Hebrews Chapter Five

(Continued from: "Chapter Four: God Pleaded for Them to Enter His Rest")

In chapter four we read that the Moses' people didn't grasp God's love for them –their thoughts remained fixed on themselves and their circumstances instead of on Him. Those thoughts provoked disputes throughout the community. Soon, people from every family came to Moses to judge their disputes –insisting that they just wanted to know "God's will" in each matter. (Doesn't that sound like us Christians?) That brought the introduction of the Law so that every Hebrew would know the right thing to do and so would their judges.

The Law covered every aspect of life. In Exodus, there are the Ten Commandments; examples about dealing with others; statutes regarding the Sabbath and the festivals; and the conquest of the land. In Leviticus, there are detailed instructions about sacrifices, various offerings, diets, cleanliness, money, atonement, priests and the specifics for putting all these together into a religious system for teaching the people the requirements for life.

The High Priest is a Representative

Now, on to chapter five.

When first selected to lead the people, Moses hesitated –he wasn't confident in his ability to communicate. He was comfortable speaking daily with God (Exodus 33:7-11), but speaking with the people was awkward. So God established Aaron (Moses' older brother) to perform that task through the role of the first Levitical high priest. "Moreover, he [Aaron] shall speak for you [Moses] to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him." (Exodus 4:10-16)

Aaron –and the high priests that followed in his order– shared life with the people. He offered gifts of praise for their successes and sacrifices to plead for mercy for their failures. The Law defined the strict processes to approach God –particularly in regard to the Atonement offering at Passover. There was a single place to meet (the Holy of Holies); special clothing to be worn (robes, turban, vest); orderly steps to be followed (washings and preparations); and of course, a very special sacrifice to kill. Only after everything was finished according to the Law, could he approach God as a representative of the people. Furthermore, the people had to follow particular processes regarding how they washed and what they touched before they could be represented.

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. (Hebrews 5:1-3)

God appointed a man to represent the people because He knew that people couldn't relate to Him –their invisible creator. How could they know if He was truly listening to them or cared about their troubles? However, the people could relate to a man that they saw –one who walked the same paths they walked –suffered the same problems they suffered –encountered the same hunger, thirst, threats, quarrels, disappointments and frustrations that they did. For people to feel fairly represented, they needed a person that knew them and heard their pleas.

The Law showed every man his own guilt and unworthiness to approach God. A blood sacrifice –the death penalty– was required for breaking even the least of the Ten Commandments. Since no person is guiltless –not even the Levitical high priest– a sacrifice had to be presented before meeting with God. Because He is merciful, God allowed for a substitute's death. Otherwise, no one could ever approach Him; they would have to pay for their own sins –with their own death– before going into His presence. Obviously, a dead high priest can't represent anyone.

The Priestly Order

According to the Law, the high priest and his aides –the other priests– had to be Levites; specifically, they all had to be from Aaron's clan. No one else was allowed to serve in those roles. Numbers chapter 16 tells the story about a Levite named Korah who aspired to be the high priest and establish his own priesthood apart from Aaron's clan. He and two Reubenites, Dathan and Abiram, led 250 "upstanding" community and council members in a rebellion. In their minds, they were better qualified to determine the standard for holiness.

The next morning the Lord chose which group would serve Him. The ground split open and swallowed up the three leaders along with their families and belongings. Then fire came down on the 250 "false priests" leaving only their smoldering remains and their bronze censers of incense. The "real" priests hammered those censers into an overlay for the altar as a constant reminder that the only authorized priests were Aaron and his descendants.

And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. 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"; just as He says also in another passage, "YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK." (Hebrews 5:4-6)

There were three qualifications to be a high priest. 1) He had to be a man familiar with the lives –especially the troubles– of those he represented; 2) he had to be chosen by God; and 3) he had to be of the right order.

The second qualification (he had to be chosen by God) is presented in this Hebrews passage. The quote, "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You," comes from Psalm 2. It's directly followed by "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" from Psalm 110. We looked at both of these psalms in chapter one; but, here in this Hebrews chapter 5 passage, God associates some awesome attributes about His Son. He would be born and live among men –He would be "begotten." He would be appointed by His Father to be a Priest –One that would rein forever over all creation. And He would be from a completely different, yet fully authorized order –that of Melchizedek.

In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:7-10)

As to the first qualification (He had to be a man familiar with the lives –especially the troubles– of those he represented), Jesus' life is poignantly described in Isaiah 53 (Isaiah 53:1-12). He was vulnerable, unattractive, despised, rejected, disrespected and unjustly mistreated –He is familiar with all of man's sufferings. No one has experienced our troubles more fully than Jesus. Psalm 110 confirms that He met the second qualification. It says that He was chosen by God to be a priest forever. Shortly, we will see how He met the third qualification –having the "right heritage."

Little is written about Melchizedek –only three places in the Bible mention him. The first is in Genesis 14 when Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils after a battle. The next is in Psalm 110 –quoted above. The third is here in Hebrews where we're going to see an allegory that likens Jesus to Melchizedek –it's in chapter 7.

Accept and Trust Scripture God's Word as Truth

For centuries the Hebrews were God's lamp in the world. Paul described their message in Romans 9:4, "Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises." Over time, the lamp grew dim and their rich relationship with God –through faith– digressed into little more than religious traditions. Then God sent His Son into the world to redeem and restore mankind –particularly God's priests (ambassadors) to the world.

Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (Hebrews 5:11-14)

The New Testament Hebrews heard God's message of salvation through faith in the Messiah many times and many ways. It's throughout the Old Testament. They heard accounts from their own countrymen that personally met Jesus. It was being taught in the churches. Yet, they –like the generations before them– refused to accept Him and His Promise.

This passage compares them to infants that hadn't grown up. They lived on the Law –expressed through the Levitical Priesthood– like babes on milk. God's desire for them was to become mature. He wanted them to grasp the gravity of the Law. It differentiated between good and evil –His way and man's way. They were to have recognized their guilt, understood the consequence for breaking even one command, and accepted the death sentence they deserved. Then they would have comprehended the unique and ultimate importance of faith in God –trusted in the provision of His Lamb –looked forward to and rejoiced in His arrival –and entered (been born into) a new eternal life in the kingdom of God.

Let's pause and consider that famous conversation between Nicodemus (a great teacher in Israel) and Jesus, about being "born again" (John 3:1-15). There Jesus compared the effects of the wind with those of the Spirit. Although the wind cannot be seen, its power is perceived by those born of this earth. Similarly, the Spirit of God cannot be seen, but His power is recognized by all who are born of the Spirit. Jesus went on to tell him:

"If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? "No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. (John 3:12-15)

First, He scolded Israel for not understanding the simple things of Scripture. It's filled with earthly, physical examples that demonstrate man's relationship with God must be based on trusting Him –for all things. The Scriptures also clearly point out the results of not trusting Him –of being stubbornly self-reliant. Generation after generation chose to religiously go through the motions of the Law without accepting its intent –it showed their need for a Savior. They didn't leave their self-reliance behind and cross into a life of faith (leave the desert-wilderness, cross the Jordan, and enter the Promised Land).

There, Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man who descended from heaven. It was a direct reference to Joshua who had been in the Promised Land and had come back to lead the people into it. He quoted from Numbers 21:9 ("As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.") –telling about their impending death and their need to turn to Him for eternal life. The crux of the passage is that the people did not believe God's word –that their Messiah had come and was living among them for the express purpose of leading them into eternal life.

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22-23, Isaiah 7:14)

The Scriptures told them that righteousness must be achieved through a life of faith –like Abraham's. The complaint is not that they crucified Jesus –that had to happen –He was the Lamb of God to be sacrificed on Passover. The problem was that they did not put their trust –for a righteous relationship with God– in Jesus as their own personal and final sacrifice. The Passover Lamb was to be fully consumed. He is to be trusted wholeheartedly –not just in part with some acts of goodness and fine sounding words.

Before leaving this section, it's essential to remember that God has not given up on the Hebrews. He will restore them as His ambassadors to the world. It's explained in Romans 11 with the Parable of the Olive Branches and in Revelation 7 and 14 (the 144,000). They are still His people and ones He loves deeply.

 

Continue reading: "Chapter Six: Understand the Basics and then Move on to Maturity"