For every High Priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. (2) He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. (3) Because of this he is required as for the people, so as also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. (4) And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. (5) So also Christ did not glorify Himslf to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are my Son, Today I have begotten You.” (6) As He also says in another place “You are a Priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek”
The author of the letter to the Hebrews is unknown. The letter was written to Jewish Christians who were facing persecution for their Christian beliefs and were tempted to revert to the Jewish religion to escape trials.
In our verses today – and in the next six chapters of the letter – the author is using scripture to point to Christ Jesus as the perfect and forever High Priest as the mediator between sinful man and God. Under the Jewish system, the High Priest was appointed by God. A sinner – all men are sinners – could not approach God without a Priest. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies and that just once a year, to offer sacrifice to atone for sin. This imperfect system foretold God’s plan for a perfect, once and for all High Priest who would make man right with God. Jesus Christ alone fulfilled that requirement. Christ was without sin and was true man as well as true God. In His perfect and acceptable sacrifice on the cross – the resurrection is witness to the acceptability of His sacrifice – Christ is now our High Priest and is the cause of salvation for all who believe in Him – Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of salvation by faith, not works.
In Christ the ancient priesthood is abolished. The Jewish sacrificial system was a shadow of reality that Christ is the fulfillment of every Old Testament prophecy. Our salvation depends on the priesthood of Christ.