Hebrews 5:1-4

The Priests Under the Law of Moses

High Priests were set up by God for man's benefit. God did not need anyone to sacrifice and make offerings for His sins, since He had none. However, He, out of love, gave us a High Priest for these religious duties. It seems the "gifts" which were offered were sacrifices of thanks and the "sacrifices" were for sin (Hebrews 5:1).

The priests under Moses' law, could have a compassionate feeling for all those who were straying ignorantly from the path of righteousness because they understood their weaknesses and were, therefore, aware of them. The "ignorant" would include those who sinned unknowingly, while the "going astray" erred out of weakness. In commenting on this passage, Fudge reminds us that there is no sacrifice for presumptuous sins (Numbers 15:30-31). The High Priests under Moses' law were surrounded by others', as well as their own, sins. Even Aaron fell prey to sin (Hebrews 5:2; Exodus 32:24).

The sins that surrounded the High Priest of old, both his and the people's, caused him to have to make an offering (Leviticus 9:7; Leviticus 16:6). One qualification of every High Priest was that of being "called of God as was Aaron" (Hebrews 5:3-4; Exodus 28:1; Psalms 105:26). "And the man who claims this honor for himself as did Kora (Numbers 16:1-50), though sustained by the highest human authority, is really not a High Priest, but an usurper (Acts 23:5)." (Milligan, p. 154).