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5:1 For every
high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in
things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices
for sins: 5:2 Who can have
compassion on the ignorant, and on them
that are out of the way; for that he
himself also is compassed with
infirmity.
5:3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for
himself, to offer for
sins.
5:4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called
of God, as was
Aaron.
5:5 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 begotten
thee.
5:6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever
after the order of
Melchisedec.
5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and
supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to
save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 5:8 Though he
were a Son, yet learned he
obedience by the things which he suffered;
5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation
unto all them that obey him; 5:10 Called of God an high priest after
the order of
Melchisedec.
5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered,
seeing ye are dull of
hearing.
5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that
one teach you again which be the first
principles of the oracles of
God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
5:13 For every one that useth milk is
unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe.
5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even
those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern both
good and
evil.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Hebrews
Book: Hebrews
Chapter: 5
Overview:
The office and duty of a high
Priest abundantly answered in
Christ.
(1-10) The
Christian Hebrews reproved for their little
progress in the knowledge of the
Gospel.
(11-14)
1-10 The High
Priest must be a
Man, a partaker of our nature.
This shows that
Man had sinned. For
God would 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 acceptance
with
God, and
Pardon, we must apply
By Faith to this our great
High
Priest Christ Jesus, who can intercede 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 can expect assistance from
God, and
acceptance with 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 subject to
Death: he hungered: he was a tempted, suffering, dying
Jesus.
Christ set an
Example, not only to pray, but to be fervent in
Prayer. How many dry prayers, how few wetted with tears, do we
offer up to
God! He was strengthened to support the immense
weight of suffering laid upon him. There is
No real deliverance
from
Death but to be carried through it. He was raised and
exalted, and to him was given the power of 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 teach us
submission. His obedience in our nature encourages our attempts
to obey, and for us to expect support and comfort under all the
temptations and sufferings to which we are exposed. Being made
perfect for this great work, he is become the Author of eternal
Salvation to all that obey him. But are we of that number?
11-14 Dull hearers make the preaching of the
Gospel difficult,
and even those who have some
Faith may be dull hearers, and slow
to believe. Much is looked for from those to whom much is given.
To be unskilful, denotes want of experience in the things of the
Gospel.
Christian experience is a spiritual sense, taste, or
relish of the
Goodness, sweetness, and excellence of the truths
of the
Gospel. And
No tongue can express the satisfaction which
the soul receives, from a sense of Divine
Goodness,
Grace, and
Love to it in
Christ.