Hebrews 5:1-14

Hebrews 5:1-3:

^5:1For every chief-priest being taken out-from men is constituted on behalf of men (regarding) the-things towards God in order that he may offer free-gifts and sacrifices on behalf of sins, ^.2being able to suffer-the-measure with the (people) unknowing and being caused-to-wander since also he is laid-around-with weakness ^.3and because-of it he owes-it – according as concerning the people thus also concerning himself – to offer concerning sins;

In truth, all/every high priest who is being taken/received originating from men (mankind) is constituted (caused to be placed, made to stand-down in the level or position) of being the high priest in the interests of men regarding the things towards God…

for the purpose and result that he may offer (bring, carry towards God)…
- free-gifts (presents voluntarily given to become dedicated to God and to be used for His service; the word translated "free-gifts" emphasizes the fact that these gifts are freely given, even though the actual gifts are valuable quality items; referencing the times prior to the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2 these pertain to the oblations without blood not necessarily killed) and
- sacrifices (the offerings which were killed shedding their blood in the place of the people)
on behalf of sins (all the people’s sins against God, their actions of missing the mark of what God said, swerving from God’s Word to them),

…being able to suffer-the-measure (the chief priest is capable, he has the ability to experience the standard, he has the able-power to be affected by the limits of the content, the measurement that is set) by/with the people collectively who are…

not knowing (who are personally unaware, ignorant) and
being caused to wander (to err, who do not stay in their rightful place, who are led astray by themselves or others, who wander like a planet is constantly moving around when viewed from the earth, unlike the stars which retain their position relative-to each other)

…since even emphatically he is laid around with weakness (the chief priest himself is caused to have lack of strength, infirmity lying in position about him, encompassing him) – and on account of weakness the chief-priest owes it (he must, he is obligated)…

according as concerning the people (as encompassing, encircling about the people)
in this manner also concerning himself

…to offer concerning sins (as verse 1).

[Reference: Leviticus chapters 4 and 5, 9:7, chapter 16; Numbers 15:28; Hebrews 2:17.]

[Note: the chief/high priest was the only priest who was permitted by God to offer sacrifice for the sins of all the people including himself and make atonement once a year entering into the Holy of Holies. Christ went into the true Holy of Holies being the chief-priest after he was raised from death and when he literally went into God’s presence (see Hebrews 4:14).]

Verses 4-10:

^.4and someone does not take the honor to himself but being called by God, according as-indeed also Aaron, ^.5thus also the Christ did not glorify himself to be-caused-to-become “chief-priest” but the (One) having uttered-forth towards him, “You are My son, I have begotten² you today,” ^.6according as also in a different (psalm) it says, “You are a priest into the age according to the arrangement of Melchisedek”;

^.7who – in the days of his flesh having offered with strong crying-out and tears both supplications and petitions towards the (One) being able to save him out-from death, and having been heard from the devoutness – ^.8even-indeed being (the) son learned the obedience from which-things he suffered, ^.9and having been made-complete he became (the) causer of eternal salvation to all the (people) obeying him ^.10having been designated by God “chief-priest” according to the arrangement of Melchisedek;

Someone does not actively take-hold of the honor (does not receive the estimation of value, the price deemed worthy) to/by himself – but on the contrary, the one who takes/receives the honor is the one who is being called by God (being invited by the power of God, from under the hand of God, God is the instrumental agent Who calls that person),

according as-indeed also Aaron (emphatically just as how Aaron was called by God),

…in this manner also the Christ did not glorify himself to be caused to become “chief-priest” (Christ did not give himself the importance, splendor, renown so as to make himself or to force God into making him the high priest)…

…but on the contrary, the One Who made him the chief-priest is the One Who spoke towards him,

“You (singular ‘you’ with emphasis) are My son,
- I have begotten and continue begotten you today (‘I’ with emphasis; I have brought you forth, I gave birth to you today and you remain My son),”
- [reference Psalm 2:7, a prophecy of God speaking to Jesus on the day of his resurrection when God raised him out-from death; also in Acts 13:33 and Hebrews 1:5, plus Romans 1:4]

…according as also in a different psalm it says (or: in a different place He says),

“You (singular ‘you’ with emphasis) are a priest continuing into the age (for the duration of life, lifetime, for/throughout the age, referring to the specific age that began when God resurrected him and that will not end because God caused His son to be ‘priest’ and the son will remain a priest) – what kind of priest? –
- according to the arrangement of Melchisedek,” (in accordance, conformity, and proportion to/with what is arranged in ordered sequence, the rank as in the military sense, the arranged class or group of Melchisedek)”
- [reference Psalm 110:4 and Genesis 14:18];

…who (Christ) –

during the days of his flesh (while he lived on earth with a physical body with soul/breath-life in it, just the same as every other human-being) with physically and inherently strong crying-out (outcry, shouting, wailing in pain or grief) and with tears he offered (as verse 1 above) both
- supplications (specific communications of prayer, making known the needful requests, beseeching regarding lack and thus having specific needs) and
- petitions (appeals imploring help and claiming inviolacy; taken from the word meaning an olive branch which was carried by the person approaching another seeking assistance and protection)
  - towards the One being able to save him out-from death (towards God Who is the One having the able-power, the capability to make him safe out from death, from being dead; this does not say ‘away from death’ but it says ‘out from death’ – Jesus knew that he would need to die and he prayed to God about it and his resurrection; refer to Matthew 26:36 and following to read about his death and how God resurrected him out from death)
and he was heard from the devoutness (he was listened to favorably by God Who granted his request by reason of his piety, his taking hold of the assignment God gave him in a manner that is well, and being circumspect to perform it, being careful to carry-out his Godly-duties, his obligations to his Father),

– even-indeed being the son (emphatically being God’s son) learned the obedience (he became informed of the obedience intellectually, knowledgeably and skillfully; he learned to hear what God says, to listen attentively to Him and then to carry-out what he hears, which includes believing what He says in order to do it correctly) by reason of the things which he suffered (experienced, was affected-by)…

…and…

having been made-complete (having been caused to reach and arrive at his ending-issue; God made him perfect causing him to arrive at his ultimate state of completeness)

…he became the causer of eternal salvation (he came to pass to be the one who is the cause, who is causative-of and responsible-for lifelong salvation, everlasting salvation, salvation that lasts throughout all durations of life, all ages) – to/for whom? – to/for all the people obeying him (listening-attentively to Christ and carrying-out what they hear him say) – why is this possible?...

having been designated by God “chief-priest” (he has been publicly addressed by God assigning him the name-of and denoting him being “high priest”)
- according to the arrangement of Melchisedek (refer to verse 6 above).

In verse 9, the Greek word aionios may be translated “eternal” or “agelong.” In this context the salvation being referred to will not end. It is eternal, agelong, lifelong, everlasting. It lasts throughout all durations of life, all ages from the time a person receives it. The word “salvation” means: the standing and state of being saved, safety from sins and their consequences, from destruction, being made-safe.

Each second and minute and hour and day and month and year that goes-by brings all holy-people, every Christian, nearer in time to the event of Christ's coming to gather us all together with him in the air. When we will be gathered together with Christ we will receive into full-manifestation the salvation that God has promised us in Christ Jesus. Currently we only have a token/deposit of it, which is the gift of holy spirit, to assure us that we will definitely receive the fullness of our salvation at a future time.

[Reference: Exodus 28:1-3; Numbers 3:10; I Chronicles 23:13; Psalm 2:7, 22:24, 110:4; Matthew 26:36 to 28:20; Luke 1:8, 13:32; Acts chapters 1 and 2, 3:13, 6:7, 13:2 and 33, 17:3, 20:24; Romans 1:4 and 5, 5:18 and 19, 6:17, 10:14-17, 15:18, 16:19 and 26; I Corinthians 15:45; II Corinthians 5:16 and 17, 10:5 and 6; Ephesians 6:5; Philippians 2:5-11, 3:12; II Thessalonians 1:8, 3:14; II Timothy 2:10; Hebrews 1:5, 2:9-12 and 18, 4:14, 6:20, 7:1, 11, 17 and 21, 12:28.]

Verses 11-14:

^.11concerning whom (there is) much word for us and (the word is) of-hard-interpretation to say since you became² sluggish-people to the things-heard, ^.12for even owing to be teachers because-of the time again you have need (for me) to teach you some rudiments of the beginning of the declared-words of God, and you became² having need of milk not solid nourishment, ^.13for every-person sharing of milk (is) untried of (the) word of righteousness for he is an infant, ^.14but the solid nourishment is of complete-people, the (complete-people) having – because-of the habit – the perceptions (in the state of) having been exercised² towards through-judgment of both beautiful and bad.

Concerning Christ there is much word (a big amount, a lot of it) for/to us and the word is of-hard-interpretation to say (it has a difficult explanation to lay out before you) – why? – since you became and continue to be sluggish-people to the things-heard (slow in movement or response to the things that have been spoken to you to be heard by you, you are lazy with regards to what you have heard, the heard reports).

In truth, with emphasis you are presently obligated to be teachers (instructors) on account of the chronological length of time – but again you have need (a necessity due to lack because of not having what you need for your use, your need is) for me to teach you…

some rudiments (some of the first little steps in a line or series, the base elements, like baby-steps, the basic or first principles of instruction)
of the beginning of the declared-words of God (pertaining-to the start, the original, the ruling first-placed uttered accounts of God’s inner thoughts, His spoken sentences as each being little or brief words, the collection of words originating from God that were spoken to us). See Hebrews 1:2, 2:3, 3:1, 14, and 15, 4:2, 7, 12, and 16.

And you became and continue to be in the state of having need of milk – not solid nourishment. Literally ‘solid nourishment’ means: firm, stable sustenance from food eaten to maintain physical life. Figuratively speaking the meaning is: you have become unable to eat and digest the solid nourishment of God's Word. You need the information regarding God and the Lord Jesus Christ to be in very-digestible milk, as an infant would need physical milk for healthy growth into maturity.

In truth, all/every person sharing (partaking) of milk is untried of (untested regarding, inexperienced in) the word of righteousness (justness, justice, the spoken account pertaining-to being and doing what is just/right from God's viewpoint) for that person is an infant.

An “infant” in this context figuratively refers to a person who walks-around (behaves) as a minor being under-age, who conducts himself immaturely, as a baby without the power of speech and so being childish without the power of adult/mature speech, as-opposed to those who are wise and understanding. Paul is using a figure of speech to emphasize the contrast in the behavior category between holy-people who conduct themselves as infants and those who conduct themselves as mature, complete people.

Again, we must recognize that this refers to the walk/behavior category, to being receptive to God’s Word communicated either via what has already been written, or God’s words told to them by another holy-person, or via their own holy spirit-life, or via whatever method God or the Lord Jesus Christ may communicate God’s intention. The truth regarding the holy spirit category is that all holy-people are complete spiritually (having reached and arrived at God's intended ending-issue available today for us). We are perfect by the ultimate arrival of the state of completeness available now because each holy-person has already received the gift of holy spirit; therefore we are spiritually complete and this truth cannot change in the spirit category.

Regarding the walk (behavior, conduct) category Paul writes: every person sharing of milk is untried of the word of righteousness for he is an infant – but the solid nourishment is of (belongs-to and is for) complete-people, emphatically and specifically the complete-people who have...

because-of the habit (on account of the habitual practice, the repeated mode of behavior that they have, the manner of continually conducting themselves),

…the perceptions in the state of being already exercised (their faculties of perceiving, their abilities to sense trained as a gymnast without any hindrance) and continuing in this exercised state – for what purpose? – towards through-judgment of both beautiful and bad.

A gymnast during Paul’s time was an athlete who took off his clothes because clothes would hinder him in the competition. The Greek word translated “through-judgment” is a judgment made through-and-through, thoroughly, a separating or differentiating decision, wholly distinguishing or discerning, judging the difference, the distinction.

The solid nourishment is of complete-people, the complete-people having – because-of the habit – the perceptions in the state of having been exercised and continuing exercised towards through-judgment pertaining to both…

beautiful (that-which has a manifested decorous, harmonious and acceptable goodness from God’s viewpoint, what is a beautiful thing evidencing the beauty of God and His Word) and
bad (that-which is contrary to God’s intention from God’s viewpoint, what is a bad thing evidencing badness).

[Reference: Acts 7:38; Romans 2:20, 3:2; I Corinthians 3:1 and 2, 12:10, 14:20; Ephesians 4:11-14; Philippians 1:9-11, 3:15; Colossians 1:28, 4:12; I Timothy 4:7; II Timothy 2:19; Hebrews 2:1-4, 4:2, 6:12; I Peter 4:11. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]

Hebrews Chapter 6