Hebrews 5:4

And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. NO MAN - of any family but Aaron's, according to the Mosaic law, can take the high priesthood. BUT HE THAT IS CALLED. So Delta. [But A B C 'Aleph (') omit ho (G3588): 'but when called.'] This verse is quoted by some to prove the need of an apostolic succession of ordination in the Christian ministry; but the reference here is to the sacerdotal priesthood, not the Christian ministry. The analogy in our Christian dispensation would warn ministers, seeing that God has separated them from the congregation of His people, to bring them near Himself, and to do the service of His house, and to minister (as He separated the Levites, Korah with his company), that, content with this, they should beware of assuming the sacrificial priesthood also, whic...

4._And no man, etc. _There is to be noticed in this verse partly a likeness and partly a difference. What makes an office lawful is the call of God; so that no one can rightly and orderly perform it without being made fit for it by God. Christ and Aaron had this in common, that God called them both; but they differed in this, that Christ succeeded by a new and different way and was made a perpetual priest. It is hence evident that Aaron’s priesthood was temporary, for it was to cease. We see the object of the Apostle; it was to defend the right of Christ’s priesthood; and he did this by showing that God was its author. But this would not have been sufficient, unless it was made evident that an end was to be put to the old in order that a room might be obtained for this. And this point he proves by directing our attention to the terms on which Aaron was appointed, for we are not to extend...

1-10 The High Priest must be a man, a partaker of our nature. This shows that man had sinned. For God would not suffer sinful man to come to him alone. But every one is welcome to God, that comes to him by this High Priest; and as we value acceptance with God, and pardon, we must apply by faith to this our great High Priest Christ Jesus, who can intercede for those that are out of the way of truth, duty, and happiness; one who has tenderness to lead them back from the by-paths of error, sin, and misery. Those only can expect assistance from God, and acceptance with him, and his presence and blessing on them and their services, that are called of God. This is applied to Christ. In the days of his flesh, Christ made himself subject to death: he hungered: he was a tempted, suffering, dying Jesus. Christ set an example, not only to pray, but to be fervent in prayer. How many dry prayers, ho...

Verse Hebrews 5:4. _THIS HONOUR_] τηντιμην undoubtedly signifies here _the_ _office_, which is one meaning of the word in the best Greek writers. It is here an _honourable office_, because the man is the high priest of God, and is appointed by God himself to that office. _BUT HE THAT IS CALLED OF GOD, AS_ was _Aaron._] God himself appointed the tribe and family out of which the high priest was to be taken, and Aaron and his sons were expressly chosen by God to fill the office of the high priesthood. As God alone had the right to appoint his own priest for the Jewish nation, and man had no authority here; so God alone could provide and appoint a high priest for the whole human race. Aaron was thus appointed for the Jewish people; Christ, for all mankind. Some make this "an argument for the uninterrupted succession of

AND NO MAN TAKETH THIS HONOR TO HIMSELF - No one has a right to enter on this office unless he has the qualifications which God has prescribed. There were fixed and definite laws in regard to the succession in the office of the high priest, and to the qualifications of him who should hold the office. BUT HE THAT IS CALLED OF GOD AS WAS AARON - Aaron was designated by name. It was necessary that his successors should have as clear evidence that they were called of God to the office, as though they had been mentioned by name. The manner in which the high priest was to succeed to the office was designated in the Law of Moses, but in the time of Paul these rules were little regarded. The office had become venal, and was conferred at pleasure by the Roman rulers. Still it was true that according to the Law, to which alone Paul here refers, no one might hold this office but he who had the qual...

EXPOSITION THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. The purpose of the first part of this chapter (Hebrews 5:1) is to corroborate the position arrived at in the conclusion of Hebrews 4:1., viz. that we _have _in Christ a true High Priest sufficient for all our needs. This is done by analyzing the conception of a high priest, and observing that Christ in all respects fulfils it. And thus the full exposition of Christ's heavenly priesthood above that of Aaron is prepared for. But this full exposition is still not entered on till after an exhortation (beginning at Hebrews 5:11), longer and more earnest than any former one, called for by the slownes

AND NO MAN TAKETH THIS HONOUR TO HIMSELF,.... That is, the honour of the priesthood: the office of the high priest was a very honourable one; it was a peculiar honour to Aaron, and his sons, to be separated unto it; their instalment into it was very grand and solemn; at that time they were anointed with oil, and clothed with glorious garments, and sacrifices were offered for them; they had an honourable maintenance assigned them, and a large retinue of priests and Levites to attend them; great respect and reverence were shown them: but their principal honour lay in the work they performed; in representing the whole body of the people; in offering gifts and sacrifices for them; in blessing them; and in the resolution of difficult cases brought unto them; in all which they were types of Christ, the high priest. Now no man might take this honourable office upon himself, or intrude himself i...

Hebrews 5:1. _For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:_ The high priest of old was «taken from among men.» Aaron was chosen, and then his son; an angel might have been sent to perform Aaron's duty, but it was not so. And, glory be to our blessed Lord and Master, he is «One chosen out of the people,» «taken from among men.» Hebrews 5:2. _Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity._ Christ was not compassed with sinful infirmity, but he was compassed with sorrowful infirmity. His were true infirmities or weaknesses; there was no evil about him, but still he had the infirmity of misery,

CHAPTER 5 _ 1. What the High Priest is and represents (Hebrews 5:1)_ 2. The fulfillment in Christ made High Priest (Hebrews 5:5) 3. The spiritual condition of the Hebrew-Christians (Hebrews 5:11) Hebrews 5:1 In developing the priesthood of Christ and showing how it excels the earthly priesthood and is more glorious than the priesthood of Judaism, the principles of priesthood of the levitical system are first stated. Upon this follows the comparison of the priesthood of Christ with that of Aaron. The transcendent priesthood of Christ is thus established by this contrast. These opening verses have nothing to

The writer now approaches his main argument, that Christ is our all-sufficient High Priest. But before considering in detail the nature of Christ's priestly ministry, he shows that He possesses in a supreme degree the two fundamental attributes of a High Priest. Since the duty of a High Priest is to act as mediator between God and man, he must, in the first place, be _Divinely appointed_ (Hebrews 5:1), not arrogating the office to himself, but selected by God as His representative. In the second place, he must be _taken from among men,_ and so be capable of a fellow-feeling with erring human nature (Hebrews 5:2). This second qualification is recognised in the Levitical law which requires him to offer sacrifice for himself as well as for the people ...