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Todo sumo sacerdote é um homem escolhido para representar outras pessoas nas coisas referentes a Deus. Ele apresenta ofertas e sacrifícios pelos pecados e é capaz de tratar com bondade os ignorantes e os que se desviam, pois está sujeito às mesmas fraquezas. É por isso que precisa oferecer sacrifícios pelos próprios pecados, bem como pelos pecados do povo.

Ninguém assume essa posição de honra por si só. Ele deve ser chamado por Deus, como aconteceu com Arão. Por isso Cristo não tomou para si a honra de ser Sumo Sacerdote, mas foi Deus que lhe concedeu essa honra, dizendo:

“Você é meu Filho;
hoje eu o gerei”.[a]

E, em outra passagem, diz:

“Você é sacerdote para sempre,
segundo a ordem de Melquisedeque”.[b]

Enquanto Jesus esteve na terra, ofereceu orações e súplicas, em alta voz e com lágrimas, àquele que podia salvá-lo da morte, e suas orações foram ouvidas por causa de sua profunda devoção. Embora fosse Filho, aprendeu a obediência por meio de seu sofrimento. Com isso, foi capacitado para ser o Sumo Sacerdote perfeito e tornou-se a fonte de salvação eterna para todos que lhe obedecem. 10 E Deus o designou Sumo Sacerdote segundo a ordem de Melquisedeque.

Apelo ao crescimento espiritual

11 Há muito mais que gostaríamos de dizer a esse respeito, mas são coisas difíceis de explicar, sobretudo porque vocês se tornaram displicentes acerca do que ouvem. 12 A esta altura, já deveriam ensinar outras pessoas, e no entanto precisam que alguém lhes ensine novamente os conceitos mais básicos da palavra de Deus.[c] Ainda precisam de leite, e não podem ingerir alimento sólido. 13 Quem se alimenta de leite ainda é criança e não sabe o que é justo. 14 O alimento sólido é para os adultos que, pela prática constante, são capazes de distinguir entre certo e errado.

Footnotes

  1. 5.5 Ou hoje eu o revelo como meu Filho. Sl 2.7.
  2. 5.6 Sl 110.4.
  3. 5.12 Ou dos oráculos de Deus.

Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God,(A) to offer gifts and sacrifices(B) for sins.(C) He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray,(D) since he himself is subject to weakness.(E) This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.(F) And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.(G)

In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory(H) of becoming a high priest.(I) But God said(J) to him,

“You are my Son;
    today I have become your Father.”[a](K)

And he says in another place,

“You are a priest forever,
    in the order of Melchizedek.(L)[b](M)

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions(N) with fervent cries and tears(O) to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard(P) because of his reverent submission.(Q) Son(R) though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered(S) and, once made perfect,(T) he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest(U) in the order of Melchizedek.(V)

Warning Against Falling Away(W)

11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths(X) of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!(Y) 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,(Z) is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature,(AA) who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 5:5 Psalm 2:7
  2. Hebrews 5:6 Psalm 110:4

Remember what I said earlier about the role of the high priest, even the ones chosen by human beings? The job of every high priest is reconciliation: approaching God on behalf of others and offering Him gifts and sacrifices to repair the damage caused by our sins against God and each other. The high priest should have compassion for those who are ignorant of the faith and those who fall out of the faith because he also has wrestled with human weakness, and so the priest must offer sacrifices both for his sins and for those of the people. The office of high priest and the honor that goes along with it isn’t one that someone just takes. One must be set aside, called by God, just as God called Aaron, the brother of Moses.

In the same way, the Anointed One, our Liberating King, didn’t call Himself but was appointed to His priestly office by God, who said to Him,

You are My Son.
    Today I have become Your Father,[a]

and who also says elsewhere,

You are a priest forever—
    in the honored order of Melchizedek.[b]

Jesus is the Great High Priest because He serves as the ultimate mediator between God and humanity. In this role He serves as both the priest and the sacrifice that atones for sins once and for all. But we are still called to be priests for each other. These are not mutually exclusive ideas.

Whenever you share a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name or pray for someone, you’re a priest. You’re communicating the grace of God. There are times that we need a priest, too, right? If we are to be like Him, we must allow someone else to be a priest for us. There are problems so great and pains so deep and sins so intractable that we need a person of flesh and blood to join us in carrying our concerns to God.

When Jesus was on the earth, a man of flesh and blood, He offered up prayers and pleas, groans and tears to the One who could save Him from death. He was heard because He approached God with reverence. Although He was a Son, Jesus learned obedience through the things He suffered. And once He was perfected through that suffering He became the way of eternal salvation for all those who hear and follow Him, 10 for God appointed Him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

11 I have a lot more to say about this, but it may be hard for you to follow since you’ve become dull in your understanding. 12 By this time, you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet I feel like you want me to reteach you the most basic things that God wants you to know. It’s almost like you’re a baby again, coddled at your mother’s breast, nursing, not ready for solid food. 13 No one who lives on milk alone can know the ins and outs of what it means to be righteous and pursue justice; that’s because he is only a baby. 14 But solid food is for those who have come of age, for those who have learned through practice to distinguish good from evil.

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.