Hebrews 5:1-10 Jesus - The Perfect Priest & King!

Bible Study Series: Jesus in Hebrews - Better by Far!

Bible Study Lesson: Hebrews 5:1-10 Jesus - The Perfect Priest & King!

by I Gordon

We are in Hebrews 5 today looking at verses 1-10 and, unsurprisingly,  this passage carries on directly from the last verses in chapter 4. Here are the closing verses from the preceding chapter:

Heb 4:14-16  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  (15)  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.  (16)  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Now if you were Jewish and read those verses, what would you think? You'd probably think 'hey, wait a minute... wait just a minute buddy... I know what tribe Jesus was from and it wasn't from the priestly tribe. He wasn't a Levite so how can He be our High Priest?' The writer will answer that and more as He digs a little deeper concerning Christ as our High Priest.  So here is what we will explore today:

• Jesus' qualifications in being our High Priest - even when He didn't qualify as a Levitical Priest!
• The path to priesthood through the agony of Gethsemane - what was the 'the oil press' that Jesus went through in the prelude to the cross? And what was the 'the cup' that Jesus asked to be taken from Him, if possible?
• Application - Jesus learned obedience from what He suffered. What does that mean for us?

The Old Testament High Priest

Heb 5:1-4  Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.  (2)  He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.  (3)  This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.  (4)  No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.

The writer of Hebrews begins by reminding his readers of the selection of the High Priest in the Old Testament. David Guzik writes:

"The priesthood itself came through Aaron, the brother of Moses, of the family of Kohath.  Aaron's family and their descendants made up the priests and the high priest, those able to serve in the tabernacle itself and to offer sacrifice to God.  The high priest was generally the eldest son of Aaron, except if they disqualified themselves like Nadab and Abihu (Lev_10:1-3) or according to the regulations of Leviticus 21.  In this sense, the priesthood was not popularly elected, but chosen by God, not appointed by man."
David Guzik

The High Priest was a mediator between God and man. He represented man before God. As such he first had to understand their own weakness and through that have compassion for his people. God made it very clear to them that they were always to remember the people by getting them to wear the names of the 12 tribes of Israel upon their ephod:

Exo 28:9-12  Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel  (10)  in the order of their birth--six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other.  (11)  Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings  (12)  and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.

Exo 28:29  Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD.

Thus we see that the High Priest bore the names of the tribes of Israel upon his shoulder (as he upheld and carried them before God) and over his heart (as the place of affection). So the role of the High Priest was as follows: 

• He represented the people before God - He interceded on behalf of the nation and wore sacred garments symbolizing the 12 tribes of Israel, so they were always before him.
• He offered sacrifices for sins - This including his own sin and also the people’s, often using animals.
• He maintained purity and holiness - He was required to follow strict laws and rituals to be ceremonially clean.
• He oversaw temple worship and rituals - He ensured proper religious observance.
• He entered the Holy of Holies once a year - On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), to sprinkle blood for the forgiveness of sins (Leviticus 16).

Therefore a priest is: (1) taken from among men; (2) ordained for men (on behalf of men); and (3) goes to God for men. We can now draw a distinction between a priest and a prophet. A priest goes from man to God; he represents man before God. A prophet comes from God to man with a message from God. Therefore the Old Testament priest did not tell men what God had to say—that was the ministry of the prophet. The priest's ministry was to represent man before God. Now in the present age our Lord Jesus Christ is the only priest. It is He who represents us before God.
J. Vernon McGee

And Hebrews tells us that they were to 'offer gifts and sacrifices for sins'. Not every sacrifice was for sin. Some, spoken here as 'gifts', were for thank offerings made to God. But this still all went through the Priests. Before the law anyone could offer a sacrifice or offering to God¹, but under the law this was made by the Priests on behalf of the people. And specially on the day of Atonement it was the role of the High Priest alone². 

Christ our High Priest & King

Heb 5:5-6  So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father. "  (6)  And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

Having established that the High Priest was in the line of Aaron, we now see that Christ was a High Priest, but of a different order. As I mentioned at the start, the 1st century Jewish mind would have said 'Jesus was of the line of Judah, the kingly line. So He couldn't be a High Priest.' Well if He was of the old order under the law He couldn't. But there was another order that predated that and that is the order of Melchizedek. 

To show this, the writer goes back to two passages mentioned in the first chapter - Psalm 2 and 110. Both show that God had someone in mind to be both king and priest. We've seen that these offices were separate under the Old Testament. The priests were Levites and the kings were to come from Judah. You couldn't be in both tribes and thus perform both roles. And yet there was a somewhat mysterious character in the Old Testament, before the Levitical priesthood was set up, that was both priest and king:

Gen 14:17-19  After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).  (18)  Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,  (19)  and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

Melchizedek means 'king of righteousness' and he was king of Salem. Salem was an early name for Jerusalem and means 'king of peace'. But we also read that he was a priest of the Most High God. Thushe was the perfect pointer to ultimate fulfillment of the One who was coming who would be both King and Priest. And of course, the prophets had also spoken of someone coming that would unite the roles of Priest and King. Zechariah told us:

Zec 6:12-13  Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD.  (13)  It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.'

Jesus is the Branch³. He is the fulfillment. He is the priest FOREVER, in the order of Melchizedek. We we look at Hebrews we see that Jesus is ministering, even today, in His role as High Priest:

• Perfect and sinless mediator: Unlike human priests, Jesus had no sin and could intercede purely (Hebrews 4:15)
• Sympathetic and accessible: Understands human weakness and offers grace and mercy (Hebrews 4:16)
• Eternal high priest: His priesthood is forever, in the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:17)
• Eternal Salvation: He is able 'to save forever those who draw near to God through Him' for He forever lives to make intercession for them as their High Priest (Heb 7:24-25)
• Entered the heavenly Holy of Holies: Not an earthly tabernacle, but God’s very presence (Hebrews 9:24).
• Offered Himself as the sacrifice: Gave His own life once for all, ending the need for repeated animal sacrifices (Hebrews 10:10–12).

The Agony of Gethsemane

Heb 5:7-10  During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. (8) Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered (9) and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (10) and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Now the first part of this message has been more theoretical showing how Jesus qualifies to be our High Priest. But this part shows what it actually cost Him. So what do we read? He gave up loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from, or better 'out of', death. The only time in His life where we know this happened was in the Garden of Gethsemane. This was an intense agony and struggle for Jesus, even to the point of sweating blood.   

Gethsemane means an 'oil press' and this was certainly a pressured time for Jesus. This 'garden' was an orchard with olive trees, in east Jerusalem just across the Kedron valley (Joh 18:1), at the foot of the Mount of Olives. It was here that Jesus went with his most trusted disciples, Peter, James and John, knowing that the time of His betrayal and crucifixion was at hand. We read:

Mat 26:37-40  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  (38)  Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."  (39)  Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."  (40)  Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter.

Luk 22:43-46  Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.  (44)  And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.  (45)  When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow,  (46)  and said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation."

You will note that Luke, who was a doctor (Col 4:14), also records that Jesus dropped sweats of blood at this time. This is a rare medical condition known as 'hematidrosis' where blood mixes with sweat and is excreted through the sweat glands. The most widely accepted cause is intense psychological stress and historical cases often involve individuals facing imminent death or severe trauma. That gives you an idea of what Jesus was experiencing at this time. 

And so we read in Hebrews that 'he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.' So was Jesus asking to be saved from death? Was 'death' itself the 'cup' that Jesus asked to be removed from Him? That wouldn't line up with why He came or what is said in John:

Joh 12:27-28  "Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour.  (28)  "Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came out of heaven: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."

Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest, in his expanded translation, renders Heb 5:7 'who in the days of His flesh, offered up special, definite petitions for that which He needed, and supplications, doing this with strong cryings and tears to the One who was able to be saving Him out from within death and was heard on account of His godly fear.' This is also how the Amplified Bible translates it saying 'with strong crying and tears to Him Who was [always] able to save Him [out] from death'. What they both show is that Heb 5:7 doesn't speak of Christ asking to be saved from death, but out of death. That is, He was asking for the resurrection. And He was answered as we saw in Psalm 102 earlier. Jesus' reply is seen in another Messianic Psalm, Psalm 16. This is specifically quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost (Acts 3:31) to be about Jesus and the resurrection. Read this portion again, realizing that this is not the Psalmist thoughts, but those of Jesus Himself! 

Psa 16:7-11  I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.  (8)  I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  (9)  Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,  (10)  because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.  (11)  You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

So what leaves a related question... what then was the 'cup' that Jesus asked, if possible, be removed from Him?

Learning Obedience

...Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered...

That is a very telling sentence! He learned obedience from the things He suffered. Yes, even Jesus did. That is not to say that He ever failed but He still had to learn what it was to trust and be proved in the most trying of circumstances. So that begs the question, how did Jesus suffer, even before the cross? We know that right from the beginning, Jesus was born into humble circumstances and His family had to flee very early on into Egypt because Herod was out to kill Him. It didn't get much better upon His return to Israel where His first sermon in the Synagogue was rejected and His fellow Jews wanted to kill Him! He was even misunderstood and not believed by His own brothers in His family. Yes, Jesus knew a lot of rejection. Throw in the temptation by Satan and the enemy constantly whipping up opposition through the religious leaders, Jesus knew a lot of conflict. And all of this was before the agony of Gethsemane, the betrayal of Judas and the falling away of even His closest disciples. Jesus knew what it was like to be alone. Yet not alone for His Father was with Him. We could speak also of the humiliation and mocking, leading to the pain of a crown of thorns placed on His head. Or the whipping to within an inch of His life. And all of this was before the absolute agony of the crucifixion. To be fair this is only touching the surface on how our Lord suffered.⁴ 

Application - Our Spiritual Growth

Now, as an application, let me ask the question - if the Son walked in this path, can we just expect fields of flowers and sunny days? This is the path we all take, as much as we would like to avoid it. Our suffering will not be on the same scale as the Lord Jesus (though some are called to die for Him!), but suffering is still a path through which we walk in this life and is used by God for our eternal good. I like what Charles Spurgeon said:

"He was always obedient, but he had to learn experimentally what obedience meant, and he could not learn it by the things which he did; he had to learn it “by the things which he suffered;” and I believe that there are some of the most sanctified children of God who have been made so, by his grace, through the things which they have suffered. We may not all suffer alike, we may not all need the same kind of suffering; but I question whether any of us can truly learn obedience except by the things which we suffer."
Charles Spurgeon

There are several verses that come to mind that show the 'blessing' of trials, difficulties and suffering.

Job 23:10  “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” 

Psalm 119:71  “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.”

Romans 5:3–4  “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” 

Hebrews 12:11  “No discipline seems pleasant at the time... but later it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.”

No when passing through such a time, always remember the following good words from C.H.M:

“Never interpret God’s love by your circumstances; but always interpret your circumstances by His love."
C. H. Mackintosh

Conclusion 

So we have seen that Jesus qualifies to be our High Priest, forever, based on a different order to that seen under the law of Moses. This order predates the law of Moses and is the order of Melchizedek. But to qualify He had to live a perfect sinless life and this even in the midst of untold suffering! He learnt obedience through what He suffered. We saw that this was especially prevalent at Gethsemane, the 'oil press', where Jesus was pressed to the point of sweating blood. It was there that He foresaw what it meant to drink from the cup that the Father had for Him. And we saw that this meant experiencing the wrath of God upon the cross as He took our sin and became sin for our sake. 

What a Savior aye? Imagine the praise in Heaven when the body of Christ is all together, in unity, around the throne of this incredible God-man!

We'll carry on in the next message looking at the need to press on and grow up in our Christian faith, no longer being babes needing the milk of the word.    

God Bless!

FOOTNOTES