Hebrews 5-7

What I Noticed Today (Hebrews 5-7)

Hebrews 5-6

Having described the superiority of the Son of God (Hebrews 1-2) and the superiority of the Son’s faithfulness (Hebrews 3-4), in Hebrews 5-6, the author now describes the superiority of the Son’s work.

Hebrews 5

In verses 1-10, the author describes the qualifications of the high priest based on Old Testament standards using Aaron as an example:

• The high priest is selected from among men and appointed to serve.
• The high priest is man’s representative before God in matters of offerings of gifts and sacrifices for sin.
• The high priest must be a man of compassion able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray.
• Because of their weakness and his own, he must make sin offerings.
• The high priest is called by God just as Aaron was.
• The Messiah did not exalt himself to become the high priest but was called (Psalm 2:7, Genesis 14:18-20).
• During His earthly life, Messiah offered prayers and appeals to God and was heard because of His reverence.
• Though He was God’s Son, he learned obedience through His sufferings.
• Messiah was perfected by His sufferings and became the source of salvation for all who would obey Him.
• He was declared a high priest by God in the order of Melchizedek.

Warning 3. The danger of falling away (5:11-6:20)

In verses 11-14, the author describes the problem of immaturity:

• We have a great deal to say about this (the superiority of Christ as high priest).
• But you are spiritually immature.
• By now, you should be teachers, but you need someone to teach you the basics of God’s revelation.
• Using a metaphor of a baby, the author says, “You need milk, not solid food.”
• Everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in their understanding of the message of righteousness. Solid food is for the mature who have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.

Hebrews 6

In verses 1-20, the author describes the solution for the problem of falling immaturity and falling away:

• “Therefore” (because you are spiritually immature) let’s move to spiritual maturity and not cover the foundational material of repentance from dead works (acts that lead to death), faith in God, teaching about ritual washings (baptism), laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

• It is impossible to renew to repentance those who have tasted the heavenly gift, become companions of the Holy Spirit, tasted God’s good word, and have fallen away because they are re-crucifying the Son and holding Him in contempt.
• For the ground that has had rain and produced useful vegetation is a blessing to its owners. But ground that produces thorns and thistles is useless to its owner. It will be cursed and in the end, will be burned.

• I am confident there are better things ahead for you (an encouragement, given the sternness of the previous warning against apostasy).
• God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and your love for His name when you served the saints.
• Now demonstrate the same diligence you showed before so that you won’t become lazy. Rather, be imitators of those who inherit the promise of eternal life through faith and perseverance.
• The author uses the example of Abraham as someone who demonstrated faith and perseverance: 1) God promised to bless Abraham (Genesis 22:17), 2) Abraham waited patiently for the promise and received it.
• God guaranteed His promise to Abraham with an oath, and God cannot lie, so His promise is unchangeable. Because of this, they had hope.
• We have the same hope in our lives because Jesus has entered the inner sanctuary on our behalf and became our high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7

The author has mentioned the priesthood of Melchizedek but has not explained it. Beginning in Hebrews 7 through Hebrews 10, he explains the relevance of the Melchizedek priesthood.

In verses 1-10, the author describes the Melchizedek priesthood:

• King of Salem (Jerusalem), priest of the Most-High God.
• He met Abraham and blessed him.
• Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.
• His name means king of righteousness, king of Salem means king of peace.
• He has no father or mother, or genealogy.
• Having no beginning and no end, he resembles the Son of God.
• He remains a priest forever.
• The Levites were to collect a tenth according to the Law because they were descendants of Abraham.
• But Melchizedek collected a tenth from Abraham even though he was not of this lineage.
• The inferior is blessed by the superior (Abraham was blessed by Melchizedek).
• The priesthood of Melchizedek was, therefore, superior to the Levitical priesthood.

In verses 11-19, the author explains the new priesthood replaces the old:

• The author asks a rhetorical question, “If perfection came through the Levitical priesthood, why was there another priest in the order of Melchizedek, and not in the order of Aaron?”
• He argues because the priesthood of Aaron changes (whenever a new high priest is appointed) then the Law also changes.
• Our Lord was a descendant of Judah and not of the tribe of the Levites. Moses never said anything about a priest coming from the tribe of Judah.
• Melchizedek also was a priest who did not come from the tribe of Levi but became a priest based on the power of an indestructible life (Psalm 110:4).
• The previous law is annulled because it is weak and unprofitable (because it perfected nothing), but the better hope is through those who approach God through faith.

In verses 20-28, the author describes the superiority of the new priest:

• Others became a priest without an oath.
• But He became a priest with an oath made by God (Psalm 110:4).
• Through this oath, Jesus became the guarantee of the better covenant.
• Many have been Levitical priests because they replace one another when they die.
• But this high priest remains forever; He holds His priesthood permanently.
• Therefore, He is always able to save those who come to God through Him because He lives to intercede for us.
• This is the kind of High Priest we need. One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sin, and exalted above the heavens.
• He does not need to make sacrifices for his own sins first and then for the sins of the people. He did this once for all when he sacrificed Himself on the cross.
• For the Law appointed priests who were weak but the promise of the oath which came after the Law appoints a Son who has been perfected forever.

Some thoughts for additional consideration:

• The danger of falling away is all too real in today’s society. There is much that can capture our attention and interest, which takes us away from becoming spiritually mature. Are we becoming more and more spiritually mature, or are we stuck still drinking in spiritual milk rather than solid food?
• Jesus, as our high priest, is our mediator before God. He is always available, and because He is always available we have no need for a flesh and blood intermediary.

What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.

Tomorrow: Hebrews 8-10