Hebrews 5:1-10 (NRSV)
5
Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things
pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2
He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself
is subject to weakness; 3 and because of this he must offer
sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. 4 And
one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God,
just as Aaron was.
5 So also Christ did not
glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who
said to him,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;
6 as he says also in
another place,
“You are a priest forever,
according to the order of
Melchizedek.”
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus
offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who
was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent
submission. 8 Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through
what he suffered; 9 and having been made perfect, he became the
source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10 having been
designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 5: 1-10 form an
introduction to 5:1-10:39, introducing Jesus as high priest. The author has
organized the section well, showing Jesus to be the one who meets the
qualifications of being high priest. These verses display a tight unity. The author intends to first show that
although Jesus is not of Levitical descent, he was indeed a high priest, one
like us, who bears out infirmities, weaknesses, and petitions before God. The theme of Hebrews 5:1-10 is that God
appointed Jesus and Jesus perfected that appointment through obedience. The
work and calling of the high priest provide a background against which the
author develops the notion of the high priesthood of Christ.
Here is a brief summary of
the points the author makes in verses 1-10. First, Christ is not a
self-appointed priest, but the one designated by God. Second, Christ has fully identified with
human weaknesses. The first connection
is that the prayers of Jesus as he faced death bear the marks of loud cries and
tears. Jesus cried and God heard him. The author promises nothing more nor less
for us as well. Third, the high priest becomes the source of eternal salvation
for all who obey him. Jesus becomes a
model for the readers.
Every high priest chosen from among mortals
is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and
sacrifices for sins. It refers to the sin offering as well as the guilt offering. One can read of
the office of priestly sacrifice in Leviticus 1 (burnt offerings), 4 (sin
offering for the priests, Israel, king, and the rest of the people), and 9
(inauguration of the priesthood of Aaron). In this verse, the author offers a
textbook definition of what a high priest does. 2 He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward,
since he himself is subject to weakness. Priests have understanding toward
people who have made mistakes, since he has made them as well. Priests are in
solidarity with the rest of the community before God. The priest shares in the
general weakness of the people of God. 3
Because of this, he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for
those of the people. Thus, in Leviticus 4:3-12, the priest is the one who
has sinned and needs to present his offering upon the altar. On the Day of
Atonement, the priest offers a sacrifice for himself and his family and then
offers a sacrifice for the people.[1] 4 Further, one does not presume to take this honor,
but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was. God called Aaron
and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, from among the people of
Israel to serve God as priests (Exodus 28:1). Thus, they did not acquire the
priesthood by achievement, but by divine appointment. The author will make the
connection with Aaron rather than Moses, which in this part of the book will
receive full development.
In Hebrews 5: 5-6, in
Israel, the office of priest and king were separate persons. In the period between the Old and New
Testament, priest and ruler often were together, especially during the
Hasmonean period, around 140 BC. Many identified the Hasmonean leader with
Psalm 110. The author will unite king and priest here. Yet, he does so in a way
that challenges us. Human beings admire mastery. A religion that admits that
life is inevitably tragic will lose out in the minds of many. Therefore, 5 Christ also did not glorify
himself in becoming a high priest, but God appointed him, as the one who
said to him in Psalm 2:7, referred
in in Hebrews 1:5 as well, "You are
my Son, today I have begotten you." The point is that God has
appointed priests, so also God has appointed Christ. The author declares this
quote is from God speaking to Jesus about his sonship. Luke will use it to
refer to the baptism of Jesus, while this author uses it to refer to the
installation of Jesus as high priest. In Hebrews 1:5, the citation illustrates
that Jesus is higher than the angels are, for God never called an angel, Son.
Historically, the psalm was part of the ritual sung at the coronation of an
Israelite king. However, early Christians seem to interpret it as messianic in
describing the status of Jesus as Son, which is how the author of Hebrews uses
it.[2] The author utilizes the quote here to say
that the same God, who designated Jesus as Son, has now also appointed him as
high priest. Some scholars believe that a noticeable shift occurs in chapter 5
because until chapter 5 the author has concentrated primarily on presenting
Christ as Son. Yet from 5:6 onward, the author changes the focus to Christ's
priesthood.[3] Thus, 6 as he says also in another place, Psalm 110:4, "You are a priest forever, according to
the order kata thn taxin of Melchizedek." This quote serves to
describe the priesthood of Christ. Once again, God is speaking to Christ. We as
readers overhear the pronouncement by God to the Christ of his eternal
priesthood. Scholars debate as to what Christ as the priest “after or
according to the order" of Melchizedek actually means. While the author
uses both Genesis 14 and Psalm 110:4, the author only uses Genesis to describe
what a priest "after the order" of Melchizedek signifies, which
is a "king-priest who does not come from a Levitical genealogy and whose
office as priest does not end."[4] Here is the point. Only the
fact that he is Son qualifies Christ to be high priest for us all.
In Hebrews 5: 7-10, the author wishes to prove
that Jesus Christ has the necessary qualifications for high priest. 7 In the days of his flesh en taiz
hmeraiz thz sarkoz autau. Interestingly,
the author moves from the eternal priesthood of Christ to describe the days of
Jesus on Earth. Here, the author appears to place in juxtaposition the eternal
and fleshly, as well as the finite and infinite, but in actuality, the author
provides evidence of the priestly activity of Christ. Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears,
to the one who was able to save him from death, and God heard him because of his reverent submission. The
similarity of this passage with Psalm 116:1-8 is suggestive. The Psalmist
speaks of his love for the Lord, who heard his cry for mercy, even as the cords
of death entangled him and the anguish of the grave overcame him. He called
upon the Lord to save him. He invites his soul to return to its rest, for the
Lord has been good, delivering him from death, his eyes from tears, and his
feet from stumbling. All of this is in order that he may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living. None of this similarity with the Psalm diminishes
the obvious allusion to Gethsemane. God heard him because Jesus offered to God
respect and devotion. The prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane was a prayer of total submission
to the will of the Father. We can see this connection in the presentation by
Matthew. Jesus throws himself on the ground and prays that his Father, if
possible, will let the cup pass from him. Yet, he submits to whatever the
Father wants (Matthew 26:39). He submits to drinking the cup so that he will do
the will of the Father (Matthew 26:42).[5] This language illustrates the
humanity of Jesus in that he was and is able to sympathize and intercede for
those suffering. The author said earlier that we have a high priest who is
touched by the feelings of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). While the author does not explicitly tell us what
Jesus requested in his prayers and supplications, the language suggests the
agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and his cries for deliverance from
death. He experienced distress and agitation and admits his grief. He prays for
the passing of this hour, as he faces death. Yet, he also wants the will of the
Father. The hour has come for his betrayal to death (Mark 14:32-43).[6] In a passage of
questionable authenticity, but part of the tradition, an angel came to Jesus
and gave him strength. His prayer had profound anguish, so much so that he
sweat looked like great drops of blood fall to the ground (Luke 22:40, 43-44).[7] He felt deeply his troubled
soul. Yet, should he ask the Father to save him from this hour? No, for this
hour of his death is the reason the Father sent him (John 12:27).[8] Yet, the one who could save
him from death instead delivered him out of death by resurrection. It was not
the purpose of God to save Jesus from dying.[9] Thus, God heard the prayer
of Jesus ultimately in that God delivered him from death through resurrection
(5:7). The author may have written the creed simply based on the suffering of
Jesus, without an allusion to Gethsemane, but it is more likely he was aware of
that story.
In Hebrews 5: 8-9, we find a
second confessional statement associating Jesus with the suffering servant of
II Isaiah. While II Isaiah refers to
Israel this author refers to Jesus. 8
Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. In
Greek, this is a word play on emathen/epathen. The Bible nowhere attempts to
describe this learning. The point of the learning is the affirmation of the
sinless quality of the life of Jesus. Jesus lived with the fallen condition of
humanity. He lived and bore it as the Son. Yes, he wrestled with the fallen
condition of his humanity, learning and struggling, yet, as the Son, God had to
win in his life choices. In that sense, Jesus struggled as we all do to do the
will of God. The Son is one with us all in that struggled. Yet, he made his
life choices perfectly.[10] Christ maintained his
perfection in freedom in a way that was not by any means self-evident. In his
acts, he was without sin. He was perfectly obedient.[11] The statement that Jesus
learned obedience seems to contradict his earlier statement in 4:15 in which he
says Jesus sinless. Yet, most of us must admit that our best learning about
life often comes through the greatest difficulties we have faced. Thus, one
practices authentic obedience in particular situations. Jesus demonstrated
obedience as life placed him situations in which doing the will of God and
obedience confronted challenges from the people and institutions around him.
Jesus was never disobedient to the will of God. He had unfailing constancy in
obedience to the will of God. Yet, Jesus encountered new situations that
challenged his faithfulness to God.[12] Here the author holds Jesus
up as a model for his audience and helps them see their own plight differently.
He reached a new level in the experience of obedience, fulfilling the plan of
God through his death. Thus, Paul could say that the Son humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the people of death upon a cross (Philippians 2:8). In
John, Jesus sanctifies himself so that God may sanctify his followers in truth
(John 17:19). Life in this world tests the
followers of Jesus, in a way that God will bring them to glory as well (2:10),
and just as God brought Jesus out of suffering to glory, God will likewise
bring them out of suffering to glory, too. In addition, Jesus 9 had life challenges that made him perfect teleiwqeiz. The aorist
passive participle form of teleiow appears. It suggests the sense of completeness rather
than an absolute standard. It suggests reaching the goal or destiny of his life
as high priest. His suffering leads to his "perfection" in that
sense. The reference to when the challenges of life perfected Jesus is to
perfecting his office of priest and victim. While human perfection does have a
moral feature, including the cleansing of one's conscience (10:1-2), Christ's
perfection has no moral component since he has no sin. Perfection for Christ
entails demonstrating appropriate obedience on Earth (5:7), suffering for
humanity (2:10; 5:9) and being exalted to the right hand of God (7:28).
Therefore, perfection for Christ means that he has "successfully completed
the human experience" and God exalted him to glory.[13] The perfecting of Christ
means that he can now be the Savior and high priest for all who obey him.
This
passage has become important in dealing with the difficult modern task of the
development of Christology in the New Testament. Jesus accepted the
consequences of obedience to the mission God gave him. Only in his completed
life is he the Son, for his suffering perfect him as the Son. He learned
obedience in the school of suffering, which should remind us of the Gethsemane
prayer. One must not limit the notion of
incarnation to his birth. If other things did not happen, such as his baptism,
his proclamation of the rule of God, the path of suffering, and his
resurrection, he would not be the Son. The statement gives expression to the
tension between learning obedience in time to be the eternal Son. The status of
sonship and obedience to the Father go together. Obedient subordination to the
Father characterizes Jesus as the Son. Further, obedience by Jesus finds
expression in the ministry of Jesus to others by bringing to them the salvation
of the reign of God, as well as his self-offering of Jesus as a sacrifice to
the Father.[14] The suffering of Jesus is not a destiny that
causes the one afflicted by it to grow and mature. When the Son suffers, God
has willed it, because it seemed right to God. These few words embrace the
whole path of the Son. They state that Jesus honors God as his Father, entrusts
himself to God, confident that God will give him the office and dignity that
God wills. The point of “learned” here is that he learned from Scripture. The
saying is a witness to the obedience that marked the Son. Yet, the notion of
the development of Jesus is out of the question, whether moral growth or a
developing maturity in Jesus for the fulfillment of his task. Such conclusions
are the error of idealism. It points to the paradox that the Son is the one who
suffers. Suffering, not learning, brings the Son to the goal appointed for him
by God. The Word of God causes Jesus to accept suffering.[15]
In particular, Christ became the source of eternal salvation for
all who obey him. These verses are like a confession of faith. The emphasis
is on the humanity of Christ. A priest must be human since he represents human
beings. He must share their sufferings since he must feel compassion for them.
Jesus suffered in this way all through his life on earth, and especially in his
agony and death. Just as Christ learned through obedience, obedience becomes a
central element for those who follow him. The writer's words in describing
Christ in 5:5-10 may suggest a contrast between Christ and Adam, whose
disobedience ushered in death and not life, destruction and not salvation.[16]
The segment closes with a
reiteration of Christ's eternal priesthood in the order of Melchizedek. Some
scholars think this verse continues the second confession of faith in verses
8-9. Buchannan (Anchor Bible Commentary) treats it as an editorial comment by
the author, and that is how I am treating it.
Qumran identifies the Messiah with Melchizedek. 10
God has designated him as a high priest
according to the order kata thn taxin of
Melchizedek. We get a greater understanding of
the role Melchizedek plays in the theology of Hebrews, which assists in our
understanding of Melchizedek in chapter 5. He compares the eternality of
Christ's priesthood to that of Melchizedek who is "without father, without
mother, without genealogy, neither having beginning of days nor end of
life" (Hebrews 7:3). It is important to remember that this statement is
about Melchizedek's priesthood, not his actual person and that the author of Hebrews
is engaging in an interpretation of Genesis 14, not the historical person
Melchizedek.[17] The Genesis text is silent
about Melchizedek's parentage, priestly origins, birth and death. The absence
of information about Melchizedek in these matters permit the author of Hebrews
to engage in a Jewish exegetical technique called non in thora non in
mundo (literally, "If it is not in the law, it does not
exist.") which means if the text is silent about something, then it could
be considered nonexistent. Thus, the silence presents an opportunity for the
author to interpret Christ's priesthood as one that is “after the order” of
Melchizedek -- Jesus is a priest who has no "priestly lineage, no point at
which he takes over from another priest or surrenders his office to someone who
will succeed him.[18] More importantly, a priest
after the order of Melchizedek does not die since Genesis does not narrate the
death of Melchizedek. Thus, the narrative of Melchizedek provides an
interpretive frame for Christ. Christ, like Melchizedek, has no Levitical
lineage. Christ is eternal and, therefore, so is his priestly service, forever interceding
for believers (7:24). According to the author, God uses Scripture to foreshadow
Christ.[19]
Of
all the Christological roles in the New Testament, none should be more
immediately relevant to the human situation than high priest should. Since we do not bump into high priests every
day, a sermon on the high priestly Christology of Hebrews may require a certain
teaching dimension to get listeners aboard, but the force and clarity of the
image are powerful. A priest is one who
handles the holy mysteries of God for the rest of us, one who prays, who leads
us in worship. Priests are mediators
between humanity and God. Rather than
lord over the lowly laity, in the manner of some priests, Jesus the great high
priest suffered. He learned his priestly
duties through obedient suffering. When
Jesus speaks in our behalf to God, Jesus personally knows that of which he
speaks. He is the one who was priest,
not through his grasping for priestly glory, but rather in what he endured in
behalf of those whom he came to save.
[1]
Then Moses said to Aaron, "Draw near to the altar and sacrifice your sin
offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the
people; and sacrifice the offering of the people, and make atonement for them;
as the Lord has commanded." (Leviticus 9:7)
Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for
himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. (Leviticus
16:6)
Then bring near to you your brother Aaron, and his
sons with him, from among the Israelites, to serve me as priests—Aaron and
Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. (Exodus 28:1)
[2]
(Gerald F. Hawthorne, New International
Bible Commentary, ed. F.F. Bruce [Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1979],
1507).
[3]
(Kenneth Schenck, Understanding the Book of Hebrews: The Story Behind the Sermon
[Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003], 76).
[4]
(Kenneth Schenck, Understanding
the Book of Hebrews: The Story Behind the Sermon [Louisville:
Westminster John Knox Press, 2003], 113, note 32).
[5]
And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, "My
Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but
what you want." (Matthew 26:39)
Again he went away for the second time and prayed,
"My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be
done." (Matthew 26:42)
[6]
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples,
"Sit here while I pray." 33 He took with him Peter and James and
John, and began to be distressed and agitated. 34 And he said to them, "I
am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake." 35 And
going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it
were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 He said, "Abba, Father,
for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want,
but what you want." 37 He came and found them sleeping; and he said to
Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? 38 Keep
awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh is weak." 39 And again he went away and prayed,
saying the same words. 40 And once more he came and found them sleeping, for
their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. 41 He
came a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking
your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands
of sinners. 42 Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand."
(Mark 14:32-43, with parallels in Matthew 26:36-46 and Luke 22:41-42, 45-46)
[7]
40 When he reached the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not come
into the time of trial." … 43 [Then an angel from heaven appeared to him
and gave him strength. 44 In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his
sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.] (Luke
22:40, 43-44, with the latter two verses of questionable authenticity.]
[8]
27 "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—"Father, save me
from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. (John
12:27)
[9]
(New International Bible Commentary,
ed. F.F. Bruce [Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1979], 1514).
[10]
Barth, Church Dogmatics, I.2 [15.2],
158.
[11]
Barth, Church Dogmatics, IV.1, 59.2,
260.
[12]
(Craig Koester, "Hebrews," Anchor
Bible, v. 36 [New York: Doubleday, 2001], 299).
[13]
(Kenneth Schenck, Understanding the Book of Hebrews: The Story Behind the Sermon,
[Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003], 69).
[14]
Pannenberg (Systematic Theology Volume 2, 316, 375, 384, 439, Volume 3, 318)
[15]
Rengstorf, TDNT, Volume 4, 410-412.
[16]
(New International Bible Commentary,
ed. F.F. Bruce, [Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1979], 1514).
[17]
(Kenneth Schenck, Understanding
the Book of Hebrews: The Story Behind the Sermon, [Louisville: Westminster
John Knox Press, 2003], 77).
[18]
"(Kenneth Schenck, Understanding
the Book of Hebrews: The Story Behind the Sermon [Louisville:
Westminster John Knox Press, 2003], 78).
[19]
(Kenneth Schenck, Understanding
the Book of Hebrews: The Story Behind the Sermon [Louisville:
Westminster John Knox Press, 2003], 78).
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