Chapter 5

The Perfect High Priest

Psalms 110:1–7

¹Every high priest is appointed from among men to represent them in matters relating to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ²He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and misguided, since he himself is beset by weakness. ³That is why he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

⁴No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. ⁵So also Christ did not take upon Himself the glory of becoming a high priest, but He was called by the One who said to Him:

“You are My Son;

today I have become Your Father.”^a

⁶And in another passage God says:

“You are a priest forever

in the order of Melchizedek.”^b

⁷During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. ⁸Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered. ⁹And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him ¹⁰and was designated by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Milk and Solid Food

1 Corinthians 3:1–9

¹¹We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain, because you are dull of hearing. ¹²Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word.^c You need milk, not solid food!

¹³For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness. ¹⁴But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.