從人間選出來的大祭司,都是受委任代表人辦理與上帝有關的事,為人的罪向上帝獻上禮物和贖罪祭。 他能體諒那些無知和迷失的人,因為他自己也有人性的軟弱。 所以,他不但要為眾人的罪獻祭,也要為自己的罪獻祭。 沒有人能自取這大祭司的尊榮,只有像亞倫一樣蒙上帝呼召的人才可以做大祭司。

同樣,基督也沒有自取榮耀做大祭司,是上帝對祂說:

「你是我的兒子,
我今日成為你父親。」

在聖經的另一處,上帝又說:

「你照麥基洗德的模式永遠做祭司。」

基督在世為人的時候,曾經聲淚俱下地祈求能救祂脫離死亡的上帝。祂因為敬虔而蒙了應允。 基督雖然是上帝的兒子,仍然從所受的苦難中學習了順服。 祂既然達到了純全的地步,就成了永恆救恩的源頭,使所有順服祂的人都得到拯救。 10 上帝照著麥基洗德的模式立祂做大祭司。

信徒要長進

11 關於這方面的事,我們還有很多話要說,但因為你們已經聽不進去,很難向你們解釋。 12 按你們學習的時間來算,你們本該做別人的老師了,可惜你們還需要別人向你們傳授上帝話語的基本道理,成了不能吃乾糧、只能吃奶的人。 13 因為只能吃奶的人還是嬰孩,不熟習仁義的道理。 14 乾糧是給成年人吃的,他們的心思歷經鍛煉,能夠分辨善惡。

The Perfect High Priest

For every high priest (A)taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in (B)things pertaining to God, in order to (C)offer both gifts and sacrifices (D)for sins; [a](E)he can deal gently with the (F)ignorant and (G)misguided, since he himself also is [b](H)clothed in weakness; and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices (I)for sins for himself, (J)as well as for the people. And (K)no one takes the honor for himself, but receives it when he is called by God, just (L)as Aaron also was.

So too Christ (M)did not glorify Himself in becoming a (N)high priest, but it was He who (O)said to Him,

(P)You are My Son,
Today I have fathered You”;

just as He also says in another passage,

(Q)You are a priest forever
According to (R)the order of Melchizedek.”

In the days of [c]His humanity, [d](S)He offered up both prayers and pleas with (T)loud crying and tears to the One (U)able to save Him [e]from death, and He [f]was heard because of His (V)devout behavior. Although He was (W)a Son, He learned (X)obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been (Y)perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him, 10 being designated by God as (Z)High Priest according to (AA)the order of Melchizedek.

11 Concerning [g]him we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become [h]poor listeners. 12 For though [i]by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you (AB)the [j](AC)elementary principles of the (AD)actual words of God, and you have come to need (AE)milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an (AF)infant. 14 But solid food is for (AG)the mature, who because of practice have their senses (AH)trained to (AI)distinguish between good and evil.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 5:2 Lit being able to
  2. Hebrews 5:2 I.e., weak by nature
  3. Hebrews 5:7 Lit His flesh
  4. Hebrews 5:7 Lit who having offered up
  5. Hebrews 5:7 Or out of
  6. Hebrews 5:7 Lit having been heard
  7. Hebrews 5:11 Lit whom; or which
  8. Hebrews 5:11 Lit sluggish in hearing
  9. Hebrews 5:12 Lit because of the time
  10. Hebrews 5:12 Lit elements of the beginning

For every high priest is taken from among the people[a] and appointed[b] to represent them before God,[c] to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal compassionately with those who are ignorant and erring, since he also is subject to weakness, and for this reason he is obligated to make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. And no one assumes this honor[d] on his own initiative,[e] but only when called to it by God,[f] as in fact Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming high priest, but the one who glorified him was God,[g] who said to him, “You are my Son! Today I have fathered you,”[h] as also in another place God[i] says, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”[j] During his earthly life[k] Christ[l] offered[m] both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered.[n] And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 and he was designated[o] by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.[p]

The Need to Move on to Maturity

11 On this topic we have much to say[q] and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish[r] in hearing. 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time,[s] you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances.[t] You have gone back to needing[u] milk, not[v] solid food. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 5:1 tn Grk “from among men,” but since the point in context is shared humanity (rather than shared maleness), the plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn) has been translated “people.”
  2. Hebrews 5:1 tn Grk “who is taken from among people is appointed.”
  3. Hebrews 5:1 tn Grk “appointed on behalf of people in reference to things relating to God.”
  4. Hebrews 5:4 sn Honor refers here to the honor of the high priesthood.
  5. Hebrews 5:4 tn Grk “by himself, on his own.”
  6. Hebrews 5:4 tn Grk “being called by God.”
  7. Hebrews 5:5 tn Grk “the one”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  8. Hebrews 5:5 tn Grk “I have begotten you”; see Heb 1:5.sn A quotation from Ps 2:7.
  9. Hebrews 5:6 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  10. Hebrews 5:6 sn A quotation from Ps 110:4.
  11. Hebrews 5:7 tn Grk “in the days of his flesh.”
  12. Hebrews 5:7 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  13. Hebrews 5:7 tn Grk “who…having offered,” continuing the description of Christ from Heb 5:5-6.
  14. Hebrews 5:8 sn There is a wordplay in the Greek text between the verbs “learned” (ἔμαθεν, emathen) and “suffered” (ἔπαθεν, epathen).
  15. Hebrews 5:10 tn Grk “having been designated,” continuing the thought of Heb 5:9.
  16. Hebrews 5:10 sn The phrase in the order of Melchizedek picks up the quotation from Ps 110:4 in Heb 5:6.
  17. Hebrews 5:11 tn Grk “concerning which the message for us is great.”
  18. Hebrews 5:11 tn Or “dull.”
  19. Hebrews 5:12 tn Grk “because of the time.”
  20. Hebrews 5:12 tn Grk “the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God.”
  21. Hebrews 5:12 tn Grk “you have come to have a need for.”
  22. Hebrews 5:12 tc ‡ Most texts, including some early and significant ones (א2 A B* D Ψ 0122 0278 1881 M sy Cl), have καί (kai, “and”) immediately preceding οὐ (ou, “not”), but other equally significant witnesses (P46 א* B2 C 33 81 1739 lat Or Did) lack the conjunction. As it was a natural tendency for scribes to add a coordinating conjunction, the καί appears to be a motivated reading. On balance, it is probably best to regard the shorter reading as authentic. NA28 has καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.