HebreerbrevetKapitel 5

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For every high priest is taken from among men and appointed to act on behalf of men in the things pertaining to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is beset by weakness.

And for that reason he must offer sacrifices for sins — for the people, and for himself as well.

No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him: "You are my Son; today I have begotten you."

And elsewhere he says: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

In the days of his flesh he offered up prayers and pleas, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

Although he was the Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

And having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,

having been designated by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

We have much to say about him, but it is hard to explain, since you have grown dull of hearing.

By now you ought to be teachers, yet you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food.

For anyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness; he is still an infant.

But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.

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Kapitel 5

Main Theme: Jesus is appointed by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek, and readers are urged toward spiritual maturity.

Content: The chapter explains that a high priest is chosen from among people to represent them before God and offer sacrifices for sins. Jesus did not take this honor upon himself but was called by God and appointed as a priest in the order of Melchizedek. Through suffering, prayers with loud cries and tears, he learned obedience, became perfect, and thus became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. The author rebukes the readers for their spiritual immaturity—they still need milk instead of solid food.

Key Words/Images:

High Priest: One chosen from among people to represent them before God and offer sacrifices for sins.
Order of Melchizedek: The eternal priesthood to which Jesus belongs, in contrast to the Levitical priesthood.
Obedience through Suffering: Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered and thereby became perfect.
Milk and Solid Food: A picture of spiritual immaturity versus maturity—the ability to distinguish between good and evil.

Historisk kontext

Historical and Cultural Context for Hebrews 5

People

Aaron (v. 4) is cited as the example of a legitimate calling to the office of high priest. Aaron, Moses' brother, was consecrated as Israel's first high priest (Exodus 28–29). His descendants held exclusive rights to temple service. At the time Hebrews was written, the Aaronic priesthood was still active in Jerusalem, making the comparison with Christ highly relevant for its readers.

Melchizedek (vv. 6, 10) is introduced as a mysterious figure "according to the order of Melchizedek". He appears only twice in the Old Testament: narratively in Genesis 14:18–20 and prophetically in Psalm 110:4, described both as king of Salem and priest of God Most High. His dual role was unique, since Israelite law strictly separated kingship from priesthood. The author signals here a deeper exposition that will come in chapter 7.

Events and Customs

High Priestly Offerings (vv. 1–3) describe central aspects of the annual Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The high priest first had to offer sacrifices for his own sins before he could offer for the people (Leviticus 16:6, 11). This emphasized the priest's own weakness (ἀσθένεια). The practice of offering "gifts and sacrifices for sins" (δῶρά τε καὶ θυσίας ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν) refers to the extensive sacrificial system in the temple.

Calling to the Priesthood (v. 4) was strictly regulated in Judaism. No one could take this honor upon himself; one had to be of Aaronic descent and formally consecrated. In the first century, there were conflicts over priestly appointments, especially under Herodian and Roman rule, making the question of legitimate calling particularly urgent.

Key Terms

Μετριοπαθεῖν (metriopathein, v. 2) – "to show balanced compassion" – is a rare word describing the ability to deal with the ignorant and those who stray with measured sympathy, neither too indifferent nor too emotional. The term was important in Stoic philosophy, but here the author gives it a specifically priestly meaning.

Δεήσεις τε καὶ ἱκετηρίας (v. 7) – "prayers and supplications" – describes intense prayer. The word ἱκετηρία is derived from ἱκέτης (supplicant) and in classical Greek could refer to an olive branch wrapped with wool, carried by someone seeking protection. The description "with loud cries and tears" (μετὰ κραυγῆς ἰσχυρᾶς καὶ δακρύων) likely points to Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane.

Στοιχεῖα τῆς ἀρχῆς (v. 12) – "elementary principles" or "the basic teachings" – was a common term in Greek education for the alphabet or foundational doctrines. The metaphor of milk versus solid food (γάλα vs. στερεὰ τροφή) was known both in Jewish and Greco-Roman education to distinguish between beginners and those more advanced.

Τελείων (teleion, v. 14) – "the mature/perfect" – refers to spiritual maturity. The term resonated both in Jewish wisdom tradition and in Greek mystery religions, where it denoted those fully initiated.

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