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The High Priest is greater than Aaron (5:1-10)High priests are intermediaries between God and man. Therefore a high priest must be able to relate both to God and man (5:1). The High Priests under Aaron were able to relate to humans, but were unable to relate to God because they were “beset with weakness” (5:2). Therefore the priests had to offer sacrifices for themselves before they could offer sacrifices for the people (5:3) Under the Aaronic priesthood, God called the man to the priesthood (5:4). Christ also was called by God, not seeking out his own glory (5:5-6). Furthermore, Jesus took on flesh and offered himself as the sacrifice (5:7). Taking on of flesh was necessary so as to relate to humanity. His perfect obedience, exhibited through his suffering, allowed him to relate to God (5:8-9). Jesus is therefore a better High Priest than anyone in the Aaronic priesthood, for he could relate to humanity, having taken on flesh, and relate to God, having demonstrated his righteousness through perfect obedience to God. [Next:Parenthetical Exhortation: Press on to Maturity]
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