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. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. (Hebrews 05:01-04, NKJV).
The book of Hebrews has already revealed that integral to Christ's superiority over everything is that He is our Great High Priest. Here in Chapter 5, we are given a fourteen verse expansion of this thought, providing more background, and ending with another exhortation and yet another dire warning.
These first four verses explain with succinct brilliance the purpose of the ancient Jewish priesthood, opening with an unusual statement that is, in fact, central to this book's emphasis on Christ.
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…
These words illustrate the need for the Savior, who has fulfilled the ultimate role of Priest, to have been a Man. The entire institution of the priesthood was established by God to foreshadow the coming of our Great High Priest. From inception to fruition, the ancient office of the Jewish High Priest pictured the Coming One who would be tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.
The One who would, by the sacrifice of His own body on the Cross, forever pay the price of man's iniquity. Jesus' shed blood did far more than temporarily cover sin for a day, or a year, as the prescribed animal sacrifices did. His death took away the sin of the world.
Christ was appointed by God, for men, to mediate between a holy and righteous God, and an evil and rebellious human race.
As the human high priest was required to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins, so Christ would be required to do the same, with the exception being that the human descendants of Aaron, Moses brother, had to do offer these repeatedly. In contrast, Christ's gift of His own life on the Cross was sufficient to be a once-for-all offering, cleansing completely from all unrighteous those who believe.
This was possible only by God becoming a Man, to die on behalf of Man, as a Man.
It can only be appropriated on an individual basis, and only by faith, precisely mirroring all that was memorialized-in-advance by the centuries of daily and yearly Jewish animal offerings.
The writer of Hebrews here also emphasizes that the role of High Priest was an honor that no man takes…to himself, but is something that can only be fulfilled by someone who is called by God, just as Aaron was.
Aaron did not lobby or campaign for his position of religious and spiritual authority. It was not an office he sought or lusted after to obtain power or prestige. It was a solemn responsibility of sacrificial service bestowed upon him and his descendants by God Himself.
So too Christ was appointed by an oath from the Father, who swore that His Son would be a Priest forever.
This speaks too of the Son's perfect compliance with the will of the One who sent Him, so much so that Jesus was able to declare that He always did what pleased the Father, and all that He did pleased the Father.
It is by His perfect obedience that we are saved. It is imputed to us by faith, which is good news indeed, since we could never ascribe to such perfection ourselves.
One final point. By being human, Aaron (and his successors) could have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself [was] also subject to weakness. The Lord Christ's humanity is meant not only to be the perfect sacrifice, but also to show that Jesus' compassion for sinners was not abstract. His was a compassion born of personal experience as a Man, and should serve to allay any doubts that our Savior does not understand what we may be going through at any point in time.
Remember, He knows, as God and as Man, all that it means to be human. He grieved. He hungered. He required sleep. He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.
And He knows more than we ever will what it cost to save us.
