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Hebrews 5Hebrews 5:1-14(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:

I. Taken from men: In the book of Leviticus, God had set up the priesthood. Thus, we call it the Levitical priesthood. These priests were ordained by God to represent God before the people and that was their duty. You could not come directly to God; you would have to come to the priest with your offering. You would have to lay your hands on the head of the sacrifice and confess on the head of that sacrifice all of your sins. The priest would then, in turn, slaughter the sacrifice and would take it and offer it to God on your behalf. So, the priest was ordained for men and taken from among men but was ordained to come before God.

(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.(3) And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

II. Having compassion: Now, I love the fact that God chose His priests from among ordinary men. What I mean by that is that He didn’t pick men who were seemingly sinless or who were on a higher spiritual plane than the people. Although their office was holy, these men suffered the same things as the people did. They, too, had fallen short; they, too, had weakness and sin. Thus, they were able to have compassion “ . . . on the ignorant, and on them that were out of the way . . .” for they, themselves, were “. . . compassed with infirmities.”

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a. New Covenant Comparison: God, in His great wisdom, chose men for the Levitical priesthood who were imperfect and who were flawed. Under the New Covenant, it is imperative that we understand that nothing has changed. So often within the Body of Christ, those of us who have been called to a higher office of pastor or teacher, are often placed upon a pedestal as though we obtained this position because of our own moral superiority or spiritual prowess. Nothing could be further from the truth. Within the modern church, we often hear stories of pastors or teachers who have fallen into some kind of sin, and the church becomes dismayed as though it should not have been possible for these men to have succumbed to sin.

It is very important, my friends, to understand that God does not choose His leaders predicated upon their spiritual prowess or their own holiness, or even on their ability to resist the temptation of sin. God chooses His leaders based upon their faithfulness to Him.

1 Timothy 1:12(12) And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

I want you to notice that Paul says that it was God who gave him the ability—(God does not call the equipped; He equips the called.)—not because He found him holy or superior in his spiritual walk, but because He found him faithful, or, more accurately, full of faith. So, always remember, my friends, that those who are in office in the church are mere men and are subject to the same things that you are; thus, we always need your prayers and support and understanding.

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b. An offering for Himself: Because God had chosen ordinary men to be priests and to represent Him before the people, it was necessary before they could offer sacrifices for the sins of the people, they first had to offer a sacrifice for their own sins.

(4) And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

III. The priesthood was not just something to which any man could aspire. Thus, it was an honor that no man just took upon himself. He had to be ordained or appointed by God. Unfortunately, as time went on, the priesthood, more or less, became a political appointment, which was an indictment against the lack of spirituality in which the whole system had degraded, which often happens when men get their hands into it. They begin to set up hierarchies, and it just degenerates into something less than what it was meant to be originally; thus, turning it into a political institution, rather than a spiritual organism, not unlike a lot of major denominations today in that they have become political systems rather than spiritual organisms. (Talk about the 100+ pastors who have “come out” as gay in our own denomination and are trying to make a political statement rather than a Biblical one.)

The high priest was taken from among men to offer gifts and sacrifices for man. He had to have compassion. This he did because he was also a man who was familiar with the weakness of man. Thus, because he was a man, himself, he had to offer sacrifices for himself. It was a position ordained of God that man could not take on himself.

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a. Even as today: Even today, the ministry is not something that man takes up as a profession. It is a calling. It is something that God ordains a man to do, and no amount of education can make you a minister. That is something that only God ordains a man to be. No man can ordain another man to ministry. Having a bishop or whoever lay hands on me does not ordain me to the ministry because it is God who ordains a man to ministry. It is an honor that no person takes upon himself. It is something that is ordained of God only.

(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.(6) As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

IV. Christ ordained by God: Jesus did not take on the position of high priest, but rather, He was made high priest, ordained and anointed by God, the Father. Thus, we are told in Psalms 2:7:

Psalms 2:7(7) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

And also in Psalms 110:4:

Psalms 110:4(4) The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

(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;

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V. Jesus’ Garden Experience: This verse is a reference to Jesus’ experience in the Garden of Gethsemane when He wept before God, offering up prayers and supplications, being troubled in His soul and crying unto Him who was able to save Him. And He said:

John 12:27-28(27) Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.(28) Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

Jesus’ prayer in the Garden was so intense and agonizing that we are told that His sweat was “as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground.” As He prayed, He said, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39). At this particular point, Jesus desired to back away from the cross because the cross is offensive to many people, but in that, the cross also declares that there is only one way to God and that is through the Son.

a. If it be possible: What did Jesus mean when He said, “If it were possible?” He meant that if there was any other way that man could be redeemed, then “let this cup pass from me.” If man could be redeemed by works, his own efforts, by being good, by being righteous, or by keeping the law, or just by being sincere, then “let this cup pass from me.”

The fact that the cup did not pass from Jesus but that He went ahead and drank of that cup fully indicates that there is only one Way by which salvation or redemption for man is possible—that’s through the cross of Jesus Christ.

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Thus, the cross declares only one Way. If there had been another way, Jesus would have been spared the cross. He was praying and crying unto the Father, who, we are told, was able to save Him from this death. The Father heard Him; yet, as He made His petition for deliverance, Jesus ended His prayer by saying, “Nevertheless, not my will but Thy will be done.” So, we are told Jesus learned obedience through the things which He suffered. In going to the cross, Jesus was totally submitted to the Will of the Father.

b. God is love. It is important to note that so many people often picture God as filled with wrath and judgment and ready to strike us dead. Nothing could be further from the truth! We have to remember, it was the Father who initiated the plan of salvation. It was the Father who sent His only begotten Son, and it was the Father who held firm to His plan when the Son was ready to back out. In submitting to the Will of the Father, Jesus fulfilled the Will of God; thus, we see God—not as angry and vengeful and ready to cast into hell—but we see a loving Father, willing to make the supreme sacrifice by allowing His own Son to go through the agony of death and to take our sins upon Himself that the Father might, through the Son, be able to grant us pardon and forgiveness and to receive us and fellowship with us.

This is what God wants more than anything—to have fellowship with His creation, to become one with us. Thus, the Father heard Jesus, but His prayer was not answered as He desired it to be. Through prayer and sufferings, He learned obedience and submission to the Will of God.

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c. Prayer. This is what prayer should always teach us. Many people misunderstand the purpose of prayer. Prayer is not an instrument by which we accomplish our own will. God never intended prayer to be the medium by which you can do anything you want to do or have anything that you want to have. Unfortunately, many people look at it that way.

I’m sure there are some listening to me asking, “But didn’t Jesus say to ask what you will, and it shall be done?” Yes, He did! But to whom did He make this statement? I can tell you: It wasn’t to the multitude, but to His disciples. What constitutes being a disciple?

Matthew 16:24(24) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

So then, when you read “and whatsoever you desire when you pray, believe that you receive it and you shall have it” put over top of that “deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.” You see, that’s who Jesus is giving this broad promise to. If I have, indeed, denied myself to take up the cross and follow Him, then I’m not going to be seeking those things for my own glory and to satisfy my own flesh. I will be seeking those things that Jesus would seek—those things which please the Father.

d. Submission: So often it is in prayer where we learn submission to the will of God. Prayer does change things, but prayer changes me more than it changes anything else. It is erroneous to believe that God is changed by prayer.

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If you think that prayer is a way by which you can manipulate God and get Him to see your point, or if you think that you can get God to acquiesce if you just talk fast and long enough, you are grievously wrong.

I am totally convinced that every right thing I ever prayed for, God intended to give it to me before I ever asked. If I pray for something wrong, then I can count on the fact that God is too good and too loving to give it to me, regardless of my plea. He just loves me too much. Thus, God answers prayer according to His own will, which is why He said, “Behold, I am the Lord God; I change not” (Malachi 3:6). As I have gone to prayer seeking God’s guidance, I often have found that it is my will that is changed to line up with His. Many times, I have gone to the Lord about major purchases, totally convinced that I was going to take the plunge, only to come out of that prayer with a different state of mind and realizing I really didn’t need that thing I was about to purchase. Thus, it is better to pray as Jesus prayed: “Not my will, but your will be done.” In that way, we also learn submission.

(8) Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

VI. Obedience: It was in going to the cross that Jesus learned obedience. In submitting to the Will of the Father, He learned obedience by the things which he suffered because the path of the cross is a path of suffering. The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians said:

Philippians 3:10(10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,

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Now, I’m with Paul on this. I do want to know Him and to know power because those are good things. But, Paul doesn’t stop there. He goes on to say:

and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

That, I’m not so good with because I want to know Him and I want power and glory, but fellowship of His sufferings? Now, that’s a whole other story! “Being conformable unto his death, even the death of the cross.” I don’t want the cross; I don’t want suffering. Yet, I’m told that’s where Jesus learned obedience. The submitting of my life to God and the learning to yield my life to Him, I learn it more in suffering than in any other place. In fact, that’s where I learn obedience. When I endure suffering as a good soldier by just committing my life to God, I am saying, “Lord, I am Yours.”

Peter said:

1 Peter 4:19(19) Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Lord, You know I don’t like to suffer. I have no taste for pain, be it emotional or physical, but Father, I know that You know what I need and what is best for me, so I submit my life to You.

This is a much greater faith than someone trying to tell God to take this pain away—trying to demand or command God to follow their orders. You will learn nothing that way. Jesus learned obedience through the things which He suffered.

(9) And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

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VII. The author: We are also told in the book of Hebrews that Jesus is “the author and finisher of our faith.” Here, we are told that He is the author of our eternal salvation, and He made that salvation possible for all of us because He went to the cross, because He was obedient to the Will of the Father, because He learned this obedience and submitted to the Father. He was then able to bring us to eternal salvation. This would not have been possible had Jesus not gone to the cross. Now, it is perfect or complete that is our salvation.

(10) Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.(11) Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

VIII. Dull of hearing: Some of these Hebrews were on the fence. They had come to know Jesus Christ from their Judaistic background. They had traditions that were deeply engrained, given to them by their fathers. They were accustomed to going to the temple and participating in temple worship. Those experiences that they had were very moving, dramatic, and deeply instilled. Now, they were being offered a better way. Some of them, however, were on the fence, and they were not altogether sure that they wanted to go all the way with Jesus or whether they wanted to go back to temple worship, back to their own high priest, and to the sacrifices that it contained. So, they were dull of hearing.

Paul tells them, “I’d like to speak a little more about this with you (and he will in Chapter 7), but these things are hard to utter because you are dull of hearing.”

(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.

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IX. First principles: Some Bible teachers believe that these Hebrews had been Christians for about five years, give or take, at this time. They should have been able by this time to be teaching others, but they had need that Paul go back and begin to bottle feed them the first principles of the oracles of God.” They weren’t ready for strong meat, although by this time, they should have been chomping on it. They were in a state of spiritual arrested development.

a. Arrested spiritual development: Arrested spiritual development is one of the most common diseases within the church. These are people who come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and they just plateau there; they never really go on. They never really grow. If you were to talk to them, they would talk about the same things they were talking about 25 years ago. They are no further along in their spiritual maturity than they were 25 years ago. Paul says that they are still sucking on bottles. They are spiritual babies who are more concerned with entertainment than they are with the Word of God. They just can’t take strong meat.

Those of you who have submitted yourselves to the teaching of the Word of God and who are self-feeders, you, my friends, are spoiled, because once you have developed a taste for strong meat, you will never be satisfied with a bottle again.

It is my experience over the many years that I have been in ministry and teaching that every now and then, even those who have become of full age, sometimes will go down the street to seek out that excitement that they once had from the bottle experience—that experience they had when they were babes.

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When they do, they usually find out it no longer satisfies. Once you get a taste for the strong meat of the Word, it spoils you for anything else. You just can’t go back to that old thing anymore. You are spoiled, and you will walk out of there saying, “Man, did I used to engage in that?”

(13) For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

X. Carnal Christians: In writing to the Corinthian church, Paul talked about carnal Christianity, saying they were “babes in Christ.” Thus, like I said, arrested spiritual development is a common disease within the church.

(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.

XI. Full age: A mature Christian is one who has been nourished on the strong meat of the Word—one who is sound in doctrine and in practice. A mature Christian is constantly growing in the Word, and the Word is what gives us discernment. Those who are of full age can discern both good and evil. Thus, if you hear a pastor preach and say something that is unscriptural, you will know it. You will be able to discern that, just like cotton candy, it may be sweet, but it dissolves into a mush with no substance. On the other hand, if he says something that is doctrinally sound, you will be blessed and will be able to give your “Amen.” You will be able to devour a finely seasoned and prepared steak, which is the Word of God.