Charles Spurgeon Commentary Hebrews 5

For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

The high priest of old was "taken from among men." Aaron was chosen, and then his son; an angel might have been sent to perform Aaron's duty, but it was not so. And, glory be to our blessed Lord and Master, he is "One chosen out of the people," "taken from among men."

Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

Christ was not encompassed by sinful infirmity, but he was encompassed by sorrowful infirmity. His were true infirmities or weaknesses; there was no evil about him, but still he had the infirmity of misery, and he had it even to a greater extent than we have. The high priest of old was a man like those for whom he stood as a representative, and our great High Priest is like us, though without sin.

For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee.

What a comfort this is to us, that we have a High Priest, through whom we can come to God, who is full of compassion toward us, and who, though he had no sinful infirmity about him, was subject to the infirmities to which flesh is heir!

For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

Notice that the high priests were taken from among men, not from among angels. Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ did not take on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. The Jewish high priests were ordained for men; they acted on behalf of men, and they stood in the place of men. So the Lord Jesus Christ stood in the function, position, and substitutionary role of his people, so that he might offer to God for them two things: gifts—that is, such offerings as a Jew made when he presented fine flour, oil, and other bloodless offerings which were only intended for thanksgiving.

Christ offered thanksgiving to his Father, and that offering was a sweet savor to God. But besides those gifts, the priests offered sacrifices, and our Lord Jesus Christ did the same, for he was made a sin-offering for us, though he himself knew no sin.

Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way;

The marginal reading is, "Who can reasonably bear with the ignorant,"—that is, one who does not lose his temper even when they are very slow to learn what he teaches them. Having taught them nineteen times, and finding that they do not understand or remember the lesson, he is ready to teach them the twentieth time; he is one who will give them line upon line, and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, because he has compassion on the ignorant.

Then there were others who tried the high priest even far more than the ignorant did; they were those who erred from the right path, those who went out of the way, and who continued to do so even after many warnings and much earnest exhortation. The true priest must have patience with people of this sort.

For that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

So all the high priests under the law were. They had to confess their own ignorance, they had to admit their own errors and wanderings, and therefore they could the more readily have patience with others.

Our Lord Jesus Christ had neither ignorance nor sin of His own, but He has become so completely one with His people, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, that He can have compassion upon us, ignorant and out of the way as we may be.

Are you distressed, my brothers and sisters, because you feel your own ignorance? Do you mourn because you have gone astray?

You do not come to an angry Christ; you approach One who will be very gentle toward you. Come boldly to Him, then; confess your folly, and expect the pardon that He is waiting to bestow.