THEMES
Overarching Theme: Standing firm in the realities of a better covenant
Chapter Five Theme: Celebrating Jesus, our great high priest
BACKGROUND
Chapter 4 taught us more about entering into God’s rest, and began to say more about Jesus as our high priest. In this chapter the writer says more about the high priestly role of Jesus and once again stresses the importance of not falling away.
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Make sure you watch the video covering Hebrews 5 and have a Bible ready in front of you.
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Verses 1-6
Here the writer gives us an insight into the way high priests have functioned ever since the days of Aaron. Aspects mentioned include: appointment, representation and the offering of gifts and sacrifices. The gentleness of high priests is said to relate to their own weaknesses, which means that when making sin offerings they are doing it for themselves as well as for others. The comparison with Jesus starts with his appointment, citing Psalm 2:7 and Psalm 110:4.
Question
How do you think first century Jewish believers in Jesus would have responded to hearing that Psalms they had grown up with actually held statements about Jesus that sounded as if the psalmists were listening into conversions between God the Father and God the Son that had taken place in eternity?
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Verses 7-10
These verses emphasise the humanity of Jesus, especially with regard to Gethsemane. The expression ‘Son though he was’ in verse 8 is important. Nothing here takes away from his divinity. ‘Learned obedience’ and being ‘made perfect’ need to be seen in this light. They play a part in Jesus being designated ‘high priest in the order of Melchizedek’ but, as we shall see in Chapter 7, Melchizedek was unique and carried unusual characteristics.
Questions
How do you rate the ability of the Church to recognise the humanity of Jesus alongside his divinity?
What can we learn for our own prayer life from the way Jesus prayed at Gethsemane?
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Verses 11-14
The writer is concerned that those he is addressing have become apathetic. He expects them to have progressed to being teachers but concludes they make little effort to understand. He compares them to infants wanting milk rather than meat who consequently have failed to train themselves to discern good from evil.
Question
How do you assess your own progress in terms of tackling meatier concepts that might take you on to maturity?
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
The writer is taking us on a journey of understanding. Issues have already been introduced in these first five chapters yet need to be examined more rigorously. At the end of this chapter a challenge is laid down to prepare us for what is to come.
PRAYER & REFLECTION
You may have noticed that themes are beginning to flow from chapter to chapter, and that there are times when the chapter breaks interrupt lines of thought. You may like to find a time when you can read the whole letter to the Hebrews at one sitting. If this is difficult, do at least consider checking back as you read. It may be that a lead-in from the previous chapter will help to hold concepts together. It would be good, as you pray together, to focus on the grace to transition from spiritual milk to spiritual meat.
Father God
We thank you for the challenge to move on from spiritual milk to spiritual meat,
and thank you too for the challenge to become those who can teach others.
We not only want to be those who are able to discern good from evil,
but yearn to be those who can pray with passion as Jesus did.
When trials come to perfect our obedience,
we long to be known for our reverent submission.
And we ask this in the name of the one
who is our example and inspiration,
Amen