Why Jesus Is Our Great High Priest

Here are my notes on Hebrews 5:

Chapter 5

V1-“taken from among men and appointed for men”-offers gifts and sacrifices
V2-Since priests are also “subject to weakness,” they can have compassion on those going astray—empathy
-they can say, ‘I know what you’re going through’
v4-This honor of being a priest is bestowed upon an individual by God Himself

~~These are the characteristics of priests in the established Levitical priesthood~~
~~They are meant to show some of the same characteristics of Jesus, our great High Priest~~

**This implicitly shows the full humanity of Jesus, our great High Priest**

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” - Heb. 4:15

This verse also came to mind: “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” – Heb. 7:25

-Make note of the phrase, “save to the uttermost” – this means fully and completely, without regard of any of our shortcomings – full, complete, comprehensive salvation from the entire scope of the curse

v5,6-Jesus’ call into the role of His great High Priesthood-full humanity-“Today I have begotten You” and full Godhood “A priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (who had neither beginning of days nor end of life, Heb. 7:3)

v7-10 – This is about Jesus’ experience on this earth, and how it has made Him the perfect High Priest (the perfect Mediator between Holy God and sinful man)

v7 – The days of His flesh-these are the times when He was subject to sufferings – It is because of these sufferings that He has been made (for lack of a better term) our perfect High Priest (see Luke 22:39-46 when Jesus, being in agony, prayed in Gethsemane. It was here that His sweat became as great drops of blood. It is this agony that allows Him to operate in the role of High Priest, being greatly compassionate toward us. Remember what it means to be compassionate; it means to ache for someone.)