Hebrews Chapter 5 Part 2
God’s Priest-Son
Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; Heb 5:8
learned he obedience... Christ did not need to suffer in order to conquer or correct any disobedience In His deity (as the Son of God), He understood obedience completely. As the incarnate Lord, He humbled Himself to learn (Luke 2:52). He learned obedience for the same reasons He bore temptation: to confirm His humanity and experience its sufferings to the fullest.
Christ’s obedience was also necessary so that He could fulfill all righteousness (Mat. 3:15). And thus prove to be the perfect sacrifice to take the place of sinners (1Pet. 3:18). He was the perfectly righteous One, who righteousness would be imputed to sinners (Rom. 3:24-26).
We are told that it is better to obey than to sacrifice in (1Sam. 15:22):
“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams.”
Jesus told Paul that He would show him what great things he must suffer. We also must face suffering if it comes, and be victorious over it, if we are to reign with Jesus Christ. He is our Leader, and if He suffered, we may have to also.
2Tim. 2:12 “If we suffer, we shall also reign with [him]: if we deny [him], he also will deny us:”
We are taught that tribulation comes to bring patience.
Rom. 5:3 “And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;”
The whole experience just referred to was a form of education for Jesus before He served His suffering people. His unique relation to God notwithstanding (He was a Son), He had to experience the true meaning of obedience in terms of the suffering it entailed.
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Heb 5:9
being made perfect … Because of the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ and His perfect sacrifice for sin, He became the cause of salvation.
that obey him... True salvation evidences itself in obedience to Christ, from the initial obedience to the gospel command to repent and believe (Acts 5:32; Rom. 1:5; 2 Thes. 1:8; 1Pet. 1:2, 22; 4:17), to a life pattern of obedience to the Word (Rom. 6:16).
We know that Jesus is the only one who ever lived on this earth completely free from sin. He took our sin on His own body that we might take on His righteousness. He is our Salvation.
Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Just the name Jesus means Savior. He is the only way to heaven. (Rom. 10:9 tells us), if we believe in our heart and confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, we shall be saved. One more Scripture that says it all is (1 John):
1Jhn. 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”
Having done so, He was thereby made perfect for the role He would play as His people’s Captain and High Priest. That there is an element of mystery in all this need not be denied, but it is no greater than that found in Luke’s words: “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52). In a real sense not fully comprehensible, the Incarnation gave the already infinitely wise and perfect Son of God the experiential acquisition of knowledge about the human condition. Suffering thus became a reality that He tasted and from it He can sympathize deeply with His followers. (The Gr. has an interesting play on words in the verbs He learned [emathen] and He suffered [epathen].)
This is what the writer had in mind when he affirmed that He became the Source (aitios) of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. The salvation here referred to cannot be distinguished from that which is termed an inheritance (Heb. 1:14). It is also to be identified with the “eternal inheritance” mentioned in Heb. 9:15. It should not be confused with the acquisition of eternal life which is conditioned not on obedience but on faith (cf. John 3:16, etc.). Once again the writer had in mind final deliverance from and victory over all enemies and the consequent enjoyment of the “glory” of the many sons and daughters. This kind of salvation is explicitly contingent on obedience and indeed on an obedience modeled after that of Jesus who also suffered. It is thus closely related to the saying of the Lord in which He declared, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34-35).
Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Heb 5:10
Referring to (Psm. 110:4 a second time; verse 6), the writer mentions again the call of God to the priesthood (verse 4).
Melchizedec here and Melchisedec in the Old Testament is the same name. They are spelled differently because they were originally written in different languages. This Melchisedec has been a controversy for thousands of years. In the next few chapters here we will go into detail about this.
He appeared only one recorded time. His appearance was to the father of the believers [Abraham]. If we are the spiritual children of Abraham through faith, then we must believe the same thing he does. Amen! Amen.
He believed that Melchizedek was divinely appointed High Priest, because he paid tithes to him. He was not of the Levitical tribe, because the Scriptures say he had no father or mother. He was a High Priest forever. Melchizedek fed the same elements to Abraham that Jesus fed the disciples [bread and wine].
The most interesting thing of all to me is that he appeared to Abraham about 2000 years after the birth of Adam. Jesus Christ appeared as the Babe in a manger about 2000 years after this happening and He (Jesus), will appear again about 2000 years after this babe’s birth as King of kings and Lord of lords.
The High Priest has become the “Source” of this kind of salvation experience for those who are willing to live obediently. In describing Him this way, the author was chiefly thinking of all the resources that flow from Christ’s priestly activities that make a Christian’s life of obedience possible. Whatever one’s suffering, the High Priest understands it, sympathizes, and makes available the “mercy” and “grace” which are needed to endure it successfully. As the writer will later say, “He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them” (Heb. 7:25). With precisely this end in view Christ was designated by God to be High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Warning Against Apostasy
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. Heb 5:11
Of whom we... Of Christ we have many things to say which are difficult to make clear to you, not because they are mysteries, but because you are slow to grasp the doctrines delivered you. An alternate translation would be “of which” (meaning the relationship of Christ’s High-priesthood to that of Melchizedek). Logically and stylistically (verse 11), appears to introduce the entire section from (5:11 – 6:12). The same Greek verb “become” forms brackets around the section: “become dull” (verse 11), and “be sluggish” (6:12).
dull of hearing... Greek: nothros, dull (Heb. 5:11) and slothful (Heb. 6:12). It is not truth that is so complicated; the trouble is with men who take the wrong attitude due to religious background (Mat. 13:14-15; Acts 28:27). The Hebrew’s spiritual lethargy and slow response to gospel teaching prevented additional teaching at this time. This is a reminder that failure to appropriate the truth of the gospel produces stagnation in spiritual advancement and the inability to understand or assimilate additional teaching (John 16:12).
Such a situation exists also among the Gentiles who have received revelatory truth (natural or general revelation), from God in the creation (Rom. 1:18-20).
Rejection of that revelation results in a process of hardening (Rom. 1:21-32). The Hebrews had not only received the same general revelation, they had also received special revelation consisting of the Old Testament Scriptures (Rom 9:4), the Messiah Himself (Rom (9:5), and the teaching of the apostles (2:3-4).
Until the Hebrews obeyed the revelation they had received and obtained eternal salvation (verse 8), additional teaching about the Messiah’s Melchizedekan priesthood would be of no profit to them.
Jesus had said before, Seeing they will not see and hearing they will not hear. This seems so strange, but God does not want to win them to Him through their great intelligence, He wants them to believe in their heart. Even the disciples did not understand the meaning of the parables that Jesus spoke in, until Jesus explained them.
Remember this letter is written to the Hebrews. To understand the things of God, the Holy Spirit must reveal the meaning. Unless they could see it with their eyes, they would not believe. If you can see something, it takes no faith to believe. Faith is the opposite of fact.
Mat. 13:15 “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”
The third warning
The author had barely begun his consideration of the topic of the Melchizedek priesthood of Christ. But he felt constrained to pause for another warning section before proceeding further. This was due to the immaturity and sluggishness of his audience which made him wonder how much exposition they could digest. No doubt he hoped to arouse them to greater attentiveness to the truth he wished to unfold. But at the same time he wanted them to face squarely the danger of remaining where they were, since this could lead to tragic retrogression.
The Problem Of Immaturity
We have much to say about this, he began, referring to the subject of Jesus’ Melchizedek priesthood. As it turned out, his subsequent discussion was indeed lengthy (7:1-10:18) as well as deep. Accordingly he anticipated that it would be hard to explain because his readers were slow to learn.
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. Heb 5:12
For when for... You have been professed Christians long enough to be teachers, but because of your laziness and dullness in grasping truth, you must be taught a second time the first simple doctrines of Christ. You have not grown at all. You are still unweaned babes (1Co. 3:2; 1Pet. 2:2). Milk-feeding was a metaphor used by many writers, both sacred and profane, to express the first principles of religion and science. They applied sucking to learning; infant to every beginner; and meat to those who had learned the first principles of truth.
be teachers, ye... Every believer is to be a teacher (Col. 3:16; 1Pet. 3:15; Deut. 6:7; 2Tim. 3:15). If these Hebrews had really obeyed the gospel of Christ, they would have been passing that message on to others. The Jews were instructed in the law and prided themselves because they taught the law, but they had not really understood or appropriated its truths to themselves.
of the oracles... These are contained in the Old Testament Scripture, which had laid the foundation for the gospel and had been committed into the care of the Hebrews (Rom. 3:1-2). The ABC’s of the law tutored the Hebrews in order to lead them to faith in the Messiah (Gal. 3:23-24). They had also heard the New Testament gospel (2:2-4; 1Pet. 4:11).
The Hebrews had the Old Testament to guide them, but they did not truly understand what they were saying, and they turned down the Lord of glory. I will give a few verses of Scripture in Paul’s words on this.
1Cor. 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ.” “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able.” “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
They had been Christians a long time, he reminded them, so that by this time they ought to be teachers. Others who had been in the faith less time than they should be profiting from their instruction. Instead they needed someone to instruct them again in the basics.
In alluding to the elementary truths the writer employed an expression which could refer to the letters of the alphabet as they might be learned by a school child. “You seem to need your ABCs reviewed,” his rebuke suggested, but at the same time he had no intention of going over them (Heb. 6:1). What he apparently had mainly in view was their wavering state of mind in regard to the error that sought to lure them away from the faith. If they were being urged, whether by sectarians or others, to abandon their Christian profession, then clearly this called into question the fundamental truths they should have been firm in. The result was, to all appearances, you need milk, not solid food! But what he would shortly offer them would be solid food indeed, by which he evidently hoped to pull them dramatically forward in their Christian experience.
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. Heb 5:13
unskilful in the... Greek: apeiros, inexperienced. Only here. Two characteristics of babes:
1. Dull of hearing (Heb. 5:11)
2. Inexperienced in the Word (Heb. 5:13)
word of righteousness... This is the message about the righteousness of Christ which we have by faith (Rom. 3:21-22; 1Cor. 1:30; 2Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9; Tit. 3:5). The phrase is equivalent to the gospel of salvation by faith rather than works.
The secrets of life are in the Bible. That is the reason I am encouraging people to study the Bible. Notice these promptings from the Word.
1Cor. 14:20 “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.”
2Tim. 3:16 “All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
Eph. 4:14-15 “That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:”
The only way that we will not be deceived is by reading our Bible every day, pray the Holy Spirit reveal it to you, and try every spirit by that Word of God.
It is unsatisfactory to remain a baby in spiritual matters. This is true because a spiritual infant, living on milk… is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. The words “not acquainted” (apeiros) might be better rendered “inexperienced.” It is not so much that a spiritual “infant” lacks information — though at first he obviously does — but rather that he has not yet learned to put “the teaching about righteousness” to effective use.
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. Heb 5:14
of full age... Greek: teleios, one who has reached full maturity as to age or qualification, or by initiation (1Cor. 14:20). See, Phlp. 3:15. The same Greek root is also translated “maturity” (in 6:1), and is elsewhere translated “perfect” (7:11; 19:28; 9:9; 10:1, 14; 11:40; 12:23). It is used in Hebrews, including this text, as a synonym for salvation. In that sense, it refers to the completion which comes when one becomes a believer in Christ, rather than referring to a Christian who has become mature.
Two characteristics of adults:
1. Capable of instruction
2. Powers of discrimination
Jesus invited unbelieving Jews to the salvation perfection which came only through following Him in faith (Matt. 19:21). Paul wrote that those who had come to Christ by faith were thereby mature and able to receive the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 2:6).
Paul also declared that the apostles warned and taught everyone “that we may present every man complete in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:28).
their senses exercised... Greek: aistheterion, organs of sense, as the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, palate, fingers, and the nervous system in general. These organs properly exercised and employed give one immediate consciousness of sight, hearing, taste, smelling, and all feelings. There is something in the soul that corresponds with all these senses and through them the soul is blessed and perfected. The deeper, more “solid” truths about the priesthood of the Lord Jesus could only be given to those who knew Him as Savior. Athletic training and competition form the metaphor implied by this particular word (1Tim. 4:7-8).
exercised to discern... Greek: gumnazo, to train stripped of clothes, as in gymnastic exercises (Heb. 5:14; 12:11; 1Tim. 4:7; 2Pet. 2:14).
discern both good... Greek: diakrisis, to discriminate; the faculty of distinguishing; judgment (Heb. 5:14; Rom. 14:1; 2Cor. 12:10).
The person who has come to Christ for spiritual completion is then trained by the Word to discern truth from error and holy behavior from unholy (2Tim. 3:16-17).
The more you read and study the Word, the stronger you will become. This is the hour of great deception. We must not be deceived.
Mat. 24:24 “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
The only way to not be deceived is to stay in the Word of God.
1Jhn. 4:1-3 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:” “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”
So many are trying to say that Jesus was no more than a man when He walked on the earth. Do not believe that. He was God with us (Immanuel). He was God the Word, who took on the flesh of man to save us from an eternity in hell. He paid our debt to God when He shed His blood that we might live.
Such ability is exactly what is possessed by those who… have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. That kind of person can handle solid food.
Once more the writer betrayed his concern about his readers’ ability to reject the false ideas which confronted them. Had they been sufficiently mature they would be able to “distinguish” those ideas as “evil” over against the truths they should have known were “good.” But he feared that this capability was not yet really theirs, though he would make every effort to instill it in them.
