Hebrews 5:1-4

¹ “For every High Priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; ²he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is clothed in weakness; ³ and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins for himself, as well as for the people. ⁴ And no one takes the honor for himself, but receives it when he is called by God, just as Aaron also was.”

Verse 1: Here we see that the role of the high priest in the Old Testament was to represent the people before God. They were chosen from among men and appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. The high priest acted as a mediator between the people and God, seeking to make atonement for their sins through these offerings. According to the Old Testament, the high priest was to be of the tribe of Levi. Jesus, however, was chosen by God to usher in the New Covenant through his work as high priest. And Jesus was from the tribe of Judah, suggesting a change in covenant.

Verse 2: The high priest, being a human himself, could understand the weaknesses and struggles of the people. This allowed him to deal gently with those who were ignorant or wayward. The high priest was not distant or harsh, but rather empathetic and compassionate towards those who were in need of forgiveness and restoration.

Verse 3: Despite his role as a mediator, the high priest was not exempt from sin himself. He was obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins, just as he did for the sins of the people. This highlights the imperfection of the Old Testament priesthood and the ongoing need for sacrifices to be made. Jesus did not need to offer a sacrifice for his own sins. Instead, he offered himself as the final sacrifice for sin under the Old Covenant.

Verse 4: The position of high priest was not something that could be self-appointed. It was a position that could only be taken when called by God, just as Aaron was called to be the high priest in the Old Testament. Because Jesus was called by God to be a high priest outside the confines of the law, He is necessarily ushering in a new paradigm for knowing God.