The Epistles to the Hebrews

Sess ion 6: Chr i st ’s Perfect ly Sympathet ic High Pr iesthood  57

The old office of high priest (Heb. 5.1) The solidarity of priest with the people (5.2-3) The humility of the high priest (5.4) The humility of Christ (5.5-6) The solidarity of Christ with the people (5.7-8) The new office of high priest (5.9-10)

1. The high priest is “taken from among the people.”

2. The high priest is “appointed on behalf of the people in things pertaining to God.”

3. The high priest is commissioned “to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.”

4. The high priest is called to “deal gently with the ignorant and misguided.”

a. This capacity is ingredient in the call of the priest.

b. This responsibility is able to be accomplished because “he himself also is beset with weakness.”

5. The high priest is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people and so also for himself because of their mutual neediness .

6. The high priest does not take this honor upon himself, but receives it as a result of the calling of God.

a. God’s initiative is critical.

b. The Aaronic priesthood is a clear illustration, 2 Chron. 26.18; Exod. 28.1ff)