda "high priest," for Melchizedek did
not bear that title, nor was the Lord Jesus to be a high priest exactly in the
sense in which the name was given to Aaron and his successors.A word is

used, therefore, in a generalsense to denote that he would be a "priest"
simply, or would sustain the priestly office. This was all that was needful to
the presentargument which was, that he was "designatedby God" to the
priestly office, and that he had not intruded himself into it.
For ever - This was an important circumstance, of which the apostle makes
much use in another part of the Epistle; see the notes at Hebrews 7:8,
Hebrews 7:23-24. The priesthood of the Messiahwas notto change from hand
to hand; it was not to be laid down at death; it was to remain unchangeably
the same.
After the order - The word rendered "order" - τάξις taxis - means "a setting
in order - hence, "arrangement" or "disposition." It may be applied to ranks
of soldiers;to the gradations of office; or to any rank which men sustain in
society. To saythat he was of the same "order" with Melchizedek, was to say
that he was of the same "rank" or "stations." He was like him in his
designationto the office. In what respects he was like him the apostle shows
more fully in Hebrews 7. "One" particular in which there was a striking
resemblance, whichdid not exist betweenChrist and any other high priest,
was, that Melchizedek was both a "priest" and a "king." None of the kings of
the Jews were priests;nor were any of the priests ever elevatedto the office of
king. But in Melchizedek these offices were united, and this fact constituted a
striking resemblance betweenhim and the Lord Jesus. It was on this principle
that there was such pertinency in quoting here the passagefrom the second
Psalm; see Hebrews 5:5. The meaning is, that Melchizedek was ofa special
rank or order; that he was not numbered with the Levitical priests, and that
there were important features in his office which differed from theirs. In those
features it was distinctly predicted that the Messiahwouldresemble him.
Melchisedek -see the notes on Hebrews 7:1 ff.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
6. He is here called simply "Priest";in Heb 5:5, "High Priest." He is a Priest
absolutely, because He stands alone in that characterwithout an equal. He is
"High Priest" in respectof the Aaronic type, and also in respectto us, whom
He has made priests by throwing open to us accessto God [Bengel]. "The

order of Melchisedec"is explained in Heb 7:15, "the similitude of
Melchisedec." The priesthoodis similarly combined with His kingly office in
Zec 6:13. Melchisedec was atonce 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.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
As he saith also in another place, Thou art a Priest for ever: the Spirit proves
his calland investiture into this office, its confirmation to him for ever, by
another testimony of the Father about it, penned by David, Psalm 110:4, and
ratified to be so by the Lord himself, Matthew 22:41-45;that he as man was
David’s Son: as God-man, David’s Lord, and the grand officerto atone God
by his sacrifice forsinners, and to intercede for them. By this word of God to
him was he invested with the most glorious priesthood, and settledin that
which he must execute for ever, Hebrews 7:24, having no successorin it.
After the order of Melchisedec;which order was a singular and most excellent
one, such as Aaron’s did but imperfectly shadow to us. It was a royal
priesthood God installed him in, such as was Melchisedec’s,largelydescribed,
Hebrews 7:1-28. This was by God the Father revealedto David, and
prophesied by him to the church, but actually fulfilled as to proclamation and
inauguration at his ascensioninto the holy of holiest in heaven, where he
actually in the flesh doth officiate and minister in it.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
As he saith also in another place,.... Orpsalm; namely, in Psalm 110:4 that is,
the same person, even God the Father; who spake the words before cited, also
expressedthe following:
thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec;that the psalm, from
whence these words are taken, belongs to the Messiah;see Gill on Matthew
22:44 and this very passageis applied unto him by the Jewishwriters (c); and
had not this been the generalsense of the Jewishchurch at this time, the
apostle writing to Hebrews would not have produced it; and it very clearly

expresses the priesthood of Christ, the eternity of it, and the order according
to which it was;and it being not according to the order of Aaron, but of
another, shows the change ofthe priesthood, and so of the law; of
Melchizedek;see Gill on Hebrews 7:1.
(c) Moses Hadarsanapud Galatin. l. 10. c. 6. Abot R. Nathan, c. 34.
Geneva Study Bible
As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the {f} order
of Melchisedec.
(f) After the likeness ormanner as it is later declared.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Hebrews 5:6 now introduces the proof from Scripture that Christ, the Son of
God, has also been appointed High Priest.
καθὼς καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ λέγει] as He (sc. God) accordinglyspeaks in another place
of Scripture (namely Psalm110:4;comp. Hebrews 1:13).
καί]belongs not to ἐν ἐτέρῳ, so that we should have to assume that the author
has alreadyfound in the citation, Hebrews 5:5, a Scripture proof for the high-
priesthood of Christ, and now in Hebrews 5:6 is adding thereto a second
Scripture proof for the same thing (Schlichting, Ebrard, and others), but it
belongs to the whole relative clause καθὼς λέγει, and is just the ordinary καί
after a particle of comparison;comp. Hebrews 5:4. By means of this correct
apprehension of the force of καί the objectionis further setaside, that
Hebrews 5:6, if a Scripture proof was first to be given in this place, must have
been joined on to that which precedes simply with λέγων, as Hebrews 2:6,
Hebrews 4:7, or with μαρτυρεῖ γάρ, as Hebrews 7:17 (Abresch), or with λέγει
γάρ, or at leastwith καθώς without καί (Ebrard).

ἐν ἑτέρῳ] See on ἐν τούτῳ, Hebrews 4:5.
ἱερεύς] for the author equivalent to ἀρχιερεύς;comp. Hebrews 5:10; Hebrews
6:20. This equalization is likewise warranted. ForMelchisedec(Genesis14:18
ff.), with whom the personaddressedis compared, was at the same time king
and priest; but with the attributes of a king the attributes of an ordinary
priest are irreconcilable;the charactersustainedby a superior or high priest
alone comports therewith.
κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ]not: in the time of succession (Schulz), but: after
the order or manner (‫ע‬ ַ‫ל‬ ‫־‬‫ד‬ ִּ‫ב‬ ַ‫)יִתָר‬of Melchisedec,in such wise that thou
obtainestthe same position, the same character, as he possessed. Comp.
Hebrews 7:15 : κατὰ τὴν ὁμοιότηταΜελχισεδέκ.
εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα] the author combines (contrary to the sense ofthe original) with
ἱερεύς into a single idea, comp. Hebrews 7:3; Hebrews 7:8.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
6. in another place]Psalm 110:4. This Psalmwas so universally acceptedas
Messianic thatthe Targum of Jonathan paraphrases the first verse of it “The
Lord said to His Word:”
after the order] al-dibhrathi, “according to the style of.” Comp. Hebrews 7:15,
“afterthe likeness ofMelchisedek.
after the order of Melchisedec]The writer here with consummate literary skill
introduces the name Melchisedek, to prepare incidentally for the long
argument which is to follow in chapter 7; just as he twice introduces the idea

of High-Priesthood (Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 3:1) before directly dealing with
it. The reasonwhy the Psalmisthad spokenof his ideal Theocratic king as a
Priestafter the order of Melchisedek, andnot after the order of Aaron, lies in
the words “for ever,” as subsequently explained. In Zechariah 4:14, the Jews
explained “the two Anointed ones (sons of oil) who stand by the Lord of the
whole earth “to be Aaron and Messiah, andfrom Psalm 110:4, they agreed
that Messiahwas the nearer to God.
Bengel's Gnomen
Hebrews 5:6. Ἐν ἑτέρῳ, in another) So Paul also, Acts 13:35.—λέγει, He says)
GOD.—σὺ)Psalm110:4, where the LXX. have it in as many words.—
Μελχισεδὲκ, Melchisedec)It is of no importance to know in other respects
who Melchisedecwas, beyondwhat is mentioned of him; nay, the very silence
respecting the other parts of his history contains mysteries. He was certainly a
king and priest at that time, and of the human race.
Vincent's Word Studies
Thou art a priest forever, etc.
According to this verse Christ is prophetically pointed out in Psalm110:1-7 as
an eternal priest, independent of fleshly descent, a king, and superior in
dignity to the Levitical priests.
According to the order (κατὰ τὴν τάξιν)
According to the rank which Melchisedecheld. Almost equals like. For
Melchisedecsee ch. 7.
END OF BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
What does Hebrews 5:6 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑]
In this passage, the writer of Hebrews explains that Jesus canserve as our
High Priestbecause He meets all of the necessaryrequirements. 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 Testamentquotations which were cited earlierin Hebrews.
This is not an accident. The writer is leading to an even greaterpoint about
who Jesus is and how the Old Testamentpredicted His ministry.
The quote here is from Psalm 110:4. Psalm110 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 Testamentprophets also looked
forward to a time when those roles would be joined in one person(Zechariah
6:12–13). This makes Psalm110 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 interestedin 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," andis 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).
https://www.bibleref.com/Hebrews/5/Hebrews-5-6.html
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES

Hebrews 5:4 And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is
calledby God, even as Aaron was. (NASB:Lockman)
Greek:kaiouch heauto tis lambanei (3SPAI) ten timen, alla kaloumenos
(PPPMSN)hupo tou theou, kathosper kaiAaron.
Amplified: Besides, one does not appropriate for himself the honor [of being
high priest], but he is called by God and receives it of Him, just as Aaron did.
(Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Barclay:No one takes this honourable position to himself, but he is calledby
God to it, just as Aaron was. (WestminsterPress)
KJV: And no man takeththis honour unto himself, but he that is calledof
God, as was Aaron.
NLT: And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an
honor. He has to be calledby Godfor this work, just as Aaron was. (NLT -
Tyndale House)
Phillips: Note also that nobody chooses forhimself the honour of being a High
Priest, but he is calledby God to the work, as was Aaron, the first High Priest
in ancient times. (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: And not to himself does one take this honor, but being calledby God,
even as also Aaron. (Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: and no one to himself doth take the honour, but he who is
calledby God, as also Aaron:
AND NO ONE TAKES THE HONOR TO HIMSELF: kai ouch heauto tis
lambanei (3SPAI) ten timen: (Ex 28:1; Leviticus 8:2; Nu 3:3;
16:5,7,10,35,40,46,47, 48;17:3-11;18:1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 1Chr 23:13;2Chr 26:18)
OT PASSAGES QUOTED IN HEBREWS 5 - Click for complete list of OT
Quotations/Allusions
He 5:5 <> Ps 2:7
He 5:6 <> Ps 110:4

He 5:10 <> Ps 110:4
KEY WORDS IN HEBREWS 5 - Click for complete list of Key Words in
Hebrews
Eternal - He 5:9
Sacrifice - He 5:1, 3
Priest- He 5:1, 5, 6, 10
CONSIDER JESUS
OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST
INSTRUCTION
He 1:1-10:18
EXHORTATION
He 10:19-13:25
REVELATION
He 1:1-10:18
RESPONSE
He 10:19-13:25
PRECEPTS
He 1:1-10:18
PRACTICE
He 10:19-13:25
DOCTRINE
He 1:1-10:18
DUTY

He 10:19-13:25
SUPERIORITY
of
CHRIST'S PERSON
He 1:1-7:28
SUPERIORITY
of
CHRIST'S PRIESTHOOD
He 8:1-10:18
SUPERIORITY
of the
CHRISTIAN'S PRACTICE
He 10:19-13:25
MAJESTY
OF CHRIST
He 1:1-4:13
MINISTRY
OF CHRIST
He 4:14-10:18
MINISTERS
FOR CHRIST
He 10:19-13:25
SUPERIORITY

OF CHRIST
He 1:1-4:13
SUPERIORITY
OF PRIESTHOOD
He 4:14-10:18
SUPERIORITY
OF THE POWER OF CHRIST
He 10:19-13:25
Christ
the
Son of God
He 1:1-2:4
Christ
the
Son of Man
He 2:5-4:13
Christ
the
High Priest
He 4:14-10:18
Christ
the
Way

He 10:19-13:25
This chart is adapted in part from Jensen's Surveyof the NT and Wilkinson's
Talk Thru the Bible
CHRIST PRIESTHOOD
SUPERIOR QUALIFICATIONS
He 5:1-10
Ryrie summarizes chapter 5…
The qualifications for high priest are statedin these verses, Aaronserving as
the model:
(1) he had to be a man (Hebrews 5:1);
(2) he had to be compassionate(Hebrews 5:2);
(3) he had to be chosenby God (Hebrews 5:4, 5, 6);
(4) he had to learn through suffering (Hebrews 5:7, 8).
Henry Alford summarizes the two necessaryqualifications of a high priest
fulfilled in Christ as
(1) He 5:1, 2, 3, he must be taken from among men, capable, in respectof
infirmity, of feeling for men,
(2) He 5:4-10, he must not have takenthe dignity upon himself, but have been
appointed by God. (Hebrews 5 Commentary)
(In regardto) The High Priesthoodof Christ… That which has before been…
by anticipation hinted at, He 2:17; He 3:1; He 4:14, 15 (Ed: Also suggestedin
He 1:3, so "previewed" 4 times in prior passages)is now taken up and
thoroughly discussed.
In this sectionthe writer continues with the secondrequirement of the Jewish
high priest, indicating that he must be chosenand appointed by God.

A W Pink makes the point that "Considering the strictness ofGod’s law, and
the specifiedrequirements for one entering the priestly office, and more
especiallyseeing that Jesus did not belong to the tribe of Levi, how could He
be said to be “Priest?”In meeting this difficulty, the apostle emphasizes the
fact that the chief requirement and qualification was a Divine call: “No man
takes this honor unto himself, but he that is calledof God” (He 5:4): applying
that rule the apostle now shows, from Scripture itself, our Lord’s right and
title to this office.
Wuest - But the high priest must be divinely called to his office. One who is
compassedwith infirmity would hesitate to offer sacrifice forsin unless called
by God to do so. (Hebrews Commentary online)
No one (ouch) indicates absolute negation and continues the discussion
specificallyof the high priesthood(Heb 5:1) emphasizing that the
requirements for who could be a priest in Israelwere strictly stipulated in the
Scripture and as Pink says, first and foremost, one had to be calledby God to
that position.
How might we apply this truth in our lives today? If you are a believer, you
have at leastone spiritual gift (1Pe 4:10-note, Ro 12:6-note) and you are a
priest (1Pe 2:9-note) of the MostHigh God. In short, you have a ministry. The
question then is have you discoveredthe ministry He has grantedyou or have
you soughta ministry of your own making. Your answerhas eternal
ramifications, for unless we abide in the Vine, we cando nothing of eternal
value (Jn 15:5).
DearFather, please show every man and woman reading these notes what
Your ministry to and through them is and cause them to walk in your way
and will in Christ Jesus, that them might bear much fruit (Jn 15:8) for
eternity (Jn 15:16). Amen.
Received(2983)(lambano)conveys the sense ofone taking or grasping at a
title or position (high priest) without any Biblical mandate. Rendering it as
"received" somewhatsoftens the writer's intent that no one could simply
decide he wanted to be the high priest and then declare himself as such!
Absolutely no one could become a high priest simply by claiming to be one.

Honor (5092)(time from tío = pay honor, respect)is basically, the worth
ascribedto a person or the value ascribedto a thing. It refers to the worth or
merit of some object, event, or state. It is a valuing by which the price is fixed,
an estimation of the value of a thing. It is an attitude towards personor thing
commensurate with its value and in the present context conveys the sense of
rank, position or "office".
Time - 41x in 40v in the NAS - Matt 27:6, 9; John 4:44; Acts 4:34; 5:2f; 7:16;
19:19;28:10; Rom 2:7, 10; 9:21; 12:10;13:7; 1 Cor 6:20; 7:23; 12:23f; Col
2:23; 1Th 4:4; 1Ti1:17;5:17; 6:1, 16; 2 Tim 2:20f; Heb 2:7, 9; 3:3; 5:4; 1 Pet
1:7; 2:7; 3:7; 2 Pet 1:17; Rev 4:9, 11; 5:12f; 7:12; 21:26. NAS = honor(28),
honorable use(1), marks of respect(1), precious value(1), price(7), proceeds(1),
sum(1), value(1).
This same Greek word (time) is used by the JewishHistorian Josephus to
denote the “office” ofhigh priest (Ant. 3.188–89).
BUT RECEIVES IT WHEN HE IS CALLED BY GOD EVEN AS AARON
WAS: alla kaloumenos (PPPMSN)hupo tou theou kathosperkaiAaron:
But receives it (honor) - Receives is not in the Greek text but is supplied by the
translators to lend fluidity to the sentence.
John the Baptistdeclared "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been
given him from heaven. (John 3:27)
The office of high priest could not be campaignedfor but was given by right of
birth to the man chosenby God. It was an honor no man could take to
himself.
Marcus Dods - An additional reasonfor trusting in the priest is that he has
not assumedthe office to gratify his own ambition but to serve God’s purpose
of restoring men to His fellowship. All genuine priesthood is the carrying out
of God’s will. The priest must above all else be obedient, in sympathy with
God as well as in sympathy with man. God’s appointment also secures that
the suitable qualifications will be found in the priest. (The Expositor's Greek
Testament- online)

Spurgeon- Men could not constitute themselves high priests, for the
appointment was made by God alone. The high priest was takenfrom among
men that he might be their fellow, and have a fellow-feeling with them. No
angelentered into the holy place; no angelwore the white garments; no angel
put on the ephod and the breastplate with the precious stones. It was a man
ordained of God, who for his brothers pleaded in the presence ofthe
Shekinah.
Call (invite, name, summon) (2564)(kaleofrom rootkal-, whence English
“call” and “clamour”)literally means to speak to another in order to attract
their attention or to them bring nearer, either physically or in a personal
relationship.
When he is called- This refers to a callto a particular position and service to
God. In the Old Testamentthis callto the Levitical priesthood was only given
to certain men…
Then bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from
among the sons of Israel, to minister as priest to Me-- Aaron, Nadaband
Abihu, Eleazarand Ithamar, Aaron's sons. (Exodus 28:1)
Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments and the anointing oil
and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams and the basketof
unleavened bread (Leviticus 8:2)
The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was setapart to
sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the
LORD, to minister to Him and to bless in His name forever. (1Chr 23:13)
Even as Aaron was - This reference to Aaron (a Levi, the first high priest)
emphasizes that the priesthood was not a human institution but a divine
calling.
There are some tragic examples where men presumed to actas priests who
were not priests, such as Korah (Numbers 16), Saul (1 Samuel13) and King
Uzziah who disregardedthe fact that no one was to attempt to function as a
priest on his own volition. Scripture records that when King Uzziah…

became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was
unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to
burn incense on the altar of incense… 18 And they opposedUzziah the king
and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but
for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecratedto burn incense. Get out
of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful, and will have no honor from
the LORD God." 19 But Uzziah, with a censerin his hand for burning
incense, was enraged;and while he was enragedwith the priests, the leprosy
broke out on his foreheadbefore the priests in the house of the LORD, beside
the altar of incense. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked
at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead;and they hurried him out
of there, and he himself also hastenedto get out because the LORD had
smitten him. (2Chronicles 26:16, 18, 19, 20)
Comment from ISBE on Uzziah's presumptive sin of assuming priestly
function: In the earlier part of his careerUzziah had enjoyed and profited by
the counsels ofZechariah, a man "who had understanding in the vision of
God" (2Ch 26:5), and during the lifetime of this godly monitor "be sethimself
to seek God." Now it happened to him as with his grandfather Jehoash, who,
so long as his preserverJehoiada lived, acted admirably, but, when he died,
behaved like an ingrate, and killed his son (2Ki 12:2; 2Ch 24:2,22). So now
that Zechariahwas gone, Uzziah's heart was lifted up in pride, and he
trespassedagainstYahweh. In the greatkingdoms of the East, the kings had
been in the habit of exercising priestly as well as royal functions. Elated with
his prosperity, Uzziah determined to exercise whathe may have thought was
his royal prerogative in burning incense on the goldenaltar of the temple.
Azariah the high priest, with 80 others, offered stout remonstrance;but the
king was only angry, and pressedforward with a censerin his hand, to offer
the incense. Ere, however, he could scatterthe incense on the coals, andwhile
yet in anger, the white spots of leprosy showedthemselves upon his forehead.
Smitten in conscience, andthrust forth by the priests, he hastened away, and
was a leper ever after (2Ch 26:16-20, 21). Uzziah's public life was now ended.
(Uzziah)
Hughes comments…

The divine appointment of Aaron was confirmed, moreover, at the time of the
revolt of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram who accusedhim of having exalted
himself to a position of prominence and whom Moses rebukedwith these
words: "It is againstthe Lord that you and all your company have gathered
together;what is Aaron that you murmur againsthim?" (Nu 16:11).
Subsequently, the sprouting of Aaron's rod alone among the rods of the
leaders convincedthe rebellious Israelites that he was indeed the man whom
God had chosenand not one who had arrogatedthe high priesthood to himself
(Nu 17:1ff.; cf. Heb. 9:4). (A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews)
Steven Cole…
The appointment of the high priest: He does not take it upon himself, but
must be called by God (He 5:4).
Although in the first century the Jewishhigh priesthood had degeneratedinto
a political appointment, the author overlooks thatand goes back to the
original intention. God calledAaron to the office of high priest (Ex 28:1, 2, 3),
and he served as the example for all that followed. God’s appointment of
Aaron to this office was confirmed during the rebellion of Korah, who accused
Moses andAaron of appointing themselves (Nu 16:1-35). God showedthe
rebels and all of Israelthat He had appointed Moses andAaron by causing
the ground to open up and swallow the rebels and their households. When
some in the congregationgrumbled at this judgment, a plague broke out and
killed over 14,000.
That was a soberlessonthat no one
may dare to approach God
in the way of man’s own choosing.
The only way to approachGod is through the way of God’s choosing, through
His ordained mediator. In the Old Testament, that mediator was the high
priest. But the fact that all of these priests were themselves sinners pointed to
the inadequacy of that old covenantand the need for the perfect high priest,
the Lord Jesus Christ(cp He 8:6, 9:15, 12:24). (Hebrews 5:1-10 The Kind of
PriestYou Need)

In the OT a callof God to undeserving men was part of His gracious dealing
with sinful mankind. We see examples of God's graciouslycalling individuals
to certain "ministries"…
Abraham
1 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from
your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show
you;
2 And I will make you a greatnation, And I will bless you, And make your
name great; And so you shall be a blessing;
3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will
curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Ge 12:1-3)
Moses
"Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring
My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt." (Ex 3:10)
Bezaleel
2 "See, I have calledby name Bezalel, the sonof Uri, the son of Hur, of the
tribe of Judah. 3 "And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in
understanding, in knowledge, andin all kinds of craftsmanship, 4 to make
artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, 5 and in the cutting
of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all
kinds of craftsmanship. (Ex 31:2-5)
Isaiah
Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will
go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!"9 And He said, "Go, and tell
this people:'Keep on listening, but do not perceive;Keep on looking, but do
not understand. (Isaiah 6:8, 9)
Jeremiah

Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the
womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecratedyou; I have
appointed you a prophet to the nations." (Jer 1:4, 5),
Ezekiel
Then He said to me, "Sonof man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a
rebellious people who have rebelled againstMe;they and their fathers have
transgressedagainstMe to this very day. 4 "And I am sending you to them
who are stubborn and obstinate children; and you shall sayto them, 'Thus
says the Lord GOD.'(Ezek 2:3-4)
All New Testamentbelievers have been called into God's priesthood as Peter
declaredin his first epistle writing that…
you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A
PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the
excellenciesofHim who has calledyou out of darkness into His marvelous
light (1Pe 2:9-note) (Note: Do not misinterpret Peterfor he is not saying that
the NT church replaces Israelin God's prophetic timetable - see discussionof
Israelof God)
The question we eachto ask is "Am I fulfilling my calling by God to the
priesthood of believers?"
Guzik qualifies the believers' priesthoodnoting that…
We canalso not take the honor of being our own priest. It is greatarrogance
to think we can approachGod on our own, without a priest; but it is great
superstition to think we need any other priest other than Jesus Christ Himself.
God has provided a mediator, a priest, and we must avail ourselves of the
priest God has provided.
Matthew Poole in his excellentmid-seventeenth century commentary wrote
that…
A sinner canundertake to manage nothing towards God immediately, or by
himself, but with a mediating priest, who must know God’s mind and perform

it … The common sense of mankind about it since the fall doth evidence it; no
nation being without a religion, a temple, a place of worship, or a priest.
C. H. Spurgeonhad the following assessmentregarding Matthew Poole's
commentary writing that…
If I must have only one commentary, and had read Matthew Henry as I have,
I do not know but what I should choosePoole.He is a very prudent and
judicious commentator… not so pithy and witty by far as Matthew Henry, but
he is perhaps more accurate, lessa commentator, and more an expositor.
Even as Aaron - see Ex. 28:1; 29:4: Lev. 8:1: Nu 3:10 and especiallyNu 16–18.
Hebrews 5:5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high
priest, but He who said to Him, "YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE
BEGOTTEN YOU" (NASB: Lockman)
Greek:Houtos kai o Christos ouch heauton edoxasengenethenai(3SAAI)
archierea, all' o lalesas(AAPMSN)pros auton, Huios mou ei (2SPAI) su, ego
semerongegenneka(1SRAI)se;
Amplified: So too Christ (the Messiah)did not exalt Himself to be made a
high priest, but was appointed and exaltedby Him Who said to Him, You are
My Son; today I have begottenYou; (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Barclay:So it was not Christ who gave himself the glory of becoming high
priest; but it was God who said to him: “You are my beloved Son; today I
have begottenyou.” (WestminsterPress)
KJV: So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he
that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begottenthee.
NLT: That is why Christ did not exalt himself to become High Priest. No, he
was chosenby God, who said to him, "You are my Son. TodayI have become
your Father." (NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: Thus we see that the Christ did not choose forhimself the glory of
being High Priest, but he was honoured by the one who said: 'You are my
Son, today I have begottenyou'. (Phillips: Touchstone)

Wuest: So also the Messiahdid not glorify himself in becoming a high priest,
but the One who said to Him, My Son you are, I this day have begotten you.
(Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: so also the Christ did not glorify himself to become chief
priest, but He who spake unto him: 'My Son thou art, I to-day have begotten
thee;'
SO ALSO CHRIST DID NOT GLORIFY HIMSELF SO AS TO BECOME A
HIGH PRIEST:Houtos kaio Christos ouch heauton edoxasen(3SAAI)
genethenai(APN) archierea:(John 7:18; 8:54) (Hebrews 1:5; Psalms 2:7;
Micah5:2; John 3:16; Acts 13:33; Romans 8:3)
So also (term of conclusion) - The writer is drawing a clearparallel with the
Aaronic (Levitical) priesthood. Even as Aaron (and other Levitical priests) did
not exalt themselves to the priesthood, so too Christ did not exalt Himself, but
was appointed by His Father to be High Priest(as the writer has already
alluded to - He 2:17-note, He 3:1-note, He 4:14-note).
Christ - The definite article is presentin the original Greek so that this reads
literally "the Christ" and thus the "Messiah", the "Anointed One" (cp Da
9:25-note, Da 9:26-note)
Pink makes the point that in using "the Christ", the writer's specific
design was to demonstrate that the promised Messiah, (Hebrew = Mashiach -
04899)the Hope of the fathers (Jer 50:7, Acts 26:6), was to be High Priest
forever over the house of God. The “Anointed One” (meaning of "Messiah")
signified His unction unto this office.
Marcus Dod makes the point that "The designation, “the Christ,” is
introduced, because it might not have seemedso significanta statement if
made of “Jesus”.It was not personalambition that moved Christ. He did not
come in His own name, nor did He seek to glorify Himself. See Jn 8:54; 5:31,
43; 17:5 (Hebrews 5 Commentary Online)
The primary ministry of Jesus today is as our foreverHigh PriestWho
represents us before God the Father Who chose His Son to be our eternal

Priest. If we were first century Jews who had believed in the Messiah, it would
be difficult to graspthe truth that Jesus was the GreatHigh Priest. He was
not from the line of Aaron. Even when He was in the Temple in Jerusalem, He
did not attempt to practice what the Jews wouldrecognize as a priestly
ministry. And so we can understand why the writer goes to such greatlengths
to explain why Jesus would be qualified to be a High Priest. The writer is
trying to gethis Jewishreaders to make what we would calltoday a
"paradigm shift" in their thinking - ultimately a shift from the Old Covenant
of law, bondage and death to the New Covenantof grace, freedomand life.
Dearsearching reader, have you made that "paradigmshift"? Even in the
time of the Old Covenant the way of salvationwas clearlyproclaimed and the
call of God has always been…
Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is
no other. (Is 45:22-see How God used this very passageto save Charles
Haddon Spurgeon from the guttermost to the uttermost!)
And so Jesus did not glorify Himself. Instead in John Jesus speaksofthe One
Who gives glory…
John 7:18 "He who speaks fromhimself seeks his own glory; but He who is
seeking the glory of the One Who sent Him (God the Father), He is true, and
there is no unrighteousness in Him.
John 8:54 Jesus answered, "IfI glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My
Father who glorifies Me, of Whom you say, 'He is our God';
In fact Jesus exemplified the antithesis of self-glorificationin His kenosis or
self-emptying…
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in
the likeness ofmen. (Php 2:7-note, in perfect accordwith Mt 23:12, which is
the example for all His disciples!)
Glorify (1392)(doxazo)means Christ did not ascribe praise to Himself or
esteemHimself by putting Himself into the honorable position of high priest.

Hughes - The sayings of Christ recordedin the Fourth Gospelmake it
emphatically plain that the glory which the Son soughtwith intense singleness
of purpose was the glory of the Fatherwho had sent him (Jn 7:18; 8:42; 9:4;
10:18, 25, 38;11:42; 12:28, 44f, 49f; 14:7, 9, 13, 24, 31; 15:8, 23; 16:27f.;17:1,
4ff.). Indeed, if one thing is stressedthroughout the New Testamentit is that,
in assuming the office of Saviorand High Priest, so far was the Son from
exalting and glorifying Himself that He accepted it knowing full wellthat it
meant for Him the experience of the darkestdepths of humiliation, rejection,
agony, and death. His office-bearing was the furthest possible remove from
self-glorification. To put it colloquially, there was nothing in it for him—only
the certainty of unutterable anguish and alienationand immolation suffered
vicariously for our redemption. Yet the cross ofChrist is also the glory of
Christ. This moment of his solitude and self-sacrificeis also the moment when
He is glorified, not indeed self-glorified, but glorified because in Him God is
glorified and the divine purpose for the redemption of the world is now
accomplished(cf. Jn 12:23;13:31; Heb. 10:9f.). And the awful glory of His
humiliation is followedby the resplendent glory of His exaltation—not, again,
self-exaltation—when, raisedto the right hand of the Majestyon high, the
glory of His triumphant redeemership is, so to speak, addedto the glory,
which He now resumes, of His eternal sonship (cf. Heb. 1:3; 2:9; 12:2; Acts
3:13; Phil. 2:5-11;Jn. 17:4f., 24).A Commentary On The Epistle To The
Hebrews. (A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews - recommended
resource)
Spurgeon- Christ was ordained of God from all eternity to stand as the
representative of His people before the throne. “The Lord has laid on him the
iniquity of us all” (Isa 53:6). He from old eternity was setapart to be the High
Priestand the Redeemer ofHis people. Can you not in this see grounds for
resting upon Him? What God appoints it must be safe for us to accept.
Wuest - The writer is carefulto let the readersee that it was no personal
ambition on Messiah’s partthat resulted in His becoming a high priest, but
rather the fact that God calledHim to that position, and that the callto
priesthood was basedupon the factthat the Messiahwas God’s Son. Bruce
says regarding this: “Christ’s priestly vocationceasesto be an accidentin
history, and becomes an essentialcharacteristic ofHis position as Son:

sonship, Christhood, priestliness, inseparably interwoven.” We have an
unfinished sentence whichthe writer expects the readerto complete. It
appears in its entirety in the translation offered. (Hebrews Commentary
online)
High priest (749) (archiereus from arche = first in a series, the leaderor ruler
+ hiereus = priest) (Dictionary articles - Easton's;ISBE)refers to the priest
that was chief over all the other priests in Israel. This office was establishedby
God through Moses instructions in the Pentateuch. The high priest functioned
as the mediator betweenJehovahand Israelperforming sacrifices andrituals
like other priests, but in addition acting to expiate the sins of the nation on the
annual Day of Atonement.
The references to the high priests in the Gospels andActs refer primarily to
their bitter opposition to Jesus Who the writer of Hebrews identifies as our
everlasting High Priest.
The irony is that the high priest Caiaphas was residing over the Sanhedrin
during trial of Jesus, the trial which would lead to His death and pave the way
for His eternal High Priesthood!
Eerdman's Bible Dictionary explains that "The high priest descendedfrom
Eleazar, the son of Aaron. The office was normally hereditary and was
conferredupon an individual for life (Nu 25:10-13). The candidate was
consecratedin a seven-day ceremonywhich included investiture with the
specialclothing of his office as well as anointments and sacrifices (Ex29:1-37;
Lev 8:5-35). The high priest was bound to a higher degree of ritual purity
than ordinary Levitical priests. He could have no contactwith dead bodies,
including those of his parents. Nor could he rend his clothing or allow his hair
to grow out as signs of mourning. He could not marry a widow, divorced
woman, or harlot, but only an Israelite virgin (Lev. 21:10-15). Any sin
committed by the high priest brought guilt upon the entire nation and had to
be countered by specialsacrifice (Lev 4:1-12). Upon a high priest’s death
manslayers were releasedfrom the cities of refuge (Nu 35:25, 28, 32).
(Eerdman's Bible Dictionary)

BUT HE WHO SAID TO HIM "THOU ART MY SON, TODAY I HAVE
BEGOTTEN THEE":all o lalesas (AAPMSN)pros auton Huios mou ei
(2SPAI) su ego semerongegenneka (1SRAI)se:
QUOTING FROM PSALM 2:7
Having just statedthat no man was entitled to appoint himself as high priest
but that he became such only by divine call, even Christ did not make Himself
High Priest, but God the Father recognizedHim as such. The writer's
argument is that just as much as Jesus was declaredto be the Son of God by
God Himself (Psalm2:7), so also Jesus was declaredto be a priest forever
according to a different order, not of Levi but of Melchizedek (Psalm110:4).
Spurgeon- The text is quoted from Psalm2, and it proves that Christ did not
arrogate to Himself any position before God. He is God’s Son, not merely
because He calls Himself so, but because the Father says, “You are my Son,
today have I begottenyou.” He took not this honor upon Himself, but He was
“calledof God, as was Aaron.”
Phil Newtonadds that "None ofthe angels were declaredto be the Sonof
God. The same is true of the high priests. They were sons of Aaron, the first
high priest in the tribe of Levi and father and grandfather of all who followed.
Quoting from the secondPsalma passagealreadyquoted in He 1:5, the writer
now declares the uniqueness of the sonship of Jesus Christ. In that Psalmthe
ancient hymnist muses on the nations' rebellion againstthe Creatoras
Sovereign. Here he declares thatGod the Creatorhas "installed" His King-
Jesus Christ the Lord-to rule the nations! How does he identify this King?
"YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU." Even in the
face of Neronianpersecutionthese struggling believers could have confidence
that God the Son reigns! They did not have to go on in fear but with
confidence that His purposes would be accomplishedbecause He reigns over
the nations. The emphasis on "You are My Son" points to the Incarnation. He
is the eternalSon of God without beginning or end; but He is also the Son
born in time-born of woman, embracing a human nature forever. We could
think of His reigning over humanity from his lofty heavenly throne without
being human. But we could not think of Him serving as our high priest

without being one of us. Thus the Incarnation is the declarationof the Son of
God becoming a Son of Man, so that as high priest mediating the way for us,
we might become sons of God. (Jesus Christ: Qualified as High Priest
Hebrews 5:1-10) (Bolding added)
Psalm2 is a Psalmwhich is indisputably Messianic as shownby the fact that
the NT writers quote from it in referencesthat are clearlyspeaking of Jesus.
The readeris encouragedto listen to the two part exposition (eachabout 45
minutes) of this greatpsalm by my dear brother in Christ, Tony Garland -
Mp3 Part 1 ; Mp3 Part 2 (Or see the Pdf transcript Why Do the Nations
Rage?). The Jewishreaders ofthis exhortationalletter ("sermon")to the
Hebrews undoubtedly understood Psalm2 and Psalm110 (quoted in the next
verse - Hebrews 5:6) as prophecies related to the Messiah, theirHope. And so
the writer buttresses his argument by quoting from Psalm2:7. As you recall,
the writer had previously quoted from Psalm 2:7 in He 1:5 (note) using this
quotation to establishthe fact that Christ was superiorto the angels. Now in
Hebrews 5 the writer quotes from this same psalm to help him establishthat
the priesthoodof Christ is superior to the Levitical priesthood, for no
Levitical priest was ever calledthe Son of God.
Psalm2:7 "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, 'Thou
art My Son, TodayI have begottenThee.
Psalm2:7-note is also quoted by Paul in Acts 13. Upon Jesus'resurrection
God is said to have declared Christ as begotten, Luke recording Paul's
quotation from Psalm2 stating…
that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raisedup Jesus,
as it is also written in the secondPsalm, 'THOU ART MY SON; TODAY I
HAVE BEGOTTENTHEE.'(Acts 13:3)
In the context of Acts 13 Paul relates the prophecy in Psalm2:7 to Christ's
resurrection, rather than His incarnation. Jesus’resurrectionfrom the dead
marks the time at which Jesus couldfully assume His role as our greatHigh
Priest. In other words, prior to this time (as far as I can discernfrom the
Scriptures) Jesus did not function specificallyas the GreatHigh Priest.

Note that in Acts, Paul referred to Psalm2 as the "the secondpsalm,"
supporting that the chapter divisions in the book of Psalms are not the
product of medieval scholars.
In a parallel passagePaulwrites that Jesus…
was declaredthe Son of God with power by the resurrectionfrom the dead
(i.e., the resurrectionof Jesus is proof of His deity), according to the Spirit of
holiness, Jesus Christour Lord (Ro 1:4-note)
Spurgeoncommenting on Psalm 2:7 writes…
This Psalmwears something of a dramatic form, for now another person is
introduced as speaking. We have lookedinto the councilchamber of the
wicked, and to the throne of God, and now we behold the Anointed (Ed note:
the Messiah)declaring His rights of sovereignty, and warning the traitors of
their doom.
God has laughed at the counseland ravings of the wicked, and now Christ, the
Anointed, Himself comes forward, as the Risen Redeemer, "declaredto be the
Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection
from the dead." Romans 1:4. Looking into the angry faces ofthe rebellious
kings, the Anointed One seems to say, "If this sufficeth not to make you
silent."
I will declare the decree. Now this decree is directly in conflictwith the device
of man, for its tenor is the establishmentof the very dominion againstwhich
the nations are raving.
Thou art my Son. Here is a noble proof of the glorious Divinity of our
Immanuel. "Forunto which of the angels saidhe at any time, Thou art my
Son, this day have I begottenthee?" What a mercy to have a Divine Redeemer
in Whom to rest our confidence!
This day have I begottenthee. If this refers to the Godhead of our Lord, let us
not attempt to fathom it, for it is a greattruth, a truth reverently to be
received, but not irreverently to be scanned. It may be added, that if this
relates to the BegottenOne in his human nature, we must here also rejoice in

the mystery, but not attempt to violate its sanctityby intrusive prying into the
secrets ofthe Eternal God. The things which are revealedare enough, without
venturing into vain speculations. In attempting to define the Trinity, or unveil
the essence ofDivinity, many men have lost themselves:here greatships have
foundered. What have we to do in such a sea with our frail skiffs?
><>><>><>
Octavius Winslow has the following devotional on Hebrews 5:5 -
The Atonement of Christ is of infinite value and efficacy. If Christ were a
mere creature, if He claimed no higher dignity than Gabriel, or one of the
prophets or apostles,then His atonement, as it regards the satisfactionof
Divine justice, the honoring of the law, the pardon of sin, the peace of the
conscience, andthe salvationof the soul, would possessno intrinsic efficacy
whatever. It would be but the atonement of a finite being - a being that
possessing no superior merit to those in whose behalf the atonement was
made. We state it, then, broadly and unequivocally, that the entire glory,
dignity, value, and efficacyof Christ's precious blood which He shed for sin
rests entirely upon the Deity of His person. If the Deity of Christ sinks, the
atonement of Christ sinks with it; if the one stands, so stands the other. How
strong are the words of Paul, addressedto the Ephesian elders:"Take heed
therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has
made you overseers,to feed the church of Godwhich He has purchased with
His own blood." How conclusive is this testimony! The blood that purchased
the church was Divine. It was indeed the blood of Christ's humanity-for His
human nature alone could suffer, bleed, and die-yet deriving all its glory,
value, and efficacyfrom the union of the human with the Divine nature. It was
the blood of the God-man, JehovahJesus-no inferior blood could have
sufficed. The law which Adam, our federal head, broke, before it could release
the sinner from its penalty, demanded a sacrifice infinitely holy, and infinitely
great:one equal with the Father-the dignity of whose person would impart
infinite merit to His work, and the infinite merit of whose work would fully
sustain its honor and its purity. All this was found in the person of Christ. In
His complex personHe was eminently fitted for the mighty work. As God, He
obeyed the precepts and maintained the honor of the law; as man, He bore its

curse and endured its penalty. It was the blending as into one these two
natures; the bringing togetherthese extremes of being, the finite and the
infinite, which shed such resplendent luster on His atonement, which stamped
such worth and efficacyon His blood. DearReader, treat not this subject
lightly, deem it not a useless speculation!It is of the deepestmoment. If the
blood of Christ possesses notinfinite merit, infinite worth, it could never be
efficacious in washing awaythe guilt of sin, or in removing the dread of
condemnation. When you come to die, this, of all truths, if you are an
experimental believer, will be the most precious and sustaining. In that solemn
hour, when the curtain that conceals the future parts, and eternity lets down
upon the view the full blaze of its awful realities-in that hour, when all false
dependencies will crumble beneath you, and sin's long catalogue passes in
review before you-oh, then to know that the Savior on whom you depend is
God in your nature-that the blood in which you have washedhas in it all the
efficacyand value of Deity-this, this will be the alone plank that will buoy up
the soulin that awful moment, and at that fearful crisis. Oh precious truth
this, for a poor believing soul to rest upon! We wonder not that, fast anchored
on this truth, amid circumstances the most appalling, death in view; wearing
even its most terrific aspect, the believer in Jesus cansurvey the scene with
composure, and quietly yield his spirit into the hands of Him who redeemedit.
Hebrews 5:6 just as He says also in another passage, "YOUARE A PRIEST
FOREVER ACCORDINGTO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK." (NASB:
Lockman)
Greek:kathos kaien hetero legei, (3SPAI)Su hiereus eis ton aiona kata ten
taxin Melchisedek.
Amplified: As He says also in another place, You are a Priest[appointed]
forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek. (Amplified Bible -
Lockman)
Barclay:Just so he says also in anotherpassage:“You are a priest for ever
according to the order of Melchizedek.”(WestminsterPress)
KJV: As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the
order of Melchisedec.

NLT: And in another passage Godsaidto him, "You are a priest forever in
the line of Melchizedek."(NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: And he says in another passage:'You are a priest forever according
to the order of Melchizedek'. (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: As He says also in anotherplace, You are a priest forever after the
order of Melchizedek;(Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: as also in another place He saith, 'Thou art a priest -- to the
age, according to the order of Melchisedek;'
JUST AS HE SAYS ALSO IN ANOTHER PASSAGE:kathos kaien hetero
legei(3SPAI): (Heb 5:10; 6:20; 7:3,15,17,21;Psalm 110:4)(Genesis 14:18,19)
QUOTING FROM PSALM 110:4
Just as He says - Clearly the writer of Hebrews states it was the Father
speaking in Ps 110:4, a Psalmof David, which the Jews readily acceptedas a
Messianic psalm. As an aside, passages suchas this attest to the fact that God
is the Author of the Old Testament.
In another place - The Greek is heteros referring to another but one that is
different. To illustrate in Acts 7:18 Luke records that after Joseph's death
"another(heteros)king (pharaoh) arose" one ofquite a different character.
The Priesthoodof our Lord was not according to the Levitical order but was
of a completely different character, an order that had been prophesied almost
1000 years earlierin the MessianicPsalm110:4 which in a sense becomes the
main text in the centralsectionof the letter (see He 5:10; 6:20; He 7:1, 2, 3, 11,
15, 17, 21).
Wuest - After informing his readers in verse 5 that Messiah’s priesthoodwas
not by self-appointment but by God’s appointment, the writer goes onin this
verse to speak of the different and superior order of priesthood into which He
was called. He quotes from Psalm110 where Messiahis prophetically pointed
out as a priest after the order of Melchisedec,the distinguishing characteristic
of this order of priesthood being that it is an eternal one. (Hebrews
Commentary online)

The writer appeals to Psalm 110:4 four other times in Hebrews attesting to its
significance in establishing the validity of Jesus'high priesthood…
Hebrews 5:10 (note) being designatedby God as a high priest according to the
order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:20 (note) where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having
become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:17 (note) For it is witnessedof Him, "THOU ART A PRIEST
FOREVER ACCORDINGTO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."
Hebrews 7:21 (note) (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He
with an oath through the One who saidto Him, "THE LORD HAS SWORN
AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'THOU ART A PRIEST
FOREVER'")
Note that the first verse of Ps 110 has already been utilized by the writer (Heb
1:13-note) to defend the fact that Jesus is superior to the angels in having a
better position…
The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a
footstoolfor Your feet.” (Ps 110:1).
THOU ART A PRIEST FOREVERACCORDINGTO THE ORDER OF
MELCHIZEDEK: Su hiereus eis ton aiona kata ten taxin Melchisedek:(Heb
5:10; 6:20; 7:17,21;Psalm110:4)
A priest forever - Such a statement could never be made of the Levitical
priests, all of whom eventually died. The priesthood of Christ is a better
priesthood because He lives and mediates forever (cp He 7:3, He 7:23, 24, He
7:28) (See excellentarticle on Priest, Priesthoodin Baker's Evangelical
Dictionary of Biblical Theology)
Phil Newtonwrites that "We must not miss the emphasis of He 5:6. For the
writer stresses thatwhile the Jewishhigh priests were appointed divinely in
the order of Aaron to serve their office, the appointment of Jesus Christ
supersedes allof them. His appointment is unique in that he has no claim to
the high priesthoodhumanly speaking since he was from the tribe of Judah,

not the tribe of Levi. The high priesthood was not up for grabs or given to the
highest bidder. It was a sacredtrust of Aaron's sons. But Christ was
appointed as the only high priest whose mediatorialwork would have eternal
value. All of the others were mere shadows ofHim who would be appointed by
God as Mediator. (Or another article on "Mediator")Without a mediator we
have no way to God. We have seenthat time after time in analyzing our sinful
condition. Only one has been appointed. Only one has been acceptedby God:
the SonWhom He declared, "a priest forever according to the order of
Melchizedek." Here was the predicament facing this first century audience.
Some were thinking that they could chart their own course to God. They
could divine their own wayto eternallife. Much like the multitudes in our
own day that think that the rules change or bend for them, they thought that
obedient faith in Jesus Christ was not the only way to God. But the only priest
whose work is "forever" is Jesus Christ. Therefore, the only one who can
break through the barrier of our sinfulness and deliver us in righteousness to
the Creatoris the One who bore God's judgment for us at the cross. Are you
one whose faith in Jesus Christ is slipping and sliding away? There's one
anchor for the soul-Jesus Christ. (Jesus Christ: Qualified as High Priest
Hebrews 5:1-10) (Bolding and links added)
Spurgeon- Beloved, there is rich comfort for all believers in the fact that
Christ is God’s appointed and acceptedHigh Priest. God ordained Him to do
what He has done, and is doing, and will do; and therefore it is impossible but
that God should acceptHim and all His work. When He came into the world
the Holy Ghostbore witness to His being the Son of the Highest. At His
baptism there came a voice from heaven saying, “You are my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased” (Matt3:17; Mark 1:11), and that same voice was
thrice heard declaring the same fact. The Father has given further testimony
to the mission of Christ, “in that He has raisedHim from the dead” (Acts
17:31), and has causedHim to enter into the heavenly places on our behalf.
Moreover, He has given Him a pledge that as Melchizedek, being both king
and priest, He shall sit at His right hand until He has made His enemies His
footstool(Psa 110:1). Our Lord Jesus has been chosen, ordained, and glorified
as our “greathigh priest that has passedinto the heavens” (Heb 4:14). This is
the groundwork of our comfort in our Lord Jesus.

Expositor's Bible Commentary note on priest - The author of Hebrews uses it
of priests generally(He 7:14; 8:4), of the Levitical priests (He 7:20, etc.), of
Melchizedek (He 7:1, 3), and of Christ (He 5:6; 7:11, 15, 17, 21;10:21). When
it is used of Christ, it seems to differ but little from "high priest." It is a
powerful way of bringing out certain aspects ofChrist's saving work for men.
All that a priest does in offering sacrifice formen Christ does. But whereas
they do it only symbolically, he really effects atonement. (The Expositors Bible
Commentary)
According to the order - Even as the earthly priests were from the Aaronic
"order", the lineage of Aaron, this GreatHigh Priest was according to an
"order" but one distinct from Aaron.
Order (5010)(taxis from tasso = arrange in order) describes a setting in order,
and hence speaks ofan order, an arrangement, or a disposition. Taxis was
used especiallyin the description of military troops whose line was unbroken
and intact.
Taxis - 9x in 8v in the NAS - Luke 1:8; 1Co 14:40;Col 2:5; Heb 5:6, 10;6:20;
7:11, 17. NAS = gooddiscipline(1), order(7), orderly manner(1).
Recallthe writer discusses three requirements for the priesthood in Hebrews
5…
(1) He was appointed on men’s behalf to deal with the things concerning God
and as such functioned as the link betweenGod and man.
(2) The priest must be one with men and must have gone through men’s
experiences so that his sympathy would be with them.
(3) No man appoints himself to the priesthoodbut his appointment is of God.
The priesthood is not a covetedoffice to be takenbut a glorious privilege to
which one is called. This latter point is applicable to all believers today, for all
have been made priests in Christ Jesus. It follows that their specific ministry
to and for Godshould not be one they chose, but one they receivedfrom God.
Christ met all requirements for the priesthood exceptthat of descentfrom
Aaron. And yet this seeming deficiency did not disqualify Him, for He was of

another priestly order, greatereventhan that of Aaron and Levi. The
psalmist had prophesied of this greaterorder…
Ps 110:4 The LORD has swornand will not change His mind, "Thou art a
priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."
Melchizedek is clearly a "key word" in this centralsectionof Hebrews (He
5:6, 10, 6:20, 7:1, 10, 11, 15, 17). And despite his prominent place in this letter
Melchizedek was a very mysterious priest/king who met Abraham when he
returned from defeating the marauding confederationof kings from the north
(see Genesis 14:17, 18, 19). In the Genesis account, he is merely called "king of
Salem" (meaning "peace")and "priest of the most high God" (the Hebrew
name is El Elyon, "highestGod")(El Elyon: Most High God - SovereignOver
All).
Melchizedek is discussedin greaterdetail in Hebrews 7:1-21 and as Harry
Ironside writes "It is enough to point out here that Melchizedek was
recognizedas priest of the most high God centuries before the Levitical
priesthood came into existence. The Levitical priesthoodand the legal
covenantwith which it was connectedhad their place until the Son, who was
to fulfill the Melchizedekiantype, should come. (H. A. Ironside Expository
Commentary on Hebrews)
Hughes quotes Westcottwho says "that Melchizedek "representeda non-
Jewish, a universal priesthood," and that "in relation to the priesthood he
occupies the position which Abraham occupies in relation to the Covenant."
But the immediate purpose of the two quotations given here from the Psalms
is to corroborate the doctrine that Christ's high-priestly office was not from
Himself but from God. (A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews -
excellentresource)
The point is that the priestly work of Jesus Christwould not be limited to the
borders of Israelor the race of Abraham's sons, for in the sufficiency of the
work of Jesus Christ, "He became to all those who obey Him the source of
eternal salvation."
Scofieldcomments that…

Melchizedek was a suitable type of Christ as High Priest, because:
(1) he was a man (Heb 7:4 1Ti 2:5);
(2) he was a king-priest(Ge 14:18 w Zec 6:12,13);
(3) his name means "my king is righteous" (Isa 11:5), and he was king of
Salem(peace cp. Isa 11:6, 7, 8, 9);
(4) he had no recorded"beginning of days" (cp. Jn 1:1) or "end of life" (cp.
Ro 6:9; Heb 7:23, 224, 25), nor
(5) was he made a high priest by human appointment (Ps 110:4). But the
contrastbetweenthe high priesthoodof Melchizedek and Aaron is only as to
person, "order" (or appointment), and duration. In His work Christ follows
the Aaronic pattern, the "shadow" ofwhich Christ was the substance (Heb
8:1-6; 9:1-28).
C H Spurgeon has a lengthy comment on Psalm110:4 writing that…
We have now reachedthe heart of the psalm, which is also the very centre and
soul of our faith. Our Lord Jesus is a PriestKing by the ancient oath of
Jehovah:"He glorified not Himself to be made a High Priest," but was
ordained there unto from of old, and was calledof God a High Priestafter the
order of Melchizedek.
It must be a solemnand a sure matter which leads the Eternal (God) to swear,
and with Him an oath fixes and settles the decree for ever; but in this case, as
if to make assurancea thousand times sure, it is added," and will not repent."
It is done, and done for ever and ever; Jesus is sworn in to be the Priest of His
people, and He must abide so even to the end, because His commissionis
sealedby the unchanging oath of the immutable Jehovah. If His priesthood
could be revoked, and His authority removed, it would be the end of all hope
and life for the people whom He loves;but this sure rock is the basis of our
security -- the oath of God establishes ourglorious Lord both in His
priesthood and in His throne. It is the Lord Who has constituted Him a priest
for ever, He has done it by oath, that oath is without repentance, is taking

effectnow, and will stand throughout all ages:hence our security in Him is
placed beyond all question.
The declarationruns in the presenttense as being the only time with the Lord,
and comprehending all other times. "Thou art," i.e., Thou wastand art and
art to come, in all ages a priestly King.
The order of Melchizedek's priesthoodwas the most ancient and primitive,
the most free from ritual and ceremony, the most natural and simple, and at
the same time the most honourable. That ancient patriarch was the father of
his people, and at the same time ruled and taught them; he swayedboth the
sceptre and the censer, reignedin righteousness, andoffered sacrifice before
the Lord. There has never arisenanother like to him since his days, for
wheneverthe kings of Judah attempted to seize the sacerdotaloffice they were
driven back to their confusion: Godwould have no king priest save His son.
Melchizedek's office was exceptional -- none precededor succeeded him; he
comes upon the page of history mysteriously; no pedigree is given, no date of
birth, or mention of death; he blesses Abraham, receives tithe and vanishes
from the scene amid honours which show that he was greaterthan the
founder of the chosennation. He is seenbut once, and that once suffices.
Aaron and his seedcame and went; their imperfect sacrifice continued for
many generations, becauseit had no finality in it, and could never make the
comers thereunto perfect.
Our Lord Jesus, like Melchizedek, stands forth before us as a Priest of divine
ordaining; not made a priest by fleshly birth, as the sons of Aaron: He
mentions neither father, mother, nor descent, as His right to the sacredoffice;
He stands upon His personalmerits, by Himself alone; as no man came before
Him in his work, so none can follow after; His order begins and ends in His
own person, and in Himself it is eternal,
"having neither beginning of days nor end of years The King Priest has been
here and left his blessing upon the believing, and now he sits in glory in his
complete character, stoning for us by the merit of his blood, and exercising all
poweron our behalf."

Jesus was a priest in the order of melchizedek

Jesus was a priest in the order of melchizedek

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