从人间选出来的大祭司,都是受委任代表人办理与上帝有关的事,为人的罪向上帝献上礼物和赎罪祭。 他能体谅那些无知和迷失的人,因为他自己也有人性的软弱。 所以,他不但要为众人的罪献祭,也要为自己的罪献祭。 没有人能自取这大祭司的尊荣,只有像亚伦一样蒙上帝呼召的人才可以做大祭司。

同样,基督也没有自取荣耀做大祭司,是上帝对祂说:

“你是我的儿子,
我今日成为你父亲。”

在圣经的另一处,上帝又说:

“你照麦基洗德的模式永远做祭司。”

基督在世为人的时候,曾经声泪俱下地祈求能救祂脱离死亡的上帝。祂因为敬虔而蒙了应允。 基督虽然是上帝的儿子,仍然从所受的苦难中学习了顺服。 祂既然达到了纯全的地步,就成了永恒救恩的源头,使所有顺服祂的人都得到拯救。 10 上帝照着麦基洗德的模式立祂做大祭司。

信徒要长进

11 关于这方面的事,我们还有很多话要说,但因为你们已经听不进去,很难向你们解释。 12 按你们学习的时间来算,你们本该做别人的老师了,可惜你们还需要别人向你们传授上帝话语的基本道理,成了不能吃干粮、只能吃奶的人。 13 因为只能吃奶的人还是婴孩,不熟习仁义的道理。 14 干粮是给成年人吃的,他们的心思历经锻炼,能够分辨善恶。

The Messiah, a High Priest

For every high priest taken from men is appointed in service[a] to God for the people, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he is also subject to weakness.(A) Because of this, he must make a sin offering for himself as well as for the people.(B) No one takes this honor on himself; instead, a person is called by God, just as Aaron was.(C) In the same way, the Messiah did not exalt Himself to become a high priest, but the One who said to Him, You are My Son; today I have become Your Father,(D)[b] also said in another passage, You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.(E)[c]

During His earthly life,[d] He offered prayers and appeals(F) with loud cries and tears(G) to the One who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. Though He was God’s Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered.(H) After He was perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him, 10 and He was declared by God a high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

The Problem of Immaturity

11 We have a great deal to say about this, and it’s difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand. 12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food.(I) 13 Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.(J)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 5:1 Lit things
  2. Hebrews 5:5 Ps 2:7
  3. Hebrews 5:6 Gn 14:18-20; Ps 110:4
  4. Hebrews 5:7 Lit In the days of His flesh

Chapter 5

Every high priest is taken from among men to represent them in their dealings with God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.[a] He is able to deal patiently with those who are ignorant and misguided, since he himself is subject to weakness. And as a result of this, he must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. Moreover, one does not assume this position of honor on his own initiative, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

Even Christ did not confer upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. Rather, he was appointed by the one who said to him:

“You are my Son;
    this day I have begotten you.”

And he says in another place:

“You are a priest forever,
    according to the order of Melchizedek.”

During the course of his earthly life, Jesus offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who had the power to save him from death, and he was heard because of his godly fear. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through his sufferings, and when he had been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10 and he was designated a high priest by God according to the order of Melchizedek.

Christ, the One True Priest[b]

Deepen the Christian Life.[c] We have much to say about this subject, but it is difficult to explain because you have been slow in learning. 12 By this time you should have been teachers, yet you still need to have someone explain to you the basic elements of God’s words.

You need milk, not solid food. 13 Anyone who lives on milk is still an infant and is ignorant of the word of righteousness. 14 But solid food is for adults whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish between good and evil.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 5:1 To offer gifts and sacrifices for sins: on the Day of Atonement (which the author is here envisioning), atonement was made for the sins of the Israelites (see Lev 16:34).
  2. Hebrews 5:11 This is the central part of the letter. Its themes center around a single great idea: Christ, “high priest of the good things that have come” (Heb 9:11), or “that are to come.” The vision starts with the past and with a reflection on all the religious situations already experienced, then leaves them and focuses on their fulfillment: the future of humanity with God, in and with Christ. Proofs are piled up to show that this new priesthood transcends all the ancient institutions, brings them to fulfillment, and renders them things of the past.

    11 
    The word “priest” is taken here in the sense used by the Old Testament and by religions of the time: the man of worship, the man who represents his brothers and sisters in ritual actions that will enable them to be purified and have access to the divinity. Jesus Christ appears as the only one who is the presence of the forgiveness of God, the one who gives access to God, the representative of all that humanity expects from God. Every other priesthood and all other sacrifices are only a sketch, sign, shadow, prefiguration, and expectation. They are now surpassed. The ancient words and hopes are evoked to say more than they could have suggested without the faith in Christ.

  3. Hebrews 5:11 The author warns his readers against regressing spiritually and morally. They must become “perfect”—what we would call “adults” or “mature.” That is, they must not be content with the rudiments of faith but must deepen their faith by reflection. Six basic teachings are enumerated and apostasy is condemned. Finally, a note of hope is given. A life marked by love cannot be insignificant; and this love has a concrete expression: the service of the saints (Heb 6:10), i.e., the sustenance of the poor of the Jerusalem community (see Rom 15:25-31; 2 Cor 8:4; 9:1-15).

For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.