In this chapter the subject of priesthood is continued. It is well to remark that the opening verses, which speak of the High Priest being compassed with infirmity do not refer to Christ, but to what is characteristic of High Priests taken from among men in general. Some have fallen into false doctrine by making Christ the subject here.
Now, under the Jewish economy, a man did not take the position of High Priest unless he was called of God, as was Aaron. The call of God was therefore necessary in order to hold the office. Two things are then brought out respecting the priesthood of Christ. First, as to His person, He is the Son; and second, as to His office, He is called of God to be a priest. For the first, the inspired writer quotes Psalm 2, "Thou art My Son, today have I begotten Thee"; and for the second, he quotes Psalm 110, where He is saluted of God as High Priest, "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec." The priesthood of Christ is after the analogy of Aaron, but it is after the order of Melchisedec: and there are many remarkable points of contrast between the two orders, to which we hope to refer when considering chapter 7.
Verse 7 is one which we need to approach in a spirit of reverence and with hearts deeply sensible of what we owe to the divine yet lowly Savior. What infinite grace, what divine love led Him—the eternal Son as He was—to become man in order that He might come near to us and feel for us, and above all in order that He might die for our sins! He is here looked at "in the days of His flesh" that is when down in this world as man. He then offered up "prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him out of death." This was in Gethsemane; where the whole weight of that which He was about to go through pressed upon His soul; and where, in perfect submission, He took all from the Father's hand. In all the truth of His humanity He felt what the cup was which He was about to drink—a cup of judgment against sin, the depths of which He alone could apprehend—and He felt it all perfectly. He was heard—heard in resurrection; heard on account of His piety. This latter could not be said of us, for we are heard for Christ's sake, but He was heard because of what He was in Himself. "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered" (Heb. 5:8). To Him the place of obedience was a new thing, for it was ever His to command: but now, having become man, He takes fully and loyally the place proper to man, and that is the place of obedience to the will of God. "And being made perfect..." As already remarked, Christ was, as to His own Person, always perfect, but what is before us here is perfection in reference to the office which He fills. Having done all, having completed His work on the cross, and being risen from the dead and glorified in heaven, He became the author or cause of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him. This word "eternal" characterizes the Epistle to the Hebrews, because this Epistle looks at the effects of Christ's work, in contrast with the temporal deliverance wrought for Israel: and inasmuch as He far surpassed all the types and shadows, so the efficacy of His sacrifice is of abiding and unchanging value.
From verse 11 to the end of chapter 6 is a parenthesis, in which the writer of the Epistle turns aside from his subject to deal with the condition of soul of those whom he addresses. This principle is important, because we never can really advance in divine things unless the heart and conscience are in exercise, and the practical life and conduct are in accordance with the Word. We may acquire a certain amount of knowledge intellectually, but unless there is a right state or condition of soul, it will not stand when a testing time comes. These Hebrews were dull of hearing, they ought to have been teachers, but they needed to be taught again the first principles of the oracles of God. Evidently, they had once been more advanced on the road, for they had become such as had need of milk. Now milk is that which is suitable for babes: strong meat for full-grown men, and they needed to be fed with milk.