Hebrews 5 is the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews in the New Testament of the ChristianBible. The author is anonymous, although the internal reference to "our brother Timothy" (Hebrews 13:23) causes a traditional attribution to Paul, but this attribution has been disputed since the second century and there is no decisive evidence for the authorship.[1][2] This chapter contains the exposition about the merciful Christ and the High Priests, followed by an exhortation to challenge the readers beyond the elementary catechism.[3][4]
The verses 1–4 highlight certain qualifications for high-priesthood under the old covenant, as a basis for applying it to Jesus to be the high priest for the new covenant (verses 5–6), who can 'sympathise with our weaknesses' without ever having sinned (verses 7–8; Hebrews 4:15), and was 'made completely adequate' as the savior of his people (verses 9–10).[8]
Verse 1
For 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.[9]
This is a general definition of the high priest role in the Old Testament.[10]
Verse 4
And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.[11]
One must be called by God to the office of high-priesthood, because the honor of that office is given by God alone (cf.Exodus 28:1; Leviticus 8:1; Numbers 16-18).[12]
Verse 5
So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:
This part gives warnings to the readers in preparation for the serious arguments in chapters 7–10, because the subsequent teaching about the high-priestly work of Christ will not be comprehended or applied by those who are slow to learn or continue to avoid solid food, unwilling to study the deeper faith implications, and if so, they can never be mature Christians.[16]
Verse 11
There is much more I would like to say along these lines, but you don’t seem to listen, so it’s hard to make you understand.[17]
Verse 12
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. [18]
One sign of the slackness in the faith development is the unwillingness (or inability) to be teachers, that is, to explain the faith they learned to other people (cf. Hebrews 3:13; 10:24–25; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Peter 3:15).[16]
"Milk": the appropriate food for an infant, but mature people need solid food.[16] Here, "milk" is equated with "the first principles of the oracles of God" (Greek: ta stoicheia tēs archēs tōn logiōn tou Theou), which could mean 'the guidelines' for interpreting the sayings of God (from a Christian point-of-view).[16]
