Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Hebrews Ch.5 / 13 Ch.s
HEB:5
* The office and duty of a high priest abundantly answered in
Christ. (1-10) The Christian Hebrews reproved for their little
progress in the knowledge of the gospel. (11-14)
#1-10 The High Priest must be a man, a partaker of our nature.
This shows that man had sinned. For God would not suffer sinful
man to come to him alone. But every one is welcome to God, that
comes to him by this High Priest; and as we value acceptance
with God, and pardon, we must apply by faith to this our great
High Priest Christ Jesus, who can intercede for those that are
out of the way of truth, duty, and happiness; one who has
tenderness to lead them back from the by-paths of error, sin,
and misery. Those only can expect assistance from God, and
acceptance with him, and his presence and blessing on them and
their services, that are called of God. This is applied to
Christ. In the days of his flesh, Christ made himself subject to
death: he hungered: he was a tempted, suffering, dying Jesus.
Christ set an example, not only to pray, but to be fervent in
prayer. How many dry prayers, how few wetted with tears, do we
offer up to God! He was strengthened to support the immense
weight of suffering laid upon him. There is no real deliverance
from death but to be carried through it. He was raised and
exalted, and to him was given the power of saving all sinners to
the uttermost, who come unto God through him. Christ has left us
an example that we should learn humble obedience to the will of
God, by all our afflictions. We need affliction, to teach us
submission. His obedience in our nature encourages our attempts
to obey, and for us to expect support and comfort under all the
temptations and sufferings to which we are exposed. Being made
perfect for this great work, he is become the Author of eternal
salvation to all that obey him. But are we of that number?
#11-14 Dull hearers make the preaching of the gospel difficult,
and even those who have some faith may be dull hearers, and slow
to believe. Much is looked for from those to whom much is given.
To be unskilful, denotes want of experience in the things of the
gospel. Christian experience is a spiritual sense, taste, or
relish of the goodness, sweetness, and excellence of the truths
of the gospel. And no tongue can express the satisfaction which
the soul receives, from a sense of Divine goodness, grace, and
love to it in Christ.