Aaron the First High Priest Hebrews 5:4

The Hebrew writer shared how the “high priest” was to intercede between God and man with both “gifts and sacrifices” for their sins. However, the “high priest” himself needed to be cleansed because he was flawed as well. When Jesus came and was “called” by God, He was without sin and became the “great high priest” for us, and in chapter five and verse four of Hebrews we see how “Aaron” was the first “high priest” who was “called of God” where we read:

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

The verse begins, “And no man takes this honor unto himself, ...” The writer began with the words, “And no man takes” which means “no person lays hold of, takes up or carries away” “this honor” or “valuing, deference and reverence” “unto himself” which refers to “unto their own self”. No one was able to call themselves to the honor of the “high priest”.

The verse continues, “ ...but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” The writer added the word, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be stated takes precedence over what was just written “moreover, nevertheless and nonetheless” “he that is called” or “uttered in a loud voice, saluted or named” “of God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “as was Aaron” which means “light-bringer” and was “the brother of Moses and the first high priest of Israel and the head of the whole priestly order”. It is God who chose whom the “high priest” should be, and His first selection was “Aaron” who was Moses' brother and over all the priesthood.

When we think through these words in Hebrews, we see what an honor it was to be chosen as the “high priest”. This was not randomly selected, but was a choice of God Himself who chose Aaron as His first one. God also chose Jesus to be the “high priest” over all mankind, and when we recognize His choice as the first and only valid one, we would be foolish not to be in submission under Him. Jesus, is our perfect and “great high priest” who was chosen by God to be the Savior and Lord over all.

Next time we see the writer share how “Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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