The High Priest's Sins Hebrews 5:3

The Hebrew writer continued to share how “the high priest” was “ordained” as an intercessor to God on behalf of people, and by doing so, He “can have compassion on the ignorant” even though “he himself also is compassed with infirmity”. In chapter five and verse three of Hebrews we see how the “high priest” had to “offer for sins” on his own behalf where we read:

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

The verse begins, “And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people,...” The writer began with the words, “And by reason” which means “and through, on account of, because and since” “hereof” or “this same” “he ought” which means “he owes, is in debt for and has goodwill due”, “as for the people” which refers to “concerning, on account of and because of the tribes, nations and all those who are of the same stock and language”. The “high priest” was to concern himself with all people.

The verse goes on to say, “ ...so also for himself, to offer for sins.” The writer added, “so also for himself” which means “and, even and indeed for his own self”, “to offer” or “to bring, lead, bear and assail” “for sins” which means “because and on account of missing the mark, mistakes, wandering the path of uprightness and honor and wrong ”. In addition to “offering” sacrifices for the people's sins, the “high priest” also “offered” sacrifices for his own.

When we think through these words in Hebrews, we see the major difference between Jesus and every “high priest” who came before Him. Jesus was without sin, and therefore needed no sacrifice for His sin. The “high priest” was to offer “sacrifices” on behalf of the people every year on the “day of atonement”, and he did so, however, as part of the ceremony, he had to offer a sacrifice for his own sins first. Jesus never did, because He never sinned. This same Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins on the cross, and when we understand His superiority to the “high priests” among men, we should delight that He sacrificed Himself for us that we might live eternally with Him.

Next time the writer in sharing about the “high priest” tells how “no man takes this honor unto himself,”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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