Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, was a priest of Midian. When he heard all that the Lord had done for him, he came to see Moses, and with him were Moses’ wife and two sons (Exodus 18:1-6). While they talked, Jethro advised Moses: “Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God, then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do” (Exodus 18:19-20). In essence, this was the normal function of the high priest (Hebrews 5:1). He was the people’s representative to God and God’s representative to the people.
From the beginning of creation to the time of Moses, worshipers of God brought their gifts before an altar dedicated to the Lord, and they offered their own sacrifices (cf. Genesis 4:3-4; 12:7; 13:4, 18; Job 1:5). Nevertheless, after the institution of the Old Covenant, the people could no longer legally offer their own gifts or sin offerings to the Lord. Rather, they had to bring them to the priest, i.e. one of the sons of Aaron. Only one of them or the high priest, himself, could offer gifts and sacrifices to the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:1-5; 21:5). When this statute was challenged by the leaders of Israel, who claimed it was a human decree, the Lord showed whom he had chosen to come into his Presence and perform the duties of the priest (Numbers 16:1-5, 16-33; 17:1-13; 18:1).
The credentials of every legitimate high priest were: first, he had to have a moderate emotion toward the sinner (Hebrews 5:2), and secondly, he had to have been called by God to take the responsibility of the office of priest (Hebrews 5:4). Having compassion (metriopatheo – G3356) in Hebrews 5:2 is not the same as “be touched with the feeling of” (sumpatheo – G4834) in Hebrews 4:15. Thayer defines metriopatheo (G3356) as:
- to be affected moderately or in due measure;
- to preserve moderation in the passions, especially anger or grief.
On the other hand, Thayer defines sumpatheo (G4834) found in Hebrews 4:15 as:
- to be affected with the same feeling as another, to sympathize with;
- to feel for, have compassion on (cf. Isaiah 53:5-7; 63:9; Scripture references mine).
So, Paul was telling his readers that the high priest at Jerusalem needed to be someone who was not given to wrath in judgment, but, rather, being in control of his emotions, was able to express kindness toward the sinner. The idea is that, although the sinner is sorrowful and repentant, he is also guilty. Therefore, the high priest needed to be sensitive to his sorrow, but recognize as well that he is to be blamed. Otherwise, he might be a representative of man but not of God, or he may represent God’s holiness but not man’s repentance. Paul’s words: “For he himself also is compassed with weaknesses” (Hebrews 5:2; MKJV), do not merely point to mankind’s physical frailty, but, rather, to his moral frailty. So, weakness (G769), here, points to sin, even in the high priest (Romans 3:23; 5:12). Another translation has it: “…because he also is clothed with infirmity” (Murdock; cf. Zechariah 3:3), and so the Talmud:
…thus did he (i.e. the high priest on the Day of Atonement) make confession: I have sinned, I have done wrong, I have transgressed before Thee, I and my house etc. Thus also does Scripture say in connection with David: We have sinned with our fathers, we have done wrong, we have dealt wickedly (Psalm 106:6). Thus also with Solomon: We have sinned, and have done wrong, we have dealt wickedly (1Kings 8:47). Thus also with Daniel: We have sinned, and have dealt wrong, and have done wickedly (Daniel 9:5). (Babylonian Talmud: Yoma, 36b].
Therefore, it was necessary for the high priest to treat the sinner with kindness although he was guilty before the Lord, because the high priest was also a sinner and needed the Lord to act in kindness toward him. Every year on the Day of Atonement he was to bring his own sin-offering into the Presence of the Lord in order to be accepted (Hebrews 5:3), and the word of God tells us that with the same measure we judge others, God would deal with us as well (Matthew 7:1-2; cf. Psalm 18:25-25).
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