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Hebrews 5:1. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed for men to serve God, Now Paul wants to show that the New Testament is much better than the Old. And first of all, he begins to compare the priesthood of the Old Testament priests with the priesthood of Christ and shows the great superiority of the latter. Meanwhile, since he encountered an obstacle in the fact that much that should belong to the priests did not belong to Christ - so, He did not come from the priestly tribe, was not a priest on earth, was not ordained by men and, simply to say, the image of His priesthood did not have any bodily expression, such as, for example, bells and tablets with commandments (which the Old Testament priests had) but everything spiritual, then he first lists what is common between Christ and the other high priests, and then shows the advantages of Christ over them. For then, in comparison, superiority really turns out to be, when in one thing He has in common, and in another He is superior. So, the fact that “he is chosen from among men” is something Christ has in common with the other high priests. For He, being a man, became a High Priest. Likewise, what is “provided for people to serve God,” that is, is a mediator, and this is common. to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins, He explained what it means to stand before God for people—this means, he says, to propitiate God for their sins. And this is what Christ has in common with others, although not entirely: for He sacrificed Himself, while those who sacrificed something else. How “gift” and “sacrifice” are distinguished according to the exact meaning, although in Scripture they are used indifferently, you will learn below. Hebrews 5:2. able to bear with the ignorant and deluded, That is, to bring into proportion, to have compassion, to be forgiving and to provide forgiveness to those who sin in ignorance. But see that ignorance and delusion produce every sin. For, although it seems that someone knows evil, but, darkened at the moment of activity, he suffers from ignorance and delusion, carried away by the charm of pleasure. because I myself am covered with infirmity, A simpler and, I think, more correct interpretation is that because the high priest has compassion for the ignorant, because he himself is “laden with weakness,” and having experienced the measure of human weakness in himself, he increases forgiveness. Some, however, understood that the only thing the high priest differs from the people in is that he forgives: since he himself is burdened with everything else and infirmity, on an equal basis with others. Hebrews 5:3. and therefore he must offer sacrifices for sins both for the people and for himself. All this is far from common between Christ and others, but in this He excels. For the Lord had no weakness, namely weakness to sin, and did not offer gifts and sacrifices for Himself, but for all people. Hebrews 5:4. And no one accepts this honor on his own, but called by God, Another distinctive feature of the high priest, also revealed in Christ, indicates that He did not confer the priesthood on His own, but that He was called from God and thus received it. Here he alludes to the Jewish high priests of that time, who sought rank by acquiring it through purchase and breaking the law. For Aaron, who was first called by God through Moses, thus became a priest without having appropriated this rank to himself. And again, when the rod blossomed, it was shown that it was sent by God; and then, when the fire consumed those who encroached on the priesthood (Num. 16–17). Hebrews 5:5. So Christ did not appropriate to Himself the glory of being a high priest, but He who said to Him: You are My Son, today I have begotten You; (Ps.2:7) Hebrews 5:6. as in another place he says: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Ps.109:4) That Christ said everywhere: I was sent from God and did not come from Himself (John 8:42), the same Paul points out now, namely, that He was sent from God, and did not glorify Himself, but “He who spoke to Him,” that is, He glorified Him. Take this into account in general. Therefore, since Aaron had many sensual signs that he was sent from God, as stated above, and Christ had nothing sensual, on the contrary, even more: His opponents and murderers at that time enjoyed great respect, they did everything and ruled over everything, then what is proven on the basis of prophecies shows that He was sent from God. It would seem that the prophecy of the second psalm does not agree with what is supposed. It is intended, without a doubt, to show from some passage of Scripture that Christ is the High Priest sent from God; Meanwhile, this testimony shows that He was born of the Father. And indeed, the fact that He was born of God is a preparation for His ordination from God. Then take into account what he said later in the hundred and ninth psalm: “from the womb before the morning star... Thy birth” (Ps. 109:3). Then a little later he added: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 109:4). Paul combined here what was said in both psalms about birth, as if saying the following: so that you do not think that it is said about someone else: “You are a priest forever,” but specifically about the One who was born “before the morning”, and this is none other than the One about whom in the second psalm it is said that he was born “today”: the expression before the morning means eternal; and also now means “from the beginning,” that is, from the Father. The second psalm obviously refers everything to Christ. Therefore it is said about Christ, “You are a priest forever.” Let the Jews say: who else was a priest according to the order of Melchizedek, besides Christ? Were not all under the law? Didn’t everyone keep the Sabbath and make sacrifices? So, it is quite obvious that this is said about Christ, for He alone sanctified the sacrifice with bread and wine, like Melchizedek. In what sense did he say “forever”? - in that even now, with the body that he offered for us before God and the Father, that is, he represents the very suffering for us as a great motivation, without words saying to the Father: for human nature, Your Son underwent this: have mercy on those for whom I condescended to suffer. Or: that the offering, which is made every day and has to be made through the servants of God, has as High Priest and Priest and Sacrifice the Lord Himself, who sanctifies Himself for us, is sacrificed and distributed. And every time this is done, the death of the Lord is proclaimed. Hebrews 5:7. He, in the days of His flesh, “The days of His flesh” denotes the time of His life in the flesh; this does not mean that He has now laid aside His flesh; in no case: for He has it, but incorruptible flesh and standing above its carnal and innocent passions - hunger, thirst, fatigue and the like. The apostle borrowed this place from David, who in the one hundred and fourteenth psalm says: “I will call on Him all my days” (Ps. 114:2). The apostle refers this entire psalm to Christ. with a strong cry and with tears he offered prayers and supplications to Him who was able to save Him from death; This is said about the flesh, because as God He does not need it. But let us assume that He prayed, but, without a doubt, not with a cry and not with tears, for this is not characteristic of God, but must indisputably attribute the One Christ to humanity in order, on the one hand, to show the truth of the perceived nature, and, on the other, at the same time, care for us, and show an excess of love. For He prayed for this for us, having accepted our nature, in order to suppress in Himself the fear of our nature before death. Then pay attention that nowhere in the Gospels is it written that He prayed for the resurrection, but on the contrary, He clearly spoke with authority: “Destroy this church, and... I will raise it up” (John 2:19), and: “I have power to receive My Soul again” (John 10:17–18). and was heard for His reverence; And this is because of the flesh and weakness of the hearers: for they did not yet have a proper understanding of Him. The thought here is the following: such was His reverence that the fact that He was heard was more a matter of His reverence than of the grace of God; and for this God honored Him and heeded His prayer, although, as the Son, He had natural boldness towards Him: so great was His reverence and worthy of respect. Therefore, do not lose heart, since you have the Lord, whom the Father listens to. So, whatever you ask Him, He will do for you: Christ Himself tells the disciples about this in the Gospel: “For My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28), and: “Whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you” (John 16:23). however, through suffering I learn obedience, He is accustomed, he says, to obey God the Father, having learned this through suffering. It seems simply incredible what is being said here. For how did He learn obedience through suffering, Who before His suffering was so obedient to the Father that He also accepted the suffering itself as a result of obedience? For, he says, “he was obedient even to death” (Phil. 2:8). So, understand that since they, as cowardly ones, turned out to be disobedient, he speaks humiliatingly about the Son of God, so that by such a state of Him he would convince them to obey and show obedience to the will of God, and so that they would not lose heart in misfortunes, but would expect help from above. For, he says, the Son, having endured suffering for obedience, was heard by the Father, and His soul was delivered from death. And from that time on, He constantly learned to obey God, since obedience has great power. So if He benefited from suffering, how much more can you benefit. You see how the Apostle Paul, for the benefit of his listeners, went so far as to seem to say something incongruous. But listen further. Hebrews 5:9. and, having completed, So, perfection is achieved through suffering. Why should you be indignant at the disasters that perfect you? became the author of eternal salvation for all who obey Him, That is, he not only saved himself, but also brought salvation to others: and not temporary, as in wars, but eternal. For whom? - “obedient to Him.” How are you disobedient and in danger of losing your salvation? You see that the apostle gave this entire speech this form due to the cowardice of the listeners. In addition, see the sublime here too. For, he says, he became the author of salvation, which is characteristic of God. For there is no other but God who is the author of such salvation. Hebrews 5:10. being named High Priest by God according to the order of Melchizedek. (Compare Ps.109:4) Since, he says, He suffered by sacrificing Himself, for this he was “named... High Priest.” Moreover, although He offered blood as a sacrifice, it was not according to the order of the Jewish high priests, but according to the order of Melchizedek. For just as he was not anointed by man, so was Christ, but by God, through the Spirit of One Essence. Just as that king did not make the sacrifices required by law, so did this one, in countless other ways. Hebrews 5:11. We should talk a lot about this; but it is difficult to interpret, because you have become unable to listen. Intending to speak about the privilege of the priesthood of Christ, he denounces his listeners in advance, pointing out that in their infancy he expressed such disparaging things about Christ and began to teach about the flesh of Christ. After all, if they were not weak, he would have long ago reminded them of something more sublime. Due to your weakness, he says, the teaching about how Christ is a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek is difficult to explain to you; and since you do not understand, therefore I cannot fully explain to you. Thus, he says to the Corinthians that he cannot talk with them about spiritual things, since there are disputes and disagreements in them (1 Cor. 3:3), which is why he calls them carnal. And since their ignorance came from sorrows, he calls them not carnal, but weak. By saying: “they have become,” he shows that they were once healthy, and then they became like that. Hebrews 5:12. For, judging by the times, you should have been teachers; Reproof connects with praise, saying that you should also be teachers for others. Here he shows that they believed long ago and heard about the sacraments. Both are worthy of praise, if only they were not careless. Time, he says, makes you stronger, but you, having been delivered, wasted it in vain. but you must again be taught the first principles of the word of God, The doctrine of the humanity of Christ is called principles. For just as in external sciences one must first of all study writing, so here in the word of God one must first learn the teaching about the humanity of Christ, and become familiar with the teaching about His humble state; and then must begin the doctrine of Divinity, which requires a more perfect mind. Now, you understood quite clearly from Paul himself why he talks about lowly things, and rarely talks about anything sublime: and by this he makes condescension to the weakness of his listeners. So, this message is filled with thoughts of the humiliated. If there is a sublime teaching in it, then it is brief. and you need milk, not solid food. He didn’t say that you had a need *, but “quickly” (“became like this”), that is, you yourself brought yourself to such a state ** by voluntarily becoming like this. “Milk” he calls the simplified teaching both here and in the Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 3:2); by “solid food” he means a more perfect and sublime teaching. Therefore, he says, now we should not bring in what was under the law, and should not make comparisons with those priests of the incomparable Christ, or: both in the sense that He is the High Priest, and in the fact that He made a sacrifice, and in the fact that He prayed with a cry and kneeling, however, since you feed on this, I offer this too. Note that what is now inconvenient for us fed them then, and that the word of God is true food. Hebrews 5:13. Everyone who is fed on milk is ignorant of the word of righteousness, because he is a child; Here he calls “truth” or a completely correct way of life, as if saying that the “ignorant” is not skilled in the highest wisdom and cannot lead a higher life; Christ also demanded this, saying: “unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees” (Matthew 5:20). Or, he calls Christ Himself the truth, saying this: the one who is involved in their debased teaching about the flesh does not accept the sublime and worthy teaching of Christ, since he is a “baby” and is not capable of accepting it. Hebrews 5:14. Solid food is characteristic of the perfect, That is, sublime dogmas about the Divinity of Christ. You see that there is another infancy - thoughts that the elders also have; and there is perfection, which nothing prevents even young men from having. whose senses are trained by skill to distinguish between good and evil. He calls a skill the perfection and firmness of the way of thinking of moral life. He who is firm in his way of thinking and in life also has feelings of the soul, accustomed through exercise in the Divine Scriptures to the difference, on the one hand, between sublime and low teachings, and on the other, sound and perverted. He is not talking about life here: for everyone distinguishes it and knows that evil is bad, and virtue is good. You see that training, exercise, and experience in the Scriptures are necessary if we are to discern what is heretical and what is not; and not just listen to everything. For the larynx eats food, and the soul experiences teachings (cf. Job 12:11). that is, you need milk for natural reasons - Approx. ed. i.e. you need milk again because you couldn’t (forgot how) to take solid food, - Approx. ed. You might be interested in: