Charles Ellicott Commentary Hebrews 5:2

"who can bear gently with the ignorant and erring, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity;" — Hebrews 5:2 (ASV)

Who can have compassion.—Rather, as one who can deal gently with (or, more strictly, feel gently towards) the ignorant and erring, because ... Either apathy or undue severity in regard to transgression would disqualify this representative of men to God.

It cannot be said that sin is mildly designated here, since the words so closely resemble those that occur in Hebrews 3:10. Still, the language is so chosen as to exclude sinning “with a high hand.”