Hebrews 5:1-14

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
​Series: Hebrews

Rusty's Notes

Review:

• Redemption Rest
• Canaan Rest
• Sabbath Rest

 
CHRIST, A HIGH PRIEST
HEBREWS 5
1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed in matters pertaining to God for the people, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

• Every high priest was taken from among men and served men.
• He served as a mediator between God and man.
• He ministered to the people.
• Exodus 28:1 – Priests were descendants of Aaron.

2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he is also clothed with weakness.

• He is sympathetic and gentle to the people because he has experienced life as they have.
• He knows he has the capability to make the same bad decisions.
• Our flesh wants to bust the chops of those sinning.
• Other people want me to control other people’s flesh.
• I have to teach Truth and trust the Spirit in them.

3 Because of this, he must make an offering for his own sins as well as for the people.

• The high priest made bad decisions as well as the people he was mediating for.
• On the Day of Atonement, he would offer a sacrifice for himself and then for others.

4 No one takes this honor on himself; instead, a person is called by God, just as Aaron was.

• You can’t appoint yourself as priest.
• God appointed each high priest.
• Priests were always descendants of Aaron. (Exodus 28:1)
• All priests were Levites.
• Today, you can basically ordain yourself via the internet.

5 In the same way, Christ did not exalt himself to become a high priest, but God who said to him,
You are my Son;
today I have become your Father, (Psalm 2:7)
6 also says in another place,
You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 110:4)

• Christ was appointed by God as high priest.
• Psalm 110:4 - The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back:
• “You are a priest forever
• according to the pattern of Melchizedek.”[1]
• Melchizedek’s priesthood is eternal.
• Aaronic priesthood was only temporary.
• Melchizedek’s priesthood never lapsed because of death.
• Jesus didn’t become priest until His sacrifice at the cross. He was a prophet… now a priest.

7 During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

• Referring to Christ’s night in Gethsemane.
• Jesus honored God for who He was.
• The author is reminding the Hebrew Christians they need to do the same… in reverence.
• Who is responsible for saving?

8 Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.

• This is the difference between walking by your flesh versus walking by your spirit.
• We suffer not only from our decisions to walk in the flesh but by others in the fallen world who do the same.
• A wise man will walk in obedience to the Spirit to avoid the pain & suffering of making bad decisions.

9 After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,

• Perfected as the sacrifice on the cross.
• All the sacrifices were to be spotless offerings.
• “source” – originates from Jesus, author, causes it to happen, a never ending well.
• “eternal” – Not temporary… can’t lose it.
• “obey” here is not directive to earn salvation but a byproduct of those who believe.
• If you have salvation in Christ, it would be natural for you to walk in obedience with the Spirit in you.
• Obey = You listen & walk (do)
• We are saved by faith… not works.

10 and he was declared by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

• Melchizedek’s priesthood is greater than Aaron’s because it is eternal rather than temporary.
• Don’t go back to Aaron’s priesthood ways in Leviticus or you will lose your life in 70 AD.

 
THE PROBLEM OF IMMATURITY
11 We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand.

• “this” or “him” – Melchizedek
• It wasn’t a concern to them obviously because they just went back to their old ways.
• It was easier for them… lazy.
• Their laziness was leading them to suffering and pain and even death.
• Don’t give up… keep processing.
• Their choice to sin was leading them to not pursue God.

12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food.

• We need to stay plugged in and motivated… focused.
• When we stop applying what we know… Financial Peace, diets, to do lists, etc. we forget what we know.

13 Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant.

• So every week we have to come back here and teach identity.
• What if you start teaching identity to those around you?
• What if the Church actually believed they were already made righteous?
• Ephesians 6:17 - and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.[2]
• ‎This sword is the offensive weapon God provides us. The sword is the Word of God.
• The believer saturates his mind with the Truths of God's Word, the Spirit brings to remembrance the specific verses needed to counter each of the enemy's schemes.

14 But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.[3]

• When we become spiritually mature we have the ability to choose right from wrong and excellent over good.
• We can see things from God’s perspective.
• Spiritual maturity allows us to overcome the evil one and his schemes.
• You have to know that you are already righteous.
• You have the ability to be victorious and not walk around defeated.

Dig deep into His Word.

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Ps 110:4). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Eph 6:17). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 5:1–14). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.