Hebrews 5:2-8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hebrews 5:1-9

We have here an account of the nature of the priestly office in general, though with an accommodation to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are told, I. Of what kind of beings the high priest must be. He must be taken from among men; he must be a man, one of ourselves, bone of our bones, flesh of our flesh, and spirit of our spirits, a partaker of our nature, and a standard-bearer among ten thousand. This implies, 1. That man had sinned. 2. That God would not admit sinful man to come to him immediately... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Hebrews 5:1-10

5:1-10 Every high priest who is chosen from among men is appointed on men's behalf to deal with the things which concern God. His task is to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins, in that he himself is able to feel gently to the ignorant and to the wandering because he himself wears the garment of human weakness. By reason of this very weakness it is incumbent upon him, just as he makes sacrifice for the people, so to make sacrifice for sins on his own behalf also. No one takes this honourable... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 5:2

Who can have compassion on the ignorant ,.... Who have committed sins of ignorance, and bring their sacrifices for them; these he does not insult and upbraid, nor break out into anger and indignation against; but pities them, and sympathizes with them; has a just measure of compassion suitable to their condition, and bears with them with great moderation and temper: and on them that are out of the way ; of God's commandments; who are like sheep going astray, and turn to their own way;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 5:3

And by reason hereof ,.... Because of his sinful infirmity: he ought, as for the people, so also for himself to offer for sins ; as he offered sacrifice for the sins of the people, so he was obliged to offer for his own sins; in this Christ differed from the high priest, for he had no sin of his own to offer for, Hebrews 7:27 but he had, and therefore offered for them, Leviticus 16:11 and made a confession of them: the form of which, as used on the day of atonement, was this; "he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 5:4

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;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 5:5

So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest ,.... It was a glorifying of Christ, to make him an high priest; not as God, for as such no addition can be made to his glory; yea, it was a condescension in him to become a priest: but as man; it was an honour to the human nature to be united to the Son of God; and to be separated from others to this office; and to be called unto it, qualified for it, and invested with it; and to be of the order he was, and to do the work; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 5:6

As he saith also in another place ,.... Or psalm; namely, in Psalm 110:4 that is, the same person, even God the Father; who spake the words before cited, also expressed the following: thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec ; that the psalm, from whence these words are taken, belongs to the Messiah; see Gill on Matthew 22:44 and this very passage is applied unto him by the Jewish writers F3 Moses Hadarsan apud Galatin. l. 10. c. 6. Abot R. Nathan, c. 34. ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 5:7

Who in the days of his flesh ,.... Or "of his humanity", as the Arabic version renders it; or "when he was clothed with flesh", as the Syriac version; in the time of his humiliation, when he was attended with the sinless infirmities of the flesh, or human nature; it may take in the whole course of his life on earth, especially the latter part of it: it is not to be concluded from hence, that he has not flesh now, or is not in the flesh; for it is certain that he had flesh after his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hebrews 5:8

Though he were a Son ,.... The Son of God, as the Vulgate Latin version reads; not by creation, nor by adoption, nor by office, but by nature, being the only begotten of the Father, having the same nature and perfections with him: yet learned he obedience ; not to his parents, or civil magistrates, though that is true; nor merely to the precepts of the law, which he did; but unto death: through sufferings he became obedient to death, even the death of the cross: and this he learnt; not... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 5:2

Who can have compassion on the ignorant - The word μετριοπαθειν , signifies, not merely to have compassion, but to act with moderation, and to bear with each in proportion to his ignorance, weakness, and untoward circumstances, all taken into consideration with the offenses he has committed: in a word, to pity, feel for, and excuse, as far as possible; and, when the provocation is at the highest, to moderate one's passion towards the culprit, and be ready to pardon; and when punishment... read more

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