The Way - Day 152 (Hebrews 5)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Hebrews 5:1-14
The priesthood followed certain requirements - not just anyone could be a high priest. The writer details some of those conditions and then reveals how Jesus Christ was the ultimate High Priest. Verse 1 indicates that high priests are taken from men in order to do things which pertain to God. The high priest is able to "have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness." Because he is subject to weakness and sin, the sacrifices he offers for the sins of the people pertain to him also (5:3); in other words, the high priest is not perfect and needs the sacrifice along with his people. The high priesthood is not a ministry which he chooses, but one appointed to him by God; in fact, God the Father called Jesus Christ to become the High Priest for all mankind (5:4-5). Being a man, Jesus Christ was able to sympathize with the temptations man experienced, but being God He was able to become "the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." Men obey God initially when they repent of their sins and believe in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to take away sin; however, obedience is continually demonstrated in the life of a believer through following God's ways (5:9). The writer was worried about his readers' spiritual understanding in matters of the priesthood and even referred to them as "dull of hearing." The readers had received plenty of revelation from God such as the Old Testament scriptures, Jesus Christ, and the instruction of the apostles, but they failed to put it into practice. The author of Hebrews challenges his readers to move from spiritual immaturity to "have their senses exercised to discern good and evil." Our spiritual life was not meant to stagnate, but to grow and flourish. How is your spiritual maturity today? Are you a hearer but not a doer?

Dear God, may I not be just a hearer of Your word, but one who would respond and obey what I have learned.