September 15, 2017: Day 26 – Hebrews 5

I hate to give you another Scripture to go to before we look at this verse, but jump to Colossians 1:28.  I understand the goal of church is to make sure we may present everyone mature in Christ.  As a result our responsibility begins anytime we have a point of contact with a person.  Once we have a point of contact with that person the clock starts.  We should see it as our responsibility to give that person every opportunity to become mature in Jesus Christ.  It connects to these verses in Hebrews 5 when Paul speaks about only being able to give the community to whom he is writing milk as opposed to solid food.  He says in verse 14 (I guess we are working backwards) that solid food is for the mature, and those reading this letter were still infants.

The author does go back and speak to the imagery of the high priest and their role and how Jesus is a perfect example of a high priest.  But then he brings in this guy names Melchizedek.  The literal translation of Melchizedek is “Melek” which means king and “tzedek” which means righteousness.  Jesus is the high priest after the order of the king of righteousness.  Who is this king?  Melchizedek is mentioned in Psalm 110 as a prototype to the coming Messiah.  He is also mentioned in Genesis 14 as the priest who comes and blesses Abram after battle.  You can find that in Genesis 14:18-20.  There is a less direct correlation to what the author in Hebrews is speaking about in regards to the high priest in Genesis as much as there is to the Scripture in Psalm 110.  Go ahead and read all of it and you will see what I mean.

We will hear more about this high priest Jesus and how he is, indeed, a high priest.  At least that’s what the author of Hebrews states.  Till then, hang on.