Hebrews 5:1-10

The Horseback Riding Lesson

When I was about 10 years old, our family went on a business trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina. We decided to go horseback riding on the beach. The tour guide gave me the most rebellious horse—one addicted to salty beach vegetation. He warned me that when we reached the beach, the horse might bolt toward the plants growing in deeper water. Horses love salt, and some had even drowned chasing it.

I thought I had it under control. But as soon as the horse spotted the vegetation, it took off like the Kentucky Derby. I lost the reins, panicked, and ended up neck-deep in water, convinced I was going to die. The guide rescued us.

This illustrates our text perfectly. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, we can lose sight of the big picture, chasing momentary desires headfirst into destruction. That's the concern in Hebrews: believers facing persecution, tempted to return to old ways instead of focusing on the future life.

Requirements for the High Priest

Hebrews 5:1-4 outlines the requirements:

Every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this he is required, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.

A high priest is taken from among men to represent humanity before God because of sin. He understands human weakness, having compassion on the ignorant and misled. He offers gifts and sacrifices—symbolically transferring sins to animals, like the scapegoat or altar offerings. These provided temporary covering (kaphar), restoring fellowship, but never permanent atonement.

Sin is missing the mark: a condition of corruption and guilt, departing from what is honest, honorable, and right to what is deceptive, deplorable, and wrong—against God's standards.

All unrighteousness is sin. (1 John 5:17)
Whatever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23)
To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17)

Levitical priests were sinners too, needing sacrifices for themselves before the people. Without this, their offerings brought judgment. Christ, however, is fully human yet sinless—the perfect Lamb and High Priest who truly forgives, not just covers, sins.

The Appointing of Christ as High Priest

Verses 5-6:

So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”; as He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Christ didn't self-appoint; God called Him (Psalm 2:7; Psalm 110:4). He unites divine and human natures in one person—offering infinite atonement value while sympathizing with our weaknesses.

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17)

Propitiation appeases God's wrath against sin (Romans 1). Without Christ, we'd face eternal hell. He reconciles us, providing true fellowship.

The Effective Work of Christ as High Priest

Verses 7-10:

Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Christ is Priest forever (Psalm 110:4)—unlike temporary Levitical priests. In Gethsemane, He prayed in agony, sweating blood, not fearing physical death but bearing sin's wrath as the sinless One made sin for us. Yet He submitted: "Your will be done."

His high priestly prayer (John 17) and words in John 16:33 give us:

True peace: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but take courage, I have overcome the world."

Joy: "That they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves."

Assurance: The Father, Son, and Spirit preserve us (John 17:11-12,15; John 10; Ephesians 1; Romans 8). Christ intercedes perfectly. When we sin, He doesn't hate us—He prays for us. Focus on Him brings confidence, not license to sin.

Avoid extremes like prosperity gospel or poverty theology—they fixate on circumstances, like chasing salty plants. Instead, fix on Christ, who endured for us. He is the source of eternal salvation for those who obey Him.