Christ’s High Priesthood—SUPERIOR TO AARON—Must be Man—mUST have been appointed by God—Their Low Spiritual Perceptions prevents Paul saying all he might on Christ’s Melchisedec-like Priesthood. Heb. 5:1-14.
It was in death that Christ fulfilled the Aaronic type, making a full and perfect atonement for the sins of His people. It is in resurrection that He assumed the character in which Melchizedek foreshadowed Him—a royal Priest. First He “offered up Himself” (Heb. 7:27), then He entered “into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:24); and there He is seated “a Priest upon His throne” (Zech. 6:13). Pink Arthur W.
1. 5:10, 6:29. Called of God. After the order of Melchisedek. Addressed by him, or greeted by him. The word here used does not mean that he was appointed by God, or “called” to the office, in the sense in which we often use the word, but simply that he was addressed as such. “The important fact that it was consequent upon His being officially “made perfect” and becoming “the Author of eternal salvation,” that Christ was saluted by God as “High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.” Because of the especial resemblance there was between what Melchizedek was and what Christ was to be, God called His priesthood Melchizedekecian” Dr. Owen. 2. 5:11-14. 11 we. 1Kg. 10:1, Jn. 6:6; 16:12, 2Pet. 3:16, ye are dull in hearing Is. 6:10, Mk. 8:17, 18, 21, Lk. 24:25. 12. for the time ye ought Mat. 17:17, Mk. 9:19, to be teachers. Ezr. 7:10, 1Cor. 14:19, Col. 3:16, one must teach you again Is. 28:9, 10, 13, Phi. 3:1, the first principles ch. 6:1 the oracles of God 2Sa. 16:23, Rom. 3:2, 1Pet. 4:11, Is. 55:1, 1Cor. 3:1–3, is unskilful, hath no experience in the word. Ps. 119:123, 2Tim. 3:16, he is a babe. Is. 28:9, Matt. 11:25, 1Cor. 13:11; 14:20, Ep. 4:14, 1Pet. 2:2. For when, for the time, you ought to be teachers… v. 12. “Hence learn, (a.) God takes notice of the time and helps we have for gaining scripture-knowledge. (b.) From those to whom much is given much is expected. (c.) Those who have a good understanding in the gospel should be teachers of other, if not in a public, yet in a private station. (d.) None should take upon them to be teachers of others, but those who have made a good improvement in spiritual knowledge themselves. You have need that one should teach you again, etc. Here note, (e.) In the oracles of God there are some first principles, plain to be understood and necessary to be learned. (f.) There are also deep and sublime mysteries, which those should search into who have learned the first principles, so that they may stand complete in the whole will of God. (g.) Some persons, instead of going forward in Christian knowledge, forget the very first principles that they had learned long ago; and indeed, those that are not improving under the means of grace will be losing. (h.) It is a sin and shame for persons that are men for their age and standing in the church to be children and babes in understanding. (i.) Those that are babes, unskillful in the word of righteousness, must be fed with milk; they must be entertained in the plainest manner; there must be line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little, Isa. 28:10. We should not always continue in that childish state.” M. Henry.
